10 Best New Anime of 2025 Ranked

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2025 was a fantastic year for anime, bringing back popular series like Solo Leveling, Dandadan, and The Apothecary Diaries, alongside many other exciting shows. In addition to highly anticipated sequels, several new anime premiered, with Sakamoto Days and Gachiakuta – both already fan favorites – becoming major hits. As 2025 comes to a close, all the series have had their moment, and fans are already looking forward to another great year. The upcoming 2026 anime schedule is shaping up to be incredible, especially the Winter season.

Everyone’s been talking about upcoming seasons like Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 2, but there are also some brand new anime like Witch Hat Atelier and Marriagetoxin coming next year that fans are excited about. As the year winds down, let’s take a look back at some of the best anime that premiered this year.

10) Sakamoto Days

The anime version of this popular manga series received a somewhat mixed response, but was generally considered successful, though a second season hasn’t been officially announced yet. The story centers around Taro Sakamoto, a former legendary hitman who left that life behind after falling in love and getting married. Five years later, he’s out of shape and enjoying a quiet life running a convenience store with his wife and daughter. But his peaceful existence is shattered when his dangerous past catches up to him, threatening his family and himself.

9) Medalist

Based on a popular manga, the touching sports anime is set to return for a second season in January 2026. The story follows Tsukasa Akeuraji, a former figure skater who had to give up his dreams of competing at a high level due to starting his career later in life. Now working as a coach, he’s surprised by the incredible talent of a young, shy fifth-grade skater named Inori Yuitsuka. Seeing her potential, Tsukasa commits to training Inori and helping her build confidence, with the ultimate goal of reaching the Olympics and winning a medal.

8) May I Ask For One Final Thing?

This anime is a standout romance fantasy. It centers on Scarlet, a noblewoman publicly humiliated when Prince Kyle breaks off their engagement and falsely accuses her of mistreating his new love. Fueled by anger at the false accusation, Scarlet unleashes her hidden power, defeating dozens of nobles in a stunning display. She sets out to get revenge on those who wronged her, but finds herself constantly tangled up with the mischievous Crown Prince, Julius, who seems to enjoy playfully teasing her.

7) Apocalypse Hotel

This excellent and somewhat overlooked sci-fi anime is set in 2157, long after people were forced to leave Earth because of its polluted air. Despite humanity’s absence, the luxurious Gingarou Hotel in Tokyo remains operational, maintained by a dedicated team of robots. However, the once-renowned hotel hasn’t had a guest in decades, and the robots are slowly deteriorating without anyone to fix them. Despite the difficult circumstances, Yachiyo, the hotel’s manager, still holds onto the hope that guests will return one day.

6) The Summer Hikaru Died

This horror anime is based on an award-winning manga and tells the story of Yoshiki and Hikaru, childhood friends living in a quiet village. Their lives are disrupted when Hikaru returns after being missing in the woods for a week, but Yoshiki quickly realizes something is terribly wrong – the person who returned isn’t really Hikaru. He soon learns that his friend died while lost in the woods, and a mysterious creature has taken his place. As Yoshiki struggles with this devastating news, strange and unsettling events begin to plague the village, shattering its peace.

5) The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity

This popular romance anime tells the sweet story of students from two very different high schools – the elite Kikyo Private Academy and the more down-to-earth Chidori Public High. The schools have a long-standing rivalry, but that doesn’t stop a connection from forming between Rintaro Tsumugi, a student at Chidori who often seems unapproachable, and Kaoruko Waguri, a student from Kikyo. Kaoruko sees past Rintaro’s tough exterior, and they begin to fall for each other. However, their romance is complicated by the fact that they attend rival schools and face various challenges along the way.

4) My Hero Academia: Vigilantes

This spin-off series, created by Hideyuki and illustrated by Court Betten, will return for a second season in Winter 2026. Set five years before the original story, it explores a time when crime is increasing in a world filled with people who have superpowers. While licensed heroes work tirelessly to protect everyone, danger still hides in the shadows, leading to the rise of vigilantes—those who fight crime without official permission. The story follows Kouichi Haimawari, a college student with a weak superpower who dreams of being a hero, and his unexpected involvement with Kazuko Haneyama, a vigilante, as they both get caught up in a dangerous criminal organization.

3) Secrets of the Silent Witch

Many anime fans consider Secrets of the Silent Witch a hidden gem, and surprisingly, a second season hasn’t been announced despite positive feedback. The story takes place in the made-up kingdom of Ridill, where the land of Count Kerbeck has a long history of fighting dragons. Monica Everett, a powerful mage who can use magic naturally, prefers to live a quiet life. However, she’s drawn into a dangerous mission when another mage asks her to protect Prince Felix, who is facing a serious threat. To do this, Monica must overcome her shyness and go undercover as a student at Serendia Academy.

2) Gachiakuta

The action anime Gachiakuta has been widely praised for its creative world and compelling characters. The story takes place in a society where the rich casually discard items, but for Rudo, a struggling resident of the slums, that waste is a valuable resource. When he’s wrongly accused of killing Regto, Rudo is thrown into the Pit, a place from which no one has ever returned. Surprisingly, he wakes up in a dangerous, trash-filled landscape filled with toxic air and monsters. Rescued by a ‘Cleaner’ named Enjin, Rudo begins a journey to escape and find the person who killed his father.

1) Witch Watch

The story centers on Morihito Otogi, a young boy who secretly comes from a race of ogres. After a long separation, he reconnects with his childhood friend, Nico Wakatsuki, a somewhat clumsy but incredibly powerful witch who has been training away from home. Their parents decide they should live together because Nico is in danger, and Morihito is the only one who can keep her safe. Though he’s hesitant, Morihito agrees, but their lives quickly become chaotic as they take in more children, each with their own special abilities.

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2025-12-15 05:11