If It Wasn't Already Clear, 2025 Is Going to Be a Big Year For Anime and Here's Why
It's no secret that anime is on the rise. Recent reports have revealed the industry generated record-breaking revenue in 2023, and followed that up with another highly successful year in 2024. Now, 2025 is set to feature new releases from some of the absolute biggest names in the anime sphere, and fans should be ecstatic about what's to come. The Winter season has already begun on a strong note, with shows like Solo Leveling and Sakamoto Days ushering in what may be the most exciting year in anime in quite some time.
Whether fans are lining up for action, drama, fantasy, isekai, romance, or any other popular genre, the upcoming year will have something to satisfy any craving. Quite a few series are set to return with new seasons, while newcomers to the scene plan on stealing the spotlight for themselves. Winter is already jam-packed with highly anticipated releases, and the season only accounts for a fraction of what is to come.
Any prospective fans who have been hesitant to dive into the world of anime will find no better time to hop on board the hype train than right now. The year will have massively popular releases in store for both new anime-watchers and longtime, die-hard fans. 2025 is officially underway, and here's what fans can look forward to over the next 12 months.
Established Franchises Are Set to Make Triumphant Returns in 2025
Continuations of Beloved Anime Series Are Set to Dominate the Year
While 2024 was defined by new franchises like Dandadan and Solo Leveling making their grand anime debuts, 2025 is shaping up to be the year of triumphant returns for the art form's most popular titles, including those two series. Solo Leveling Season Two is kicking off the year in style, setting a high bar in terms of visual quality that all upcoming releases will struggle to match. Dandadan, arguably 2024's most popular show, will also be returning for its second season, and countless fans have circled its July return on their calendars.
Perhaps the biggest currently ongoing anime, One Piece, will resume in April with Part 2 of its Egghead Island arc. After a long six-month hiatus, fans will undoubtedly flock to the series and dominate online discussion once more with each episode released. One Punch Man and Jujutsu Kaisen will both reportedly return in their third seasons, the ladder being the most recent shōnen mega hit to steal the attention of the anime-watching world. Fire Force Season Three will join One Piece with an April return as well.
It doesn't stop there, however. Another titan of the industry, My Hero Academia, plans for a 2025 return with its eighth season, while another series that made waves last year, Kaiju no. 8, is set to return in July. The incredibly popular Spy x Family is slated for an October release, and will likely become the focus of its season as it has been in the past.
Two of the most anticipated releases of 2025, though, will be coming to theaters. Chainsaw Man is set to finally return after nearly three years with its Reze Arc film, and will be competing at the box office with Demon Slayer's first Infinity Castle movie. The latter, some executives believe, may be record-breaking.
Highly Anticipated Newcomers Will Be Joining the Other Popular Franchises
All-New Anime Series Will Battle Established Franchises For the Spotlight
The number of highly popular franchises returning in the next year is somewhat overwhelming. The Apothecary Diaries is another that has just begun airing, alongside Dr. Stone, to the delight of many, while Re: Zero is set to resume in February. Though it seems that 2025 will be dominated by the returns of several beloved franchises, there are also a few newcomers to the scene that will undoubtedly make their marks. Alongside Solo Leveling, Sakamoto Days has finally premiered, impressing its viewers despite a rocky period of marketing leading up to the anime's release.
The original Shōnen Jump manga built a sizable fanbase on its own, and the arrival of an anime adaptation may just deliver Sakamoto Days to major mainstream popularity, as so many adaptations have done before. Perhaps the most anticipated new series planning to debut in 2025, however, is Witch Hat Atelier. Following a trailer that captured quite a bit of attention, the series has yet to announce a concrete release date, and is another in the recent wave of acclaimed fantasy stories like 2023's Frieren.
Only the second anime series produced in full by Bug Films Studio, following 2023's Zom 100, Witch Hat Atelier promises a whimsical journey into a world of magic and wonder. If the most recent trailer is anything to go by, fans should expect a wonderfully animated fantasy adventure. Another new series, which went largely unnoticed upon announcement, is Zenshu. An isekai with commentary on the anime industry, the show has begun turning heads following its premiere, and is one that fans might want to check out.
2025 Is Shaping Up to Be Another Huge Year For Anime
Anime is seemingly on an upward climb in popularity with no end in sight, as recent reports have revealed that North America generates roughly the same revenue for the industry as the Asian market. To meet that demand, 2025 is set to feature releases from all the art form's most popular franchises. One Piece, Dragon Ball, Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, and more will all be active in the upcoming year, and fans will be seated for any and all anticipated releases.
Large streaming services like Netflix have recently dethroned or are challenging Crunchyroll as the top earning anime platform, making new releases more accessible for fans who are excited to get into everything 2025 will have to offer. If prior years were record-breaking for the industry, it would surprise very few if records are shattered once more.
The upcoming year promises to feature just about anything an anime fan could ask for and more, from exciting new releases to the returns of several of the most popular franchises in the scene. With accessibility at its highest ever, there's a good chance that 2025 might be the best year for anime of the decade.
- Created by
- Koyoharu Gotouge
- First Film
- Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train
- First Episode Air Date
- April 6, 2019
- TV Show(s)
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
- Latest Film
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba - To the Hashira Training
- First TV Show
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is a wildly popular anime and manga franchise created by Koyoharu Gotouge. Set in Taishō-era Japan, it follows Tanjiro Kamado as he battles demons and seeks a cure for his sister, Nezuko, who was turned into one. The franchise includes a manga, anime TV series, films, video games, and spin-offs. Known for its stunning animation and gripping storyline, Demon Slayer is one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time.
