Nickelodeon and CBS revealed the official nominees for the 2026 Kids’ Choice Awards on October 8, placing several animation and video game adaptations into leading ballot spots [5]. The animated feature Kpop Demon Hunters and Nintendo’s The Super Mario Galaxy Movie both secured nominations for Favorite Animated Movie, while Netflix’s live-action One Piece earned a nod for Favorite Family TV Show ahead of the November 14 ceremony [1].
Super Mario Cast in Animated Categories
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie picked up major recognition for its cast in the animation categories. Chris Pratt earned a nomination for Favorite Male Animated Voice from a Movie for his work voicing Mario, putting him in direct contention with co-star Jack Black, who earned a nod in the same category for his performance as Bowser. The project also placed two contenders into the female voice category, where Anya Taylor-Joy was nominated for her role as Princess Peach and Brie Larson gained a nomination for voicing Rosalina. Illumination and Nintendo produced the feature together, relying on the voice cast to anchor their expanding film slate. Having four separate voice actors nominated from a single film gave the production a strong presence on the movie ballot [1].
Jack Black also gathered a second personal nomination in the Favorite Villain category for his portrayal of Bowser [1]. That nod puts him against a wide group of live-action and animated antagonists, including Mark Hamill as the Flying Dutchman in The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, Jeff Goldblum in Wicked: For Good, and Emily Blunt in The Devil Wears Prada 2. John Cena also contends for the villain trophy for Coyote vs. Acme, while Sadie Sink earned a nod for playing Jean Grey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day [2].
In the Favorite Animated Movie category, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie contends against seven other releases. Its rivals include Toy Story 5 and Zootopia 2, as well as The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants and PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie. Minions & Monsters and Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender also compete for the prize [2].
Kpop Demon Hunters in the Kids’ Choice Awards
Sony Pictures Animation and Netflix’s Kpop Demon Hunters proved to be one of the standout contenders of the season, collecting five nominations at the 2026 Kids’ Choice Awards. The film earned a nomination for Favorite Animated Movie, marking a rare appearance for a Korean pop-inspired animated production on the main Nickelodeon ballot [4]. Lead actor Ahn Hyo-seop picked up a nomination for Favorite Male Animated Voice from a Movie for his role as Jinu, competing directly against Chris Pratt and Jack Black. Arden Cho matched that recognition in the female voice field for her role as Rumi, giving the film two major acting contenders on the animation ballot [1]. Both actors voiced lead characters battling supernatural forces while balancing the demands of a high-energy pop music career [4].
The voice cast also gained recognition in the new Favorite On-Screen Duo/Trio category [5]. Arden Cho, May Hong, and Ji-young Yoo earned a joint nomination for their performances as the demon-hunting musical trio of Rumi, Mira, and Zoey [1]. They share the category with major live-action and voice ensembles, including Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo for Wicked: For Good, as well as Jenna Ortega and Emma Myers for Wednesday. Gaten Matarazzo and Joe Keery also compete for Stranger Things, while Joan Cusack, Tim Allen, and Tom Hanks represent Toy Story 5 [2].
The film’s soundtrack also entered the race through the track “Golden”, which received a nomination for Favorite Song from a Movie. Performed by vocalists EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, the track contends against Taylor Swift’s song for Toy Story 5 and Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s duet for Wicked: For Good [1],. Shakira also contends with a track from Zootopia 2 [2].
One Piece and Video Game Contenders
Television voters recognized Netflix’s live-action One Piece in the Favorite Family TV Show category, giving the manga adaptation a rare nod in a field dominated by broadcast comedies and dramas [1]. The series contends against established hits like Stranger Things, Wednesday, and Abbott Elementary, as well as Ghosts, Ginny & Georgia, and XO, Kitty. It also faces the revival series Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair [2]. The nod shows how international graphic adaptations continue to reach mainstream family viewing audiences [3].
Serialized manga has built a steady footprint on English-language streaming services over the past few seasons. Earlier recognition for serialized Japanese works appeared when PerEXP Teamworks covered the Next Manga Awards 2026 winners. The live-action pirate saga proved that faithful treatments of long-running graphic novels can appeal to both critics and young viewers [1].
Gaming nominations also reflected strong ties to the anime and manga world in the Favorite Video Game category [1]. Super Mario Bros. Wonder represents Nintendo on the ballot, competing against Fortnite, Minecraft, Roblox, Among Us, and Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game [2]. While the original Super Mario Bros. Wonder debuted on Nintendo Switch in October 2023, Nintendo released an updated Nintendo Switch 2 Edition on March 26. ANN and AniFlow noted that fellow nominees like Fortnite, Minecraft, and Roblox have all staged massive crossover events featuring popular anime characters and cosmetics [1], [3]. These digital worlds have become regular destinations for anime fans who want to play as their favorite heroes [1].
Music Nominees from BTS to Taylor Swift
K-pop acts secured an impressive collection of nods in the music categories, led by BTS with three nominations. The group earned a nod for Favorite Music Group, while their track “SWIM” entered the race for Favorite Song and their project ARIRANG picked up a nomination for Favorite Album. They compete in the group category against BLACKPINK, Jonas Brothers, Maroon 5, Twenty One Pilots, and Weezer [4].
Solo achievements from BLACKPINK members also stood out on the 2026 ballot [4]. Rosé earned a nomination for Favorite Female Artist, placing her in competition with pop chart leaders like Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, and Olivia Rodrigo [2],. Her bandmate Jennie received a nod in the Favorite Music Collaboration category for “Dracula”, her joint song with Australian psych-rock act Tame Impala. Meanwhile, global girl group KATSEYE entered the running for Favorite Female Breakout Artist/Group, facing competition from ADÉLA, who previously competed on their survival show The Debut: Dream Academy [4].
Pop superstar Taylor Swift leads all individual nominees this year with six nominations, spanning song, album, female artist, and collaboration categories. Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter follow closely behind with five nominations apiece [5]. Swift’s nominations include Favorite Song for “The Fate of Ophelia” and Favorite Album for The Life of a Showgirl [2]. The nominations highlight how pop chart leaders and Korean music groups continue to share top billing at youth-focused award ceremonies [5].
Air Date for the Kids’ Choice Awards
The 2026 Kids’ Choice Awards ceremony will broadcast live on Saturday, November 14, from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. EST. For the first time, the telecast will air on both the CBS Television Network and Nickelodeon, expanding the live television audience beyond traditional cable channels. The event will originate from Television City in Los Angeles, California. Premium subscribers to Paramount+ can stream the show live in the United States, while on-demand streaming becomes available to Essential and Premium tiers the following day [5].
Recording artist Alex Warren will take the stage as host for the evening [5]. The singer behind the single “Ordinary” has been promoting his album WILDCHILD, recently discussing the project at an event hosted by the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. Warren also enters the ceremony as a nominee in the Favorite Music Collaboration bracket for his song “Bloodline” with Jelly Roll [2]. Production company Done + Dusted will oversee the live telecast, with Burger King and Wayfair serving as sponsors [5].
Fan voting is now open in 36 categories on the official website at kidschoiceawards.com. Nickelodeon introduced three new competitive categories this year, creating brackets for Watch Party: Kids’ Choice, Favorite On-Screen Duo/Trio, and Favorite Clutch Player of the Year. Viewers can cast their votes online to decide which animated movies, television series, and musical artists take home the traditional orange blimp trophies during the November telecast [5]. With major contenders like The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, One Piece, and Kpop Demon Hunters leading the ballot, the upcoming broadcast will show how global gaming and animated franchises perform with younger audiences [1].
- ONLINE NEWS Anime News Network. (2026, October 26). The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, One Piece, Kpop Demon Hunters nominated for Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Extra Staff. (2026, October 8). Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards 2026 nominations announced. Extra. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS AniFlow. (2026, October 26). Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards 2026: One Piece, Super Mario y Kpop Demon Hunters entre los nominados. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Cha, E. (2026, October 11). BTS, BLACKPINK, “KPop Demon Hunters,” and KATSEYE nominated for 2026 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. Soompi. [Article Link]
- PRESS RELEASE Nickelodeon. (2026, October 8). CBS and Nickelodeon announce multiplatinum Grammy-nominated recording artist Alex Warren as host of 2026 Kids’ Choice Awards. [Article Link]
