While we’re only a little over a month into 2025, anime is already off to a hot start: The Apothecary Diaries, Medalist, Orb, and Ave Mujica, just to name a few. And what’s more, it seems these good times will continue based on the upcoming release calendar. We’ve got the return of one of the most celebrated anime directors of all time, highly anticipated adaptations to several beloved manga, sequels to some of the best and weirdest shows in recent memory, and a follow-up to Nichijou somehow? And that’s not even including announced shows with unconfirmed release dates that will slip in before the year comes to a close. With so much to look forward to, we’ve rounded up the 10 most exciting anime coming out in 2025.
Honorable Mentions: Leviathan, My Dess Up Darling Season 2, My Hero Academia: Final Season, Star Wars Visions Season 3, New Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt
Lazarus
Release Date: April 2025
Status: New Series
There are few bigger names in the anime scene than director Shinichirō Watanabe, and for good reason. From Cowboy Bebop to Samurai Champloo, he’s demonstrated a knack for combining genre influences with a rich undercurrent of humanity, crafting lived-in settings that are more than just stylish. His upcoming sci-fi series, Lazarus, could very well continue that trend. The setup is that after award-winning scientist Dr. Skinner develops a drug that can cure any illness, the world enters a new post-disease era. That is until Skinner reveals that his medicine comes with a significant drawback: all who take it will die in three years. Meanwhile, the first major trailer shows off a parkouring protagonist, and although it’s not clear how he overlaps with this rogue doctor’s exploits, it will be interesting to see how this new tale from Watanabe turns out. While it’s a little worrying that this series is being handled by the chronically overscheduled studio MAPPA, it’s hard to be too skeptical of a show being helmed by a master.
Kowloon Generic Romance
Release Date: April 2025
Status: New Series
Despite its name, Kowloon Generic Romance seems like anything but; set in a future recreation of Hong Kong’s famous Kowloon Walled City, realtor Reiko Kujirai finds herself falling for her co-worker Hajime Kudou. Or at least, that’s what the story is about on the surface. Flashes across time and discordant sound cues seem to indicate this story has some surprises in store. While the team behind this adaptation, Arvo Animation, doesn’t have a lot of previous credentials, what they’ve shown of this adaptation does an excellent job of capturing Jun Mayuzuki’s eye-catching art style.
City the Animation
Release Date: July 2025
Status: New Series
Comedy may be deeply subjective, but that won’t stop me from saying that Nichijou is the funniest anime of all time. Brought to life by the singularly talented Kyoto Animation, the series is a non-stop barrage of very dumb, very well-animated gags: at one point, there’s a needlessly elaborate 3D to 2D arc shot set to the FIFA World Cup theme as two characters play “yen soccer” at their desks, at another we get a 15-minute digression involving a political coup in a fantasy kingdom that ends in the silliest punchline imaginable. Later, a principial suplexes a deer. It’s art. While many have tried to imitate the series’ “random” sense of humor, none have come close to capturing its elusive charms, mostly because Nichijou’s central joke is that it’s both one of the best-animated series ever and also basically about nothing. But considering that City the Animation is adapting a series by the same author and being animated by the same studio, it has a solid chance at conjuring up that very same contrast. If it can get at even a bit of what made Nichijou so special, it will be worth the price of admission.
Dandadan
Release Date: July 2025
Status: Returning Series
Last season, Dandadan’s anime adaptation met the hype, delivering telekinetic haymakers as Momo and Okarun battled aliens and ghosts with their newfound powers. On top of being yet another visually creative project from Science Saru, the series did an excellent job building up the relationship between its two leads, effortlessly switching genres like a poltergeist hopping between possessed hosts. Thankfully, more is already around the corner, and the series will pick up from its truly mean cliffhanger (one of the few blemishes on its great debut) this summer. My only real concern is if Saru will be able to deliver the same visual splendor so quickly after the previous run, but considering they likely produced both back-to-back, it’s very possible these worries will be unfounded. As long as it keeps up the pace, Dandadan will continue to earn its place as the big new Shonen Jump adaptation.
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