Every Major Anime Studio’s Best Anime of 2025

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Being an anime fan is fantastic right now! Each season brings a lot of exciting new shows, and with popular films like Demon Slayer’s Infinity Castle and Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc doing so well, studios are really raising the bar with their productions.

As an anime fan, I’ve noticed that the major studios consistently release impressive new shows each year. With 2026 already looking promising, it’s a good moment to reflect on 2025 and pick out the standout anime from each studio. To keep things focused, I’m only considering shows that started airing in 2025 – so anything that began in 2024 and continued into 2025 won’t be included this time.

J.C.Staff – Honey Lemon Soda

Honestly, 2025 was a bit of a rough year for J.C.Staff. They did produce some good anime, but everything was kind of lost in the shadow of the drama around season 3 of One-Punch Man. There were a lot of problems with that season, and it really overshadowed all the other great work they put out. It’s a shame, because they’re usually so reliable!

A standout this year was Honey Lemon Soda, a lighthearted romantic comedy that will likely appeal to fans of shojo romance. The animation is well-done, and the story—focused on the connection between Uka and Kai—explores important issues like bullying and learning to accept yourself.

Madhouse – The Dinner Table Detective

I’m a huge fan of Madhouse – they’ve consistently delivered some of the most incredible anime for years! Seriously, look at their work – they were responsible for classics like Hunter x Hunter (2011), Monster, Trigun, Black Lagoon, the mind-bending Perfect Blue, and Claymore, just to name a few. And right now, they’re absolutely killing it with Frieren – it’s fantastic, and honestly, I expected nothing less from them!

While not Madhouse’s best work, The Dinner Table Detective is still an enjoyable series that delivers the quality animation the studio is known for. It features distinctive and visually appealing animation, a charming group of characters, and engaging mysteries that fans of the genre will likely appreciate.

A-1 Pictures – Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadow

A-1 Pictures is known for producing fantastic anime that fans love, but their recent series, Solo Leveling, has quickly become a standout hit, gaining popularity faster than many of their previous works.

Based on a popular web novel and comic, the anime has rapidly become a hit, quickly gaining popularity alongside series like One Piece, Dragon Ball, and Naruto. The second season, titled Arise from the Shadow, continues the story strongly, and the studio A-1 Pictures will face a challenge meeting fans’ high expectations when they begin working on season 3, though no official announcement has been made yet.

Bandai Namco Pictures – Rock Is a Lady’s Modesty

Bandai Namco Pictures is well-known for its work on the later seasons of the Gintama anime, but they’ve created many other excellent shows too. While they released the funny Gintama: Mr. Ginpachi’s Zany Class adaptation in 2025, another series from the studio really caught people’s attention.

Rock Is a Lady’s Modesty features fantastic music and a compelling story. It centers around Lilisa Suzunomiya, an ordinary girl attending an elite school for noblewomen. To fit in, she tries to stop playing guitar, but her plans change when she meets Otoha Kurogane, a drummer who inspires her to pick it up again and rediscover her love for rock music.

Sunrise – Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX

Sunrise is a well-respected anime studio behind many popular series like Code Geass, Cowboy Bebop, and Gintama. However, they’re most famous for their work on the Gundam franchise. Their newest Gundam series, GQuuuuuuX, is a special project created in partnership with Khara, the studio founded by Hideaki Anno, the creator of Evangelion.

Fans were eager to see what director Anno would do with the Gundam series, and GQuuuuuuX doesn’t disappoint visually – the animation is sleek and eye-catching. While the 12-episode length feels a bit short, leaving you wanting more, it’s a compelling reimagining of the classic story. It offers a nice dose of nostalgia for longtime fans, but is also easy for new viewers to enjoy.

Studio Pierrot – Kingdom Season 6

Studio Pierrot has a lot planned for 2026! They’re currently working on the fourth part of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, season five of Black Clover, and four special Naruto episodes. This means 2026 is shaping up to be an even bigger year for the studio than 2025, which was also a productive year.

In 2025, Pierrot released both the fourth season of Mr. Osomatsu and the sixth season of Kingdom. Mr. Osomatsu continues to be a top-tier comedy anime, and Kingdom is still a fantastic show that doesn’t get enough attention. The sixth season featured amazing action sequences and strong character growth. If you’re looking for a new anime to watch, now’s a great time to start Kingdom.

Bones – My Hero Academia Final Season

Bones, the animation studio behind many popular anime of the last twenty years, is best known for My Hero Academia. The anime, based on Kohei Horikoshi’s manga, has always been a fan favorite, but Bones recently delivered what many viewers consider to be the strongest episodes of the entire series in its most recent season.

The final season of My Hero Academia looks fantastic, boasting incredibly smooth animation and action scenes that really improve upon the original manga. While the second season of the Vigilantes spin-off is also doing well, it will be difficult to surpass the quality of this final My Hero Academia season.

Kyoto Animation – Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid: A Lonely Dragon Wants to Be Loved

Kyoto Animation has created a fantastic range of anime, consistently demonstrating their skill and distinctive artistic approach. Though they’re famous for shows like The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, K-On!, Nichijou, and Clannad, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid has recently become equally popular – and may now be their most recognizable work.

Following up on the popular anime series, A Lonely Dragon Wants to be Loved beautifully explores Kanna’s complex relationship with her father. As you’d expect from Kyoto Animation, the movie is visually gorgeous. Like the previous seasons of the anime, it shines because of the strong bonds between Kobayashi and the other characters. While it didn’t receive as much international attention as films like Demon Slayer and Chainsaw Man, it was still one of the year’s best anime movies.

Toei Animation – Digimon Beatbreak

Toei Animation has created many popular anime series over the years. While they’re famous for huge franchises like One Piece and Dragon Ball, they’ve also produced a lot of other great content.

Digimon Beatbreak is the newest Digimon series, and it’s been a hit with both new and longtime fans. While the show is still ongoing, early reactions have been very positive. What makes it special is its unique post-apocalyptic setting, which offers a fresh take on the Digimon universe.

Studio Trigger – New Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt

Studio Trigger is known for creating some of the most original anime in recent years. They have a recognizable style and a vibrant look that makes their shows stand out. Originally starting as part of Gainax, Trigger acquired the rights to Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt in 2023, and fans were excited to finally see a continuation of the series in 2025.

The new season of Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt lives up to the original, delivering the same humor and impressive animation. However, some longtime fans haven’t been thrilled with the change in English voice actors. Despite this, it’s a solid continuation of the series and worth checking out.

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2026-02-01 03:12