My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON leads this award-informed ranking of anime released in 2025, while Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle is the year’s film pick. The order below is an editorial recommendation, not an objective verdict: the 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards offer a useful recognition signal, but series and feature films are judged on different strengths.
How this 2025 ranking works
“Best” is a judgment, not a fact settled by an award. This list considers storytelling, direction, animation, performances, music, and how well each title fulfills its genre aims. Award wins and nominations help identify works recognized by judges and fans; they do not establish a universal best-to-worst order.
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The year refers to release in calendar 2025. The relevant Crunchyroll recognition is the 2026 ceremony: its winners page lists the awards for eligible anime from 2025. The 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards instead covered releases from October 1, 2023, through December 31, 2024, so that ceremony should not be treated as a ranking of 2025 releases. Crunchyroll’s 2025 event announcement gives that earlier eligibility window.
Crunchyroll describes a two-round process: judges select the initial nominees in each category, then judges and fans vote on the winners. Sony reported that the 2025 awards received 51 million votes from anime fans worldwide; that figure measures participation in that awards event, not the popularity or quality of 2025 anime. Crunchyroll’s 2026 awards guide explains the voting process, and Sony’s June 2025 report gives the vote total.
#1 Best Overall
Series are ranked for season-level storytelling and execution; films are considered as complete features. That makes the placement of a movie among episodic series a broad recommendation, not a claim that the formats are directly interchangeable.
The best anime shows and movies of 2025, ranked
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My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
The clearest series choice for viewers who want a major franchise conclusion: it won Anime of the Year at the 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. That recognition makes it the strongest award-backed anchor here, though the award alone cannot determine how satisfying the season is for any individual viewer.
Rank #2
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Deadman Wonderland - Complete Series Classic (Blu ray/DVD Combo) [Blu-ray]- Factory sealed DVD
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The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
A strong pick for viewers drawn to character-led storytelling and a carefully directed season. It was an Anime of the Year nominee, and Akinori Fudesaka and Norihiro Naganuma won Best Director for the series at the 2026 awards.
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DAN DA DAN Season 2
Choose this for a lively genre mix and comic energy. It earned an Anime of the Year nomination and won Best Comedy, making it one of the year’s most clearly recognized series for both overall and comedic appeal.
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![Food Wars! The Fifth Plate - Limited Edition Premium Box Set [Blu-Ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41ZJmBH8qWL._SL160_.jpg)
Food Wars! The Fifth Plate - Limited Edition Premium Box Set [Blu-Ray]- Food Wars! The Fifth Plate - Limited Edition Premium Box Set [Blu-Ray]
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Takopi’s Original Sin
A distinctive nominee to seek out if you want a more intense, emotionally demanding watch than a straightforward crowd-pleaser. It received an Anime of the Year nomination and was also nominated for Best Animation.
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Gachiakuta
A notable new-series choice, with a nomination for both Anime of the Year and Best New Series. Its awards recognition also extended to technical categories including character design and background art.
Rank #4
![Yu Yu Hakusho - 30th Anniversary Box Set [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/513MSwr1B8L._SL160_.jpg)
Yu Yu Hakusho - 30th Anniversary Box Set [Blu-ray]- New release from Crunchyroll
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The Summer Hikaru Died
A compelling option for viewers who prefer an unsettling atmosphere and suspense. It was nominated for Anime of the Year and Best New Series, giving it recognition as both a standout overall title and a notable newcomer.
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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle
The film leader on this list: it won Film of the Year at the 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. As a feature rather than a season, it is best compared with other movies for its complete cinematic experience—not treated as if it were another episodic series.
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Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
A second major 2025 film recommendation, recognized with a Film of the Year nomination. Its inclusion gives movie-watchers another award-recognized feature to consider alongside the winner.
Other 2025 anime films recognized by the awards
The 2026 Film of the Year nominees also included 100 Meters, Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II — The Ashes of Rage, The Rose of Versailles, and Scarlet. Their nominations make them worth considering, but a shortlist of nominees is not a complete catalog of the year’s anime films.
Where to watch these anime
Streaming rights vary by country and can change over time. No current regional availability is established here, so check the services available in your location for each title before deciding where to watch.
Quick Recap
Official award results and process
- Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2026 winners: winners and nominee categories cited in this ranking.
- Crunchyroll’s 2026 nominees and voting guide: how judges and fan voting contribute.
- Crunchyroll’s 2025 event announcement: the prior ceremony’s eligibility dates.
- Sony’s June 2025 report: the 51-million-vote participation figure for the 2025 awards.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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