AnimeJapan Awards 2026

Synopsis

1. Police Men A human dramedy set in Kyoto about three police officers with very different personalities who sometimes work together and sometimes butt heads as they run toward the shared goal of catching the bad guy. 2. One with the City Day-to-day life in Aichi is peaceful, and there are people behind that peace who keep its cities safe. The moment they put on the uniform, they transform from "the protected" to "the protectors." This short animation shows the police officers who support the safety and future of the people. 3. Offbeat Leo spends his days feeling robotic and oppressed. Soon enough, he starts to feel that his existence is meaningless, as if he's been tossed into the trash can like a piece of garbage. But then he reunites with the one thing he loved most that he had given up on. From that moment onward, Leo begins to remember the joy of living. 4. Requiem for the Endless Night An elderly man lives alone on another planet after an apocalyptic disaster. After spending thirty years searching in vain for signals from other survivors, he decides to return to his home world, embarking on one final homecoming to mourn all those who were lost. 5. Magokoro Musubi: Gyutto Komeru Omoi Our story follows Shio Musubi, a lightly salted rice ball. He meets several other types of "musubi" rice balls in the park, but all of their unique characteristics make him feel like there's nothing special about him. Then, right at the end of his travels, the scene he sees at a little old lady's house makes him realize something very important. 6. Traces of Summer Two years after moving to Tokyo from the countryside, the hustle and bustle of the big city has wiped the calm from our heroine's soul. Then she receives a message that prompts her to pay a visit to her hometown. There, the smells and memories of summer restart something in her heart that had stopped. Her journey follows the tiny traces of summer as her heart quietly moves forward. 7. Live in Red Somewhere on a vast red planet, there sits a city enclosed by a barrier. Outside the barrier, dust storms and harsh winds rage. Suddenly, a giant robot breaks through the barrier and infiltrates the city… (Source: Crunchyroll)

At a Glance

Background

AnimeJapan, the world's largest annual anime event, held annually in Tokyo, and Crunchyroll are partnering to support the next generation of anime creative talent with the New Creator Awards. Japanese students can submit short films for a chance to win prizes up to 1 million yen and have their work streamed globally on Crunchyroll. This work is the winning entry for the inaugural award ceremony. (Source: Crunchyroll)