A quarter of 2025 is already behind us, the hype over last year's anime has settled, and that means it's time to take a clear-headed look at the best anime of 2024. To help with that, the Crunchyroll Awards has revealed its list of nominees and invites fans to vote for their favorites.

There are many categories, some focusing on the industry itself, but let’s stick to the most interesting ones. The biggest award—Anime of the Year—doesn't seem to have much competition. While the shortlist includes several fantastic titles (The Apothecary Diaries, Solo Leveling, Delicious in Dungeon, DAN DA DAN, Kaiju No. 8), Frieren appears to be the clear favorite. In fact, out of 24 categories, Frieren is nominated in 14.

That said, some curious nominations have also popped up. For example, Frieren is listed under the "Must Protect at All Costs" Character category—an ironic choice, considering she’s one of the strongest mages in the series' lore. Meanwhile, Jinshi from The Apothecary Diaries and Fern from Frieren are competing for Best Supporting Character.

Looking at the full list of nominees, a clear top-tier selection of a dozen standout anime emerges, while the rest feel somewhat forgettable. In that sense, these shortlists can serve as a solid recommendation list for anyone looking for the best anime of 2024.

Main image: youtube.com

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