CRUNCHYROLL ANNOUNCES STAR-STUDDED AND CELEBRITY ANIME FAN LINEUP FOR 2023 ANIME AWARDS

CRUNCHYROLL ANNOUNCES STAR-STUDDED AND CELEBRITY ANIME FAN LINEUP FOR 2023 ANIME AWARDS Presenters Include Celebrity Anime Fans Including Director Robert Rodriguez, Actor Finn Wolfhard, and Athlete Juju Smith-Schuster Among Others Culver City, Calif., February 16, 2023 - Crunchyroll, the ultimate anime destination for fans worldwide, announced today a slate of celebrity presenters set to appear and participate in the seventh annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards, taking place March 4, 2023 in Tokyo, including Robert Rodriguez, Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things, Pinocchio), WWE Superstar Zelina Vega, Juju Smith-Schuster of the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, top streaming talent, and more.

“I love anime, it’s an art form that has always inspired me. For the creators, it’s unbound creativity and freedom of expression, where they can make truly iconic, creative worlds and characters,” said Robert Rodriguez, award-winning writer and director of such iconic films as Sin City and most recently an episode of The Mandalorian. “Anime is a crucible for new ideas and fresh perspectives in entertainment. So I’m very excited to help celebrate the grand winners being honored at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards in Japan.” The full list of talent includes: Aidan Hutchinson, American football defensive end for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. Finn Wolfhard, actor, musician and director (Stranger Things, Pinocchio, Ghostbusters, IT) Hunter Schafer, actress and artist (Euphoria and the upcoming The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) Jacob Bertrand, actor (Cobra Kai) Juju Smith-Schuster, American football wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League Robert Rodriguez, film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, editor and musician (Desperado, From Dusk Till Dawn, Alita: Battle Angel) Zelina Vega, WWE Superstar Sykkuno, one of the largest streamers on YouTube Gaming (9.8M+ followers) Valkyrae, one of the biggest female streamers in the world (13M followers) and the co-owner of 100 Thieves Additional global talent and musical performances will be announced soon.

“I have been a huge anime fan since I was a kid. It has been a part of my whole life, till this day, it has helped me so much. I’m an NFL athlete and I get to represent this anime world. So for me to present an Anime Award to some of the greatest shows in the world, it's the best,” said Juju Smith-Schuster, NFL wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs, fresh off a Super Bowl win. The Crunchyroll Anime Awards is the leading yearly awards program honoring the creators, musicians, and performances across streaming and theatrical powering the global love of anime. This year’s nominees represent anime excellence across more than 30 anime studios, eight streaming platforms, over 50 series and films, and celebrating more than 50 voice actors. The Anime Awards will take place at the Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa in Tokyo on Saturday, March 4, 2023, with a live ceremony hosted by renowned voice actress Sally Amaki and popular entertainer Jon Kabira that will gather the creators and talent behind the anime community’s favorite series. Fans can watch the Anime Awards livestream on the Crunchyroll channels on YouTube and Twitch. In India, the Anime Awards is exclusively streaming on Sony LIV. Sony Music Solutions, part of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., will support Crunchyroll in the execution of the event, which will be streamed for global audiences. About Crunchyroll Crunchyroll connects anime and manga fans across 200+ countries and territories with the content and experiences they love. In addition to free ad-supported and subscription premium content, Crunchyroll serves the anime community across events, theatrical, games, consumer products, collectibles, and manga publishing. Anime fans have access to one of the largest collections of licensed anime through Crunchyroll and translated in multiple languages for viewers worldwide. Viewers can also access simulcasts — top series available immediately after Japanese broadcast. The Crunchyroll app is available on over 15 platforms, including all gaming consoles. Crunchyroll, LLC is an independently operated joint venture between US-based Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Japan’s Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., both subsidiaries of Sony Group Corporation. Publicity Contacts (Global): Brian Eley, brian.eley@crunchyroll.com Bianca Doria, bianca.doria@crunchyroll.com Gerald DeMattia, gerald.demattia@crunchyroll.com Publicity Contact (Japan): Miyuki Washino, Hoxby, miyuki.washino@hoxby.com # # #