The 10 Best Anime Shows of 2025 

It’s been a big year for anime, especially when it comes to films, with both Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Arc and Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc looking larger than life on the big screen. But there’s also been a plethora of shows that released this year, and narrowing it down to a definitive list is as difficult as becoming a Pro Hero. Choices are subjective, and it’shard to categorize anime when each series is unique with its own strengths and weaknesses. For the sake of elimination, last year’s rankers like Dandadan, Ranma1/2 and Black Butler that were renewed this season will be excluded from this list. Without further ado in order of release date, here are some of the best animes that aired this year.  

The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 

Studio: OLM, TOHO animation STUDIO 
Sometimes second seasons are better than the first, as is the case with this anime. Maomao was leading an idyllic life as an apothecary’s daughter until she was thrust into the Imperial Palace as a maid. Her plans of staying incognito are thrown out the window because the Imperial Palace is a hotbed of intrigues and conspiracies (as most courts are). Armed with her extensive knowledge of medicine, Maomao unravels the thread of mysteries, unmasking one culprit at a time. Perfect for those who love playing detective and can’t get enough of historical fiction.  

Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray 

Studio: CygamesPictures 

Racehorse lovers and equestrians, this one is for you. If you’ve been noticing a flood of horses or horse- related posts on the internet, thanks to the western localizsation of Uma Musume, then put on your blinkers and turn to the spin-off series focusing on Cinderella Gray. Uma Musume literally translates to horse girls and Cinderella Gray is the anthropomorphic anime-girl variant of real-life racehorse Oguri Gray (RIP). Can this country girl… er… horse girl make it to the big league? Real life horse Oguri Gray was nicknamed the ‘Idol Horse’ and his anime counterpart strives to make her moniker count. Uma-amazing, neigh-sayers will be left in the dust. 

Takopi’s Original Sin 

Studio: Enishiya 

Some anime exist to emotionally destroy you, and this is one of those so keep the tissues handy. Take E.T., make it a dark, psychological thriller, turn up the sadness and strip away any and all hope, and then you get Takopi’s Original Sin. Takopi, a cute little alien resembling an octopus has a dream:– to spread happiness across the universe. On Earth, he is rescued by Shizuka, a sad little girl who lives a miserable life. Takopi’s bid to make her happy only ends up making things worse. The more Takopi tries, the deeper the hole he digs for Shizuka. Good intentions don’t always yield good results. This is a tearjerker with a trigger warning.     

Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express 

Studio: Yōhei Kameyama 

This series of 3-minute shorts have all been produced, written and directed by one person —–Yōhei Kameyama. After being arrested for recklessly driving in space, Chiharu, a superhuman and Makina, a cyborg, have been sentenced to community service. Along with four other convicts, they have been tasked to clean the interplanetary train, Milky☆Subway. But when it suddenly activates, the violation of space traffic laws is the last thing on anyone’s mind. How do you begin to stop a runaway space train? Remember, drive responsibly, even in space, going at warp speed is only limited to the Starship Enterprise. 

The Summer Hikaru Died 

Studio:  CygamesPictures 

Yoshiki’s best friend Hikaru went missing for a week up in the mountains and returned. This would ideally be good news, if Yoshiki hadn’t chanced upon Hikaru’s corpse while searching for him. The new Hikaru isn’t the same nor does he seem human. But, he is determined to stick around and strike down anyone who gets in his way. Grief is a painful thing; loss is heartbreaking and letting go is out of the question for Yoshiki. Meanwhile stranger things than dead coming back to life is brewing in the town. It, looks like Hikaru isn’t the only monster that’s come down from the mountain. This eldritch rural horror is a slow- burn terror that perfectly encapsulates the suffocatingly eerie nature of small towns, death and the heavy price you pay for not being able to say goodbye.   

Gachiakuta 

Studio: Bones Film 

This year’s stand out shounen. In a world where things are carelessly discarded for the smallest reasons, Rudo gently salvages what’s left and makes them good as new. When he’s framed for the murder of his adoptive father, he’s thrown into the Pit, the dark cavernous opening that swallows up all the garbage. Contracting tetanus is the least of Rudo’s worries in the Pit, with its giant trash monsters and toxic air quality. He joins the Cleaners, a group that’s pushing back against the Trash Beasts in hopes of escaping the Pit and bringing his father’s killer to light.   

The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity 

Studio: CloverWorks 

Chidori Public School has an infamous reputation for being a school for delinquents. Rintarou Tsumugi certainly looks the part with his bleached hair and pierced ears, but that can’t be further from the truth for this gentle giant. A chance encounter with the beautiful and delicate Kaoruko Waguri, who sees him for who he really is, sets the stage for this year’s standout romance anime. Too bad Kaoruko goes to the elite all-girls Kikyo Private Academy, whose students look down on the Chidori students. This is Romeo and Juliet without the bloodshed or unnecessary drama. With an equally strong, well fleshed-out supporting cast, this anime takes a good, long look at growing up, insecurities, fear and expectations. Don’t judge a book by its cover, you might actually like what’s written underneath.  

My Hero Academia Final Season 

Studio: Bones Film 

In its heyday, My Hero Academia was the biggest name in modern shounen. Over the years, though, it has lost its shine due to a multitude of reasons:– the fandom space, the character arcs, the rushed battle sequences, and the rising popularity of other shounen anime. Nevertheless, the series persevered and finally culminates in this eighth and final season. Ending on an incredible high after nine long years, you can’t deny there was a reason this was so popular. Whether or not you’re still a fan, this finale is something you can’t miss, almost like attending the funeral of somebody you once considered a close friend . Goodbye Izuku, you’ll always be a hero.  

Gintama – Mr. Ginpachi’s Zany Class 

Studio: Bandai Namco Pictures 

Gintama is one of those shows where context isn’t going to help you explain the ludicrous situations its colorful cast of characters get embroiled in. Often breaking the fourth wall by parodying everything from Stephen King to Star Wars, the term copyright doesn’t exist in Gintama’s vocabulary. Occasionally there were segments in a high school setting with the main character, Gintoki, as the homeroom teacher. Now, that segment has got its own spin-off series with the same humour that makes you double over with laughter until your ribs ache. Ginpachi sensei has his hands full, with students’ temperaments ranging from a mayonnaise addict, a stalker gorilla, a baby-faced sadist and worse. In this seat of learning, sanity is thrown out the window and rules are non-existent. Class is in session!  

Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 

Studio: P.A. Works, Zexcs, Lapin Track, Studio Kafka, 100studio, Studio Graph77 

Before Chainsaw Man or Fire Punch, Tatsuki Fujimoto wrote a series of one-shot manga that laid the foundations for his later works. This anthology of eclectic short stories gives you a glimpse into the strange and absurdist mind of a mangaka who’s managed to subvert the expectations of a shounen protagonist. With stories ranging from a vampire hiring an assassin to end his years of immortal suffering to a little girl who’s the harbinger of the apocalypse, a boy teaching a mermaid how to play the piano, and a humans disguised as chickens post an alien invasion. This is a wild ride from start to finish.