Fan-favorite anime was “robbed” at Crunchyroll Awards

The Crunchyroll Anime Awards have just happened, with Jujutsu Kaisen and Attack on Titan leading the winners, causing a particular series to fall by the wayside.

The awards took place on March 2 in Tokyo, Japan, aiming to honor the top tier anime shows of the last year across a variety of categories. You’ve got Anime of the Year, Opening Sequence, Supporting Character, and many more, all rewarding a particular aspect of the franchises we love.

As the leading ceremony of its kind, particularly for English-speaking audiences, the Crunchyroll Anime Awards put considerable effort to attract mainstream attention. This year, Megan Thee Stallion and pro wrestler Mercedes Moné were in attendance to present awards, creating celebrity buzz and prestige.

Sadly, a lot of fans aren’t too keen on who went home with statues, believing the emphasis was too strong on already well-known and popular properties.

Vinland Saga Season 2 was snubbed at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards

On Reddit and across social media, many fans believe Vinland Saga Season 2 should’ve gotten at least some of the awards that Jujutu Kaisen received. Indeed, the Viking anime went in with around ten nominations, but failed to succeed in every category.

Meanwhile, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 got Anime of the Year, both Best Opening and Closing, Best Japanese Voice Actor Performance, and a wealth of others. It was a very good ceremony for MAPPA’s adaptation of Gege Akutami’s manga.

“Vinland Saga definitely deserved [Anime of the Year] without a flinch of a doubt,” says one commenter on Reddit. “I had hopes seeing last year Edgerunners winning the AotY – that finally CR isn’t mollycoddling to its viewers or awarding based on popularity but I was so wrong.”

Another adds on X, formerly Twitter: “The fact that Vinland Saga didn’t win a single award just proves that this is literally the worst anime awards of all time.”

The reactions are a little hyperbolic, but I understand the frustration. Jujutsu Kaisen is one of the biggest anime going right now, and it wouldn’t have suffered any to lose some of these categories. Vinland Saga Season 2 is a great piece of work, and could’ve used some more recognition.

Jujutsu Kaisen dominated the awards so much, even anime that got some statues (such as Chainsaw Man) have fans wishing they had a stronger look in. The awards are definitely top heavy, and although Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 was great, was it that great? I’m not so sure.

But at the same time, this is just one awarding body. These shows can’t make everyone happy, and creating some discourse about winners ultimately helps the medium, since it creates a flurry of people saying how great franchises like Vinland Saga are.

In any case, check out our lists of the best anime like Solo Leveling and best anime like Demon Slayer if you want more viewing suggestions.