The Best Anime of 2025: The Year in Review

2025 was a monster year for anime — a record-shattering film, a power-fantasy juggernaut, and some of the most acclaimed series in years. Here is the year in review.

The year's biggest titles

Anime	2025 highlight
Solo Leveling	Won Anime of the Year + Best Action and more
Frieren	Led the Crunchyroll Awards in nominations
Dandadan	One of the most-watched anime of the year
Demon Slayer	The Infinity Castle film smashed box-office records
My Hero Academia	Named Most In-Demand Anime Series of 2025

Anime of the Year: Solo Leveling vs Frieren

The big debate of 2025. Solo Leveling took home Anime of the Year along with Best New Series, Best Action and a haul of other awards, riding a wave of global popularity. Yet Frieren led all nominees and remains, for many critics, the higher-quality work — a reminder that popularity and artistry don't always crown the same show.

The film that defined the year

No 2025 release made a bigger splash than Demon Slayer's Infinity Castle. Its record-breaking opening and roughly $793 million global haul proved anime's box-office power is only growing. For the full picture, see our Infinity Castle guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the best anime of 2025?

Solo Leveling won Anime of the Year at the Crunchyroll Awards, though many fans and critics felt Frieren deserved the top honour.

What was the most-watched anime of 2025?

Dandadan was among the most-watched, and My Hero Academia was named the Most In-Demand Anime Series of 2025.

What was the biggest anime movie of 2025?

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, which broke box-office records and grossed around $793 million worldwide.