Top 10 Hottest Anime Debuts of Summer 2025

Summer 2025 is here, and with it comes a scorching hot lineup of new anime that are sure to dominate your watchlists! From highly anticipated returns of fan-favorites to brand-new series making their exciting debuts, this season is packed with thrilling action, heartwarming romance, intriguing mysteries, and plenty of laughs. Get ready to dive into the hottest anime premieres of Summer 2025 across your favorite streaming platforms!

1. Dan Da Dan Season 2 (Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu)

Dan Da Dan is finally back this season, picking up right after that wild cliffhanger! Okarun and the crew are thrust into another supernatural crisis, but this time, the newest addition, Jiji, truly shines in the initial episodes. Studio Science SARU returns for Season 2, so prepare for fantastic character designs and even more incredible action sequences. It’ll be exciting to see how the rest of the season unfolds as the gang’s seemingly stable world gets turned upside down.

2. My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 (Crunchyroll)

The beloved rom-com My Dress-Up Darling makes its highly anticipated return with Season 2! For those unfamiliar, the series centers on Marin, a passionate cosplayer who develops a close bond with Wakana, a skilled clothes maker. CloverWorks is back at the helm for animation, and they’ve truly elevated their game this season. While subtle at times, certain sequences are simply on another level—kudos to the team!

3. The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity (Netflix)

Another highly anticipated romance series gracing us this summer is The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity. The story follows Rintaro, a seemingly delinquent student who meets Kaoruko, a student from an all-girls school, at the bakery where he works. Their relationship starts as a customer-employee dynamic, so we’ll get to witness their bond blossom throughout the season. CloverWorks, also the studio behind this romantic debut, promises quality work for its anime adaptation. Catch it exclusively on Netflix starting September 7th.

4. Call of the Night Season 2 (HIDIVE)

Keeping the great romance train rolling this summer, we have the return of Call of the Night with Season 2! The series follows Kou, a young boy whose insomnia leads him to a mysterious girl in the dead of night. She turns out to be a vampire, and their encounter completely transforms Kou’s perspective on life. LIDENFILMS, known for Tokyo Revengers and Kotaro Lives Alone, is back overseeing the animation production. If the new opening sequence and the latest music banger from Creepy Nuts are any indication, this second season promises interesting developments, including some intense action.

5. Takopi’s Original Sin (Crunchyroll)

One of the most talked-about series this summer is Takopi’s Original Sin. The story follows a squid-like alien on a mission to spread happiness across the universe. After being rescued by a young girl, the alien, now named Takopii, tries to understand more about the humans of this planet. Please note: This series deals with themes of bullying and suicide and contains disturbing images and behaviors. Viewer discretion is strongly advised.

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6. CITY The Animation (Amazon Prime Video)

On a lighter note, if you’ve been missing the quirky humor of Keiichi Arawi’s Nichijou, then CITY The Animation is your new summer obsession. This series follows a group of girls navigating their everyday lives, packed with some of the most ridiculous and hilarious situations you’ll encounter in any anime. Kyoto Animation, the studio previously behind Nichijou, is also leading the production for CITY The Animation, so expect incredibly entertaining sequences as the season progresses.

7. Leviathan (Netflix)

Are you interested in alternate timeline stories? If so, the new Leviathan series might be a perfect fit! Set in 1914 at the start of World War I, the series follows Sharp, a young girl disguised as a boy hoping to join the military, and a young prince fleeing his country after his parents’ assassination. The twist? This world features fantastical creatures used for military purposes—like a giant, floating jellyfish and weaponized bats—all intertwined with the political drama. Studio Orange, celebrated for Beastars and Trigun Stampede, is leading production, so expect breathtaking 3D animation.

8. The Summer Hikaru Died (Netflix)

Speaking of Netflix anime, another highly anticipated series this season is The Summer Hikaru Died. The story centers on best friends Yoshiki and Hikaru, but with a chilling twist: the Hikaru Yoshiki knows is no longer the same person he grew up with. It’s a mysterious creature that has taken Hikaru’s form, and Yoshiki, grappling with his grief, accepts it for now. CygamesPictures, the studio behind Apocalypse Hotel and Brave Bang Bravern!, is adapting this intriguing anime. It will be fascinating to see how Yoshiki maintains this facade as the season progresses.

9. Gachiakuta (Crunchyroll)

One of the most anticipated shonen series this summer is here with Gachiakuta. The story follows Rudo, a young boy living in the slums that surround a seemingly perfect society. When he’s wrongly accused of murder, he’s thrown into a gaping abyss where all of society’s trash is dumped. Bones Film, the studio behind the recent My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, is heading the animation production for this series. Gachiakuta has everything you need for an action-packed shonen, so brace yourself for flashy fight sequences as Rudo seeks his revenge throughout the season.

10. Kaiju No. 8 Season 2 (Crunchyroll)

Finally, the highly anticipated Kaiju No. 8 is back with Season 2! When we last saw Kafka and the Third Division, there was widespread destruction following their climatic battle. As rebuilding efforts begin, the crew is split up for what appears to be advanced training opportunities. Production I.G. returns to helm the animation production, so expect even more glorious Kaiju battle action as the season progresses.

These are just some of the highly anticipated new and returning anime available to watch this Summer 2025 season. Looking for more anime to add to your list? Check out our guide to the Biggest Anime Coming in 2025 and don’t forget our list of Spring 2025 Anime in case you missed the last batch of new series!