This year I got to be one of the judges in Crunchyroll’s annual Anime Awards, and out of all the years to be told to pick the best of the best, 2021 was definitely the most challenging. I know I sound like a broken record if you keep up with my anime fangirling, but 2021 was an incredible time to be an anime fan.
That being said, winners have been crowned in each respective category. Fans and judges came together to decide what would be deemed as “the best” of 2021, but honestly, there was so much good to choose from that I found myself having a lot of anime to root for.
It’s like one of those rare moments in the reality competition where whoever wins makes you happy because you actually like ALL of the contestants, or at the very least, can see how everyone else likes them.
Here is a breakdown of all the winners!
Anime of the Year: Attack on Titan Final Season Part 1
Best Boy: Bojji from Ranking of Kings
Best Girl: Nobara Kugisaki from JUJUTSU KAISEN (cour 2)
Best Protagonist: Odokawa from ODDTAXI
Best Antagonist: Eren Jaeger from Attack on Titan Final Season Part 1
Best Fight Scene: Yuji Itadori & Aoi Todo VS Hanami from JUJUTSU KAISEN (cour 2)
Best Director: Baku Kinoshita, director of ODDTAXI
Best Animation: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Mugen Train Arc
Best Character Design: Tadashi Hiramatsu, character designer for JUJUTSU KAISEN (cour 2)
Best Score: Yuki Kajiura and Go Shiina, composers for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Mugen Train Arc
Best Opening Sequence: Boku no sensou by Shinsei Kamattechan – Attack on Titan Final Season Part 1 with storyboard and direction by Yuichiro Hayashi
Best Ending Sequence: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Mugen Train Arc
Best Action: JUJUTSU KAISEN (cour 2)
Best Comedy: Komi Can’t Communicate
Best Drama: To Your Eternity
Best Fantasy: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 2
Best Romance – Horimiya
Best Film – Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train
Best VA Performance (Japanese): Yuki Kaji as Eren Jaeger from Attack on Titan Final Season Part 1
Best VA Performance (English): David Wald as Ainosuke Shindo/”ADAM” from SK8 The Infinity
Best VA Performances from across the globe
German: René Dawn-Claude as Satoru Gojo in JUJUTSU KAISEN (cour 2)
French: Enzo Ratsito as Tanjiro Kamado in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Mugen Train Arc
Portuguese: Léo Rabelo as Satoru Gojo in JUJUTSU KAISEN (cour 2)
Castilian: Marcel Navarro as Tanjiro Kamado in Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train
Spanish: Irwin Daayán as Rengoku in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Russian: Islam Gandzhaev (Ислам Ганджаев) as Tanjiro Kamado in Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train
Final Thoughts
Some of these picks aren’t surprising. Jujutsu Kaisen is visually stunning to watch when it has its action sequences and Demon Slayer broke so many records at the box office that I assumed the film would win. Horimiya was a major high point for me in the category of “romance that’ll make you feel warm and fuzzy on the inside” and To Your Eternity just… I mean… I still haven’t recovered from the first episode.
That being said, I’m pleasantly surprised to see all the love that ODDTAXI got, an anime series that continues to be my underrated favorite to come out of 2021. I’m really glad to see it being recognized and I hope more people check it out.
Other “cheering very loudly” picks include Best Boy Bojji. I will also always support any and all love for the tiny, loveable prince. I had a lot of Best Boys in 2021, most of whom made it on the ballot, but wow, Bojji really has captured my heart and all it took was about five minutes of Ranking of Kings.
Also? Nobara is an absolute queen, and my god, my overdramatic skateboard menace ADAM won! I’m sure Tadashi is pleased.
I’m pleased, too. David Wald is a fantastic human being.
While I definitely understand the Attack on Titan love (even if I’m still catching up on the series) I can’t help but wonder what has happened to make Eren the antagonist. I get the feeling that I’m in for a whole lot of hurt when I finally take the time to understand why my Twitter feed is just a mess of emotions on Attack on Titan episode days. Should I even bother? Do I dare?
All and all, this whole thing has been a reminder of how great anime was last year and how I still have to catch up on its greatest (I’m coming for you Komi Can’t Communicate). This year is also looking like it will be a lot of fun, which just means more difficult decisions when the awards come back around again.
What’s been your favorite anime from 2021? More importantly, how many times have you watched it? I for one have watched SK8 the Infinity six times, what anime series has a hold on you in such a way?
(Image: Crunchyroll)
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