It has been more than six years since an anime episode aired with a perfect rating on IMDb, and six years later, it still remains at the top. This is an incredible feat, especially considering how strong the past few years have been for anime, with 2025 standing out as one of the most fulfilling years for the medium. The year featured several top-quality episodes, ranging from Solo Leveling Season 2’s action-heavy, aura-filled moments to One Piece’s emotional portrayal of Kuma’s journey through its flashback episode. Other standout episodes included Takopi’s Original Sins, which surprised fans with its dark themes, and My Hero Academia, which produced multiple episodes that continued to shatter records on IMDb.
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Takopi’s Original Sins and My Hero Academia’s final season, in particular, stood out as they became rare anime entries with every episode scoring above 9 on IMDb. This clearly shows how strong 2025 was as a year for anime. However, despite the abundance of exceptional episodes, none were able to dethrone the reigning highest-rated anime episode on IMDb. Released on December 29, 2019, the finale of Vinland Saga’s first season was immediately crowned the highest-rated episode and has held that position ever since, for all the right reasons.
The Highest-Rated Anime Episode Belonging To Vinland Saga Is Still at the Top
Vinland Saga Season 1 Episode 24, titled “End of the Prologue,” is the highest-rated anime episode on IMDb over the past six years, boasting a 9.9 rating with more than 30,000 reviews. The episode brings Season 1 to a close and concludes Thorfinn’s long, revenge-driven journey. Throughout the season, Vinland Saga captivated fans by following Thorfinn as a warrior consumed by vengeance, forced to live in the shadow of the very man he despised most. Makoto Yukimura carefully framed the entire first season as a “prologue,” laying the groundwork for Thorfinn’s true journey, one of redemption and humanity, that fully begins in Season 2. With its sharp attention to detail and Askeladd emerging as the true standout, the episode’s continued reign at the top feels entirely deserved rather than coincidental.
This episode also marks the final installment of Vinland Saga produced by WIT Studio, delivered with exceptional production quality. It perfectly captures the weight of Askeladd’s declaration as the true king and his death, a moment that profoundly alters Thorfinn’s life. The episode is the payoff to an entire season of meticulous buildup, culminating in a powerful twist few anticipated. By ending on the question of what Thorfinn will do now that his purpose for revenge has been shattered, the episode stands as a masterfully crafted conclusion, one that fans continue to regard as the highest-rated anime episode of all time on IMDb, a position it is unlikely to lose anytime soon.
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Image Courtesy of Toei Animation
