10 new 2025 anime that deserve the Anime of the Year award

The new 2025 anime landscape has delivered exceptional debuts, showcasing everything from supernatural horror masterpieces to genre-defying original productions that challenge conventional storytelling. While Solo Leveling claimed the prestigious Anime of the Year title at the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, these ten standout series demonstrate why this year continues producing award-worthy content.

The Anime of the Year award honors exceptional storytelling, animation, and cultural impact, criteria that each of these new 2025 anime fulfills. From The Summer Hikaru Died’s gut-punch horror sequences in the Summer Festival arc to Lord of Mysteries’ Tarot Club formation arc that dazzles with steampunk and Lovecraftian intrigue, these series showcase anime’s creative breadth.

Disclaimer: The article reflects the author's opinions and not those of Sportskeeda as a whole.

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Game-changing new 2025 anime that are dominating the awards conversation

1) Gachiakuta

Still from Gachiakuta (Image via Studio Bones)

This new 2025 anime adaptation of Kei Urana’s dark fantasy manga pairs urban grit with supernatural combat. In the Vandalism arc (eps 4-6), falsely accused Rudo unleashes Jinki weapon transformations against grotesque winged beasts.

Bones Film’s graffiti-inspired designs and fluid action establish Gachiakuta as a technical showcase while probing class warfare and discrimination. As a new 2025 anime, it breaks away from formulaic shonen tropes and presents something deeply mature, making it a serious candidate for Anime of the Year.

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2) Lazarus

Still from Lazarus (Image via Mappa Studio)

Shinichiro Watanabe’s return with this new 2025 anime dispatches agents into a dystopian 2055 after a lethal miracle drug outbreak. The Neo-Tokyo infiltration arc (eps 3-5) features Chad Stahelski-choreographed gunfights that contrast with the haunting jazz score.

While struggling with pacing issues, its mature themes, exploring pharmaceutical corruption and societal collapse, demonstrate ambitious storytelling. The haunting jazz-influenced soundtrack and film noir aesthetics create an atmosphere worthy of awards consideration.

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3) The Summer Hikaru Died

Still from The Summer Hikaru Died (Image via CygamesPictures)

Netflix’s new 2025 anime horror adaptation thrives on existential dread. The replacement sequence instantly unsettles, and the Summer Festival arc (eps 4-5) transforms festival fireworks into body-horror nightmares.

Director Ryōhei Takeshita masterfully highlights every horrifying implication, from Hikaru's disgusting true form to Yoshiki's emotional deterioration. The series' exploration of grief, identity, and toxic relationships through supernatural horror creates genuinely engrossing television.

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4) Sakamoto Days

Still from Sakamoto Days (Image via TMS Entertainment)

This new 2025 anime starts lightly, but then, assassins, chaos, and a siege in a convenience store (episodes 8-10) are introduced. That stretch? Total madness. Somehow, it blends quiet daily life with kill-or-be-killed tension and actually makes it work.

Masaki Watanabe directs it like he’s filming a blockbuster. The manga energy’s there, but it’s the camera work and pacing that pull it into something more cinematic. The series' exploration of redemption and family bonds through assassin thriller elements creates something genuinely special.

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5) Moonrise

Still from Moonrise (Image via Wit Studio)

Despite Netflix's poor promotion, this new 2025 anime delivers zero-gravity spectacle and emotional depth. Set in 2145, the story dives into a full-blown war between humanity and an AI called Sapientia, spread across Earth and lunar colonies. This 2025 anime stands out, with character designs by Fullmetal Alchemist’s Hiromu Arakawa and a gripping score from Ryo Kawasaki that lifts each episode above typical sci-fi.

The Luna City rebellion arc (episodes 6-8) is a visual knockout, but it also digs into real questions about artificial intelligence and what survival even means. It didn’t get the hype it deserved, but Moonrise quietly delivers one of the most underrated anime experiences of the year.

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6) Lord of Mysteries

Still from Lord of Mysteries (Image via B.CMAY Pictures)

This Chinese anime adapts Cuttlefish That Loves Diving’s novel with atmospheric flair. What makes this anime special is its blend of steampunk aesthetics, Lovecraftian horror, and detective noir elements. The Tarot Club formation arc (episodes 3-5) demonstrates unique approaches to power systems and secret societies.

B.CMAY Pictures' stunning backgrounds create an atmospheric world that feels both familiar and alien. The author's direct involvement ensures narrative integrity while expanding visual storytelling.

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7) Apocalypse Hotel

Still from Apocalypse Hotel (Image via CygamesPictures)

This original new 2025 anime reimagines post-apocalyptic slice-of-life. This anime succeeds through its exploration of purpose and loneliness in a world without humans. The series examines what it means to have meaning when original creators are gone, creating surprisingly deep philosophical questions through simple hotel management scenarios.

Episodes featuring alien visitor arrivals (episodes 4-6) provide both comedy and poignant commentary on hospitality and connection. The series's quiet contemplation of existence makes it a unique entry in the award conversation.

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8) TOUGEN ANKI: Legend of the Cursed Blood

Still from TOUGEN ANKI (Image via Studio Hibari)

Studio Hibari’s new 2025 anime dark fantasy pits Oni clans against each other. This anime premiered in July 2025 with solid animation and strong voice work from Kazuki Ura and Hiroshi Kamiya. The Blood Eclipse Training arc (episodes 3-4) showcases unique takes on Japanese folklore, reimagining traditional hero-versus-demon narratives with modern sensibilities.

The series questions heroic archetypes by positioning Momotarou as potential villains, creating morally complex storytelling that subverts expectations while providing thoughtful commentary on legacy and power.

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9) Zenshu

Still from Zenshu (Image via Mappa Studio)

This original new 2025 anime offers rare industry meta-commentary. The isekai twist with Natsuko entering her favorite anime world sets this anime apart from typical industry satire. Airing from January to March 2025, it earned praise for mature themes about creativity, overwork, and passion driving animation. Mappa's stellar animation quality, combined with genuine industry insight, creates deeply personal viewing.

The series' exploration of artistic integrity versus commercial demands provides thoughtful commentary rarely seen in anime, making it worthy of recognition for its unique perspective and emotional honesty.

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10) Takopi's Original Sin

Still from Takopi's Original Sin (Image via Enishiya)

Taizan 5’s web manga becomes a deceptively dark new 2025 anime. The series premiered in June 2025 with only six episodes, but each delivers devastating emotional impact. What makes this anime exceptional is its contrast between a cutesy art style and genuinely dark storytelling, exploring child abuse and trauma.

The time loop revelation arc (episodes 3-4) showcases how Takopi's innocent interventions create increasingly horrifying consequences. The series' unflinching examination of childhood suffering through supernatural elements creates powerful television that challenges viewers' assumptions about happiness and help.

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Final Thoughts

These ten new 2025 anime series exemplify storytelling innovation and technical prowess across genres. From horror and sci-fi to meta-satire and post-apocalyptic musings, each entry merits serious awards consideration. Though Solo Leveling opened the season, these debuts prove that 2025’s creative high water mark extends far beyond any single winner.

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Edited by Niharika Dabral