An Emmy-winning team with credits including the Super Bowl Halftime Show, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Film, the GRAMMY Premiere, Amazon Music Live, and more, has today announced plans for the inaugural The Anime & Manga International Awards. The AMI Awards is a new award show being held in Los Angeles and bringing a unique experience for fans to celebrate the biggest names in the popular, fast-growing anime and manga space.
With the support of Japan Society and MyAnimeList, and led by the team who for years produced the Crunchyroll Anime Awards in Japan, The AMI Awards are poised to be the ultimate global fan celebration of creativity and excellence in the space. The show will take place the same week as Anime Expo, which will run from July 2-5, 2026 in Los Angeles.
The countdown to the first The AMI Awards officially begins at Anime NYC, the East Coast’s largest anime convention, taking place at the Javits Center in New York City (August 21-24). There, The AMI Awards, in partnership with leading classic anime streamer RetroCrush will field votes for the first ever fan-voted AMI Award — “Most IcoNYC Anime of All Time .”
- Throughout Thursday and Friday at Anime NYC, attendees can vote onsite for the special fan-chosen award via AMI ambassadors stationed around the convention hall.
- The winner of the award will be revealed during the convention’s popular Cosplay Masquerade event on Saturday (8/23) evening at the Main Stage (presented by Ito En).
- The award will be designed by renowned origami artist and designer Coco Sato.
The AMI Awards will be the only fan-driven awards show honoring the best in anime and manga, recognizing creators, talent, and studios that have captivated fans around the world. Set to feature the biggest names from anime and beyond, the AMIs will feature an exciting mix of celebrity and industry presenters, influencers, fans and musical performances. More details will be revealed leading into the event.
“The AMI Awards is the first U.S.-based, fully fan-voted celebration created for the fans and by the fans—honoring the visionary creators, artists, cosplayers, and dreamers who bring anime and manga to life. We believe these talents should be recognized just as the great artists of film, theater, music, and television are. Driven by the passion of this incredible community, the AMIs will unite industry icons and devoted fans in a shared celebration of artistry, imagination, and the stories that connect us all,” said Stephanie Heaston, AMI executive producer.
Added Behnam Karbassi, AMI executive producer, “Anime NYC is such a great place for us to kick off this celebration and let the world know what is coming. With partners like them, RetroCrush and all of the fan communities that share our love of anime and manga, we’re excited to recognize the creators and fans of this unique artform.”
The AMI Awards producers bring years of world-class production and entertainment to the new event, with Digital Cinema Collective founders Aaron Cooke and Morgan Kellum also executive producers. This event will serve the appetite for anime and manga in the U.S. that is greater than ever. It is predicted that the fandom will grow 9.8% annually between now and 2032. The expected global anime market size by 2032 is $73 billion dollars. The AMI Awards aims to celebrate this growth and bring this rapidly expanding fandom an experience they deserve.
Source: Press Release
