The summer season for anime is always special, as it dives into the second half of the year and presents a perfect opportunity for many series to begin their seasonal run, sometimes continuing into the fall. However, this year has been especially notable, with over fifty anime airing. The lineup was diverse, offering a wide range of genres for all types of viewers.
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Naturally, some anime stood out more than others for various reasons. While some were highly anticipated returns, the top contender on this list is an anime that fans never expected to make such a debut. With that being said, here we present the ten best anime of summer 2025, ranked by multiple factors.
10) Ruri Rocks
The summer season is perfect for adventure, and Ruri Rocks, a new anime that debuted this summer, captures that spirit well. It follows the titular Ruri, who has a deep fondness for rocks and jewelry, as she meets Nagi, a graduate expert in minerals. Together, they embark on a unique journey fueled by their shared interest in rocks of all things.
The premise offers a refreshing kind of adventure, with new characters joining Ruri and Nagi as they extract minerals, discuss geology, and discover different perspectives on life. This anime adaptation has been one of the most distinctive of the summer, and if you haven’t watched it yet, it’s the perfect series to binge on Crunchyroll right now.
9) Sakamoto Days Season 2
The quirky adaptation of the renowned manga Sakamoto Days returned this summer with a new season, delving deeper into the world of assassins in Japan as the former top assassin in the nation, the titular protagonist, continues his attempt to live a peaceful life. With a bounty on his head, this season follows Shin and Sakamoto as they enter the JCC, the school for assassins, facing new absurd challenges along the way while introducing new characters as well.
The action escalates even further this season with the introduction of the classic old man archetype in shonen, who proves to be stronger than anyone else, adding to the series’ signature quirkiness. With such a strong installment, Sakamoto Days has also become the most-watched anime on Netflix this year.
8) Gachiakuta
There is almost always a new anime adaptation of a Shonen Jump title each season, and the summer of 2025 was no different, marked by the debut of Gachiakuta. Unlike the other anime on this list that concluded their runs this summer, Gachiakuta is still ongoing and continues to grow stronger with each new episode. What makes Gachiakuta an outstanding installment is how distinctly it stands out from typical Shonen Jump series.
Centered around darker themes with a protagonist driven by revenge, the premise is not only unique for a shonen anime but also enhanced by the abilities of its main character, Rudo, whose powers are among the coolest seen in the genre in recent years. Gachiakuta is still ongoing and would have ranked higher had it already concluded, but with no signs of stopping and its continuation into fall, it remains one of the most anticipated anime to look forward to in the fall season as well.
7) My Dress-Up Darling Season 2
Crunchyroll’s controversial anime My Dress-Up Darling returned with a second season this summer, and even though the series is known for its fan service, it remains one of the standout romances out there. As the best romance anime of this summer, it certainly deserves credit for being a notable installment, especially with this season delving deeper into the nuances of the otaku world and cosplay.
Seeing Gojo and Marin immerse themselves in this culture once again is refreshing, with other characters also joining them on this journey. However, this season was far from perfect, particularly in how it concluded. The final few episodes strongly implied that Gojo and Marin would finally become a couple, only for it to be discarded with an anime-original scene that may have completely ended My Dress-Up Darling as well.
6) Dr. Stone
Dr. Stone is perhaps the best sci-fi anime Crunchyroll has featured in years, and while part one of the final season aired earlier this year, it was the second part during the summer season that truly stood out. As the war between Dr. Xeno’s army, led by Stanley, and the Science Kingdom approached its conclusion, the latter emerged victorious with the incredible trick of petrifying everyone on the planet, bringing the anime’s opening scene into a new light.
The final episodes showcased the slow buildup of Suika working tirelessly for seven years to revive Senku, which in turn led to the return of the Science Kingdom, with Dr. Xeno also joining the final expedition to the moon. The season ended with the striking revelation that petrification is essentially a device for immortality. With its tension-filled storytelling, this season kept viewers on the edge of their seats, making it one of the best anime of the summer.
5) The Summer Hikaru Died
It would be wrong not to include an anime built around a classic summer theme, set in a remote area of Japan, in this list. Netflix’s The Summer Hikaru Died delivers everything you’d expect from a summer-themed anime while going above and beyond with a thrilling narrative of strange occurrences in the countryside.
Featuring teenagers, the series explores how secluded villages are often tied to paranormal activity, beginning when the titular protagonist, Hikaru, returns from death possessed by a strange entity. Across 12 episodes, the story dives deeper as Yoshiki struggles to accept his friend’s return in this altered form, while also revealing how the beliefs of the remote area have shaped this eerie outcome.
4) Kaiju No. 8 Season 2
Kaiju No. 8’s return with a new season this summer was one of the most highly anticipated anime on this list. However, it’s not just the anticipation that makes it one of the standout anime of the year, but also how it builds on the first season, delivering incredible action while pushing Kafka’s journey to a new level.
This season was also deeply emotional with Isao Shinomiya’s death, which drove Kafka and Kikoru to grow even stronger. In the second half, fans witnessed the return of Reno Ichikawa with a new power, while fan favorite Hoshina Soshiro received his own Kaiju suit. Ending on a cliffhanger that sets up the Defense Force and humanity’s biggest battles against the Kaiju, this season was packed with powerful moments and naturally stands out as one of the best of the summer.
3) Dandadan Season 2
Speaking of anime returning with a second season and anticipation, Dandadan is easily the best returning anime this summer. This season builds on the foundation of the first and continues to surprise fans with the sheer diversity the series offers. While romance and intense action return as expected, the pop culture references and the incorporation of anime-original scenes are taken to an even higher level.
This season includes a reference to the classic Back to the Future film, along with the addition of an original exorcism song in both English and Japanese that will have fans banging their heads alongside the characters. Going above and beyond, the season was also a visual delight. If not for the unique strengths of the next two entries on this list, Dandadan could have easily claimed the title of the best anime of the summer.
2) Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle needs no introduction as to why it was one of the best anime films fans experienced this summer. Entering the climax of the series, this two-hour-and-thirty-minute movie delivers three massive battles as the Demon Slayers prepare for their final confrontation against the demon king, Muzan Kibutsuji.
This film isn’t just Ufotable showcasing their masterful craft through stunningly fluid animation; it also delivers an incredible narrative. With Akaza’s past revealed and Tanjiro unlocking a new power, the movie stands as a perfect installment leading the series toward its conclusion. Even now, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle continues to break records, its latest feat being the dethroning of DC and Marvel’s biggest box office hits this year. While many fans would argue this was the best anime of the summer, it is the next entry that accomplished something even Demon Slayer could not.
1) Takopi’s Original Sin
Takopi’s Original Sin is a short anime series based on the manga of the same name by Taizan 5. No one expected an anime like Takopi’s Original Sin, which had little prior popularity, to strike fans on such a deep level. The series delivers a powerful narrative tackling heavy real-life themes such as depression, suicide, murder, and bullying. While many anime have explored similar subjects, the fact that this story portrays them through the lens of primary school children is what truly surprised fans.
This highlights how even children, still only beginning to grasp human emotions, can fall victim to darkness so overwhelming that it pushes them toward taking their own lives. What elevates this anime further is the inclusion of an alien who, unable to comprehend human emotions, mirrors the growth of a toddler slowly beginning to understand human hardship. These emotions resonated strongly with fans, who showered Takopi’s Original Sin with a record-breaking reception unlike any other anime before. Takopi’s Original Sin is not only the best anime of summer 2025 but also by far the best anime of the year so far.
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