The spring 2025animeseason is approaching its final stretch, and has offeredboth exciting new titles and the returns of some of the industry’s heaviest hitters.Fire Forceis well into the first cour of its final season, whileOne Piecereturned from a rare, lengthy hiatus toresume its Egghead arc. The legendary Shinichiro Watanabe has made noise once more with his most recent work, the stylish and action-packedLazarus.
However,the season has lacked that one big titlewhich typically catches the eye of the entire anime community. An incredibly strong 2024 was immediately followed by themeteoric rise ofSolo Leveling’s second seasonin the winter, whileThe Apothecary Diariescontinued its successful stretch. Unfortunately, it seems the spring anime season has just lacked the firepower to keep up. Those who might feel a bit let down have reason to be excited, though, as the summer appears to be stacked.
The Summer Anime Season Will Feature the Return of Major Titles
Some of Anime’s Most Exciting New Shows Will Be Returning This Summer
Those who haven’t quite had their fill of anime over the past season will want to strap in this coming July, as some of the most exciting new titles will be making their highly anticipated returns. Leading the way will be 2024’s breakout smash hit,Dandadan, which isset to begin airing its second season on July 3. The wonderfully weird and endlessly endearing anime series from studio Science Saru hit the scene last October,and absolutely dominated the spotlight.
Despite airing during the fall, the series ended the year asMyAnimeList’s second most watched show of 2024, only slightly behindSolo Levelingin the number one spot,which premiered almost nine months earlier. Now,Dandadanwill be returning with its Evil Eye arc in season two, and fans will be able to sneak an early peek at the first three episodes in theaters beginning on June 6.
Dandadanwon’t be the only 2024 hit series making its return, asKaiju no. 8is also scheduledto begin airing its second season in July. The sci-fi shōnen action series was arguably last year’s biggest sleeper hit, taking countless fans by surprise with its unique premise and cast, and ultimately finding itself popular enough for a collaboration withFortnite. The exact release date forKaiju no. 8’s second season is still unknown,though the series continues to stick to its July release window.
Joining the two new powerhouse series is a title likeCall of the Night, which appealed to many with its first season in 2022 and introduced several fans to the music of Creepy Nuts, who have scored massive hits with anime openings since being featured in the show’s intro.Sakamoto Days, the latestShōnen Jumpanime adaptation, will also be returning with the second part of its first season. Though the season may appear to be action-heavy,fans of other genres are sure to find something as well.
Romance Anime Is Returning In a Big Way This Summer
Big Name Romance Anime Titles Are Set to Return
Romance anime has been experiencing a bit of a lull throughout 2025, withThe Apothecary Diarieshelping to do quite a bit of heavy lifting for the genre, despite it not being the series' main focus.Witch Watchhas garnered a respectable fan basesince premiering earlier this spring, though fans are still waiting for that one show to rise above the rest and become the talk of the community. Fortunately, two titles which have done just that in the past will be reentering the spotlight soon.
My Dress-Up Darling, the surprise mega-hit from 2022, is set to begin airing itshighly anticipated second season in July. After long stretches of silence following the conclusion of its first season, fans will finally have the chance to check in on their favorite artsy duo, Wakana Gojo and Marin Kitagawa.The original manga came to a conclusion this past March, and fans can luckily fill the void with its anime adaptation. Studio CloverWorks seems to have been busy, as another of its top titles is reportedly set to return alongsideMy Dress-Up Darling.
The long-awaited sequel to 2018’sRascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpaiis scheduled to begin airing on July 5, and will finally continue the story of Mai Sakurajima and Sakuta Azusagawa as they head off into college life. Despite the series not being entirely accessible in the United States, only having been dubbed this past year while its 2019 film has been unavailable to stream,Bunny Girl Senpaihas gained a devoted following,and countless fans will be looking forward to its return.
CloverWorks' third major release of the season will bethe highly anticipatedThe Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity, which has gained quite a bit of fanfare over the past year with the success of its original manga. LikeMy Dress-Up Darling, the series only has a July release window, and will be a can’t miss for fans of the genre.
The Spring Anime Season May Be Slow, But 2025 Is Shaping Up to Be a Big Year
Anime May Be In a Slow Period, But Fans Shouldn’t Get Used to It
The spring anime season may be on the slower side,but fans will have quite a bit to look forward to this summer and beyond. The first of theDemon Slayertrilogy of films isset to release in U.S. theaters in September, whileChainsaw Man’sReze Arcmovie will mark the return of 2022’s top new series in October. The long-awaited third season ofOne Punch Manis also scheduled to air this fall, alongside the return ofSpy x FamilyandMy Hero Academia.
If any anime fan is discouraged by what’s currently airing,there is sure to be enough to keep them occupied later this year. Following a strong 2024, it seems anime is set to turn up the heat in 2025, andSolo Leveling’s meteoric rise this past winter was just the beginning.
Dandadan
Cast
Two high school students, embroiled in a wager to prove the existence of ghosts or aliens, encounter daunting paranormal threats, acquire superpowers, and possibly discover love. The series blends supernatural elements with personal dynamics as the protagonists navigate their newfound abilities and unexpected challenges.
