With something for every type of anime fan, there’s no denying that2024 has been a very good year for anime.With incredibly popular series either debuting or returning, and more than a few entries in niche genres, 2024 was one of the strongest years for anime in recent memory. Given 2024’s strong track record, it’s surprising that 2025 could possibly be even bigger, with some series that already look incredibly promising.
From heartwarming shojo series to action-packed fantasies and drama-filled mysteries, this season offers a diverse array of anime for fans to enjoy. January, in particular, is stacked with titles that could be massive if their actual releases live up to the hype surrounding them. Winter 2025 is already shaping up to be one for the books, with some hotly anticipated that fans will hopefully be buzzing about for years to come.
My Happy Marriage
Cast
My Happy Marriage is a TV show that follows Miyo Saimori, a young woman in a loveless arranged marriage, who embarks on a transformative journey of self-discovery and unexpected romance. Set in historical Japan, the series explores themes of duty, love, and personal growth as Miyo navigates societal expectations and her new life.
Another break-out romance anime is making its return soon with a surprisingly fast second season that is much welcomed. Asone of the best anime of 2023,My Happy Marriagewas as beautifully animated as it was written. Furthermore,season 2 ofMy Happy Marriagewill be tackling some of the source material’s best parts, with the first half diving more into the bonding of Miyo and Kiyoka, and the second half leaning more into the supernatural aspects of the series.
Miyo Saimori, a kind-hearted girl, faces mistreatment from her family and is forced into a loveless marriage with Kiyoka Kudou, a cold, aloof man with a dark past. As they navigate their difficult relationship, Miyo begins to uncover Kiyoka’s true nature, and their bond deepens, leading to love and mutual healing.
More than 4 years after the first season, the hit seriesToilet-Bound Hanako-Kunis finally making its return and it will have possibly the best content from the source material. Season 2 is set to adapt the highly anticipated Picture Perfect arc where Kou and Nene face a major dilemma. Furthermore,fans will likely get to see the Clock Keepers, who were unfortunately skipped over and not adapted in season 1.
Toilet-Bound Hanako-kunis based on the series Aidalro and follows Nene Yashiro, a high school girl who summons the ghost of Hanako-kun, a spirit rumored to haunt the girls' restroom. Hanako-kun is one of the seven “wonders” of the school. The story explores Nene’s adventures as she becomes involved in the supernatural world, helping Hanako solve various mysteries while uncovering her tragic past.
Blue Exorcist
Blue Exorcist is an anime series that follows Rin Okumura, a teenager discovering he is the son of Satan. Determined to challenge his demonic heritage, Rin enrolls at True Cross Academy to become an exorcist and protect the world from demonic forces. The show explores themes of identity, family, and the battle between good and evil with a mix of action and supernatural elements.
Blue Exorcistfans have recently been treated to two back-to-back seasons of the hit series after almost a decade of a hiatus, and the fifth installment is coming soon. Season 4 was mostly building up to more exciting events later, and the drama was great. The anime will soon adapt more of the exciting Illuminati arc, giving a payoff to these past 2 seasons, which were filled with drama, mystery, and intrigue. Furthermore, fans can look forward to more battles and fights as the main villains of the series become more threatening and relevant.
Toonami Announces One Of Shonen Jump’s Most Underrated Anime Is Officially Returning Alongside A Big Recent Hit
Toonami announced a brand-new lineup for fall 2024, and it includes both an underrated gem and one of the best anime of the past few years.
The series follows the two brothers, Rin and Yukio, who discover they are the sons of Satan and born from a human woman. After their guardian and foster father is tragically killed, Rin enrolls in the True Cross Academy to hone his powers and one day exact revenge on his evil father. With the power to use some of Satan’s powers, Rin, together with Yukio, and his other friends, battles demons, grow together and solve mysteries as they survive and learn in this dangerous world.
Dr. Stone
Dr. Stone is an anime series set in a post-apocalyptic world where all of humanity has been petrified for thousands of years. The story follows high school student Senku Ishigami who awakens and seeks to rebuild civilization from scratch using his extensive knowledge of science.
While it is sad that the fourth season of the nerdy and interestingDr. Stoneseries will be its last, it is also great news that it will run for quite some time. Streaming exclusively on Crunchyroll,Dr. Stone Science Futureis scheduled for 3 cours, with each cour being around 12–13 episodes each. This means the anime will go on for most of 2025, providing a steady stream of content for fans.With Senku’s journey to restoring humanity using science coming to an end soon, fans should strap for one of the best animein recent years to come to a close.
The narrative begins with a mysterious flash that leads to the petrification of all humanity, turning individuals into stone statues. Thousands of years later, the brilliant Senku Ishigami awakens, determined to reconstruct civilization through the application of science. With the support of his friends, Senku embarks on a purposeful journey to revive humanity, working to rediscover lost technologies and find out about the incident that led to the collapse of humanity.
One of the most popular shojo manga seriesis finally being adapted into an anime, making it one of the must-watch series of the season. What’s particularly exciting is not just the stunning visuals and designs that closely resemble the original manga but also the studio behind the animation—JC Staff. This studio has given fans some of the most beloved romance anime, includingGolden Time,Maid-sama!andToradora. Few studios are as qualified for this task, and with the heartwarming and beautiful story from the source material being handled by such capable hands,Honey Lemon Sodashould definitely be on everyone’s radar.
Uka Ishimori is a shy high school girl who struggles with low self-esteem and bullying. Her life takes a turn when she meets Shiroishi, a confident and popular boy who helps her build her confidence. As their relationship develops, Uka learns to open up and embrace her true self. The series explores themes of personal growth, romance, and overcoming insecurities, focusing on Uka’s journey toward self-acceptance.
The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You
The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You follows Rentaro Aijo, who, after being rejected 100 times in middle school, is told by the God of Love that he will meet 100 destined partners in high school, with dire consequences should they fail to reciprocate love.
While harem series is a common genre in anime,The 100 Girlfriendstruly sets itself apart with its outrageous humor and sharp satire of traditional harem tropes. This series boldly pushes boundaries, crafting a narrative filled with unexpected twists and surreal situations that challenge the norms of the genre. With the upcoming release of season 2, fans can eagerly anticipate an even more thrilling and laugh-out-loud experience as new girlfriends are introduced, further complicating the protagonist’s already chaotic love life and amplifying the comedic elements that make this series so quirky.
The story follows Rentarou Aijou, a high school student who is revived by a mysterious god after a tragic accident. He learns that he will be loved by 100 different girls throughout his life, but if he fails to reciprocate their feelings, he will die. As Rentarou encounters and attracts many girls, each with unique personalities and backgrounds, he struggles to balance these relationships while trying to keep his life intact.
Sakamoto Days
Sakamoto Days centers on Taro Sakamoto, a former top-tier hitman who has traded his life of crime for a peaceful existence running a convenience store. Despite his attempts to leave the underworld behind, Sakamoto’s past catches up with him as old rivals and dangerous enemies reappear, threatening his newfound tranquility. Forced to defend his family and business, Sakamoto must draw on his lethal skills while navigating the humorous and unexpected challenges of balancing his ordinary daily life with the chaos of his former profession.
Another Shonen Jump manga is gearing up to take next year by surprise,with the action-packed and hilariousSakamoto Daysanime hitting streaming platforms soon. The series has been stable and had a good number of fans even before the anime was announced, and it will only go up during the 6-month run it is scheduled for. Furthermore, it will be a Netflix-exclusive anime and with the amount of promotion going into it, it will definitely be a highlight of 2025.
Sakamoto Days is Being Hyped as Anime’s Next Big Hit But That Call May Be Premature
Sakamoto Days premieres in January, but after the latest trailer, people have started growing skeptical that it will live up to the hype.
Sakamoto Taro was once one of the best assassins in the market and an unstoppable force of nature, but after he got married, had a daughter and settled down, he gained a lot of weight. Years later, he is suddenly thrown back into the world of killers when he meets the clairvoyant Shin. With a mysterious organization gunning for him and other assassins, Sakamoto balances his daily life in his store while also protecting himself and his friends in this hilarious yet violent series.
One of the signature isekai promises to give more content to fans for two seasons straight, with cour 2 being titled the Counterattack arc. With a new Sin Archbishop taking the stage as the main villain and a new dazzling location, cour 1 was nothing short of incredible. Featuring incredible action, the return of an anticipated character, and Subaru becoming an even better,cour 2 ofRe: Zeroseason 3will continue this masterclass of an adaptation with 8 episodes before concluding the installation.
Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another Worldfollows Subaru Natsuki, a high school student who is suddenly transported to a fantasy world. He discovers he has the ability to “reset” time upon death, but this isn’t the cheat code fans think it is, as each death gives him incredible trauma and sometimes makes him lose his sanity. As Subaru forms bonds with various characters, he faces deadly challenges, trying to save his friends and uncover the mysteries of his power and the world itself.
The Apothecary Diaries
The Apothecary Diaries follows Maomao, sold from her peaceful life to serve in the emperor’s palace. Her unique talents emerge when she solves a medical crisis involving the imperial heirs, attracting the attention of Jinshi, a palace official, and launching her into the complex world of palace intrigue and mysteries.
As one of the anime that took over in 2024 alongsideFrieren: Beyond Journey’s End, the drama-filledApothecary Diarieswill be surprisingly coming back this winter season, which is very fast given it ran for 6 months. Furthermore, much to the delight of fans, it is scheduled to receive 2 cours, which are approximately 24–25 episodes. It is clear how good the production and schedule, and how big of a hit it was. In fact,Apothecary Diarieswas one of this year’s best-selling manga, andthe popularity of Maomao’s daily life will only continue to skyrocket in popularity.
After being kidnapped and sold into the Imperial Palace as a servant, she attracts the attention of the head of the Inner Court, Jinshi, after she helps save one of the Queens using her medical knowledge as an apothecary. She is granted a more important role and works with Jinshi on anything medicine or poison-related. As much as she wants to lead a relatively normal life, she becomes involved in solving various mysteries related to palace intrigue, poisonings, and political conspiracies.
Solo Leveling
Solo Leveling follows Sung Jin-woo, the world’s weakest hunter, who gains extraordinary powers through a mysterious program after surviving a brutal monster attack. As he navigates his newfound abilities, Jinwoo embarks on a quest to uncover the secrets of his powers and the dungeon that altered his fate.
Possibly the biggest manhwa and one of 2024’s biggest anime,Solo Levelingmakes it return one year later to dominate the winter season yet again. The first season laid the groundwork for everything exciting to come and leveled Jinwoo to a level where his upcoming fights will be out of this world. Furthermore, fans can look forward tomore screen time and development for the side characterscourtesy of the anime staff, fixing a major criticism of the series and elevating it to a higher level.
Solo Levelingseason 2 is easily one of the most anticipated anime of 2025, with fans receiving the first season exceptionally well. BetweenSolo Leveling,Viral Hit, andTrue Beauty2024 was an outstanding year for anime adaptations of manhwa, and withSolo Levelingleading the charge again in 2025, it looks like anime based on manhwa are here to stay as a major staple of the industry.
