Japanese Industry Figures Slam Crunchyroll Anime Awards for Geo-Blocking Japan
2 videos · score: 5,406 · first seen May 30, 2026
Wired Japan publishes an article accusing Crunchyroll of hosting its Anime Awards ceremony in Tokyo while geo-blocking the streaming service inside Japan, shutting Japanese fans out of voting and media access. Days later, Production I.G and WIT Studio president George Wada publicly backs the criticism, calling for a Japan-run alternative awards show and blasting the panelist selection for favoring Western celebrities over industry professionals.
Crunchyroll Silences Japan and Blocks Them
Wired Japan's article accuses Crunchyroll of a 'mysterious structural contradiction' by geo-blocking its service in Japan while hosting the Crunchyroll Anime Awards in Tokyo, excluding Japanese viewers from voting and denying local journalists interviews with The Weeknd and Asian Kung Fu Generation.
Attack on Titan Creator Calls out Crunchyroll for Blocking Them
At a sustainable‑development conference on April 16, Production I.G and WIT Studio President George Wada publicly condemned the Crunchyroll Anime Awards for geo‑blocking Japanese voters and favoring Western panelists, accusing the event of silencing Japanese industry voices and biasing nominations toward Crunchyroll‑licensed titles.