Best Anime of 2025: The Complete Year in Review
Dandadan, Dungeon Meshi, Solo Leveling — 2025 was a landmark year for anime. Here is every series worth your time, ranked by category.
What a Year for Anime
2025 was arguably the strongest year for anime in over a decade. Legacy franchises delivered landmark seasons, entirely new properties became instant classics, and the global audience for anime reached unprecedented heights.
Anime of the Year
Dungeon Meshi (Delicious in Dungeon) is the clear winner. Studio Trigger's adaptation of Ryoko Kui's manga is a masterclass in world-building, character development, and — improbably — cooking. Every episode earns its runtime. The finale is genuinely one of the best single episodes of television in years.
Best Action
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 delivered the Culling Game arc with visuals that have no right to exist in a weekly series. MAPPA continues to set an impossible standard.
Best New Series
Dandadan (Science SARU) is unhinged in the best way — aliens, ghosts, teen romance, and the most inventive fight choreography seen in years.