^{Credit: Arcane (Netflix), Bob's Burgers (Fox), Common Side Effects (Adult Swim), Love, Death + Robots (Netflix), The Simpsons (Fox)}

The final round of Emmy voting closes today, August 27, 2025. A week before the main ceremony on September 14, the animation categories will be presented at the Creative Arts ceremonies. The winners for Outstanding Animated Program, Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance, and Outstanding Sound Editing for an Animated Program have been reserved for the ceremony on Saturday, September 6. The six recipients of Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation, which were announced earlier this month, will also be presented on this night. Here are my final predictions in the animated-related races for the 77th Primetime Emmys.

^{Credit: Common Side Effects (Adult Swim)}

Outstanding Animated Program:

From the get-go, Arcane has been out in front with its series finale, “The Dirt Under Your Nails.” The Individual Achievement in Animation winners seem to back this up, with Arcane getting two notices. The only other show recognized for Individual Achievement in Animation was Love, Death + Robots, which received four Emmys. Love, Death + Robots previously won three times in the discontinued Outstanding Short-Form Animated Program. It was a big fish in a smaller pond, however. A short-form series has never won Outstanding Animated Program. This puts Robots at a disadvantage against Arcane, which won here three years ago for “When These Walls Come Tumbling Down.”

While I’m not convinced that Love, Death + Robots can beat Arcane with “Spider Rose,” it could take a few votes away from it. For TV Academy members who focus on craft when marking their ballots, Robots might split votes with Arcane. Both shows are also Netflix originals, meaning they could divide votes among the streamer’s voting bloc. If there’s a Netflix vote split, what’s in the best position to break through the middle? Bob’s Burgers won the Annie with its submission, “They Slug Horses, Don't They?”. The Simpsons has a solid submission with “Bart's Birthday,” which celebrates the long-running show’s legacy and condemns the idea of AI storytelling. If there’s a surprise, though, it’ll likely be Common Side Effects for “Cliff’s Edge.”

The Adult Swim series has already overcome one hurdle, getting nominated for its first season. Despite being a new series, Common Side Effects has several familiar names attached. Co-creator Joseph Bennett was nominated in this category last year for Scavengers Reign, which lost to Blue Eye Samurai. Co-creator Steve Hely shared in an Outstanding Comedy Series victory for Veep in 2017. Executive producer Greg Daniels has five Emmys, one of which was for King of the Hill, which he won with fellow EP Mike Judge. While not a household name, Common Side Effects is gaining a passionate following. Adult Swim has also mounted a proper campaign, taking out FYC ads on sites like Cartoon Brew, although the same can be said about Arcane. 

If there’s one thing that might push Common Side Effects over the edge, it’s the show’s timely commentary on the American healthcare system. The plot revolves around a blue mushroom with miraculous healing abilities. It benefits everybody… except for the doctors, scientists, and insurance companies who benefit from the sick remaining sick. Although Common Side Effects carries a clear anti-Big Pharma sentiment, it acknowledges that greed isn’t exclusive to pharmaceutical companies. As protagonist Marshall finds in “Cliff’s Edge,” capitalism can corrupt almost anyone.

The government and corporations are blocking universal healthcare, but so is anyone who would prioritize their own bank accounts over the common good. In that sense, we’re getting in the way of ourselves. Common Side Effects conveys this message without preaching, instead raising fascinating moral questions with a mix of humor and philosophy. With Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” reportedly cutting $1 trillion from health programs and an anti-vaxxer running the Department of Health and Human Services, Emmy voters might want to send a statement. Common Side Effects is the show to get that message across. This once again brings up a question that's been on my mind for a while: 

Can Common Side Effects Beat Arcane in Animated Program?

While my brain says the odds are in Arcane’s favor, my gut tells me that Common Side Effects is too relevant to ignore. It wouldn’t be the first time an Adult Swim show beat Netflix’s presumed frontrunner. In 2021, many expected Big Mouth to win for “The New Me,” but the Emmy went to Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal for "Plague of Madness,” an episode that eerily mirrored the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s not a perfect comparison. Big Mouth wasn’t a past winner in this category like Arcane. Primal also had multiple Individual Achievement Emmys under its belt, something that Common Side Effects is lacking. I might be jinxing myself, but between the potential vote split and the current political landscape, a Common Side Effects upset doesn’t just seem practical. It’s the winner we need right now. I’m taking a leap of faith, going off the edge…

1. Common Side Effects – “Cliff’s Edge”

2. Arcane - “The Dirt Under Your Nails”

3. The Simpsons – “Bart’s Birthday”

4. Bob’s Burgers – “They Slug Horses, Don’t They?”

5. Love, Death + Robots – “Spider Rose”

^{Credit: Invincible (Amazon Prime Video)}

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance:

The odds say that Maya Rudolph will win for voicing Connie the Hormone Monstress in Big Mouth. Rudolph has already won in the category four times. A fifth would break the record for the most voice acting wins overall. Once again, though, I’m predicting an upset. It won’t be Julie Andrews for Bridgerton or Hank Azaria for The Simpsons, both of whom Rudolph has beaten in the past. Although this is Alan Tudyk’s first nomination in the category for voicing Andor’s K-2SO, Rudolph previously triumphed over another Star Wars droid: IG-11, voiced by Taika Waititi in The Mandalorian. If Waititi couldn’t defeat Rudolph at the height of his popularity, why would Tudyk?

This is Jeffrey Wright’s second nomination for voicing The Watcher in What If...?. In 2022, Wright lost to his What If…? co-star Chadwick Boseman, the only person to beat Rudolph here. I’m predicting Rudolph will lose to another superhero this year: Steven Yeun for Invincible. In his submitted episode, "What Have I Done?,” Yeun voices nearly 20 Mark Grayson variants. It should be noted that nominees are limited to one character per entry, meaning Yeun is only nominated for voicing the main version of Mark Grayson. Since all of the variants are technically Mark Grayson, though, voters may judge the entirety of Yeun’s performance.

In any case, Yeun turns in the most versatile work here. If voters actually watch every episode submission, Yeun should win here. That said, voters might not do their homework. They may simply ballot-check Rudolph, knowing that this will be the last opportunity to award her for Big Mouth. If Yeun wins, though, we’ll know that voters are paying attention. The fact that Yeun got nominated for this specific episode suggests that they are.

1. Steven Yeun as Mark Grayson / Invincible for Invincible – “What Have I Done?”

2. Maya Rudolph as Connie the Hormone Monstress for Big Mouth – “Why Do We Go Through Puberty?”

3. Alan Tudyk as K-2SO for Andor – “Who Else Knows?”

4. Jeffrey Wright as The Watcher for What If…? – “What If... 1872?”

5. Hank Azaria as Moe Szyslak for The Simpsons – “Abe League of Their Moe”

6. Julie Andrews as Lady Whistledown for Bridgerton – “Into the Light”

^{Credit: Arcane (Netflix)}

Outstanding Sound Editing for an Animated Program:

NATAS used to group comedy, drama, and animation into one sound editing category. This year, animation branched off into its own sound editing category. The inarguably lineup includes one past winner. In 2021, the sound editing team for Love, Death + Robots was awarded, beating three live-action shows and fellow animated nominee Star Trek: Lower Decks. Arcane was nominated against Robots in 2022, although both lost to Barry. Along with Arcane, Robots, and Lower Decks, Secret Level and What If...? round out the nominees. Robots has an edge, being the only nominee that’s won before. If Arcane is the Outstanding Animated Program frontrunner as many assume, though, it may be a safe bet in sound. I might be predicting Common Side Effects to take Animated Program, but I suspect Arcane will win at least one competitive award. 

1. Arcane - "The Dirt Under Your Nails"

2. Love, Death + Robots - "400 Boys"

3. Star Trek: Lower Decks - "The New Next Generation”

4. Secret Level - "Warhammer 40,000: And They Shall Know No Fear"

5. What If...? - "What If... 1872?" 

Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Season or a Movie:

This lineup is almost identical to 2023, when The Last of Us beat Andor, House of the Dragon, and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The fifth nominee that year was The Mandalorian. This year, the final spot went to Dune: Prophecy. Andor might stand a better chance this year without another Star Wars show to split votes with. Then again, Andor could split votes with Dune, both being sci-fi heavy. Something similar can be said about Dragon and Rings, both being high fantasy shows. So, this seems like The Last of Us’ to lose.

1. The Last of Us

2. Andor

3. House of the Dragon

4. Dune: Prophecy

5. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Single Episode:

Since The Penguin and Severance tied for the most nominations this year, neither should be counted out. The Penguin’s episode submission, “Bliss,” opens with a standout set piece that sees Gotham flooded. While Severance is among the most well-produced shows on TV, it arguably had more effects-driven episodes this season than “Hello, Ms. Cobel.” Black Mirror "USS Callister: Into Infinity" should have this in the bag, essentially being a feature-length production with wall-to-wall effects. It doesn’t hurt that “USS Callister” pays homage to Star Trek, a franchise that’s always performed well in effects categories. The Residence and The Umbrella Academy, thanks for playing.

1. Black Mirror - "USS Callister: Into Infinity”

2. The Penguin - “Bliss”

3. Severance - “Hello, Ms. Cobel”

4. The Umbrella Academy - "End of the Beginning"

5. The Residence - "The Fall of the House of Usher"

^{Credit: Lazarus (Adult Swim)}

Finally, it’s worth noting that Kamasi Washington is nominated in Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music for Lazarus. Cristobal Tapia de Veer is favored to win here for The White Lotus, but if Lazarus can pull an upset, it’ll be the first competitive Primetime Emmy victory for an anime.

Nick Spake is the Author of Bright & Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows Volumes 1 and 2. Available Now!