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Every single year has a handful of anime that the community simply must talk about. Those must-discuss anime tend to be the most popular, the most refreshing, the most entertaining, and perhaps even the most controversial. The last few years have had some noteworthy anime like that, such as 2023’s Solo Leveling and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, and 2022 had the likes of Chainsaw Man and Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. Now it’s 2025’s turn to stir up some buzz in the fandom with its hottest titles.
The overall anime community will only pay this kind of attention to the best and most gripping titles, so when an anime gets a lot of hype like that, it’s for a good reason. Any anime fan can take note of which series everyone is talking about and take note of them, adding those titles to their watch list with confidence.
10 Solo Leveling Season 2 Kept the Hype Train Going
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Solo Leveling is the anime people can’t stop talking about, often in the form of fierce debates about this anime’s merits. Fans might say the sheer amount of buzz surrounding Solo Leveling is a double-edged sword, with plenty of anime fans inspired to see what all the fuss is about, and with other fans criticizing Solo Leveling as overrated. That makes the anime shockingly controversial, but it’s always worth a try, at least.
The rigorous online discussion, if it’s not comparing the anime of Solo Leveling with the source novels, will discuss whether Jinwoo Sung’s blatant power fantasy is a good thing or not. Jinwoo’s defenders will promote him as a cool aura farmer who’s a classic and fun power fantasy, while other fans will say Jinwoo feels a bit boring as a terse action star who always wins. Fans may also debate and ponder the world surrounding Jinwoo, such as the role his father will play in his adventures going forward.
9 Gachiakuta is a Class-Conscious Action Adventure With Gritty Overtones
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Gachiakuta is one of the most popular and talked-about new anime in 2025, with it being a rather grim and emotionally heavy story of revenge. The setting is a resonant one, with society being divided between the upper-class elite, the downtrodden/oppressed masses, and the trash are known as the Pit. Life isn’t easy in Gachiakuta‘s world, and when protagonist Rudo is falsely accused of murder, he’ll only have revenge on his mind.
The narrative of Gachiakuta taps into societal frustration at inequality and systemic suffering, represented by Rudo getting booted into the dreaded Pit, a world of trash monsters. Rudo has nothing left but his anger at the injustice of it all, and that may feel more than a little resonant in today’s world. It helps how the shonen-style action and storytelling scratch the same itch as anime like Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen.
8 My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 Continues to Make Waves
It’s often action, adventure, or fantasy anime that get anime fans talking on the internet, but other genres are worth some discussion, too. My Dress-Up Darling, for example, helps keep everything grounded with a delightful and heartfelt story about expressing oneself through costumes and hobbies. It’s refreshing to see a likable character like Marin Kitagawa enjoy a hobby, but there’s still more to it.
My Dress-Up Darling may get some attention with its PG-13 fan service and its goofy humor, but above all, this is an anime about personal authenticity. It’s an inspiring theme to make any anime fan feel better about expressing who they are and what they love, with Wakana Gojo and Amane Himeno, with them being boys who found confidence expressing their effeminate side. More than ever, Wakana feels good about diving so deep into the feminine world of dolls and fashion, and fans can applaud him for that.
7 One Piece Has Become More Relevant Than Ever With Its Egghead Arc
The One Piece anime has been the topic of robust online chatter for many years now, interrupted by massive spikes when a game-changing scene unfolds. One recent example was when Luffy awoke Gear 5, and now the Egghead Island arc is trying to follow that example. This time, it’s the villains who are unleashing jaw-dropping power, and it’s up to heroes like Luffy, Bonney, and Kuma to keep up.
The Egghead Island arc in One Piece is stirring up some serious buzz in relation to Kuma’s and Bonney’s shared history. For years on end, One Piece fans were eager and even desperate to know their origin story, and now they do. Kuma’s breathtaking life story, from slavery and the God Valley Incident to his own church and dealing with Saturn, is not something to be missed. Now fans see the caring man behind that tough exterior, and One Piece viewers can’t wait to see Saturn punished for what happened to Kuma.
6 Lord of Mysteries Is the Best Chinese Anime in Years
Lord of Mysteries has established itself as one of the most prominent and talked-about Chinese anime, or donghua, in the current year. It may not be a shonen action series like Gachiakuta or My Hero Academia, but Lord of Mysteries can still hook anime fans with its cool steampunk vibe, its focus on mystery narratives, and its vaguely Lovecraftian feel. Anyone who enjoys works like Fullmetal Alchemist or perhaps The Difference Engine will like Lord of Mysteries.
On top of all that, the original author of Lord of Mysteries is remarkably engaged with the fandom online, which helps fuel the excitement. The author is happy to confirm fan theories or redirect fans’ attention, making the story of Lord of Mysteries feel more like a living thing than ever. While author engagement isn’t vital for any anime’s success, the case of Lord of Mysteries suggests it’s still a good way to promote any story.
5 My Hero Academia Season 8 Promises to End on a Strong Note
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My Hero Academia got off to a decent start in the days of the UA sports festival and All Might’s duel with All For One in the Kamino Ward. Now, My Hero Academia fans are hyped more than ever to witness the end of the great battle of heroism vs evil, including the resolution of Tomura Shigaraki’s personal arc, along with those of Endeavor and Dabi. The fight is more personal than ever, and fans are terrified that something tragic is about to happen to someone.
My Hero Academia commands the anime fandom’s attention right now because it’s poised to conclude the entire superhero saga in the upcoming Fall 2025 anime season. Even if Season 8 will be on the short side, fans have been waiting for years to see if Deku has what it takes to save the world from villainy one last time. On top of that, fans are keen on seeing extra content in the My Hero Academia anime to shore up the source manga’s surprisingly weak conclusion.
4 Dandadan Has Found Its Rhythm as a Wacky Action/Romance Adventure
The colorful Dandadan anime burst out of the gates as an energetic and shockingly graphic action story, though action isn’t the only genre at work here. Dandadan Season 1 juggled action, science fiction, the supernatural, comedy, and even slice-of-life high school and romance in one bizarre package, and even that was just the start.
While some fans might say Dandadan‘s second season is a little slower and less outrageous than the first, that is actually for the best. Dandadan has already established its tone in Season 1, so the current season can focus a little less on spectacle and more on nudging forward the characters’ arcs. Momo, Okarun, Aira, and now Jiji are all gifted fighters, some of whom have half-other powers, and that calls for a more conventional narrative to get the job done.
3 To Be Hero X Is the Most Underrated Superhero Anime in Recent Memory
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To Be Hero X is another popular donghua that anime fans can’t stop talking about, thanks to its excellent action and visually memorable animation style. As the title suggests, the very concept of a hero is explored in thought-provoking depth in To Be Hero X, with costumed heroes like Nice and E-Soul facing public pressure to be glorious and beloved heroes. That pressure can sometimes be too much, as the death of the original and true Nice shows.
The To Be Hero X anime also juggles a number of heroes’ arcs to keep things fresh, which might remind fans of anime like My Hero Academia or Dandadan in a way. After all, the story is a little less about a singular protagonist and is more about the whole industry of heroes and what it means for a populace that needs heroes to cling to. That level of social commentary is bound to make an anime like To Be Hero X a hot topic in the online anime fandom.
2 Sakamoto Days' Action Keeps Getting Better and Bloodier in Season 2
Sakamoto Days is one of many returning anime in 2025 that is only getting better with each episode. The first season struck a funny balance between Taro Sakamoto’s daily life and assassin-based action, while the ongoing Season 2 goes all in on the action. After all, fans of Sakamoto Days have already gotten the point about Sakamoto’s daily life, so they’re ready for this anime to up the ante on the combat.
Season 2 has absolutely delivered thus far, including a shocking attack on the JAA and the confrontation between Sakamoto and his nemesis, Slur. For the first time, Sakamoto seems vulnerable even when he has more allies and friends than ever, including Apart, but he won’t give up yet. Now, Sakamoto feels less like a plot device and more like a gritty hero who must give it his all to make things right in his tragically violent life.
1 Kaiju No. 8 Has Been the Most Action-Packed Summer 2025 Anime
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Anime fans were eager to see Kaiju No. 8 return in 2025 to keep up the delightful monster action, and those fans were definitely in for a treat. The first season of Kaiju No. 8 was slam-bang fun as Kafka Hibino got used to his monstrous half-other powers as Kaiju No. 8, but now it’s time for Kaiju No. 9 to up the ante with a deadly second assault. This time, the comedy is largely taking a back seat to the tense action.
It could be said Kaiju No. 8 went a little too far with its recent character death, but at least it pushed Kikoru Shinomiya’s arc into fresh territory as she challenges herself to get ever stronger. Now, Kafka and Kikoru feel more than ever like underdog heroes who have everything to use as Kaiju No. 9 threatens all of society.
