{"id":326080,"date":"2025-11-21T02:23:31","date_gmt":"2025-11-21T07:23:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/is-everything-isekai-anime-in-2025-retrospective"},"modified":"2025-11-21T02:23:37","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T07:23:37","slug":"is-everything-isekai-anime-in-2025-retrospective","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/is-everything-isekai-anime-in-2025-retrospective","title":{"rendered":"Is All the things Isekai? Anime in 2025 Retrospective"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div itemprop=\"text\" readability=\"207.51789853206\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Okay, fine, we\u2019ll talk about <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Solo Leveling<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anime in 2025 has been an exercise in patience. When <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Solo Leveling <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">won the award for <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">best anime at the Crunchyroll Awards<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it was already clear that we\u2019re going to be spammed with Isekais for the rest of the year.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It doesn\u2019t help that the current season of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One Punch Man <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">has received poor reviews across the board, and there were few bright spots in the new releases that emerged. But, despite all this, a lot is happening in the world of anime, and we\u2019re going to take a look at some headlines that have kept otakus engaged.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Awards Season: A Memorable Snub<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YvGSK8mIlt8?si=6EKk8Mq1oGQ5kOg8\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crunchyroll.com\/animeawards\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Crunchyroll Awards<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> awarded <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Solo Leveling<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the best anime badge. And while the series has its fans, many critics pointed towards <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frieren <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">as the deserving winner. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While the isekai is the more beginner-friendly of the two anime, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frieren: Beyond Journey\u2019s End <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is a masterclass in character writing, and features actual tragedies (unlike <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Solo Leveling<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, where every compelling character is written out post a few appearances).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dandadan <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">was nominated for most awards at the show, it won only the awards for \u201cBest Character Design,\u201d \u201cBest Anime Song,\u201d and \u201cBest Opening Sequence.\u201d Both awards were well-deserved, and it was a worthy contender for the \u201cBest Anime\u201d award, even though the ending of the first season wasn\u2019t great.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The other awards were decent. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Demon Slayer<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2019s new arc, \u201cHasira Training,\u201d was a fun pastime, and the movie \u201cInfinite Castle\u201d was a massive hit at the box office. It won the award for the best continuing series.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cLook Back,\u201d a genuinely warm coming-of-age story, won hearts around the globe and picked up the original movie win. The time-traveling tale follows the life of a young mangaka, exploring fate and the future. And \u201cNinja Kamui\u201d won the Best Original Anime award, and despite the slower recent episodes, one could argue that it deserved the award.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, Crunchyroll awards are usually popularity-based. We can look to the Tokyo Anime Awards for a more critical examination of the anime scenarios.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Anime of the Year at the Tokyo Anime Awards Festival (TAAF) was <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frieren: Beyond Journey\u2019s End<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. For those unaware of the story, it follows an Elven mage who revisits friends and goes on a long journey. The story reflects upon life, friendships, and how immortals might feel when their friends pass away.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s genuinely stunning in terms of visuals and features some of the most well-written characters in anime.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the movie awards, TAAF awarded <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Look Back<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which was well-deserved.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What To Watch: Summer Anime 2025<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before our awards season review gets you down, understand that summer 2025 was still an insane season for anime. There were really impressive sequels and some debuts that we\u2019ll remember for ages. Let\u2019s take a look at three that we highly recommend:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>1. Sakamoto Days<\/h3>\n<p><noscript><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/G_tIlhPC1Ys?si=4_BmSKcYCduarQfX\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sakamoto Days started slowly in January. Fans complained about the muted color palette and lack of fight choreography in a show that features some of the most gorgeous fights from the manga it\u2019s adapted from. However, before people could dismiss the anime as just another Netflix failure, the makers stepped in and delivered one of the best comebacks in anime history.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The second part of Sakamoto Days is an actual delight. The colors pop, and the action scenes rival the likes of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jujutsu Kaisen <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One Punch Man<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. If you\u2019re looking for warm, found-family stories where the stakes are high, this is the anime to watch in 2025.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>2. The Summer Hikaru Died<\/h3>\n<p><noscript><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sFaO07LwAVg?si=GXmjixHr6v6oEg6G\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This horror anime doesn\u2019t play around with jump scares. The story follows Yoshiki and Hikaru, two oddball friends who grow up together. As the story goes on, Yoshiki realizes that an eldritch horror has replaced Hikaru.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019ve ever wondered if Lovecraft could get over his rather over-the-top racism to write about Japan, this is the series you need in your life. The anime genre has given rise to some of the best psychological horror available, and this is no exception.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The small town in Japan features some deadly secrets, and you can drift into a sense of unease that just doesn\u2019t leave. This is one of the best first seasons in anime in recent years, and it promises to become better as time passes.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>3. The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity\u00a0<br \/><noscript><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1FcVJxxPWh4?si=ZbqTMT-iRoAISrsq\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/noscript><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re tired of the violence in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sakamoto Days <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and the horror in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Summer Hikaru Died<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you\u2019ll be charmed by this series.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rintaro Tsumugi and Kaoruko Waguri are the main pair in question, and they come from different worlds. Tsumugi is a student at a public school who appears to be a delinquent but carries a heart of gold, and Waguri is a student at the Kikyo Private Academy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The world\u2019s clash makes the story even more complicated. But the story is warm and filled with warm art. People who love <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Skip and Loafers <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My Love Story!!<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h3>4. Bonus: <i>The Rose of Versailles<\/i>\u00a0<br \/><noscript><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MXmGxRfC014?si=afBWY_pOFWcG4Dwz\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/noscript><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When Netflix licensed the remake of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Rose of Versailles<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it might have come as a surprise to anime fans. While the shoujo manga is one of the classics and is considered a beautiful story, this movie does the storyline justice with a fresh treatment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This anime movie is filled with musical numbers that lend credence to its premise (set in the late French Empire) and features some very compelling characters. Oscar, the woman charged with guarding Marie Antoinette, is the standout in this case. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The story is compressed for the format, but the visuals and the music more than make up for this. If you\u2019re looking for a date night anime, this is the movie to plug in.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The summer release slate has been incredible, with some anime that have made a lot of noise. Now that we know about the anime that\u2019s already out, we\u2019re going to take a look at some future releases that we\u2019re looking forward to.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eagerly Awaited: Winter 2025 &amp; Early 2026<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are some releases that our team is eagerly awaiting as we head into 2026. Let\u2019s take a brief look:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>1. Record of Ragnarock<br \/><noscript><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fGU-R9x8srI?si=E5aRR8FT62Skawh5\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/noscript><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The second season of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Record of Ragnarok <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ended with the wild fight between Zerofuku and Buddha. So, the third season is expected to feature fights with Hades, Susano\u2019o Mifako, Apollo, and Leonidas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, the reason this anime doesn\u2019t top many lists is that the animation is bad. However, we\u2019re keeping our fingers crossed, since Season 2 improved upon Season 1; there\u2019s a chance Season 3 will be even better still.\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And even if the animation is bad, there\u2019s just some sort of joy in seeing Gods fighting humans. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3>2. Jujutsu Kaisen\u00a0<br \/><noscript><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RYI-WG_HFV8?si=Syx-1RtfrQWx4hkh\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/noscript><\/h3>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jujutsu Kaisen <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">season 2 was a massive disappointment in terms of the animation. However, the season 3 scheduled for 2026 might mark an improvement. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Given the negative reviews that have marred some of the shonen series released this year, MAPPA (the production studio) may actually put more effort into improving the series. At least we hope they will. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3>3. Hell\u2019s Paradise<\/h3>\n<p><noscript><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7KnLE6ATZS0?si=tnS7WewI3kxV9yEi\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/noscript><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MAPPA pretty much picked up the cream of the crop with <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JJK<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hell\u2019s Paradise, <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chainsaw Man<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The story of an Edo-period ninja with dark fantasy themes is something to watch out for, and it does work well.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The series is gory and inventive, and the art style is really unique and interesting. There\u2019s a lot to watch out for in season 2 here, and we\u2019ll be offering prayers so that MAPPA doesn\u2019t mishandle it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2025 has seen the release of some excellent anime. Sadly, the most popular out of the crop have not met expectations. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Solo Leveling <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">has dominated the charts, and while that will pave the way for the adaptation of more manhwa, the proliferation of isekai is becoming annoying.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But, as always, if you look under the surface, there are a lot of excellent stories that are streaming on Crunchyroll and Netflix, and you should watch them to the finish!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/wealthofgeeks.com\/anime-in-2025\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Okay, fine, we\u2019ll talk about Solo Leveling. Anime in 2025 has been an exercise in patience. When Solo Leveling won the award for best anime [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[608,1627,1696,1695,1692,1694,1690,1691,7,1697,1693],"class_list":["post-326080","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","tag-advocate","tag-dandadan","tag-hikaru","tag-infinite-fort","tag-kikyo-personal-academy","tag-leonidas","tag-lovecraft","tag-manufacturing-studio","tag-netflix","tag-one-punch-man","tag-rintaro-tsumugi"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/326080","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=326080"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/326080\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":326082,"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/326080\/revisions\/326082"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=326080"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=326080"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=326080"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}