It seems like it was just yesterday I was parading around my high school humming the tune of  “Sakura Kiss”, the opening theme of Ouran High School Host Club. Now THAT anime was worthy of a few awards.

What a year it has been for anime. From dramatic trillers such as Erased to the break-out Sports Romance Yuri!!! on Ice, 2016 has been a wonderful year for so many different and beautiful series. I can’t remember a time when I had so many new shows that I kept up with from start to finish.

With SO many amazing series, it’s no wonder anime powerhouse Crunchyroll has rolled out their first ever official Anime Awards.  The Anime Awards will be handed out across 14 different categories—with nominees from all anime platforms—including: Hero of the Year, Villain of the Year, Best Couple, Best Fight Scene, Best Girl, Best Boy and more. Nominations were chosen by industry professionals and the winners will be determined by non other than everyday anime fans!

Before voting day, Crunchyroll has been posting videos on Facebook and Twitter, encouraging fans to vote and discuss their favorites in the comments. These videos have been a source for lively debates between fans; I’ve even participated in a few myself.  Starting TODAY, you can vote for your favorites in each category.

“2016 has been an amazing year for anime, with fandom reaching new heights around the globe. Now more than ever, creators and everyone involved deserve to be recognized for their creativity and work in anime, which is experiencing a renaissance,” said Kun Gao, General Manager and Founder of Crunchyroll. “The Anime Awards is intended to bring the community together to celebrate the medium. At Crunchyroll, we’re all about bringing fans new ways to connect around the content they love, and we’re excited to start this new tradition in honoring the amazing work and talent we’ve all had the privilege to be a part of. We are extremely excited to celebrate the amazing year in anime.”

The Anime Awards will culminate in a celebration on January 28 at the Folsom Street Foundry in San Francisco, where The Anime of The Year Award will be announced and streamed live for fans not in attendance. This year’s finalists include: ERASED, Joker Game, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, Mob Psycho 100, My Hero Academia, Re:Zero, Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū and Yuri!!! on ICE. Fans attending the Crunchyroll Anime Awards Party can expect a live DJ, anime screenings, video game lounges, custom T-shirt printing and more. Details on how fans can attend the event in-person can be found here.
 
About Crunchyroll

Crunchyroll is the official destination for the largest and latest lineup of anime as well as popular drama and manga. Crunchyroll brings hit shows like Naruto Shippūden, Attack on Titan, and One Piece to millions of viewers around the world and allows them to purchase related merchandise through its online store. Through its app on game consoles, set-top boxes, mobile devices and more, Crunchyroll delivers content from leading Asian media producers directly to viewers translated professionally in multiple languages. The service is available for free or through a premium offering that allows users to watch ad-free with access to simulcasts—top series available immediately after Japanese broadcast. Crunchyroll‘s majority investor is Otter Media, a joint venture between AT&T and The Chernin Group. Crunchyroll has offices in San Francisco and Tokyo, and is a member of the Association of Japanese Animations (AJA).