Annie Awards SHOCKER! 'KPop Demon Hunters' Dominates - Full List!

The 53rd Annie Awards are underway tonight at UCLA’s Royce Hall, and boy, are things heating up! With 35 categories to be announced, the night is already full of surprises, and we're here to bring you the latest updates live.

Annie Awards SHOCKER! 'KPop Demon Hunters' Dominat...

Netflix's *KPop Demon Hunters* came into the evening with a whopping 10 nominations, neck and neck with Pixar's *Elio*. But so far, *KPop Demon Hunters* is absolutely dominating. Seriously, it’s like a tidal wave of wins. They've already snagged awards in their first eight categories! I mean, wow.

The streaming giant's popular film kicked things off strong, securing the first award of the night for Production Design. Then came Best Music. From there, *KPop Demon Hunters* just kept rolling, picking up Best Voice Acting for Arden Cho (who plays the lead, Rumi – deservedly so, I might add!), along with Best Writing, Character Design, Character Animation, FX, and Editorial awards. It’s hard to deny the film’s impact; over 482 million views? Over 11 billion soundtrack streams? Those are numbers that speak for themselves. Directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans had the honor of presenting some of the early awards.

Netflix is also making its presence felt in the TV categories. *Love, Death + Robots* is adding to its already impressive collection, bringing its Annie total to 10 – not to mention its 17 Emmys. Pixar’s *Win or Lose* and Adult Swim’s *Common Side Effects* have each grabbed two wins as well. And shoutout to Dan Mintz from Fox’s *Bob's Burgers* and Hulu’s *The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball Episode* for their wins in TV categories.

The June Foray Award, a Juried Award and one of the most meaningful of the night, went to Sandy Rabins. Sandy is not only a talented animation and live-action producer, but also the founder of AnimAID. This organization is a true lifeline, supporting those in the animation industry affected by the L.A. Wildfires. They've raised nearly $700,000 so far – amazing! It's so great to see the industry honoring those who are giving back.

The Winsor McCay Awards, honoring lifetime achievement, were also a highlight. Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, the minds behind the *Spider-Verse* and *Lego Movie* franchises, deservedly took home one of these awards. Michaël Dudok de Wit (*The Red Turtle*) also received a McCay Award. And finally, Chris Sanders, known for *Lilo & Stitch* was presented with the award by his co-star, Tea Carerre. The awards were a fantastic tribute to some true giants in animation.

ASIFA-Hollywood’s Special Achievement Award went to LightBox Expo, a vital annual event connecting filmmakers, students, and fans within the animation community. Wacom, the folks who make those Cintiq graphics tablets that every digital artist loves (or covets!), received the Ub Iwerks Award for technical achievement. Well deserved!

And finally, a heads up: ASIFA-Hollywood previously announced the Animation Educators’ Forum Hall of Fame Class of 2026, which includes Elmer Plummer, Doug Crane, Harry Love, Harold Whitaker, and Nancy Beiman.

Founded way back in 1972 by the iconic June Foray, the Annie Awards continue to be a crucial platform, recognizing the talent and artistry that makes the animation industry so vibrant. Stay tuned for more updates as the night progresses!