In case you haven’t noticed the obvious in all of the nominees of Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2024, let us point that out. Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, and Attack on Titan have been the most frequent nominees this year. What’s more intriguing is that they all have one thing in common: i.e. they are all licensed by Crunchyroll for their streaming rights.
Does that make Crunchyroll biased and reserved for anime exclusively available on the streaming giant? Maybe not! But can we trust them to be as true and fair as they claim to be for the whole nomination process? Definitely not! So what’s causing the skepticism? Let’s find out.
Potential bias in the nominations
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room: the potential for bias in the nominations for Crunchyroll Anime Awards. Just like any award show, Crunchyroll’s choices can be influenced by factors like streaming platform exclusivity, mainstream popularity, and even past recognition. This can lead to situations where critically acclaimed, albeit less talked-about, anime gets sidelined. What’s even worse, is popular anime getting nominated for the category of awards where they don’t belong.
Crunchyroll anime awards 2024 or popular anime awards?
Imagine a slice-of-life masterpiece with impeccable character development and heartwarming storytelling, yet it remains overshadowed by a flashy action series with a bigger fanbase. Remember how Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood fans have kept bombing the positive reviews for the anime to retain its position as a top-rated series? It’s a familiar story in the world of awards, where the loudest voices often drown out the subtler melodies. AoT and Demon Slayer being frequently nominated for 3 consecutive years is evidence of that.
Crunchyroll’s shounen preference
Crunchyroll, having a large streaming base for the global audience, attracts a larger audience outside Japan. Audiences, on the other hand, have only access to the content that platforms like Crunchyroll release and rigorously promote. A short glance over the nominees will be enough to know that almost all of these anime are of the Shonen genre, which is basically more than half of Crunchyroll’s library. So nominating only popular anime for the awards is obviously a strategic move by Crunchyroll. But this begs the question: what about the nomination process?
Is the nomination process fair?
Furthermore, the nomination process itself raises questions. While Crunchyroll boasts a panel of industry experts, their selections might not always reflect the diverse tastes of the global anime community. The panel consists of hundreds of “Experts” who are not allowed to discuss the nominations prior to voting, which is why popular anime dominates the list of nominees.
The unbiasedness of these experts could also be dubious since they are directly selected by Crunchyroll’s team. This can create a disconnect between the “official” awards and the opinions of everyday fans who champion hidden gems and niche favorites.
Lack of representation in the award categories
The award categories only represent the anime popularly available on different streaming channels (especially Crunchyroll) and feel nothing but a way to generate traffic for their platforms. While many anime did deserve to be on the list, Chainsaw Man getting nominated for 17 different awards has been the most shocking thing about it. What’s more shocking is the lack of anime from the Isekai genre.
So, what’s the solution? Perhaps a more transparent nomination process, incorporating fan votes for the nominations alongside expert picks, could make the awards more relevant than just being a marketing gimmick. Additionally, expanding the categories to include genres like slice-of-life, sports anime, and Isekai could give lesser-known but equally deserving shows a chance to shine.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the Crunchyroll Anime Awards are a celebration of the year’s most popular anime. But let’s not forget the hidden gems that remain underrated, waiting to be discovered. While award shows are important to provide the anime shows and animators the recognition they deserve, a true appreciation for anime comes from exploring beyond the bright lights and exploring the diverse neighborhoods that make this artistic medium so vibrant.
The quest for anime greatness shouldn’t be limited to the red carpet of awards shows. So, dear readers, remember that sometimes the most dazzling diamonds are found in the rough.
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