It's too early to say if animanga fans find themselves in the midst of a renaissance, but there have been some absolutely killer releases in recent years. From huge adaptations like Winter 2025 alone is packed with amazing anime.

There are a number of honorable mentions, like Dandadan's second season or the comeback of major franchises like Lupin the Third and KATSEYE. Releases throughout the year are so promising that it almost feels sacrilegious to exclude them. Nonetheless, the whittling has happened: here's a well-rounded sampling of the top anime 2025 has in store.

10 Re:Zero (Season 3, Part 2)

Release Date: February 5, 2025

Re-Zero -Starting Life in Another World- - Poster

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Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World-
Release Date
April 3, 2016
Network
TV Tokyo, AT-X
Directors
Hiroyuki Tsuchiya, Kazuomi Koga, Yoshito Mikamo, Masaharu Watanabe, Yoshinobu Tokumoto, Masahiro Shinohara, Hideyo Yamamoto, Manabu Okamoto, Takashi Sakuma, Daisuke Takashima, Naoko Takeichi
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Yûsuke Kobayashi
    Subaru Natsuki (voice)
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Rie Takahashi
    Emilia (voice)

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming
BUY

Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World- follows the story of Natsuki Subaru, a young man suddenly transported to a fantasy world. Struggling to understand his new environment, he discovers he has the ability to return from death, allowing him to change past events. With each resurrection, Subaru forges alliances and confronts the challenges of this alternate realm, endeavoring to protect those he grows to care for while unraveling the mysteries surrounding his predicament.

Writers
Yoshiko Nakamura
Seasons
3
Streaming Service(s)
Crunchyroll

First up is a continuation of Re:Zero's stellar third season. For the uninitiated, Re:Zero is a genre-breaking isekai that dabbles with the genre conventions of drama, romance, and psychological anime too. Centering around the protagonist Subaru Natsuki, Re:Zero focuses on on his special ability, "Return by Death", as he navigates the political and social dimensions of a world he's more than happy to call home. Words can't describe the sheer power that this series has—but they can try, and anybody who hasn't given it a chance should at least do that much.

The first part of Re:Zero's third season brought some of its best character development and world-building yet. Subaru convincingly went from one of isekai's most frustrating protagonists to a full-throated leader, while heroine Emilia has shown her unique strength and Re:Zero shows its singular emphasis on its ing cast among its isekai competitors. The third season leaves off as Subaru and crew mount a counterattack against the Witch Cultists after they completely dominate the city of Priestella. So goes the "Attack" arc of season 3. On February 25, fans will get to return to Priestella to see how the Re:Zero's "Counterattack" arc plays out.

9 Solo Leveling (Season 2)

Release Date: January 5, 2025

Solo Leveling TV Series Poster

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Solo Leveling
Release Date
2024 - 2025-00-00
Directors
Shunsuke Nakashige
Writers
Noboru Kimura
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Taito Ban
    Shun Mizushino (voice)
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Genta Nakamura
    Kenta Morobishi (voice)

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

Based on a webtoon series, Solo Leveling is an action-adventure fantasy anime originally created by Chugong. When Sung Jinwoo is slain in the depths of a high-level dungeon, he is reborn, intending to use his newfound strength to reach the heart of the dungeon and uncover its secrets.

Creator(s)
Chugong
Seasons
1
Where To Watch
Crunchyroll

Solo Leveling sits alongside Tower of God as two majorly impactful manhwa in a sphere that traditionally has been Japan-only. Despite possessing a simple premise on its face—Sung Jin-woo's combat level advances far faster than those around him—Solo Leveling has won fans over with its hype action, compelling narrative, and lovable cast. The first season plainly established just why the series has been seen as a tour de force in manhwa communities for years.

Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow- premiered on January 5, 2025. It's been running steady ever since. Having started off by wrapping up the Red Gate arc and promising stable progress into the series' acclaimed Jeju Island arc, Solo Leveling's second season is going to hit some of the series' highest notes . Airing now on Crunchyroll, Solo Leveling is a must-see anime functioning a loving ode to battle shōnen and isekai.

8 My Hero Academia (Season 8)

Release Window: Fall 2025

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My Hero Academia
Release Date
April 3, 2016
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Aoi Yuki
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Ayane Sakura

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

In My Hero Academia, some humans have superpowers called quirks. Izuku Midoriya, nicknamed Deku, is not one of them. Deku has always idolized heroes like the number one hero, All Might, and since he was a child, he has always wanted to be a hero. However, his lack of a quirk has always held him back, but a chance encounter with All Might after discovering a classmate in danger sets Deku on the path to becoming a true hero. My Hero Academia centers around Deku and a class of heroes-in-training at UA. This school shapes young quirk s into future heroes through fake rescue missions, combat training, and other hero-tempering tasks. With young Deku inheriting the "One-For-All" quirk, he will learn what it means to be a true hero while facing off with dastardly supervillains.

Number of Episodes
159
Franchise
My Hero Academia
Seasons
7
Characters By
Kohei Horikoshi
Distributor
FUNimation Entertainment
Main Characters
Tsuyu Asui, Katsuki Bakugo, Ochaco Uraraka, Izuku Midoriya, Shoto Todoroki, All Might
Production Company
Bones
Story By
Kōhei Horikoshi, Yōsuke Kuroda
Streaming Service(s)
Crunchyroll

Elephant in the room: My Hero Academia's famously controversial ending. Despite My Hero Academia's later epilogue, which some argue saved the series' finale, the ending already wasn't bad on its own (albeit perhaps unexpected for longtime fans). In fact, viewers still have plenty of reasons to tune in for the final season of the beloved shōnen, with the "Star and Stripes", "UA", and "Final War" arcs still lying ahead. A precise date hasn't been announced, but for now, My Hero Academia's final season can be expected in Fall 2025.

7 Lazarus

Release Date: 2025

Lazarus Anime Updated Poster

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Lazarus
Release Date
April 5, 2025
Network
Adult Swim
Directors
Shinichirô Watanabe
Writers
Shinichirô Watanabe
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Mamoru Miyano
    Axel
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Makoto Furukawa
    Doug

​In 2052, humanity celebrates unprecedented peace, thanks to Hapuna—a miracle drug eradicating pain and illness. Three years later, its creator, Dr. Skinner, resurfaces with a grim revelation: Hapuna is a delayed toxin, and death looms for all who took it. With just 30 days to avert catastrophe, a global task force called Lazarus assembles to locate Skinner and develop a cure.

Creator(s)
Shinichirô Watanabe
Seasons
1

One of the most exciting projects ahead in 2025 is another original coming from the creator of Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo, animated by the capable hands at MAPPA and developed in conjunction with the minds behind John Wick. Of all director Shinichirō Watanabe's projects, Lazarus promises to be the true spiritual successor to Cowboy Bebop.

If anybody could help with recapturing the iconic magic of Cowboy Bebop, it would be the dream team ing hands with him. Lazarus is slated for a 2025 release, and it already looks fantastic based on the first looks fans have been given. Details are few and far between right now, but every anime enthusiast should keep their eyes peeled.

6 The Rose of Versailles

Release Date: January 31, 2025

01694456_poster_w780.jpg

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The Rose of Versailles
Release Date
January 31, 2025
Director
Ai Yoshimura
Writers
Tomoko Konparu, Riyoko Ikeda
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Aya Hirano
    Marie Antoinette (voice)
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Miyuki Sawashiro
    Oscar François de Jarjayes (voice)
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Toshiyuki Toyonaga
    André Grandier (voice)
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Kazuki Kato
    Hans Axel von Fersen (voice)

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

The Rose of Versailles is a film based on the life of Oscar François de Jarjayes, a noblewoman raised as a man in pre-revolutionary . As commander of Marie Antoinette's palace guard, she navigates the opulence and political intrigue of King Louis XVI's court alongside her loyal servant, André.

Main Genre
Animation

The Rose of Versailles is one of the most important shoujo series of all time. The series has a deeply compelling story behind its choices, which pushed the envelope for what shoujo series could do and talk about. Even today, it remains one of the most provocative and interesting stories around—one which just happens to serve as a landmark representative of the birth of modern shoujo's most recognizable traits.

In spite of its profound influence and its singular perspective, The Rose of Versailles hasn't actually been animated since its adaptation back in the late '70s. MAPPA (Attack on Titan: Final Season, Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man) has answered the colossal call, promising to bring the series to life yet again with a new film to debut on January 31, 2025. The studio's renowned ability to imbue storytelling deeply into animation is already evident in The Rose of Versaille's gorgeous trailer.

5 Kaiju no. 8 (Season 2)

Release Window: July 2025

Kaiju No. 8 Anime Poster

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Kaiju No. 8
Release Date
2024 - 2024-00-00
Directors
Shigeyuki Miya, Tomomi Kamiya
Writers
Ichirō Ōkouchi
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Masaya Fukunishi
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Wataru Kato

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

Kafka Hibino, a disillusioned Kaiju corpse cleanup worker, dreams of ing the Defense Force that protects Japan from monstrous Kaiju attacks. His life takes a surreal turn when he becomes infected by a Kaiju parasite, granting him the power to transform into a Kaiju himself. Known as Kaiju No. 8, Kafka must navigate the dual life of a monster and a protector, facing enemies both human and Kaiju.

Franchise(s)
Kaiju No. 8
Main Genre
Animation
Creator(s)
Naoya Matsumoto
Seasons
1
Streaming Service(s)
Crunchyroll

Kaiju no. 8 hosts a perhaps familiar premise for Attack on Titan fans: in a world where the enemy is monsters, the protagonist ends up being able to turn into a monster. Don't be misled, though; the series has an identity all its own, and its super engaging first season has fans hooked. Season 1 ended with protagonist Kafka being taken into custody. Kaiju no. 8's second season will premiere in July 2025, picking up where the first season left off as Kafka returns, his tactical value now proven, and the series turns the intensity up to 11.

4 Dr. Stone: Science Future

Release Date: January 9, 2025

Dr. Stone (2019)

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Dr. Stone
Release Date
July 5, 2019
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Aaron Dismuke
    Senku Ishigami
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Brandon McInnis
    Gen Asagiri

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

Dr. Stone is an anime series set in a post-apocalyptic world where all of humanity has been petrified for thousands of years. The story follows high school student Senku Ishigami who awakens and seeks to rebuild civilization from scratch using his extensive knowledge of science.

Main Genre
Sci-Fi

Dr. Stone has easily won fans over through the years thanks to its novel approach in reworking science fiction through the lens of a battle/adventure shonen. It could even be argued to be an isekai, as genius Senku Ishigami tries to rebuild in a future where the technology viewers know and love has all but disappeared. The first three seasons have been absolutely fantastic, and the fourth season promises to be even better.

Dr Stone: Science Future is a multipart season which premiered on January 9, 2025. Its trajectory and its manga counterpart indicate that the season will do a lot of work in lore, world-building, and character departments as the main troupe sets off for the much-beloved South America arc. Anime fans need to catch up on the series if they haven't seen it already, as the tantalizing mystery at the core of the series—who petrified humanity in the first place?—comes closer to unraveling.

3 The Apothecary Diaries (Season 2)

Release Date: January 10, 2025

The Apothecary Diaries - Season 2
Release Date
January 10, 2025
Network
Nippon TV, RAB, TVI, YBC, JRT
Episodes
24
Season Number
2
Episode List
Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8, Episode 9, Episode 10, Episode 11, Episode 12, Episode 13, Episode 14, Episode 15, Episode 16, Episode 17, Episode 18, Episode 19, Episode 20, Episode 21, Episode 22, Episode 23, Episode 24

In 2024, The Apothecary Diaries won viewers over with its effortless blend of romance, historical drama, and episodic medical mystery. Covering the travails of an apothecarial apprentice, Maomao, who's kidnapped and sold off to a court in imperial China, the series' intriguing voice has propelled The Apothecary Diaries to be one of the top-selling light novels and manga for years. Its anime, streaming on Crunchyroll and Netflix, has followed suit and brought The Apothecary Diaries even further acclaim.

The second season of The Apothecary Diaries has been hotly anticipated; the series is intoxicating on its own, and its episodic format has left fans craving more of the same. The first episode of The Apothecary Diaries season 2 has been lauded for reinforcing one of The Apothecary Diaries' core themes: how women get along in a male-dominated world, and what barriers exist for them. Since premiering on January 10, 2025, The Apothecary Diaries' second season has elegantly met expectations so far, with no signs of slowing down.

2 Zenshu

Release Date: January 5, 2025

ZENSHU (2024) - Poster

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ZENSHU
Release Date
2025 - 2025-00-00
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Anna Nagase
    Natsuko Hirose
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Kazuki Ura
    Luke Braveheart

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming
BUY

After graduating from high school, Natsuko Hirose quickly rises in the animation industry and is celebrated for her directorial debut. However, her next project, a romantic comedy, hits a roadblock when she struggles to understand first love, something she’s never experienced. This internal conflict threatens the entire production​.

Main Genre
Animation
Creator(s)
Kimiko Ueno, Mitsue Yamazaki
Seasons
1

One of the little moments 2024 provided was the author of award-winning manga Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! coming out with demands for a second season. It may not be Eizouken, but it mirrors its premise of manga/anime as a craft. Above all, Zenshu is a MAPPA must-watch for 2025. Centering around a girl who gets sucked into a world that she created, Zenshu is a provocative take on isekai.

Zenshu's heroine is already being compared to the likes of Jujutsu Kaisen's Gojo Satoru, one of the highest honors in the animanga world. The series is already airing, having premiered on January 5, 2025, and it shows MAPPA at the top of their game with gorgeous animation. The veteran studio reveal themselves as total masters of the craft with an indefatigable love letter to animation as a whole.

1 Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc

Release Window: 2025

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Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc
Release Date
October 29, 2025
Director
Tatsuya Yoshihara
Writers
Hiroshi Seko

Cast

  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Kikunosuke Toya
    Denji (voice)
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Shiori Izawa
    Pochita (voice)
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Tomori Kusunoki
    Makima (voice)
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Shogo Sakata
    Aki (voice)

Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc follows Denji, a devil hunter with the heart of the Chainsaw Man, and his encounter with Reze, a mysterious café worker, after a date with his dream woman, Makima. The narrative unfolds within the context of Special Division 4's devil hunting operations.

Main Genre
Animation
Release Window
2025

With Chainsaw Man's first season premiering back in 2022, it's been a while since fans of the franchise have gotten anything new. The end of Chainsaw Man's first season hinted at the enthralling arc to follow with a shot of Reze. Denji falls for Reze and negotiates his struggles with his unique identity in Chainsaw Man's world; it's sunshine, until the Bomb Devil appears.

Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc is a promising concept covering a fan-favorite arc of the manga. While a concrete release date for Japanese cinemas hasn't yet been provided, it's known that the movie will come out at some point this year. Fans of the franchise should prepare for an intense, explosive ride.