Crunchyroll 2023 Anime Awards features star-studded presenter lineup with Valkyrae, Zelina Vega & more

Crunchyroll is bringing on a celebrity lineup for the 7th annual Anime Awards, featuring the likes of Finn Wolfhard and Hunter Schafer as presenters.

2022 was an excellent year for anime, with standout releases like Cyberpunk Edgerunners, Spy x Family, and Demon Slayer’s Entertainment District arc blowing fans away.

Naturally, these series and so many more have been nominated for various awards for Crunchyroll’s 7th annual Anime Awards streaming live from Tokyo, Japan on March 4, 2023.

It seems Crunchyroll is pulling out all the stops this year after they announced the celebrity lineup who will be presenting the awards, including athletes, Hollywood actors, and streamers.

Crunchyroll 2023 Anime Awards celebrity lineup

Crunchyroll updated its Anime Awards website, which included the presenter list. In total, the 2023 Anime Awards will feature nine presenters.

Among the presenters are athletes Aidan Hutchinson, Juju Smith-Schuster, and Zelina Vega. Additionally, mainstream actors and directors Finn Wolfhard, Hunter Schafer, Jacob Bertrand, and Robert Rodriguez will be presenting awards, as well.

Finally, popular influences and Twitch streamers Sykkuno and Valkyrae will also be there to present awards during the live stream.

At the time of writing, it’s unclear what awards these celebrities will present. However, with 22 awards total it’s likely these nine presenters will double up on some awards unless there are some surprise guests set to appear as well.

While some anime fans may be surprised at the number of mainstream presenters signed on for the Anime Awards, some of them spoke about why anime was important to them.

“I love anime, it’s an art form that has always inspired me. For the creators, it’s unbound creativity and freedom of expression, where they can make truly iconic, creative worlds and characters,” said director Robert Rodriguez.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster said, “I have been a huge anime fan since I was a kid. It has been a part of my whole life, till this day, it has helped me so much. I’m an NFL athlete and I get to represent this anime world. So for me to present an Anime Award to some of the greatest shows in the world, it’s the best.”

Those looking forward to seeing what 2022 anime wins in each category should be sure to tune into the upcoming Anime Awards stream on March 4, 2023.