First-Ever AMI Awards to Celebrate the Best of Anime and Manga
An Emmy-winning production team—behind the Super Bowl Halftime Show, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour film, the GRAMMY Premiere, and Amazon Music Live—has unveiled The Anime & Manga International Awards (AMI Awards), a new fan-first show in Los Angeles celebrating the creators, studios, and stars driving anime and manga.
Backed by Japan Society and MyAnimeList, and led by veterans of the Crunchyroll Anime Awards, the AMIs will land the same week as Anime Expo (July 2–5, 2026), turning LA into a full-on fandom moment.
The countdown starts at Anime NYC (Aug 21–24, Javits Center) with a fan vote—run with RetroCrush—for “Most IcoNYC Anime of All Time.”
• Vote on-site Thursday and Friday with AMI ambassadors
• Winner revealed Saturday (8/23) at the Cosplay Masquerade Main Stage (presented by Ito En)
• Trophy designed by origami artist Coco Sato
“The AMI Awards is the first U.S.-based, fully fan-voted celebration created for the fans and by the fans,” says executive producer Stephanie Heaston. Fellow EP Behnam Karbassi adds, “Anime NYC is the perfect place to kick this off.”
With Digital Cinema Collective founders Aaron Cooke and Morgan Kellum also on board, the AMIs promise a global, fan-driven spotlight with presenters, influencers, and live performances—more details to come.
