Although some past winners were more of a mixed bag for the public, the Crunchyroll Anime Awards are undoubtedly one of the most anticipated events for anime lovers. Anime enthusiasts eagerly await the list of nominees to discover which groundbreaking titles they may have missed during the year to add them to their watchlists, and 2025 already has its top candidates.
2025 was an incredible year for the anime medium, with a wide range of series exceeding viewers’ expectations. While the 2026 Crunchyroll Awards are still a few months away, here are the series that deserve to be nominated for Best Anime of 2025 for viewers looking for the most outstanding titles before the year ends.
While anime has expanded its boundaries, the term has historically centered on Japanese animation. Therefore, although the Crunchyroll Anime Awards’ categories tend to change with each edition to include new awards, and it hasn’t been defined that donghuas aren’t eligible, this list considers only productions from Japanese studios, excluding popular titles such as To Be Hero X and Lord of Mysteries.
The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
Building on its legacy since its first installment, The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 deserves to be the series’ second nomination for anime of the year at the Crunchyroll Awards. Following the often too nosy but well-intentioned Maomao, The Apothecary Diaries masterfully intertwine human drama and mysteries with a sensitivity and complexity not seen in much anime.
The Apothecary Season 2 took political intrigues to a whole other level with conspiracies involving the entire nation. With mind-bending twists that shook the foundations of the story, from characters used as political pawns to complex family ties, The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 allows viewers to discover new perspectives with each episode, becoming an endlessly fascinating anime.
Solo Leveling Season 2
The stylish return of the controversial best anime of 2024, Solo Leveling Season 2, brought back Jinwoo’s story with developments full of explosive action that only continue to escalate infinitely. With innovative animation, brilliant use of perspective, and fluid choreography, Solo Leveling Season 2 was a glimpse into the future of fighting anime, breaking records with every new episode.
Not only didn’t the anime’s formula become repetitive, but Solo Leveling Season 2 delivered a universe brimming with mysteries, where Jinwoo gets closer to revealing the secret of the Gates as he grows stronger. Solo Leveling Season 2 kept viewers on the edge of their seats with incredible cliffhangers, becoming a global phenomenon with a strong chance of repeating its success at the Crunchyroll Awards.
Takopi’s Original Sin
Takopi’s Original Sin is the dark horse anime of 2025 that successfully disguises its tragic undertones with its childish character designs. In the anime, an innocent alien arrives on Earth with the mission of using his gadgets to make people happy, and he encounters a girl whose situation seems far more difficult than he was prepared to bear.
While Takopi’s Original Sin is not for the faint of heart, it’s a brilliantly directed anime that ruthlessly explores human nature, highlighting what it means to help someone. Takopi’s Original Sin is more than a painful story, as, in only six episodes, it managed to properly tackle sensitive topics and surprise viewers at every turn, inviting them to reflect and leaving a lasting impression.
Gachiakuta
Gachiakuta is one of Crunchyroll’s most popular anime of 2025, and for good reason. Introducing viewers to a world marked by social inequality, where the protagonist is condemned to an environment devastated by pollution and resource scarcity, Gachiakuta is a breath of fresh air among shōnen anime that balances fascinating world-building amidst rubble and trash with an intriguing revenge story.
Gachiakuta has a well-constructed power system that critiques excessive consumption, a distinctive graphic style that departs from genre conventions, and a world full of nuances, brutality, and criticism of society’s class system. Furthermore, beyond its high-octane action and bombastic fights, Gachiakuta conquered viewers with its stylish and vibrant characters, each with their own nuances and purposes.
Orb: On the Movements of the Earth
In an era dominated by fantasy anime, it’s not every year that a slow anime rooted in reality strikes a chord with viewers all over the world. Orb: On the Movements of the Earth is set in a dark and violent environment reminiscent of the tone and grit of Vinland Saga, but it has sadly been overlooked by viewers as just a boring historical anime.
However, Orb: On the Movements of Earth isn’t constrained by time, becoming one of the most inspiring anime of the last decade, an epic tale of dreams and sacrifices that will hit viewers’ emotions and make them think about their own lives and beliefs. Featuring layered and conflicted characters with deep philosophical reflections and outstanding storytelling, Orb: On the Movements of Earth is simply a masterpiece anime.
Unfortunately, Orb: On the Movements of the Earth was ignored and wasn’t even nominated for the previous awards. Yet, even though it faces the obstacle that Netflix anime and seinen titles like Vinland Saga have more difficulty garnering accolades at the Crunchyroll Awards, Orb: On the Movements of the Earth has everything to rise as the best anime of 2025.
