CBR’s Official Fall 2025 Anime Series Power Ranking (Week 1)

As we approach the Fall 2025 season, I’m really excited about what’s happening with Japanese animation and manga. Big movie releases like Demon Slayer and Chainsaw Man are helping anime become more and more popular here in the West. While there are some promising new anime series coming this Fall, a lot of the shows everyone is currently talking about are actually just finishing up their seasons. It feels like a really great time to be a fan!

Fans of both Jujutsu Kaisen and Dandadan have been excitedly discussing recent manga highlights – and occasionally disagreeing about them! Meanwhile, My Dress-Up Darling and Call of the Night are gaining more popularity after their season finales aired. Whether it’s brand-new anime that are becoming hits or unexpected story developments that are changing how we see long-running series, the most popular anime as we head into the Fall season are the ones every anime enthusiast should be watching.

Chainsaw Man Hits #1 in Japan With Its Reze Arc Anime Film Debut

Tatsuki Fujimoto’s popular shonen manga, about a boy who gains the power to grow chainsaws from his body by making a deal with a Devil, has faced some challenges recently. After the impactful anime adaptation of Chainsaw Man and the completion of the first part of the manga, while the series continues to perform well with its dedicated fans and remains a top 3 manga release each week, overall sales numbers have fluctuated. However, the last few weeks have been incredibly positive for the series.

The first film based on the series, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, opened at number one in theaters, surpassing Demon Slayer. As of today, it continues to hold the top spot in Japan, and is expected to gain even more popularity with its release in Western countries on October 29th. Adding to this success, the manga has reached its exciting final battle, with chapters that feel like a truly cinematic experience. Chainsaw Man is currently experiencing a massive surge in popularity, and it’s well-deserved.

Demon Slayer Just Became The Biggest Anime Film of All Time (Again)

It’s been hard for anyone to miss Demon Slayer, even if you’re not an anime fan. The story follows a boy determined to save his sister, who has been turned into a demon. Its combination of compelling stories and stunning visuals has made Demon Slayer one of the most popular anime series of all time. The first movie in a three-part series, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba The Movie: Infinity Castle – Part 1: Akaza Returns, quickly rose in the box office and ultimately became the highest-grossing anime film ever.

While numbers are accurate, sales figures don’t tell the whole story. Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle didn’t achieve this impressive success simply through popularity. The latest Demon Slayer movie has also received high praise from both critics and anime enthusiasts, largely due to its stunning animation. The film genuinely sets a new standard for shonen anime movies.

Gachiakuta Becomes a New Shonen Treasure Under the Guise of Trash

Wow, I was totally blown away by Gachiakuta this Summer! It was easily the biggest surprise of the 2025 anime season. The story centers around a character named Rudo, who gets unfairly banished to this awful place called the Pit – basically a giant trash heap. But that’s where things get *really* interesting. He uncovers this incredible new power source down there, but also… well, let’s just say he encounters some truly terrifying things beyond anything you could imagine!

The show quickly rose in Crunchyroll’s rankings, becoming a standout anime of the Summer season. After finishing its first season, it’s currently number four, trailing only well-known action anime like Demon Slayer, Kaiju No 8 and One Piece. It’s also a highly trending series on anilist, and the character Rudo is ranked among the top 20 male anime characters on anitrendz, which demonstrates the show’s broad appeal within the anime community.

Dandadan’s Season 2 Finale and Latest Manga Arc Collide For an Unforgettable Moment in the Series’ History

Dandadan quickly became a top anime of the year with its first season, and the second season was even more impressive. While the show starts with a funny idea – a boy fascinated by aliens and a girl who believes in spirits finding love as teenagers – that’s just the beginning of the wild and unpredictable adventures of Momo and Okarun.

Following the end of its first season, Dandadan sparked a lot of discussion about the surprising kiss between Okarun and Momo – a moment that actually caused Momo to have a psychic experience. Beyond the major cliffhanger ending, the manga has reached another exciting point that has fans buzzing. Without giving away any spoilers, Momo is now facing a challenging situation that’s created a lot of debate among fans, leaving everyone wondering where Yukinobu Tatsu intends to take the relationship between Momo and Okarun. The future of their love story is uncertain!

My Dress-Up Darling Isn’t Just Cosplaying as a Hit – It Actually Is One

My Dress-Up Darling has consistently been a popular show, gaining fans beyond just the romance genre and becoming a mainstream hit in the anime world, and the finale of Season 2 lived up to expectations. The tension reached a new high in the final episode, which unexpectedly introduced a love triangle, adding even more complexity to the relationship between Gojo and Marin.

Actually, because the anime’s second season concluded with a scene not found in the original manga and there’s been no announcement about a third season, some fans are worried that this well-loved series about cosplay might be finished. Regardless, My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 is still incredibly popular on Crunchyroll, remaining one of the most-watched anime a week after the final episode, and it has consistently been the top trending anime on anitrendz.

The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity Becomes One of the Most Hyped New Romance Anime

The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity was a very popular new romance anime this season. The story of a troubled boy falling for a wealthy girl is a classic, but what makes this anime special is how believably the characters develop. Cloverworks has earned praise again for adapting Saka Mikami’s manga, solidifying its reputation as a top studio for romance anime.

Although The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Diginity first aired in Japan from July to September, the English dub wasn’t available in Western countries until it began streaming on Netflix on September 7th. This release caused some upset among fans, as Netflix only released the first two episodes, a departure from their usual practice of releasing episodes in larger groups. However, this didn’t seem to hinder the anime’s success. The series has consistently ranked among the top ten on anitrendz for several weeks, and its main character, Rintaro Tsumugi, is currently the most popular male character on that platform. It’s also the most popular anime on anilist right now, making The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Diginity a standout anime at the beginning of the Fall season.

Call of the Night Season 2 Marks the Return of a Beloved HiDive Classic

Call of the Night is a very popular anime on HiDive, and the second season has been getting great reviews, just as everyone hoped. The story centers around a boy named Ko, who has a chance encounter with a mysterious vampire girl named Nankusa during a late-night walk. Call of the Night is currently performing very well on anitrendz, consistently ranking at number 5 for the past two weeks and gradually moving up the charts.

Call of the Night is currently the most popular anime on the platform, according to the latest votes, and is expected to surpass My Dress-Up Darling when voting ends. Additionally, the pairing of Ko and Nazuna is the most popular couple on the platform, with both Nanakusa and Ko holding solid positions at #4 in the male and female popularity rankings, respectively. The anime also remains within the top 20 on Anilist, continuing to benefit from the positive reception of its season finale on September 19.

Kaiju No 8’s Big Controversies Only Contributed to Its Recent Popularity

Kaiju No 8 just finished its second season, and it’s become one of the most popular shows on Crunchyroll, right behind One Piece. Many fans thought Season 2 would have 12 episodes, but Kaiju No 8 Season 2, Episode 11 was the last episode of the season. The ending was a big cliffhanger, and many viewers felt like one more episode would have helped to wrap things up more smoothly.

On top of everything else, Kaiju No 8 is getting a lot of buzz because a specific scene from the anime went viral. The scene shows Kafka turning his head with a green glow coming from his eye. Viewers have noticed a significant difference in how Kafka appears in this moment compared to the manga, and the contrast is quite striking. The anime version gave the character a more grown-up look, and the result has been met with varied reactions. Even with some negative feedback, and in some ways *because* of it, Kaiju No 8 is one of the most discussed anime series as summer ends.

One Piece Enters a New Era With The Series’ Final Saga

It’s more likely that One Piece will be popular than not. Even though it’s already the world’s most-loved anime, One Piece has been getting even more attention lately because the anime is at a crucial moment in the storyline. The anime is currently finishing the exciting Egghead Arc and moving toward the long-awaited Elbaph Island Arc, which is still being released in the manga.

I recently learned that Toei is planning a special reveal for the One Piece Elbaph Arc at the upcoming NYCC event. It’s exciting news for fans, as this highly anticipated arc is currently scheduled to premiere in January 2026. The arc promises to be epic in scale, and it seems like we might finally be getting closer to seeing the end of Luffy’s quest to become the King of Pirates.

Jujutsu Kaisen’s Surprising Manga Reboot Has Fans Excited For the Anime’s Return

Jujutsu Kaisen continues to be a hugely popular anime, and its success isn’t slowing down. With the strong start of Modulo, the sequel series to the original manga by Gege Akutami, JJK fans are really enjoying a lot of new content. The incredibly popular story about Yuji Itadori, who accidentally consumes a cursed object and faces a deadly fate, seems poised for another surge in popularity.

Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo is once again the most popular JJK manga, consistently ranking highest on Shueisha’s MangaPlus, even surpassing both Chainsaw Man and One Piece. While JJK’s recent movie, based on the Hidden Inventory / Premature Death Arc, didn’t reach the box office success of Demon Slayer, it still received positive reviews from both critics and fans. The most exciting news is the announcement of JJK Season 3, scheduled to premiere in January 2026. This season will cover the epic Culling Game Arc, promising some of the series’ most intense and large-scale battles yet.

The Summer Hikaru Died Became an Unexpected Smash For Netflix With Widespread Critical Acclaim

Summer 2025 saw a surge in deeply moving anime, and The Summer Hikaru Died was a standout. The series uses beautiful animation and filmmaking techniques to tell the story of Yoshiki, who learns his friend Hikaru is controlled by a malevolent spirit. After its first season concluded on September 27th, The Summer Hikaru Died has continued to rank among the top ten anime on both anitrendz and anilist.

The Summer Hikaru Died is highly rated, scoring an 8.3 on MyAnimeList and a fantastic 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. It was even a top hit on Netflix in Japan, showing how popular it became. Because a second season is already being made, anyone who enjoyed dark and complex fantasy anime like Takopi’s Original Sin should definitely check out The Summer Hikaru Died.

2025-10-03 01:16