AnimeJapan and Crunchyroll Launch Award to Foster Emerging Talent
Unveiling the Next Wave of Anime Talent: The New Creator Awards
In an exciting development for the anime industry, a new initiative is set to shine a spotlight on emerging talent in Japan. The New Creator Awards, a collaborative effort between the AnimeJapan event and the streaming service Crunchyroll, aims to foster and discover fresh creative voices in the world of animation.
Image courtesy of Crunchyroll
The competition is open exclusively to students pursuing careers in animation. Short films with a duration of approximately 15 minutes or less are eligible for submission. The winning entries will be streamed domestically in Japan on d Anime Store and globally through Crunchyroll, reaching audiences in over 200 countries and territories.
Participants have the opportunity to win one of seven prestigious awards. The Grand Prix winner will receive a cash prize of one million yen (approximately US$6,780). The Crunchyroll Award winner will be granted a scholarship worth one million yen. Additionally, four category awards will be presented, each with a prize of 300,000 yen (about US$2,030), recognizing excellence in technical application, direction, character design, and art. The AnimeJapan Special Award winner will have the unique opportunity to showcase their short film at both domestic and international anime conventions.
Entries for the New Creator Awards are being accepted until January 31, 2026. The winners will be announced on March 28, 2026. The judging panel will consist of the AnimeJapan Executive Committee, representing 22 anime companies and one organization. The submission website is available in Japanese only here.
Next year’s AnimeJapan event will take place on March 28 to 31, 2026. The first two days of the event will be open to the public, while the last two days will be reserved for business activities.
AnimeJapan 2025’s public days took place at the Tokyo Big Sight venue on March 22-23. The event featured 116 booths, the highest number in its history. This year introduced a new “White” main stage, bringing the total to four main show stages running 52 stage panels, along with a separate Ambassador Stage. The Cosplayers World area outside and the Family Anime Festa for children inside expanded the event’s footprint to its largest ever.
The event reported an impressive 152,400 attendees across its two public days, marking a 15% increase from 2024’s attendance (which itself saw a 32% increase from 2023). This year’s number is the highest reported, surpassing the 2018 figure of 152,331. Notably, 1 in 10 attendees this year came from overseas, highlighting the event’s growing international appeal.
