A Promising and Diverse Anime Landscape
The year 2025 opens with a diverse and promising array of anime. In a saturated landscape, these ten titles stand out as must-watch works, whether they are long-awaited sequels, bold projects, or unexpected gems. It’s a year that bridges the gap between the intimate, the epic, the sharp, and the dreamy.
One of the highlights of this selection is the return of established universes that deepen their narratives without losing their intensity. The loyalty of studios and the renewed trust of the audience allow certain franchises to grow with maturity and ambition.
At the same time, new series are taking their chances in a competitive environment by offering unique voices or singular aesthetics. The Japanese animation landscape has never been so rich and diverse. Anime has become a multifaceted mirror: intimate, philosophical, spectacular, and satirical.
Highly Anticipated Sequels
Topping the list is Chainsaw Man Season 2 by MAPPA. After an explosive first season, Denji returns in an even darker and more intense sequel. The original manga delves deeper into themes of loneliness and manipulation, and the anime brilliantly follows this emotional spiral.
Another highly anticipated sequel is Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun Season 2, which plunges further into the horror and beauty of the abyss. The animation remains stunning, and the contrast between the visual innocence and narrative darkness is as striking as ever.
New and Original Series
The year also marks the release of No.9, an original cyberpunk sci-fi series produced by an emerging studio. Very little information has been revealed, but the first visuals and teasers promise an immersion into a dystopian, cold, and beautifully structured world.
Bocchi the Rock! returns with a second season. This musical slice-of-life, which surprised with its sincerity and inventive direction, continues to explore social anxiety through the lens of music and adolescence, with humor and tenderness.
For fans of stories rooted in tradition, Mononoke makes a comeback with a new series titled Mononoke: Karakasa. The evolving visual style remains as pictorial as ever, and the themes tied to spirits, guilt, and the unspoken retain their rare subtlety.
Cyberpunk and Post-Apocalyptic Thrills
In a more brutal vein, Akudama Drive Season 2 resumes its breakneck pace, blending social critique, neon aesthetics, and stylized ultra-violence. A series that fully embraces its cyberpunk heritage and nihilistic view of society.
The fantasy genre also gets its share with Heavenly Delusion (Tengoku Daimakyou), which continues its post-apocalyptic journey between mutant children and a ruined world. Moral ambiguity, the beauty of desolate landscapes, and the ever-present mystery make this series a captivating oddity.
Heartfelt and Action-Packed Stories
More understated but deeply touching, Skip and Loafer continues in 2025 with a second season. The series navigates between romance, comedy, and slice-of-life, highlighting sincere human relationships with soft animation and sharp dialogue.
Fans of absurd action won’t want to miss Sakamoto Days, the highly anticipated adaptation of the manga of the same name. A former hitman turned family man tries to live a normal life… but his past keeps catching up with him. A fresh, funny concept delivered at a breakneck pace.
A Cinematic Masterpiece in the Making
Finally, the film Garden of Reminiscence, scheduled for fall, is an introspective project by the director of 5 Centimeters per Second. Exploring regret, memory, and grief in an ethereal aesthetic, it’s a melancholic offering with expected beauty.
Top 10 Anime to Watch in 2025 – New Gems and Highly Anticipated Returns
Table of Contents
A Promising and Diverse Anime Landscape
The year 2025 opens with a diverse and promising array of anime. In a saturated landscape, these ten titles stand out as must-watch works, whether they are long-awaited sequels, bold projects, or unexpected gems. It’s a year that bridges the gap between the intimate, the epic, the sharp, and the dreamy.
One of the highlights of this selection is the return of established universes that deepen their narratives without losing their intensity. The loyalty of studios and the renewed trust of the audience allow certain franchises to grow with maturity and ambition.
At the same time, new series are taking their chances in a competitive environment by offering unique voices or singular aesthetics. The Japanese animation landscape has never been so rich and diverse. Anime has become a multifaceted mirror: intimate, philosophical, spectacular, and satirical.
Highly Anticipated Sequels
Topping the list is Chainsaw Man Season 2 by MAPPA. After an explosive first season, Denji returns in an even darker and more intense sequel. The original manga delves deeper into themes of loneliness and manipulation, and the anime brilliantly follows this emotional spiral.
Another highly anticipated sequel is Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun Season 2, which plunges further into the horror and beauty of the abyss. The animation remains stunning, and the contrast between the visual innocence and narrative darkness is as striking as ever.
New and Original Series
The year also marks the release of No.9, an original cyberpunk sci-fi series produced by an emerging studio. Very little information has been revealed, but the first visuals and teasers promise an immersion into a dystopian, cold, and beautifully structured world.
Bocchi the Rock! returns with a second season. This musical slice-of-life, which surprised with its sincerity and inventive direction, continues to explore social anxiety through the lens of music and adolescence, with humor and tenderness.
For fans of stories rooted in tradition, Mononoke makes a comeback with a new series titled Mononoke: Karakasa. The evolving visual style remains as pictorial as ever, and the themes tied to spirits, guilt, and the unspoken retain their rare subtlety.
Cyberpunk and Post-Apocalyptic Thrills
In a more brutal vein, Akudama Drive Season 2 resumes its breakneck pace, blending social critique, neon aesthetics, and stylized ultra-violence. A series that fully embraces its cyberpunk heritage and nihilistic view of society.
The fantasy genre also gets its share with Heavenly Delusion (Tengoku Daimakyou), which continues its post-apocalyptic journey between mutant children and a ruined world. Moral ambiguity, the beauty of desolate landscapes, and the ever-present mystery make this series a captivating oddity.
Heartfelt and Action-Packed Stories
More understated but deeply touching, Skip and Loafer continues in 2025 with a second season. The series navigates between romance, comedy, and slice-of-life, highlighting sincere human relationships with soft animation and sharp dialogue.
Fans of absurd action won’t want to miss Sakamoto Days, the highly anticipated adaptation of the manga of the same name. A former hitman turned family man tries to live a normal life… but his past keeps catching up with him. A fresh, funny concept delivered at a breakneck pace.
A Cinematic Masterpiece in the Making
Finally, the film Garden of Reminiscence, scheduled for fall, is an introspective project by the director of 5 Centimeters per Second. Exploring regret, memory, and grief in an ethereal aesthetic, it’s a melancholic offering with expected beauty.