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Forum - View topicThe Best Anime of 2025
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killjoy_the
 Posts: 2565 |
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My best of the year is City, but I'd like to mention Hero Academia Final Season and Apocalypse Hotel as well. Apocalypse Hotel has some small similarities to City in it being an absurd comedy quite often, but I loved its quiet moments even more. HeroAca was just a fun shonen, finally being able to match the energy it had in its best season all the way back in 2018
While Yachiyo would also be an easy pick for best character, I think I like Ecchan from CITY even more, and Matsuri is just behind. Even outside of the emotional payoff the two goofs have, when they're just having fun, it just always put a smile on my face For Best Moment I'm honestly torn. Yes, CITY's festival taking consecutive spreads and just having it all on screen at the same time, plus the lead up to it was wonderful. The final episode, too, with all the singing. Yachiyo taking a stroll was up there in my favorite episodes entirely of the year. Episode two of MHA Final, with all the All Might focus and the twist at the end was also amazing. But I think I have to give it to Matsuri asking her friends "if you had the option of something fun and something not fun, which would you choose?". It just embodies CITY and the two girls' relationship so well that I think I have to pay it mention, even if it's not nearly as flashy as anything else I mentioned |
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Kicksville
 Posts: 1415 |
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Challia Bull really is one of the best characters of the year, and at the same time, Gundam GQuuuuuuX is so disappointing I'm tempted to put it in the "worst of" category.
There is so much good about it, from the way it managed to make the alternate timeline concept feel fresh and not overly indulgent at the outset, to, yes, Challia being very compelling. And that made it all the worse when it goes on to fail at setting up its actual main characters in the name of stale alternate universe plotting and totally unearned indulgences (that Beyond The Time needled drop sitting high among them). If it had a message about Gundam, it is a boring one. Best of the year I think is Apocalypse Hotel, which gets extra points from me for being an anime original. The Summer Hikaru Died and SANDA were terrific as well. |
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Wizardizar
 Posts: 201 |
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Real banger of a year when you look at it. Here's my top 10:
10) Turkey!: Dared to ask the question "Can bowling save a life"? 9) There's No Way... (Muri Yuri): In a pretty yuri year, this one stood out by looking great, getting (kind of) a sequel season, and being really fun. 8) Medalist: This show got me on the edge of my seat for figure skating and had some of the best character writing out there. 7) Ave Mujica: Truly a show for little freaks who love a good mess and man, these girls were messy. Having an episode (and one of the best of the year imo) be a 20 minutes monologue takes some guts. 6) Fragrant Flower: In a year that had a LOT of good romance, this was maybe my favorite. 5) This Monster Wants to Eat me: Divisive show, but I absolutely loved how slow and mournful it was. Amazing voice performances and one of my OST of the year. 4) Kowloon Generic Romance: Immaculate vibes, great mystery and amazing characters (Yaomay might be best supporting character this year). 3) DanDaDan: Love every single one of those little idiots, and it's still one of the best looking and sounding show this year. 2) Umamusume Cinderella Grey: This is the year I got it. I now understand why people love those horse girls. Loved how seriously it takes the racing and still pushes into ridiculous stuff like THE ZONE. 1) Apocalypse Hotel: A true celebration of life, death, humanity, community, family. A truly weird concept but filled with so much love for life and the impermanence of it all, the whole thing centered around a pair of women growing and changing together. My top show of the year. |
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tintor2
 Posts: 2681 |
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Honestly, I have two favorite songs this year but from the same singer. The new ending of Spy x Family and the first opening of Apothecary Diaries season 2.
I'm surprised the frog was put as a best moment considering even the novelist felt awkward when watching the anime adaptation next to his family but Jinshi being the subject of fanservice jokes seems to be kinda innovative for the series considering he already had an episode where he basically dressed as some sort of "beauty". Best character for me goes to Shotaro Hidari from The Portrait of Kamen Rider Skull since I never saw the Begins Night movie liveaction so seeing spoiler[his growth from a brave child to his hardboiled detective looked who aimed to be identical to his late boss Narumi was tearjerking especially in the movie when the coffee shop owner claims he started to look alike Narumi.] If we go for female character I'd say Maomao wins it again considering how her characterization in season 2 makes her come across as ridiculously joyful even when kidnapped. Can't wait for season 3. I also consider Kazushige Sanda a favorite but sometimes it feels like I don't understand his kind nature if it's part of his personality or just an effect of being Santa Claus. Sanda, Apocalypse Hotel and Dandadan were also amazing anime. Saru animating two of these make me wonder how their future take on Ghost in the Shell will be different from the already amazing looking movie from Mamoru Osshi. Probably, my favorite scene from the year is the wedding from Apocalypse Hotel due to an elder passing away in the making of it and thus her last message is shown during the celebrations. Really tearful moment. Last edited by tintor2 on Mon Dec 29, 2025 12:03 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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meiam
Posts: 3673 |
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Apocalypse hotel, two of the best characters of the year and one of the best moment, not in the top 10...
Anyway, pretty good year overall, notwithstanding the last season. City is easily my top of the year. Lazarus is easily the most disappointing, mostly because its the only one I forced myself to watch most of (thankfully the soundtrack with Bonobo and co. helped that along). Last season was so bad, I resorted to re watching Bebop, and it hold up magnificently (even having re watched it many time, I'd still say it would be my #3 of the year after apocalypse hotel). Bebop is a show that's more than the sum of its part, with every part being masterpiece quality. A lot of Lazarus parts are also very high quality, but nothing gel together, mostly because the writing is just not up to it and its more interested in preaching than telling an interesting story. |
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Saeryen
 Posts: 1162 |
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Best: Princession Orchestra
Worst: I Want to Escape from Princess Lessons That’s my take for overall best and worst. I do agree that CITY was amazing and one of the year’s best. I would also add Honey Lemon Soda, My Happy Marriage Season 2, Witchy Pretty Cure!! MIRAI DAYS, You and Idol Pretty Cure, Anne Shirley, Maebashi Witches, Toilet Bound Hanako-kun Season 2, With You and the Rain, Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits Season 2, and The Fated Magical Princess: Who Made Me a Princess to the list of the best (most of these are already in my favorites list). |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4984 |
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I usually struggle to pick a winner given the sheer amount of anime every year but for 2025 it is pretty easy for me since Apocalypse Hotel never left my thoughts. That show made me feel a lot of different things and it is also one of those rare anime were you truly do not know what to expect of the next episode. I too am surprised to not see it grace the top 10 of the site though.
Honorable mentions to Ruri Rocks and Shoshimin: How to Become Ordinary Season 2 for being way better than I expected. |
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Saeryen
Posts: 1162 |
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On video games: I just started playing Fantasy Life i and am excited to see where it goes. But I do think Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar and Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma oughta be up there. They were my favorite new games this year.
Characters: Anne, yes, definitely. I would also add Athanasia from The Fated Magical Princess, Sumire from Princession Orchestra and all the Pretty Cures from You and Idol Pretty Cure, including spoiler[Kaito/Cure Connect, I love him]! |
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rfletcher
 Enjoying the time of EVE Posts: 49 |
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I was =really= hoping that someone would acknowledge the ending song from the otherwise largely forgettable Catch Me At The Ballpark. Yes, it was a boilerplate "Let's let the voice actresses sing" song in and of itself, but my goodness, that animation. Utterly freaking adorable.
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EmeraldSaucer
 Posts: 913 |
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My Top 6
6. Turkey A blend of farce, melodrama, and sincerity that painted a beautiful picture about the connections we make and how those connections persevere even across time and space, life and death. Naomi Hiruta cutting her teeth on live-action drama and comedy worked wonders for this production, infusing a fresh sense of naturalism into her scripts that expertly contrasted and complimented the absurdist scenario 5. Maebashi Witches The best of the three magical girl shows centered around singing this year. Walked a fine line between being irreverent and just being mean-spirited to great success and ended up with a surprisingly empathetic exploration of adolescence. I thought pretty much all of the characters were handled very well, but special mention goes to Choco; the ways in which the audience was strung along on how they perceived her character were masterful 4. Cocoon: One Summer of Girlhood The special featuring Ghibli alumni from this year that wasn't embarassing propaganda for a steel manufacturer. I can understand some people's misgivings for the ways in which the special takes away the more visceral depictions of blood and violence from the manga, but when it works it works; a group of girls being gunned down in the street as they burst into scattering flower petals remains haunting 3. My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 Continues to successfully trick people who think they are above ecchi into watching and enjoying it. I personally still prefer the tighter focus on establishing Marin and Gojo from season 1 over season 2's expansion of the cast, but otherwise all the strengths of the original outing are still here. The degree to which they went above and beyond on both a material and directorial level for Coffin will always be mind-blowing 2. City the Animation Ishidate's team animated so hard they had an extra episode's worth of it by the end. Got people who otherwise couldn't care less about the construction of animation as an expressive medium to stand up and pay attention for a little bit. Not every joke landed and not every character or subplot was all that interesting, but that's just the nature of the beast; it speaks to the sheer volume packed into this diorama of a city and the lives lived in it 1. Apocalypse Hotel Kinoko Nasu's official anime of the century. Stunning background work, fantastic character acting, endlessly creative, effortlessly funny and exciting and heartwarming and melancholic and introspective (all neatly encapsulated by a combined funeral/wedding). I eagerly await literally anything coming down the pipeline from Kana Shundo if even a fraction of this spark can be recaptured |
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gcapeletti
Posts: 6 |
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Kudos for City The Animation featuring on the top 10. But it's bullshit at the same time, because it should be 1st. Along with Ao no Orchestra. All the other titles are complete crap. Fandom is sinking fast.
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barran.nugraha
Posts: 25 |
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My favorite anime songs this year:
1. The IIIrd Eye by B'z (Lupin the 3rd, the Immortal Bloodline) 2. Carmine by Ellegarden (One Piece Vegapunk Arc) 3. Jane Doe by Kenshi Yonezu & Utada Hikaru (Chainsawman Reze Arc) 4. The Revo by Porno Graffiti (Boku no Hero Final season) 5. Kono Hi wo Mamoru by Spitz (Spy x Family season 3) Last edited by barran.nugraha on Mon Dec 29, 2025 5:05 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Takkun4343
 Posts: 1747 Location: Englewood, Ohio |
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Another year, another dozen-plus shows, another power ranking. Let's do this.
1. My Dress Up Darling Season 2 2. Takopi's Original Sin (only halfway through, but well worth it) 3. Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus 4. This Monster Wants to Eat Me 5. Trillion Game (2nd cour) 6. Kowloon Generic Romance 7. Rock is a Lady's Modesty 8. Dragon Ball DAIMA (2nd cour) 9. Sakamoto Days 10. Wandance 11. Honey Lemon Soda 12. The Dinner Table Detective 13. Lazarus (It's thanks to the blurbs for James' reviews that I purged all episode reviews from the home page on my browser and it's been the best thing for my mental health, but still... let this be a lesson about holding your expectations high.) 14. A Star Brighter Than the Sun 15. I'm Living With an Otaku NEET Kunoichi!? (Momochi is legit trans, and no amount of misgendering in- or out-of-universe will convince me otherwise.) |
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FilthyCasual
Posts: 2710 |
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Sad to see Ranger Reject on the list, but heartening that the entry acknowledges that the episode count is the reason. Ironically, it actually did have some anime-original moments made in service of delivering a more satisfying finale under the brutal constraints of its creation. Shoshimin and Dress-Up Darling are particular year standouts. Atou from Mynoghra was an exceptionally fun and well-acted character. Then obviously, there's Marin and Gojo as well as Hisui from Ranger Reject. Very unfortunate that the entry dedicated to Suika (Dr. Stone) in Best Anime Moments misspells her name nearly every time. Watch Me and Kawaii Kaiwai are fantastic and deserve their plauds. I'm fond of Dandadan's second OP as well, as well as Majestic Catastrophe and Grand Blue S2's ED. Manga-wise, you can't go wrong with Ranger Reject, The Elusive Samurai, Witch Watch, and Make the Exorcist Fall in Love. Good seeing Kindergarten Wars, Ichi the Witch, and Akane-Banashi on the list. |
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ZelosZoidberg
 Posts: 1051 |
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Like Itano Circus, the Kamehameha VS Galick Gun or unearthing Akira's capsule, City's Split Screen is a moment in Japanese animation that we will be talking about for years to come. Easily my anime of the year.
Last edited by ZelosZoidberg on Mon Dec 29, 2025 5:27 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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