Top 10 Anime of the Year 2025!

Article at a glance:

• 2025 might not have been as stacked as 2024, but it still delivered some absolute bangers, and narrowing all of that down to just ten entries was way harder than I expected.
• This is my first time doing a fully ranked list, so expect strong opinions, tough eliminations, and a list built purely on personal enjoyment rather than consensus.

I planned on doing this article like 7 days ago, but here’s the thing: I was REALLY busy irl. And gathering my thoughts, finalizing rankings, and limiting everything to the Top 10 took a lot more time than I expected. I spent 2 days just compiling my thoughts on all the anime and going through elimination about which anime I want to keep here. And yeah, for the first time ever, I am doing a RANKED list. Despite being drier than 2024, 2025 did have some banger shows, so limiting all those anime to just the top 10 was hard to do, but here we are.

As always, this list is purely subjective. I know this list NOT having certain shows will tick people off, but this is my list. Feel free to give me your own in the comments. Learn to be civil; we are allowed to have differing opinions. This list is purely based on my personal taste and enjoyment. I do not expect others to agree with it 100%.

With the disclaimer out of the way, let’s get started with my picks for The Top 10 Anime of the Year 2025!

10. Spy x Family Season 3

This season of Spy x Family was certainly a welcome surprise. It showed the political state of the world way more than ever before. Loid’s backstory was masterfully done, too. This is probably the first time that it really feels like WISE is doing everything in their power to prevent another war. And once again, Loid’s backstory does a good job of establishing why a war can and will be harmful to both sides.

9. Silent Witch

Ain’t this a surprise, huh? Safe to say, I think everyone loved the idea of making Bocchi, but fantasy. Yeah, the main character in this anime is so introverted that she invented incantation-less spells because she was too embarrassed to speak the incantations in front of people. Great characters, a charming MC, decent world-building, pretty animations, and a high entertainment value. Pretty much everything you can ask for.

8. Gachiakuta

Gritty, stylish, and aggressive. This is like Made in Abyss with a touch of some absolute shounen madness. I am not even gonna lie, the insane art and animations, and the immaculate soundtrack selection, especially the fight themes alone, are enough to carry this anime into the top 10. But, on top of that, the writing is decent, the world itself is very interesting, and almost every single character is memorable. Also, Season 1 ended on a damn cliffhanger lol.

7. The Apothecary Diaries Season 2

This one lost a few places because Season 2 was clearly rushed compared to Season 1, and the production just didn’t look nearly as impressive as Season 1. But it was still watchable, unlike OPM Season 3, and the story remains incredibly strong. In fact, I’d argue Season 2 has a better plot than Season 1. A truly worthy follow-up to what was already an amazing anime.

6. Grand Blue Season 2

Okay, from here to number 3, all rankings are variable lol. I enjoyed numbers 3 to 6 equally. As I said, despite 2025 being drier compared to 2024, I still struggled limiting my top anime to just 10 entries.

But, Grand Blue Season 2. If you liked Season 1, you get the appeal of the show. Max insanity, ZERO restraint, just pure chaos and comedy gold contrasted with some surprisingly decent character moments. And that’s exactly how Season 2 is. Its more of the same, and that’s exactly what I wanted out of it. I enjoyed every single episode, and I’ve already rewatched Season 2 twice lol.

5. BanG Dream: Ave Mujica

Here’s another surprise entry. Like all band anime, BanDori has also always been about drama. But I DID NOT expect them to actually go full psychological thriller. Obsession, split personalities, exploitation, literally needing others just to function?? Brother, this isn’t high school drama anymore. One of the best episodes in the whole season literally features a single character monologing and going crazy; it is insane. Also, banger music on top of all that. YEAH, AVE MUJICA ROCKS.

4. Umamusume: Cinderella Gray

Take your average underdog sports story format, add in a socially awkward horse girl who loves running, and add even more horse girls with colorful characters to it, and that’s how you get Cinderella Gray. The anime does a great job of giving you an underdog MC you can root for in Oguri. Her story is easy to relate to and easy to be inspired by. Combine that with some good character writing, good animations, and soundtracks, and you have a winning formula on your hands. Umazing!

3. Dr. Stone: Science Future

I know Dr. Stone has had some rough patches over the years, but MAN, both parts of Science Future were absolute cinema. This is how you do a final arc right. I know I give a lot of flak to manga endings because they often suck, but Dr. Stone actually has a really good final arc and ending. Every single thing the story has been about so far comes to a converging point in this arc. I absolutely loved both parts.

2. Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity

I struggled so much with ranking the top 2. Consider this, and No. 1 equals. I hate that I have to RANK these two absolute bangers.

Fragrant Flower managed to give me diabetes. How can a singular show have THIS much sweetness? A mature romance where people TALK to each other and figure out their issues and then fix them?? A functioning and supporting family?? WHAT IS THIS? Why is this so wholesome? Yeah, it is absolutely too much for my lonely heart to take. I absolutely ADORE this anime. 10/10.

1. Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc

Yeah, I know, what a complete 180 from the previous entry. A wholesome and sweet romance anime vs. pure depression and trauma. I hate you, Tatsuki Fujimoto. It is almost as if you DON’T WANT us to ever experience even remote happiness in your works, huh? Peak animation, peak depression, peak writing. This movie left me in utter shambles emotionally, and I still loved it. Thanks, Fujimoto.

That is all for now

That concludes my list for the Top 10 Anime of 2025. Let me know what you guys think in the comments. Yes, no Solo Leveling or Dandadan, these are MY favorites, and I could only pick 10; those two didn’t make it, sorry. With that said, though, I will take my leave here. See ya!

Also, check out my thoughts on Sentenced to be a Hero here!