It's a great time to be an animation fan. Each season is full of fun and exciting series, and is filled with the success of movies such as: Demon Slayer's Infinity Castle and Chainsaw Man – Movie: Liz Ark, We're seeing the studio do what it does best and make great strides.
Every year, the biggest animation studios come out with at least one or two major projects. With 2026 already off to a strong start for some, now is a great time to look back at 2025 and see what the best animation from every major studio is. To be considered, an anime must begin airing in 2025, so series that aired in 2024 and continued until 2025 are not included in this installment.
Best shonen anime of the 2020s each year (so far)
It's been a great decade for animation, and this shonen series has really stood out so far.
JCStaff – Honey Lemon Soda
2025 wasn't the best year for JCStaff. The studio has put out some solid projects, but the controversy surrounding Season 3 One Punch Man And various problems and shortcomings in recent seasons have largely overshadowed their other efforts.
One of their most important points this year is Honey Lemon SodaThis is a fun romantic comedy that should be right up the alley of pure romance lovers. The visuals are solid, and the relationship between the two leads, Uka and Kai, creates an interesting story that deals with themes of bullying and self-acceptance.
Madhouse – Dinner Detective
Madhouse has been producing some of the biggest animation releases over the past few decades, working on titles such as: Hunter x Hunter (2011), Monster, Trigun, Black Lagoon, Perfect Blue, and claymoreAmong many other things. Of course, they are also the studio behind one of the biggest series to date. freeren.
dinner table detective It may not be the strongest series in the catalog, but it's still a fun watch that displays the quality you'd expect from a Madhouse production. The game features unique, stylish, and sometimes beautiful animation, a fun cast of characters, and a great mystery that will appeal to fans of the genre.
A-1 Pictures – Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadow
A-1 Pictures has put out some amazing animation over the years, many of which have garnered a strong and dedicated fan base. However, it's hard to believe that the A-1 series had such a successful run. solo leveling have.
Chu Gong's web novel and manga adaptations have quickly become one of the most popular anime, competing with series such as One Piece, Dragon Ball,and naruto In an instant. Arise from the Shadow is a strong sequel to Season 1, and although there is no official announcement yet, A-1 will do its best to live up to fans' expectations with Season 3.
Bandai Namco Pictures – Rock is a lady’s humility
Bandai Namco Pictures is perhaps best known for its later work. Gintama Although it's an animation, the studio has also worked on other great animations over the years. In 2025 they Gintama spinoff, Gintama: Teacher Ginpachi's Weird ClassThe studio has released another series that really stands out.
Rock is a lady's modesty It has amazing music and a great setting. The series follows Ririsa Suzunomiya, an ordinary girl attending a prestigious girls' academy, who is forced to give up playing the guitar to meet the school's standards of what an ideal noblewoman should be. But things change when she meets fellow student Otoha Kurogane, a drummer who rekindles Lilisa's passion for guitar and rock music.
Sunrise – Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX
Sunrise has put out some amazing animations over the years. code geass to cowboy bebop, gintama, And many more. However, the studio is primarily known for its work: Gundam Franchise. Latest work, GQuuuuuuXIt is a collaboration between studios founded by Sunrise and Khara. Evangelion Founder: Hideaki Anno.
Looking at his resume, many fans were excited to see how Anno would approach the field. Gundam Franchise. GQuuuuuuX It's a great series with sophisticated animation and striking visuals. Although it only lasts 12 episodes, it feels like a series that would definitely benefit from a longer runtime. Still, it's an interesting alternate version that serves as a bit of nostalgic fan service for some while being perfectly accessible for newcomers.
Studio Pierrot – Kingdom Season 6
Studio Pierrot plans to have a busy year in 2026. We are looking forward to the 4th episode, including Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War Part 4 and Black Clover Season 5. naruto With all the specials in the works, the studio is set to have an even bigger year than last year. That doesn't mean they'll loosen up in 2025.
Pierrot released two solid series in 2025, its fourth season. Mr. OsomatsuAnd the sixth season kingdom. Although the former is still one of the best comedy anime, kingdom Remains an underrated gem. Season 6 had amazing action and solid character development. If you aren't already following along, now is the perfect time to start the series.
Bones – My Hero Academia final season
Bones has been behind some of the biggest animations of the past few decades, but their most successful series to date include: My Hero Academia. The anime adaptation of Kohei Horikoshi's popular manga has always been well-received by fans, but Bones surprised everyone in the series' final season by releasing what many consider to be the best episode of anime.
My Hero Academia Final Season is visually stunning, with stunning, fluid animation and fight sequences that elevate the source material in ways not many studio adaptations can. spinoff season 2, vigilanteIt's going strong, but the final season will be difficult to top.
Kyoto Animation – Mr. Kobayashi's Dragon Maid The Lonely Dragon Wants to Be Loved
Kyoto Animation's catalog is full of incredible animations, each showcasing the iconic studio's versatility and unique style. Although many people know the studio from series such as The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, K-On!, Nichijoor ClannadMr. Kobayashi's Dragon Maid also became equally popular. It might be Kyoto Animation's best-known adaptation at this point.
The lonely dragon wants to be loved It's a great sequel to the animated series. It focuses on Kanna's troubled relationship with her father. It's a visually stunning film, as you'd expect from Kyoto Animation. Just like the first two seasons of the anime The lonely dragon wants to be loved It really benefits from the great character relationships between Kobayashi and the rest of the main cast. It may not have received international acclaim. demon slayer and Chainsaw Man Even though the movie came out, it was still one of the best animated movie experiences of the year.
Toei Animation – Digimon Beat Break
Toei has been the biggest animation studio for many years. Most people know the studio for its work on massive franchises such as: one piece and dragon ball, There's more to Toei than its two biggest assets.
Digimon Beat Break The most recent addition to . Digimon franchise, and it serves as a great entry point into the franchise for newcomers while also being a fun watch for longtime fans. The anime is still airing so it's hard to judge completely, but it's been well-received so far and has an interesting post-apocalyptic take on it. Digimon The world helped it stand out from its predecessors in the best possible way.
Studio Trigger – Garterbelt's New Panties & Stockings
Studio Trigger has been releasing some of the more unique animations over the past decade. The studio has a unique style and visual sensibility, and many of its series have a charm that sets them apart from other anime. It was initially a Gainax production, but Trigger purchased the rights to it. Garter Belt Panties & Stockings Flash forward to 2023, and fans finally got the follow-up they expected in 2025.
Garterbelt's new panties & stockings is a great sequel to the original, and while it may be fun with great visuals, the decision to choose a different British voice actor was controversial among long-time fans. Still, it's a strong effort and worth watching.
