The Weeknd to Present at 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards: ‘I Wouldn’t Be Here Without Anime’
In an extended statement, the superstar revealed how the medium has impacted his work.
The Weeknd at the "Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning" U.S. premiere held at Lincoln Center Fountain Plaza on May 18, 2025, in New York.
The Weeknd is set to present the award for anime of the year at the 10th Crunchyroll Anime Awards on Saturday, May 23, in Tokyo. Anime, especially famed director Shinichiro Watanabe’s influence, has been a key inspiration throughout The Weeknd’s career, starting with his iconic first project, House of Balloons.
“When I was first introduced to anime, I was a child,” The Weeknd said in a statement. “Sailor Moon was one of my first crushes, Goku my first imaginary sparring partner, and ‘One More Time’ by Daft Punk was a song and music video I couldn’t get out of my head.
“But it wasn’t until my teenage years that one specific anime changed me forever and became part of the fabric of my early career: Samurai Champloo by Shinichiro Watanabe. It was the first time I experienced two of my favorite mediums — anime and hip-hop — blending so seamlessly that it completely reshaped the way I watched film and listened to music.
“The fusion of a samurai story told with auteur precision, paired with the sounds of Nujabes, Fat Jon and Force of Nature was nothing short of transformative. That influence stayed with me all the way through the creation of House of Balloons, where I wrote ‘The Morning,’ ‘Glass Table Girls’ and ‘Loft Music’ over Nujabes’ instrumentals. Without Watanabe and Nujabes, House of Balloons simply wouldn’t exist.
“Samurai Champloo opened my eyes to a more mature world of anime and helped shape my visual DNA. The works of Satoshi Kon, Mamoru Oshii and Katsuhiro Otomo became foundational to the look and feel of The Weeknd.
“So, it’s safe to say I wouldn’t be here without anime. It’s an honor to celebrate the artists behind it and a medium that continues to inspire the world.”
The Crunchyroll Anime Awards honors the creators, musicians and performances powering the global love of anime. RZA of Wu-Tang Clan is also set to present this year. Several major music stars have presented at the show in recent years, including Kacey Musgraves, Damiano David and Megan Thee Stallion.
Fans around the world can cast their votes daily for their favorite anime, helping decide winners across 32 categories, including anime of the year. Voting is now open via the Anime Awards website, Crunchyroll and MyAnimeList, and runs through April 15 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Sony Music Solutions Inc., part of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., and Dempsey Productions will support Crunchyroll in the execution of the event, which will be livestreamed for global audiences.
Crunchyroll, LLC is an independently operated joint venture between U.S.-based Sony Pictures Entertainment and Japan’s Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., both subsidiaries of Tokyo-based Sony Group.
