‘Solo Leveling’ dominates Crunchyroll Anime Awards

‘Solo Leveling’ dominates Crunchyroll Anime Awards
“Solo Leveling” emerged as the top winner at the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, clinching anime of the year, best action, best new series, and several accolades for music and performance. (Supplied)
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Updated 26 May 2025

‘Solo Leveling’ dominates Crunchyroll Anime Awards

‘Solo Leveling’ dominates Crunchyroll Anime Awards

DUBAI: “Solo Leveling” emerged as the top winner at the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, clinching anime of the year, best action, best new series, and several accolades for music and performance. The global fan-favorite led the night at the ceremony held at the Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa in Tokyo.

The annual celebration of anime recognized excellence across 28 categories, powered by a record-breaking 51 million fan votes worldwide.

Among the night’s other standout winners was “Look Back,” the poignant adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s one-shot manga, which took home the film of the year award. “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” extended its celebrated legacy by winning best continuing series and best animation.

The supernatural comedy “Dan Da Dan” also made waves, picking up awards for best opening sequence, best anime song, and best character design.

In a highlight of the evening, “Attack on Titan” received Crunchyroll’s first-ever Global Impact Award, a new honor recognizing a franchise’s lasting cultural influence. The award follows the 2024 conclusion of the acclaimed saga with “Attack on Titan: The Last Attack.” Director Yuichiro Hayashi accepted the prize on behalf of studio MAPPA and the show’s creators.

“Fans form deep emotional connections to anime. These are not just series, films or songs, but rather works of art that help define the identity of anime fans,” said Rahul Purini, president of Crunchyroll. “With an incredible 51 million votes this year, the 2025 Anime Awards are celebrating the creators in Japan who have captured the hearts of fans and are powering anime’s prominence in global pop culture.”


Jonathan Bailey named People magazine’s 2025 Sexiest Man Alive

Jonathan Bailey named People magazine’s 2025 Sexiest Man Alive
Updated 50 min 28 sec ago

Jonathan Bailey named People magazine’s 2025 Sexiest Man Alive

Jonathan Bailey named People magazine’s 2025 Sexiest Man Alive
  • Bailey takes the mantle from “The Office” star John Krasinski, who was the 2024 selection
  • The 37-year-old had audiences swooning as Prince Fiyero in his 2024 big-screen debut in “Wicked,” the popular movie musical

Something has changed for “Wicked” star Jonathan Bailey, something is not the same — he is People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive for 2025.
The magazine’s pick was announced Monday night on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” Bailey takes the mantle from “The Office” and “Jack Ryan” star John Krasinski, who was the 2024 selection.
“It’s a huge honor,” Bailey, 37, told the magazine. “Obviously, I’m incredibly flattered. And it’s completely absurd.”
Bailey had audiences swooning as Prince Fiyero in his 2024 big-screen debut in “Wicked,” the popular movie musical in which he proudly urges fellow students to join him in his shallowness. The second half arrives in theaters Nov. 21.
He dripped with charm as Lord Anthony Bridgerton on Netflix’s “Bridgerton,” and earned a 2024 Emmy nomination for his role in the Showtime series “Fellow Travelers.” Most recently, he starred in “Jurassic World Rebirth,” which came out in July.
Bailey told Fallon that the title was an “honor of a lifetime.”
“I’m sort of thrilled that People magazine have invited someone in – bestowed this honor on someone who can really cherish the value of a sexy man,” he said.
Bailey told People that he’s known he wanted to be an actor since he was 5 years old and his grandmother took him to see a production of the musical “Oliver!” Within two years he had achieved that dream, preforming with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
The first Sexiest Man Alive was Mel Gibson in 1985. Other past recipients include Brad Pitt, George Clooney, John F. Kennedy Jr., David Beckham, Michael B. Jordan, John Legend, Dwayne Johnson, Paul Rudd, Pierce Brosnan and Patrick Dempsey.
Bailey, who will be the cover story in People’s edition coming out Friday, had to stay tight-lipped about the news. But he admitted to the magazine that he couldn’t keep it a complete secret — he shared to news with his dog Benson, who will also be featured in the magazine.