The crux of the show’s appeal comes with Mob then slowly discovering himself as his emotions spill out – all while battling increasingly nefarious groups and organizations in stunning battles directed by accomplished studio Bones. The driving appeal behind JoJo’s is its constant ability to reinvent itself. From its first series, through to Stardust Crusaders, and beyond – each season feels like a fresh new anime waiting to be devoured. As a premise, it’s pretty goofy – but belies the heart of Fruits Basket. Tohru is a compassionate soul, dedicated to helping fix the broken Sohma family. The slow, measured pace of this slice-of-life anime often takes some sharp turns, too, and will have you reaching for the tissues as it reaches its conclusion.
Best Non-Combat Isekai Manga to Read on emaqi
The show revolves around Yuji, a student who becomes embroiled in a world of sorcery and supernatural beings after he, in effect, merges with a ‘Curse’ being named Sukuna. When you’re done with that, you can see how that relationship pays off in the movie Char’s Counterattack, which itself has its own follow-up on Netflix called Hathaway’s Flash. (Unfortunately, you’ll have to turn to other services to see what comes in between these entries). A personal favorite of mine, and often held up as the prototypical mecha anime, Mobile Suit Gundam is at its heart just as transgressive as Neon Genesis Evangelion. The series has been around in some form since 1976, and while Netflix doesn’t have every Gundam under the sun, it does have enough to get you started. Complete collections of fan-favorite series are hitting shelves this year.
Hunter x Hunter
I’m told the beauty of the show is seeing elements get set up early on only to get unexpectedly paid off years later, really making use of the long-form story telling and rewarding viewers for their dedication. In truth, I’m still only in the Arabasta Saga, so I’ve barely scratched the surface. Being a westernized, live-action take on Kakegurui is but one gimmick it ante up with in a desperate bid for attention, but nothing else it does after that works. This is a series where a character gets into a fight with Seth Rollins in a beaver mascot costume.
To help get you started, we’ve curated a selection of the 25 best anime shows you should be watching right now in 2025. With fluid and often psychedelic animation by Studio Bones, Mob Psycho 100 will scratch your battle anime itch, while also making you laugh, cry, and never forget about the little guy. Based on historical accounts including the Flateyjarbók and the Saga of Erik the Red, the story is nonetheless also influenced by modern conflicts, and provides a nuanced depiction of the trauma of war and the limits of revenge. As it movie quiz turns out, the Hole is used as a testing ground for a society of sorcerers, who teleport into it from their much more affluent but distinctly mafia-flavored world to conduct their experiments. There’s new sci-fi, lots of romance, and some genuinely intriguing mysteries. Crunchyroll has confirmed returns like One Punch Man Season 3 and Aharen-san wa Hakarenai Season 2.
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Some exclusives don’t appear on Crunchyroll or Netflix, so if you want something different, these services might surprise you. Besides the big two, platforms like HIDIVE and Yahoo are streaming some unique anime. Titles like The Brilliant Healer’s New Life in the Shadows and The Gorilla God’s Go-To Girl show up here. They’re also bringing back The Apothecary Diaries for season 2. Most shows come with English dubs, which is nice if you’re not in the mood to read subtitles.
For example, Kamisama Kiss seasons 1 and 2 are getting Collector’s Edition Blu-Rays. If you’re into mystery or supernatural stuff, there’s no shortage this year. New series are blending slice-of-life with paranormal events, which keeps things interesting. A lot of these romance shows are adapted from manga, so familiar faces get a fresh coat of paint.
With over 1000 episodes (including a sprinkling of One Piece filler), your time will truly be taken by Monkey D Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates, but trust us, it’s well worth it. One Piece follows the adventures of the rubber-limbed Luffy as he sets out to sail The Grand Line in search of a treasure known as The One Piece and become king of the pirates. If you like Evangelion, you’ll see a lot of the same themes on display here, as supernaturally talented teenage pilot Amuro Ray is forced into battle after battle for a distant government that only sees him as a tool for war. The angst is balanced out by a disco-tastic score and the devilishly charming machinations of Amuro’s rival, a magnificent bastard by the name of Char Aznable.
It might almost make BET worth watching as a train-wreck if any of this were presented competently. The series attempts to use active split-screens and pop-up effects to inject some dynamism, but those can’t paper over the so-so cinematography and direction. There aren’t as many Dutch angles being deployed as in Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop, but they’re still ill-advisedly noticeable.
But although watching all of Dragon Ball in order may seem intimidating at first glance (with over 24 movies and 600 plus episodes), what truly makes Dragon Ball a masterpiece is how beginner-friendly it is as an introduction to the Shonen genre. An office comedy that my husband stopped watching because it was “too real,” Aggretsuko is a shockingly relatable show, considering it’s about anthropomorphic animals living in Sanrio’s Hello Kitty world. Following an adorable red panda named Retsuko, the gimmick is that while she’s mild-mannered and put-upon during the day, she heads to the karaoke booth at night to let out her frustrations by belting out death metal. Technically, the story is unfinished, as the manga it’s based on still hasn’t wrapped up, but the anime picks a strong spot to end, and the manga releases infrequently enough that it’s unclear how much more of it we’ll actually get. That shouldn’t deter you from checking out what we have—as Gon learns, sometimes it’s more about the journey than the destination.
Many have tried to replicate its sense of coolness and charm since. The story follows Spike Spiegel and his motley crew of bounty hunters as they attempt to snare some of the galaxy’s most wanted criminals in the hope of some woolongs and a warm meal. Well, this anime fan is pleased to say that’s no longer the case. Netflix didn’t used to have the best reputation when it came to anime. The service would buy up the rights to distribute shows, only to air them on a significant delay from when they came out in Japan. That’s to say nothing of its selection, which was hit or miss.
What began as a seemingly standard ‘man vs. monster’ anime later transformed into a deeper exploration of morality, revenge, and whether someone should be defined by their history’s sins. Essential viewing for all anime fans, especially now the show has come to a close. Based on a manga series started in 2009 by Hajime Isayama, Attack on Titan’s initial premise revolves around humanity’s perpetual war against the monstrous Titans that lurk just outside the walls of civilization. Lifehacker has been a go-to source of tech help and life advice since 2005. Our mission is to offer reliable tech help and credible, practical, science-based life advice to help you live better. From Castlavana to Arcane, Netflix is kind of known for video game adaptations that are way better than they have any right to be, and Cyberpunk is an especially interesting example of that.
Dan Da Dan blends supernatural weirdness with romance—should be a fun ride. Vote up the anime you’d love to watch again, and vote down the anime you’re content to leave in the past. Mangaka Hideyuki Furuhashi took the opportunity to expand on characters that are fascinating but are rarely featured. While the main show in the franchise focuses primarily on U-A High School and the Pro Heroes world, this spin-off series sheds light on a whole new part of it. It’s made crystal clear in My Hero Academia that it is illegal to operate as a hero without a Hero License, and if someone doesn’t, they’re considered a vigilante, which is exactly where this new show brings us.