Crunchyroll’s Best Drama Series Prove That The Fantasy Genre Is Overrated in 2026

May 23, 2026 will mark the 10th Crunchyroll Anime Awards, a lovely tradition that celebrates the year's biggest accomplishments in the anime industry, while also giving back to the fans and highlighting their voice in the community. The 10th Crunchyroll Anime Awards has over 30 categories that do their best to shine a light on every corner of anime production and make sure that nothing goes overlooked. In addition to rewarding accolades to worthy anime, the Crunchyroll Anime Awards are also a helpful way to gauge industry trends and determine not just the most popular titles, but also the anime industry's broader trends.

The 10th Crunchyroll Anime Awards, for instance, reflect 2025's focus on more grounded dramas and toned-down fantasy titles that are light on magic. These 2025 anime's ability to dominate speaks to the fantasy genre’s inflated reception and why it could be precarious for the anime industry to go all-in on high fantasy series in 2026.