Crunchyroll Anime Awards Held in Tokyo as Paid Subscribers Reach 21 Million
The 10th annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards were held May 23 at the Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa. Yoko Takahashi performed the theme from Neon Genesis Evangelion before an international audience.
Japan TimesThe 10th annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards took place on May 23, 2026, at the Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa in Tokyo. Celebrity guests from Canada, India and other countries attended the event, which drew an international crowd of entertainers from around the world. Yoko Takahashi performed the theme song “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis” from “Neon Genesis Evangelion” during the ceremony.
She wore an outfit inspired by one of the hulking mechas from the series, and the stage turned purple during her performance. Crunchyroll representatives said paid subscribers to the platform rose to 21 million total, up from 17 million the year before. The figures were released during a press conference days before the ceremony.
Japan Times reported that Takahashi’s performance came closest to delivering the level of spectacle typically associated with a traditional awards show. The article noted that this year’s edition reinforced messages about anime’s growing cultural footprint globally.
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