Lyrical Muse

The 53rd Annie Awards unfolded as a clear showcase of dominance, with K-pop emerging as the defining force of the night and claiming the ceremony’s most significant honors.

Netflix’s animated juggernaut KPop Demon Hunters stormed the ceremony on Saturday night and walked away with every single one of its 10 nominations, including the coveted Best Feature prize. By the time the final envelope was opened, the night had shifted from a close contest to a decisive, headline-making sweep.

The momentum started early. The project secured Production Design before moving on to Best Music — a category win that felt inevitable for a soundtrack that has racked up more than 11 billion streams. Writing, Character Design, Character Animation, FX, Editorial — one by one, the categories fell in line. With over 482 million global views, the film now stands as a strong contender in next month’s Animated Feature Oscar race.

The dominance reshuffled expectations across the field. Pixar’s Elio, which matched KPop Demon Hunters with 10 nominations, left empty-handed, even in categories where its rival wasn’t competing. DreamWorks Animation’s The Bad Guys claimed Storyboarding, and Walt Disney Studios’ Zootopia 2, despite its box-office strength and legacy status, also exited the night empty-handed.

Meanwhile, Neon’s Cannes-premiering indie Acro secured Best Feature (Independent) and now enters Oscar season positioned for another showdown.

On television, Love, Death + Robots extended its awards streak with three additional Annies, adding to its growing trophy count. The ceremony also recognized industry leaders with special honors, including lifetime achievement awards presented to Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Michaël Dudok de Wit and Chris Sanders.

See the full list of winners from the 2026 Annie Awards below:

Main Awards

Best Feature
K-Pop Demon Hunters

Best Feature – Independent
Arco

Best Direction – Feature
K-Pop Demon Hunters

Best Direction – TV/Media
Common Side Effects (Episode: Cliff’s Edge)

Best Storyboarding – Feature
The Bad Guys 2

Best Storyboarding – TV/Media
Love, Death + Robots (Episode: How Zeke Got Religion)

Best TV/Media – Limited Series
Win Or Lose (Episode: Episode 8: Home)

Best TV/Media – Mature
Common Side Effects (Episode: Pilot)

Best TV/Media – Children
The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball (Episode: The Rewrite)

Best TV/Media – Preschool
Wow Lisa (Episode: Rainy Day)

Best Writing – TV/Media
Common Side Effects (Episode: Pilot)

Best Voice Acting – Feature
K-Pop Demon Hunters
(Arden Cho for Rumi)

Best Voice Acting – TV/Media
Bob’s Burgers (Episode: Don’t Worry Be Hoopy)
Dan Mintz (Character: Tina Belcher)

Best Editorial – Feature
K-Pop Demon Hunters Editorial Team

Best Editorial – TV/Media
Common Side Effects (Episode: Raid)

Best FX – Feature
KPop Demon Hunters

Best FX – TV/Media
Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age (Episode: The Big Freeze)

Best Character Animation – Feature
KPop Demon Hunters

Best Character Animation – TV/Media
Win or Lose (Various episodes)

Best Character Animation – Live Action
How To Train Your Dragon

Best Character Animation – Video Game
South of Midnight

Best Character Design – Feature
KPop Demon Hunters

Best Character Design – TV/Media
Love, Death + Robots (Episode: 400 Boys)

Best Music – Feature
KPop Demon Hunters

Best Music – TV/Media
Win Or Lose (Episode: Episode 6, Mixed Signals)

Best Sponsored
Olipop Yeti

Best Special Production
Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical

Best Production Design – Feature
KPop Demon Hunters

Best Production Design – TV/Media
Love, Death + Robots (Episode: How Zeke Got Religion)

Best Short Subject
Snow Bear

Best Student Film
A Sparrow’s Song
Student director: Tobias Eckerlin
Student producer: Tobias Eckerlin
School: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH

Juried Awards 2026

Winsor McCay Award

• Michaël Dudok de Wit
• Christopher Miller and Phil Lord
• Chris Sanders

June Foray Award

• Sandy Rabins

Ub Iwerks Award

• Wacom

Special Achievement Award

• LightBox Expo

ASIFA-Hollywood Merit Award

• Jeffrey New
• Haley Mirren Douthit

What did you think of this year’s Annie Awards sweep? Join the conversation on X, and visit Lyrical Muse for more award-season coverage and culture deep-dives.