These Are the 10 Best Winter 2025 Anime According to Japan

Winter 2025 has been an exciting season for anime fans, with several new anime releases and sequels of several beloved shows. 2025 is only just beginning, and there will be more incredible series along the way. All the Winter 2025 anime were released in January, and most of them have caught the attention of fans. Dwango Co. Ltd, a media company owned by Kadokawa Corporation announced the top ten anime series for Winter 2025 being distributed on Niconico.

The rankings are based on the number of views and the live broadcasts in Japan. The list was shared by PR Times Japan, a Japanese public relations company. While shows like Solo Leveling Season 2, Dr. Stone: Science Future, and My Happy Marriage Season 2 are globally popular, none of these shows made it to the list. Instead, here’s a look at what Japanese fans are watching this season.

10. Ameku M.D.: Doctor Detective

This medical mystery anime centers around Dr. Takao Ameku, the brilliant yet eccentric director of the Department of Investigative Pathology at Tenikai General Hospital. Her department specializes in diagnosing complex medical cases that are beyond the expertise of other physicians. However, apart from her medical skills, Dr. Ameku has a penchant for solving mysterious deaths and murders, often involving her assistant, Yu Takanashi, in these investigative adventures.

9. I’m Living with an Otaku NEET Kunoichi!?

This romantic comedy has a supernatural twist as it follows Tsukasa Atsumi, an ordinary salaryman who is attacked by a demon one night. Shizuri Ideura, a skilled female ninja, or kunoichi, saves him from the demon and continues to protect him from further attacks. She proposes a master-servant contract and begins living with him. However, despite her extraordinary skills, Shizuri is an otaku NEET spending her free time indulging in video games and other otaku hobbies. The story continues as Tsukasa uses his homemaking skills to care for her, leading to a heartwarming yet comedic dynamic.

8. Okitsura: Fell in Love with an Okinawan Girl, but I Just Wish I Know What She’s Saying

The story follows Teruaki Nakamura, a high school student who transfers from Tokyo to Okinawa and he is immediately enamored with Hina Kyan, a lively local girl. However, Hina speaks in a thick Okinawan dialect, making it difficult for him to understand her. Teruaki seeks help from Hina’s friend and his classmate, Kana Higa, who helps translate Hina’s dialect. However, Teruaki unknowingly gets mixed up in a love triangle filled with misunderstandings as Kana’s feelings for him begin to show.

7. I’m Getting Married to a Girl I Hate in My Class

I’m Getting Married to a Girl I Hate in My Class is another romantic comedy popular in Japan this Winter 2025 anime season. The story follows high school students Saito Hojo and Akane Sakuramori, who share a mutual disdain that is well-known throughout the school. However, they are unexpectedly forced into an arranged marriage due to their family’s circumstances. At first, their cohabitation is filled with conflict and tension. The two slowly start to notice new aspects of each other’s personalities, gradually transforming their relationship from enmity to a more heartfelt connection.

6. Medaka Kuroiwa Is Impervious to My Charms

This romantic comedy follows Mona Kawai, a high school girl popular for her beauty and charm. She enjoys the admiration she receives from her peers, but her confidence is challenged when she encounters Medaka Kuroiwa, a transfer student who remains indifferent to her allure. Now she is determined to make Medaka fall for her without knowing, Medaka is a monk-in-training under strict orders to avoid romantic entanglements. As time passes, Mona develops feelings for Medaka while he struggles to adhere to his commitments amidst her persistent charm.

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5. The Apothecary Diaries Season 2

The Apothecary Diaries returns with its second season this Winter 2025 follows Maomao’s endeavors as she faces new challenges. The story follows a young girl who was kidnapped and sold to the Inner Court as a servant girl. While trying to keep a low profile till her tenure is over, Maomao catches the eye of a beautiful eunuch, Jinshi, who is in charge of the Inner Court. After finding out about her medical skills and her expertise in solving mysteries, Jinshi asks her to help him with various strange cases happening inside the palace.

4. Sakamoto Days

Sakamoto Days is based on Yuto Suzuki’s popular Weekly Shonen Jump manga of the same name. The story follows Taro Sakamoto, a not-so-ordinary family man running a convenience store with his wife. Before getting married and having his daughter, Taro was once known as the greatest hitman of all time. However, five years after leaving his dangerous life behind, Taro’s past comes back to haunt him as he realizes someone has placed an enormous bounty on his head. Now he must identify the person who’s out to get him, and get rid of everyone who threatens his family’s safety.

3. Momentari Lily

This original anime series is produced by Shochiku and animated by GoHands. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic world where robotic invaders have wiped out all life. A young girl named Renge wanders in a desolate city with no memories of her past. She battles those mechanical monsters using mysterious powers and meets five other women, each possessing unique abilities. The six of them form a group and strive to survive in the cruel world. As they get along with one another, the story slowly unravels the secrets of their powers and pasts.

2. Zenshu

This MAPPA original anime follows Natsuko Hirose, an animator whose first anime became a massive hit, making her popular in the industry. She is struggling with her upcoming project, a romantic comedy about first love. However, having never experienced love herself, Natsuko can’t create a storyboard. She tragically dies from food poisoning in the midst of her backlog and finds herself reincarnated in the world of her favorite anime, A Tale of Perishing. Using her knowledge of the plot, Natsuko’s animation skills come in handy as she strives to prevent the impending disasters in the story.

1. Medalist

Based on Tsurumaikada’s award-winning manga, Medalist follows Inori Yuitsuka, a young girl who dreams of becoming a figure skater, and Tsukasa Akeuraji, a former skater turned coach with a troubled past. Although Tsukasa always wanted to become a competitive solo figure skater despite starting late, he is barely scraping by taking on an assistant coach job. However, he meets Inori, a fifth grader held back by her mother’s overprotectiveness. Tsukasa encourages the girl to pursue her passion as she dedicates herself to the sport and hopes to reach the Olympics one day.

Anime’s Winter 2025 poll results were provided by Dwango Co., Ltd. and Niconico via PR Times Japan.