The 2026 Astra TV Awards crowned Amazon Prime Video’s Hazbin Hotel as Best Animated Series, Crunchyroll’s Witch Hat Atelier as Best Anime Series, and Peacock’s Ted alongside classic favorites at a ceremony highlighting titles frequently overlooked by the Television Academy.
The Bottom Line
- Major Wins: Hazbin Hotel secured Best Animated Series and Best Supporting Voice-Over for Stephanie Beatriz, while Witch Hat Atelier took Best Anime.
- Industry Blindspots: The Hollywood Creative Alliance recognized projects that missed Emmy consideration, including major streaming hits and overlooked anime imports.
- Voice Talent: Seth MacFarlane also claimed Best Lead Voice-Over Performance for Peacock’s Ted series.
Rewriting the Awards Season Narrative
Vivienne Medrano’s musical phenomenon Hazbin Hotel took home the prize for Best Animated Series on Amazon Prime Video, beating out heavyweight contenders like Comedy Central’s South Park and Prime Video’s own Invincible. Despite a rabid, vocal cult following, the series has consistently missed out on Emmy recognition across animation, music, and voice performance categories.
Recognizing the Voice-Over Heavyweights
Stephanie Beatriz picked up the Best Supporting Voice-Over Performance award for her sharp work as Vaggie in Hazbin Hotel, navigating a fiercely competitive category that included J.K. Simmons for Invincible, Alex Brightman, and Mark Hamill for Adult Swim’s Regular Show: The Lost Tapes.
Over on the lead performance side, Seth MacFarlane added another trophy to his shelf, winning Best Lead Voice-Over Performance for the Peacock series Ted. According to coverage by Cartoon Contender, MacFarlane’s prequel adaptation pulled in massive viewership numbers for NBCUniversal’s streaming platform, even if those metrics didn’t translate into traditional Academy nominations.
| Category | Winner | Platform / Network |
|---|---|---|
| Best Animated Series | Hazbin Hotel (Season 2) | Amazon Prime Video |
| Best Anime Series | Witch Hat Atelier | Crunchyroll |
| Best Lead Voice-Over | Seth MacFarlane (Ted) | Peacock |
| Best Supporting Voice-Over | Stephanie Beatriz (Hazbin Hotel) | Amazon Prime Video |
Bridging the Anime Gap in Western Awards
Crunchyroll’s adaptation of Witch Hat Atelier conjured a major win, beating out a competitive slate that included Netflix entries like Sakamoto Days and Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, alongside Hulu’s Mao and Adult Swim’s Rooster Fighter.
While groups like the Hollywood Creative Alliance and the Annie Awards actively carve out space for these projects, the Television Academy generally leaves anime out in the cold.
