In 2025, Japanese anime continued to attract strong attention both domestically and internationally, with a wide variety of genres receiving high praise. One key reason is that Japanese anime is not limited to one-off “buzz” titles—many works are carefully built with long-term series planning and character-driven story structures.

Below, we present the anime titles that ranked at the top in 2025 and explain what kinds of works gained support. We also highlight common elements among the ranked titles and what value they can offer to overseas entertainment and streaming companies.

The Top-Ranked Japanese Anime of 2025

The Japanese anime that drew attention in 2025 were not concentrated in a single genre. Instead, they featured diverse worlds and story structures—ranging across historical drama, science fiction, slice-of-life, battle/action, and comedy—each developing its narrative with a distinctive setting and storytelling approach.

Here, we outline what each top-ranked title is about.

Source: “2025 Favorite Anime Ranking” (Top 10 selected from 321 titles) | WEB The Television

1st: The Apothecary Diaries (Season 2)

The Apothecary Diaries is a popular anime series set in the inner palace of a great empire, following a young girl, Maomao, who uses her knowledge of poisons and medicine to become involved in various incidents. The original novels and comics have surpassed 40 million copies in total circulation. Having already gained strong popularity in Season 1, it was selected as the No. 1 title in the 2025 anime ranking.

Season 2 continues to depict how people’s positions and relationships shape events. Beyond illnesses and incidents, Maomao’s personal growth is portrayed with particular care.

2nd: SPY×FAMILY (Season 3)

SPY×FAMILY follows a “family” living together while hiding their true identities: the spy father Twilight, the assassin mother Yor, and the telepathic child Anya. The original manga is hugely popular, and the theatrical film released in 2023 ranked No. 1 in weekend attendance for four consecutive weeks.

In Season 3, action, comedy, and everyday life intersect smoothly, keeping the pacing light and brisk. In particular, heavier story arcs—such as Twilight’s past and the bus hijacking arc—were highly praised for deepening the series’ world.

3rd: Kingdom (Season 6)

Kingdom is a historical epic set in China’s Warring States period, portraying the lives of people striving to unify the nation. The anime has remained popular over a long broadcast run, and the manga has surpassed 120 million copies in total circulation.

Season 6 covers one of the most anticipated arcs, the Gyou Campaign (Ye conquest arc), drawing attention to how the anime would handle its massive scale. A sequel was announced soon after the finale, making it a title to watch going forward.

4th: Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX is a new entry in the Gundam franchise, exploring conflict over giant weapons and fundamental questions about humanity. Ahead of TV broadcast, a theatrical compilation titled Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX -Beginning- was released, and it drew attention as a project involving Hideaki Anno, known for the Evangelion series.

The series balances mobile suit action with human drama, offering a structure that lets viewers enjoy the story from a broader perspective. While grounded in classic Gundam themes, it introduces fresh angles and new approaches.

5th: Kinnikuman: Perfect Origin Arc (Season 2)

Kinnikuman is a battle anime centered on superhuman fighters, depicting friendship and long-standing rivalries. This is a revival of the anime originally broadcast in 1983 and 1991, and it achieved a Top 5 position even in the modern era.

Season 2 in particular has been praised for strong animation and directing quality, with the Warsman-focused episode receiving notable acclaim. Season 3 has already been announced, and the franchise remains highly anticipated.

6th: Dandadan (Season 2)

Dandadan is set in a world where ghosts, aliens, and other supernatural entities appear in everyday life. The story follows Momo, born into a spiritual-medium family, and Okarun, an occult enthusiast, as their ordinary lives are transformed. The Season 1 opening song gained popularity on social media, and the manga has surpassed 12 million copies in circulation.

Season 2 continues to run in parallel between extraordinary events and ordinary settings like school and home, maintaining fast, energetic pacing. While preserving the manga’s unique atmosphere, the anime’s accessible visual storytelling has been highly praised.

7th: Solo Leveling (Season 2)

Solo Leveling follows the protagonist Sung Jinwoo, who suddenly gains special power and grows step-by-step. Originally a Korean web novel, it has gained strong popularity not only in Japan but also in North America and Europe.

Season 2 depicts Jinwoo commanding shadows as the Shadow Monarch and includes emotionally impactful moments, such as efforts tied to saving his ill mother. Battle scenes are dynamic, and even high-speed action remains easy to follow—one of the reasons it has received strong evaluations.

8th: Ranma 1/2 (Season 2)

Ranma 1/2 is a classic slapstick romantic comedy centered on Ranma Saotome, who changes form under certain conditions, and the chaotic daily life and romance that unfold around him. This title is also a revival of the original 1989 anime, and Season 1 drew significant attention from anime fans.

The manga has also been published in 19 languages across 22 countries and regions, demonstrating its worldwide popularity.

In Season 2, relationships among characters become more complex, and the speed and rhythm of dialogue stand out. While based on an extraordinary premise, familiar settings—school life and family dynamics—layer naturally with comedy and evolving interpersonal relationships.

9th: Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray (Cour 1)

Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray depicts the journeys of girls living in a competitive world. While Uma Musume: Pretty Derby became widely known through its game and anime adaptations, this work is a spin-off focusing on one character: Oguri Cap.

Her overwhelming appetite and relentless drive to challenge stronger opponents define the story. It shares the franchise’s world while offering a different point of view. Race sequences reminiscent of real horse racing have been well received for their intensity and realism.

10th: My Dress-Up Darling (Season 2)

My Dress-Up Darling portrays the everyday relationship between Marin Kitagawa, a model, and Wakana Gojo, who aims to become a hina doll head craftsman, as they grow closer through cosplay. The manga has surpassed 15 million copies in circulation, and the careful characterization of each person has been widely praised.

Season 2 reflects how they try to understand each other through cosplay production and shared experiences, with changing distance and emotional nuance becoming central to the narrative. The relationship itself functions as the core axis of the story.

Shared Characteristics Found in the Top Anime of 2025

Looking across the top-ranked anime of 2025, the genres and themes differ widely—yet common creative principles and structural traits clearly emerge.

Deepening a World Built on Established IP

Many of the highest-ranked titles are based on existing IP. They start from a foundation where settings and world rules have already been established through original works or previous seasons, then expand that universe by adding new arcs, viewpoints, and layers.

Because character relationships and backgrounds are already organized, stories can begin with stronger momentum—allowing each new season to broaden the overall world step-by-step.

Designing a Long-Term Viewing Experience

A large share of top titles are structured around ongoing series development. Rather than self-contained episodic formats, they are built to unfold across multiple episodes and seasons.

Early portions typically organize the world, relationships, and narrative assumptions, forming a base that supports later escalation. As a result, these works function not as short-term consumption but as content audiences invest time in and follow over the long run.

Character Relationships and Growth as the Core Axis

Across the ranking, many stories focus less on events themselves and more on character relationships and internal change. The narrative advances based on shifting positions, distance, and choices between characters—where those changes drive what happens next.

Even when battles or incidents occur, they are often positioned as triggers within a larger character-driven structure. By carefully tracking gradual shifts and growth stages, the storytelling makes it easier for viewers to engage emotionally.

An Inclusive Structure for Both Existing Fans and New Viewers

Many of these anime are designed to serve both long-time fans and newcomers. While relying on established settings and background, the information needed to follow the story is often reorganized and delivered gradually within scenes and dialogue.

At the same time, for viewers who know the original work or previous seasons, the deeper context remains active and meaningful. This dual-layer design helps widen accessibility without losing depth.

A Global-Aware Story Construction

Even while created with domestic audiences in mind, many top titles show structures that fit global distribution. Themes and setups are not overly dependent on highly localized cultural context; instead, situations and relationships are clarified through visuals and actions.

Emotional shifts and changes in status are also frequently conveyed without relying too heavily on language alone, making the narrative easier to follow across regions and languages. This kind of “global shareability” increasingly defines contemporary Japanese anime.

Benefits for Overseas Companies Collaborating with Japanese Anime Studios

As Japanese anime gains worldwide attention, overseas entertainment and streaming companies are increasingly collaborating with Japanese studios. This trend is driven by benefits that go beyond simple outsourcing—benefits that can contribute to long-term value creation.

Leveraging Japan Anime’s Track Record and Brand Strength

By working with Japanese studios, overseas companies can incorporate the credibility and trust that Japanese anime has built over decades. Behind that reputation are mature production-management and quality-assurance capabilities.

This brand foundation can raise baseline market expectations even for new projects, making it easier to build awareness and momentum from the earliest stages of release.

Access to Production Design That Performs Globally

Japanese production sites have accumulated know-how for building stories that are broadly understandable and emotionally resonant across cultures. By collaborating, overseas partners can share these design principles—narrative structure, emotional expression, and pacing—at a more universal level.

This supports strategies such as simultaneous multi-region releases and long-term audience retention planning.

Capability for Long-Running Projects

Japanese studios are accustomed to production systems designed for multiple seasons and long distribution timelines. Through collaboration, overseas companies can share approaches to scheduling, staffing, and managing longer arcs.

A long-term mindset—where a work is “grown” over time rather than judged only by short-term results—can stabilize and strengthen the overall project plan.

Building a Stable Production Environment

Another advantage is the ability to produce under the assumption of consistent quality. Japanese studios typically operate with well-defined divisions of labor and structured production management, which helps reduce quality fluctuations.

Even when schedules or specifications change, systems are often in place to maintain a certain standard, supporting more stable planning for overseas partners.

Forming Mid- to Long-Term Partnerships

Collaboration with Japanese studios often leads naturally to mid- and long-term relationships. Because both sides can share an IP-growth mindset, it becomes easier to develop strategies that increase a title’s value over time.

As mutual understanding deepens across projects, partnerships can expand into new planning and broader development initiatives—becoming a foundation for sustained business growth.

Summary

Looking back at the Japanese anime recognized in 2025, it is clear that the focus is not only on the standalone quality of each title, but also on a long-term commitment to deepening worlds and cultivating IP. Even across diverse genres, many works share consistent production principles in narrative structure, character design, and series development—providing stable, satisfying experiences for audiences both in Japan and abroad.

For overseas companies, collaborating with Japanese studios enables them to leverage proven production systems, brand credibility, and long-running project capability—making it easier to plan sustained IP expansion and continuous value growth.