Credits: Bibury Animation Studios

Contents

• Anime of the Year? More Like "We Already Picked It"
• “No One Voted” – The Interview That Popped the Illusion
• The Solo Leveling Sweep (And Why We’re Not Even Mad)
• Awards That Deserved Better But Got Cooked
• What This Means (Probably Nothing But Still)
• Final Thoughts: Welcome to the Simulation

Anime of the Year? More Like "We Already Picked It"

Credits: Crunchyroll

Let’s not pretend this was some thrilling surprise. Solo Leveling walked away with Anime of the Year at the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, and the rest of us were like, “Of course it did.” It was so obvious that you could have printed the results before the nominations dropped.

And hey, was Solo Leveling good? Sure. Did it have waifus, dungeon grinding, and exactly three frames of anime boobs per episode? You bet. But Anime of the Year? Against Frieren? Dandadan? Delicious in Dungeon? Nah. That was pre-loaded.

“No One Voted” – The Interview That Popped the Illusion

Credits: Chibi Reviews, Glass Reflection and Quest for the Best: An Anime Podcast (Youtube)

Then the real kicker dropped. That YouTube interview where a Crunchyroll rep admitted, yeah, the voting system didn’t factor into most of the final decisions. Because hardly anyone voted.

So they kind of just... picked winners. Which makes the Crunchyroll Anime Awards feel less like a democratic celebration of anime and more like your older cousin handing out trophies to their favorite gacha characters.

The Solo Leveling Sweep (And Why We’re Not Even Mad)

Credits: Crunchyroll

Let’s be real. Solo Leveling got Best New Anime, Best Action, Best Score, Best Main Character, and half the voice awards. It didn’t just win. It conquered.

And deep down, none of us even protested. Because the show knew what it was doing. Blades, shadows, and suggestively posed girls with gravity-defying cleavage. If you turned your brain off and gave in to instinct, you probably voted with your click like the rest of us. Anime boobs always win.

Awards That Deserved Better But Got Cooked

Dandadan had peak chaos energy. Frieren made people cry. Delicious in Dungeon had more food porn than most cooking shows. But when the Crunchyroll Anime Awards handed out actual gold, they got scraps. It’s not that they weren’t good enough. It’s that they weren’t Solo Leveling, and Crunchyroll decided to funnel the spotlight into one black-haired brooding machine.

Also, the "Best Romance" going to Blue Box? Okay, Crunchyroll, sure.

What This Means (Probably Nothing But Still)

Credits: Crunchyroll

Look, the Crunchyroll Anime Awards aren’t court-mandated truth. They’re marketing. But that’s fine. Because most of us watched for the waifus, not for objective analysis.

Crunchyroll knows what gets clicks. And if that means throwing all the crowns on Jinwoo and ignoring the anime with the most detailed yukata physics, then that’s the game we’re playing.

Final Thoughts: Welcome to the Simulation

Yes, it was rigged. Yes, the Crunchyroll Anime Awards had zero vibes of fairness. But are we still watching next year? Of course, we are. Because whether it's voting or not, you know they’ll show some character in a questionable pose and you’ll be like “damn maybe I should rewatch this.”

And if you're still mad, you probably need comfort loot. Subscribe to The Otaku Box and you'll get free anime waifu figures, surprise loot, and a free edition of Waifu Monthly. It’s a box of anime boobs with your name on it. Pretend it’s for the “collector’s value” if it helps you sleep.