Crunchyroll Anime Award for Best Character

The Crunchyroll Anime Award for Best Character is fictional character awards given at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards since its inaugural edition in 2017. It is given for the best anime characters from the previous year. Winners are determined through a combined voting process by judges and public voting.^[1]

Crunchyroll Anime Award for Best Character
Awarded for	Best anime characters of the previous year
Country	United States Japan
First award	2017
Currently held by	Main Character: Sung Jin-woo — Solo Leveling Supporting Character: Fern — Frieren: Beyond Journey's End "Must Protect At All Costs" Character: Anya Forger — Spy x Family (2025)
Most wins	Character: Anya Forger (4) Anime: My Hero Academia (7)
Most nominations	Character: Bojji / Izuku "Deku" Midoriya (5) Anime: My Hero Academia (15)
Website	Crunchyroll Anime Awards

Originated as four individual characters awards (Best Protagonist, Best Antagonist, Best Boy, and Best Girl) until 2022, all of which will be consolidated into two categories: Best Main Character and Best Supporting Character, while introducing a new category "Must Protect At All Costs" Character, an award recognizes characters that evoke strong protective instincts in viewers due to their vulnerability or endearing qualities, inspire a strong desire to safeguard them at all costs.

Spy x Family's Anya Forger won the award multiple times, 1 for Best Supporting Character and 3 for "Must Protect At All Costs" Character in consecutive years, the most of any anime characters to date. My Hero Academia holds the records for both the most wins (7) and nominations (15) with Izuku Midoriya received the most with 3 awards out of 5 nominations, the latter jointly tied with Ranking of Kings's Bojji.

So far, My Hero Academia was the only series to received six nominations in four individual characters categories in a single edition, sweeps all four for the first time; the awards for Best Boy and Best Girl received two nominations from the same series in the second edition.^[2]

Current

In the following list, the first names listed in gold are the winners; those not in gold are nominees, which are listed in alphabetical order. The years given are those in which the ceremonies took place.

Best Main Character

Year	Character	Anime
2021/2022 (7th)[3][4]
	Eren Jaeger	Attack on Titan: The Final Season Part 2 (season 4 cour 2)
	Bojji	Ranking of Kings (cour 2)
	Chisato Nishikigi	Lycoris Recoil
	David Martinez	Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
	Loid Forger	Spy × Family
	Marin Kitagawa	My Dress-Up Darling
2022/2023 (8th)[5][6]
	Monkey D. Luffy	One Piece
	Denji	Chainsaw Man
	Eren Jaeger	Attack on Titan: The Final Season The Final Chapters Special 1 (season 4 cour 3)
	Hitori "Bocchi" Gotoh	Bocchi the Rock!
	Shigeo "Mob" Kageyama	Mob Psycho 100 III (season 3)
	Thorfinn	Vinland Saga (season 2)
2023/2024 (9th)[7][8]
	Sung Jin-woo	Solo Leveling
	Frieren	Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
	Kafka Hibino	Kaiju No. 8
	Ken "Okarun" Takakura	Dandadan
	Maomao	The Apothecary Diaries
	Momo Ayase	Dandadan

Best Supporting Character

Year	Character	Anime
2021/2022 (7th)[3][4]
	Anya Forger	Spy × Family
	Ai Hayasaka	Kaguya-sama: Love Is War – Ultra Romantic
	Kage	Ranking of Kings
	Rebecca	Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
	Tengen Uzui	Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment District Arc (season 2 cour 2)
	Yor Forger	Spy × Family
2022/2023 (8th)[5][6]
	Satoru Gojo	Jujutsu Kaisen (season 2)
	Arataka Reigen	Mob Psycho 100 III (season 3)
	Kana Arima	Oshi no Ko
	Power	Chainsaw Man
	Suguru Geto	Jujutsu Kaisen (season 2)
	Zoë Hange	Attack on Titan: The Final Season The Final Chapters Special 1 (season 4 cour 3)
2023/2024 (9th)[7][8]
	Fern	Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
	Himmel	Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
	Jinshi	The Apothecary Diaries
	Seiko Ayase	Dandadan
	Senshi	Delicious in Dungeon
	Turbo Granny	Dandadan

"Must Protect At All Costs" Character

Year	Character	Anime
2021/2022 (7th)[3][4]
	Anya Forger	Spy × Family
	Bojji	Ranking of Kings (cour 2)
	Kage	Ranking of Kings
	Komi Shōko	Komi Can't Communicate
	Kotaro Satō	Kotaro Lives Alone
	Marin Kitagawa	My Dress-Up Darling
2022/2023 (8th)[5][6]
	Anya Forger	Spy × Family (season 1 cour 2)
	Bojji	Ranking of Kings: The Treasure Chest of Courage
	Hitori "Bocchi" Gotoh	Bocchi the Rock!
	Miri Unasaka	Buddy Daddies
	Pochita	Chainsaw Man
	Suletta Mercury	Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury
2023/2024 (9th)[7][8]
	Anya Forger	Spy × Family (season 2)
	Frieren	Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
	Hōjō Tokiyuki	The Elusive Samurai
	Ken "Okarun" Takakura	Dandadan
	Senshi	Delicious in Dungeon
	Yuki Itose	A Sign of Affection

Former

In the following list, the first names listed in gold are the winners; those not in gold are nominees, which are listed in alphabetical order. The years given are those in which the ceremonies took place.

Best Protagonist

Year	Character	Anime
2016 (1st)[9][10]
	Izuku "Deku" Midoriya	My Hero Academia
	Mumei	Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
	Satoru Fujinuma	Erased
	Shigeo "Mob" Kageyama	Mob Psycho 100
	Most Popular "Other": Josuke Higashikata	JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable (season 3)
2017 (2nd)[2]
	Izuku "Deku" Midoriya	My Hero Academia (season 2)
	Atsuko "Akko" Kagari	Little Witch Academia
	Chise Hatori	The Ancient Magus' Bride
	Gin Minowa	Yuki Yuna is a Hero
	Kukuri	Magical Circle Guru Guru
	Nanachi	Made in Abyss
2018 (3rd)[11]
	Rimuru Tempest	That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
	Joe	Megalobox
	Retsuko	Aggretsuko
	Sakuta Azusagawa	Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai
	Violet Evergarden	Violet Evergarden
	Yumeko Jabami	Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler
2019 (4th)[12][13]
	Senku Ishigami	Dr. Stone
	Emma	The Promised Neverland
	Hyakkimaru	Dororo
	Saitama	One-Punch Man (season 2)
	Tanjiro Kamado	Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
	Tohru Honda	Fruits Basket
2020 (5th)[14]
	Catarina Claes	My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
	Anos Voldigoad	The Misfit of Demon King Academy
	Midori Asakusa	Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!
	Natsume	Deca-Dence
	Shoyo Hinata	Haikyu!! To the Top (season 4)
	Yuji Itadori	Jujutsu Kaisen
2021 (6th)[15][16]
	Odokawa	Odd Taxi
	Ai Ohto	Wonder Egg Priority
	Bojji	Ranking of Kings
	Eren Jaeger	Attack on Titan: The Final Season Part 1 (season 4)
	Joe	Megalobox 2: Nomad
	Yuji Itadori	Jujutsu Kaisen

Best Antagonist

Year	Character	Anime
2016 (1st)[9][10]
	Gaku Yashiro	Erased
	Biba	Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
	Tomura Shigaraki	My Hero Academia
	Yoshikage Kira	JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable (season 3)
	Most Popular "Other": Betelgeuse	Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World
2017 (2nd)[2]
	Stain	My Hero Academia (season 2)
	Bondrewd	Made in Abyss
	Cartaphilus	The Ancient Magus' Bride
	Hiro Shishigami	Inuyashiki
	Tanya Degurechaff	Saga of Tanya the Evil
	Usagi	Juni Taisen: Zodiac War
2018 (3rd)[11]
	All For One	My Hero Academia (season 3)
	Akane Shinjo	SSSS.Gridman
	Momonga	Overlord (season 3)
	Ryo Asuka	Devilman Crybaby
	Tokushiro Tsurumi	Golden Kamuy
	Yuri	Megalobox
2019 (4th)[12][13]
	Isabella	The Promised Neverland
	Ai Magase	Babylon
	Angela Carpenter	Carole & Tuesday
	Askeladd	Vinland Saga
	Garou	One-Punch Man (season 2)
	Overhaul	My Hero Academia (season 4)
2020 (5th)[14]
	Ryomen Sukuna	Jujutsu Kaisen
	Akito Soma	Fruits Basket (season 2)
	Echidna	Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World (season 2)
	En	Dorohedoro
	Overhaul	My Hero Academia (season 4)
	Rachel	Tower of God
2021 (6th)[15][16]
	Eren Jaeger	Attack on Titan: The Final Season Part 1 (season 4)
	Ainosuke Shindo	SK8 the Infinity
	Echidna	Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World (season 2)
	Tetta Kisaki	Tokyo Revengers
	Tomura Shigaraki	My Hero Academia (season 5)
	Yano	Odd Taxi

Best Boy

Year	Character	Anime
2016 (1st)[9][10]
	Yuri Katsuki	Yuri on Ice
	Arataka Reigen	Mob Psycho 100
	Izuku "Deku" Midoriya	My Hero Academia
	Yakumo Yuurakutei	Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju
	Most Popular "Other": Josuke Higashikata	JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable (season 3)
2017 (2nd)[2]
	Shoto Todoroki	My Hero Academia (season 2)
	Fafnir	Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid
	Izuku "Deku" Midoriya	My Hero Academia (season 2)
	Kazuma Sato	KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! (season 2)
	Rei Kiriyama	March Comes in Like a Lion
	Yakumo Yuurakutei	Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju
2018 (3rd)[11]
	Izuku "Deku" Midoriya	My Hero Academia (season 3)
	Haida	Aggretsuko
	Honda-san	Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san
	Joe	Megalobox
	Kotaro Tatsumi	Zombie Land Saga
	Sakuta Azusagawa	Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai
2019 (4th)[12][13]
	Tanjiro Kamado	Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
	Bruno Bucciarati	JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind (season 4)
	Hyakkimaru	Dororo
	Kanata Hoshijima	Astra Lost in Space
	Naruzo Machio	How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift?
	Shigeo "Mob" Kageyama	Mob Psycho 100 II (season 2)
2020 (5th)[14]
	Shoyo Hinata	Haikyu!! To the Top (season 4)
	Anos Voldigoad	The Misfit of Demon King Academy
	Caiman	Dorohedoro
	Khun Aguero Agnes	Tower of God
	Legoshi	Beastars
	Satoru Gojo	Jujutsu Kaisen
2021 (6th)[15][16]
	Bojji	Ranking of Kings
	Izumi Miyamura	Horimiya
	Ken 'Draken' Ryuguji	Tokyo Revengers
	Manjiro 'Mikey' Sano
	Odokawa	Odd Taxi
	Senku Ishigami	Dr. Stone (season 2)

Best Girl

Year	Character	Anime
2016 (1st)[9][10]
	Rem	Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World
	Mumei	Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
	Nico Niiyama	Kiznaiver
	Ochaco Uraraka	My Hero Academia
	Most Popular "Other": Megumin	KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!
2017 (2nd)[2]
	Ochaco Uraraka	My Hero Academia (season 2)
	Atsuko "Akko" Kagari	Little Witch Academia
	Chise Hatori	The Ancient Magus' Bride
	Moriko Morioka	Recovery of an MMO Junkie
	Serval	Kemono Friends
	Tsuyu Asui	My Hero Academia (season 2)
2018 (3rd)[11]
	Mai Sakurajima	Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai
	Anzu Hayashi	Hinamatsuri
	Asirpa	Golden Kamuy
	Hinata Miyake	A Place Further than the Universe
	Lily Hoshikawa	Zombie Land Saga
	Nadeshiko Kagamihara	Laid-Back Camp
2019 (4th)[12][13]
	Raphtalia	The Rising of the Shield Hero
	Carole	Carole & Tuesday
	Chika Fujiwara	Kaguya-sama: Love Is War
	Emma	The Promised Neverland
	Kohaku	Dr. Stone
	Nezuko Kamado	Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
2020 (5th)[14]
	Kaguya Shinomiya	Kaguya-sama: Love Is War? (season 2)
	Abigail Jones	Great Pretender
	Catarina Claes	My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
	Chizuru Mizuhara	Rent-A-Girlfriend
	Noi	Dorohedoro
	Sayaka Kanamori	Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!
2021 (6th)[15][16]
	Nobara Kugisaki	Jujutsu Kaisen
	Ai Ohto	Wonder Egg Priority
	Komi Shōko	Komi Can't Communicate
	Sarasa Watanabe	Kageki Shojo!!
	Tohru Honda	Fruits Basket The Final Season
	Vladilena Milizé	86

Records

Anime characters

BOLD indicates the winner

Wins	Nominations	Character
4		Anya Forger
3	5	Izuku "Deku" Midoriya
2	4	Eren Jaeger
1	5	Bojji
	2	Catarina Claes
		Ochaco Uraraka
		Odokawa
		Satoru Gojo
		Senku Ishigami
		Shoyo Hinata
		Tanjiro Kamado
0	3	Joe
		Shigeo "Mob" Kageyama
	2	Ai Ohto
		Anos Voldigoad
		Atsuko "Akko" Kagari
		Chise Hatori
		Echidna
		Emma
		Frieren
		Hitori "Bocchi" Gotoh
		Hyakkimaru
		Kage
		Ken "Okarun" Takakura
		Komi Shōko
		Marin Kitagawa
		Mumei
		Overhaul
		Sakuta Azusagawa
		Senshi
		Tomura Shigaraki
		Yuji Itadori

Anime series

BOLD indicates the winner

Wins	Nominations	Anime
7	15	My Hero Academia
4	6	Spy × Family
3	7	Jujutsu Kaisen
2	5	Attack on Titan
1	7	Ranking of Kings
	4	Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
		Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
		Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World
	3	Dr. Stone
		Kaguya-sama: Love Is War
		Odd Taxi
		The Promised Neverland
		Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai
0	5	Dandadan
		Mob Psycho 100
	4	JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
		Megalobox
	3	Chainsaw Man

Single edition

Edition	Anime	Characters (Categories)	Nominations	Wins
1st	My Hero Academia	Izuku "Deku" Midoriya (Best Protagonist and Best Boy) Tomura Shigaraki (Best Antagonist) Ochaco Uraraka (Best Girl)	4	1
	JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable	Josuke Higashikata (Best Protagonist and Best Boy) Yoshikage Kira (Best Antagonist)	3	0
	Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress	Mumei (Best Protagonist and Best Girl) Biba (Best Antagonist)
	Erased	Satoru Fujinuma (Best Protagonist) Gaku Yashiro (Best Antagonist)	2	1
	Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World	Betelgeuse (Best Antagonist) Rem (Best Girl)
	Mob Psycho 100	Shigeo "Mob" Kageyama (Best Protagonist) Arataka Reigen (Best Boy)		0
2nd	My Hero Academia (season 2)	Izuku "Deku" Midoriya (Best Protagonist and Best Boy) Stain (Best Antagonist) Shoto Todoroki (Best Boy) Ochaco Uraraka (Best Girl) Tsuyu Asui (Best Girl)	6	4
	The Ancient Magus' Bride	Chise Hatori (Best Protagonist and Best Girl)	3	0
	Little Witch Academia	Atsuko "Akko" Kagari (Best Protagonist and Best Girl)	2
	Made in Abyss	Nanachi (Best Protagonist) Bondrewd (Best Antagonist)
3rd	Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai	Sakuta Azusagawa (Best Protagonist and Best Boy) Mai Sakurajima (Best Girl)	3	1
	Megalobox	Joe (Best Protagonist and Best Boy) Yuri (Best Antagonist)		0
	My Hero Academia (season 3)	All For One (Best Antagonist) Izuku "Deku" Midoriya (Best Boy)	2	2
	Aggretsuko	Retsuko (Best Protagonist) Haida (Best Boy)		0
	Golden Kamuy	Tokushiro Tsurumi (Best Antagonist) Asirpa (Best Girl)
	Zombie Land Saga	Kotaro Tatsumi (Best Boy) Lily Hoshikawa (Best Girl)
4th	Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba	Tanjiro Kamado (Best Protagonist and Best Boy) Nezuko Kamado (Best Girl)	3	1
	The Promised Neverland	Emma (Best Protagonist and Best Girl) Isabella (Best Antagonist)
	Dr. Stone	Senku Ishigami (Best Protagonist) Kohaku (Best Girl)	2
	Carole & Tuesday	Angela Carpenter (Best Antagonist) Carole (Best Girl)		0
	Dororo	Hyakkimaru (Best Protagonist and Best Boy)
	One-Punch Man (season 2)	Saitama (Best Protagonist) Garou (Best Antagonist)
5th	Jujutsu Kaisen (season 1 cour 1)	Yuji Itadori (Best Protagonist) Ryomen Sukuna (Best Antagonist) Satoru Gojo (Best Boy)	3	1
	Dorohedoro	En (Best Antagonist) Caiman (Best Boy) Noi (Best Girl)		0
	Haikyu!! To the Top (season 4)	Shoyo Hinata (Best Protagonist and Best Boy)	2	1
	My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!	Catarina Claes (Best Protagonist and Best Girl)
	Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!	Midori Asakusa (Best Protagonist) Sayaka Kanamori (Best Girl)		0
	The Misfit of Demon King Academy	Anos Voldigoad (Best Protagonist and Best Boy)
	Tower of God	Rachel (Best Antagonist) Khun Aguero Agnes (Best Boy)
6th	Odd Taxi	Odokawa (Best Protagonist and Best Boy) Yano (Best Antagonist)	3	1
	Tokyo Revengers	Tetta Kisaki (Best Antagonist) Ken 'Draken' Ryuguji (Best Boy) Manjiro 'Mikey' Sano (Best Boy)		0
	Attack on Titan (The Final Season Part 1)	Eren Jaeger (Best Protagonist and Best Antagonist)	2	1
	Jujutsu Kaisen (season 1 cour 2)	Midori Asakusa (Best Protagonist) Sayaka Kanamori (Best Girl)
	Ranking of Kings	Bojji (Best Protagonist and Best Boy)
	Wonder Egg Priority	Ai Ohto (Best Protagonist and Best Girl)		0
7th	Spy × Family	Loid Forger (Best Main Character) Anya Forger (Best Supporting Character and "Must Protect At All Costs" Character) Yor Forger (Best Supporting Character)	4	2
	Ranking of Kings (cour 2)	Bojji (Best Main Character and "Must Protect At All Costs" Character) Kage (Best Supporting Character and "Must Protect At All Costs" Character)		0
	Cyberpunk: Edgerunners	David Martinez (Best Main Character) Rebecca (Best Supporting Character)	2
	My Dress-Up Darling	Marin Kitagawa (Best Main Character and "Must Protect At All Costs" Character)
8th	Chainsaw Man	Denji (Best Main Character) Power (Best Supporting Character) Pochita ("Must Protect At All Costs" Character)	3	0
	Jujutsu Kaisen (season 2)	Satoru Gojo (Best Supporting Character) Suguru Geto (Best Supporting Character)	2	1
	Attack on Titan (The Final Season The Final Chapters Special 1)	Eren Jaeger (Best Main Character) Zoë Hange (Best Supporting Character)		0
	Bocchi the Rock!	Hitori "Bocchi" Gotoh (Best Main Character and "Must Protect At All Costs" Character)
	Mob Psycho 100 III (season 3)	Shigeo "Mob" Kageyama (Best Main Character) Arataka Reigen (Best Supporting Character)
9th	Dandadan	Ken "Okarun" Takakura (Best Main Character and "Must Protect At All Costs" Character) Momo Ayase (Best Main Character) Seiko Ayase (Best Supporting Character) Turbo Granny (Best Supporting Character)	5
	Frieren: Beyond Journey's End	Frieren (Best Main Character and "Must Protect At All Costs" Character) Fern (Best Supporting Character) Himmel (Best Supporting Character)	4	1
	The Apothecary Diaries	Maomao (Best Main Character) Jinshi (Best Supporting Character)	2	0
	Delicious in Dungeon	Senshi (Best Supporting Character and "Must Protect At All Costs" Character)

Consecutive wins

Category	Character	Anime	No. of wins
Current
Best Main Character	—
Best Supporting Character
"Must Protect At All Costs" Character	Anya Forger	Spy × Family	3
Former
Best Protagonist	Izuku "Deku" Midoriya	My Hero Academia	2
Best Antagonist	—
Best Boy
Best Girl