Last year, I intentionally watched one anime cour every week and documented it to help friends discover shows worth their time.
Well it was fun and I did it again! Scores with ★ deserve your attention.
My Criteria:
- On my “Plan to Watch” list.
- Ideally a title that should be hyped but isn’t.
- Prioritize titles my partner doesn’t want to watch together.
- Partial credit is grouped together by repetitive Entry numbers.
| Entry | Finished | Title | Notes | Score | Format | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 01-03-25 | Bartender: Kami no Glass BARTENDER Glass of God | Rare to find a seinen series with anime bullshit! | 8 | TV | 12 |
| 2 | 01-20-25 | Shoushimin Series SHOSHIMIN: How to Become Ordinary | I can’t explain what draws me to this series, but I’ll keep watching. Everyone kinda sucks but sometimes don’t and sometimes get what they deserve. | 7 | TV | 10 |
| 3 4 | 01-27-25 | Karasu wa Aruji wo Erabanai YATAGARASU: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master | Deserves more hype. Great political intrigue followed by a good twist. | 9 ★ | TV | 20 |
| 5 6 | 02-04-25 | Sousou no Frieren Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End | Poignant look at the human condition through the lens of high fantasy. | 9 ★ | TV | 28 |
| 7 | 02-13-25 | Loop 7-kaime no Akuyaku Reijou wa, Moto Tekikoku de Jiyuu Kimama na Hanayome Seikatsu wo Mankitsu Suru 7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy! | Points for progressive Villainess but deductions for tropes. | 7 | TV | 12 |
| 8 9 | 02-15-25 | Samurai Flamenco | No wonder Manglobe went bankrupt. | 6 | TV | 22 |
| 10 | 02-24-25 | Dance Dance Danseur | Surprisingly good! Worth it if you can endure the character designs. | 8 | TV | 11 |
| 11 | 03-17-25 | Kamonohashi Ron no Kindan Suiri Ron Kamonohashi’s Forbidden Deductions | Anime bullshit at its finest. Dumb fun for Sherlock fans. | 7 | TV | 13 |
| 12 | 03-30-25 | Kamonohashi Ron no Kindan Suiri 2nd Season Ron Kamonohashi’s Forbidden Deductions Season 2 | More of the same! | 7 | TV | 13 |
| — | 03-31-25 | Bungou Stray Dogs: DEAD APPLE | Why do I keep doing this to myself? | 7 | Movie | 1 |
| 13 | 04-16-25 | Guild no Uketsukejou desu ga, Zangyou wa Iya nanode Boss wo Solo Toubatsu Shiyou to Omoimasu I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time | Boring and dumb. | 6 | TV | 12 |
| 14 | 04-21-25 | Danna ga Nani wo Itteiru ka Wakaranai Ken I Can’t Understand What My Husband Is Saying | Goofy and dumb. | 7 | Short | 13 |
| 15 | 04-23-25 | Zenshuu. | A fun ride. Earned a whole series opposed to a film. | 8 | TV | 12 |
| 16 | 05-12-25 | Noragami | Hey I liked this a lot! Good premise, enjoyable ensemble cast, made me nostalgic for Tokyo. Not sure why this never had a big fan response. | 9 ★ | TV | 12 |
| 17 | 05-19-25 | Noragami ARAGOTO | Continues to be good, save for the finale which went off script. Binged the manga because I enjoyed this world so much. | 9 ★ | TV | 13 |
| 18 | 05-25-25 | Akuyaku Reijou Tensei Oji-san From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad’s Been Reincarnated! | Dumb fun. | 7 | TV | 12 |
| 19 | 06-23-25 | Shoushimin Series 2nd Season SHOSHIMIN: How to become Ordinary Season 2 | More cohesion and depth than S1, but also somehow slower too. | 9 | TV | 12 |
| 20 21 | 07-06-25 | Kusuriya no Hitorigoto 2nd Season The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 | Maomao continues to be a fun Sherlock character. The last 2 eps surpassed the manga so the storyboards suffered a little. | 8 ★ | TV | 24 |
| 22 | 07-08-25 | Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon 2nd Season My Happy Marriage Season 2 | Endearing and worth continuing. | 8 | TV | 13 |
| 23 | 07-08-25 | Lazarus | Yikes. Watanabe, what happened? One stellar episode really drew me in. But dual plots detracted from each other, and the serious premise felt forced and sometimes comical. Terror in Resonance achieved more with less. | 6 | TV | 13 |
| 24 | 07-14-25 | Kokkoku | Intriguing sci-fi! Succinct and satisfactory. | 8 | TV | 12 |
| — | 07-20-25 | Tsurune: Hajimari no Issha Tsurune The Movie – The First Shot – | Good continuation. KyoAni really nails this series and vibe. Really hoping for a new season. | 8 | Movie | 1 |
| 25 | 07-24-25 | Ballpark de Tsukamaete! Catch Me at the Ballpark! | Mindless joy with several Chicago references. | 7 | TV | 12 |
| 26 | 07-27-25 | Hibike! Euphonium Sound! Euphonium | Took me a while to pick this watch. Great if you like the struggle of sports anime without the sports. | 8 | TV | 13 |
| 27 | 07-30-25 | Hibike! Euphonium 2 Sound! Euphonium 2 | Actually better once the drama gets rolling. | 9 | TV | 13 |
| 28 | 08-01-25 | Apocalypse Hotel | Absolutely killer single cour about loneliness, despair, hope, and perfection. | 9 ★ | TV | 12 |
| 29 | 08-02-25 | Hibike! Euphonium: Kakedasu Monaka Sound! Euphonium: Ready, Set, Monaka | Hey why is this it’s own episode and not part of the series plot! | 9 | OVA | 1 |
| 29 | 08-02-25 | Hibike! Euphonium: Chikai no Final Sound! Euphonium: The Movie – Our Promise: A Brand New Day | Fine recap if you hadn’t been binging the show. | 9 | Recap | 1 |
| 29 | 08-03-25 | Hibike! Euphonium: Todoketai Melody Sound! Euphonium The Movie — May the melody reach you! — | Boring actually. | 7 | Recap | 1 |
| 29 | 08-03-25 | Hibike! Euphonium: Kitauji Koukou Suisougaku-bu e Youkoso Sound! Euphonium The Movie: Welcome to the Kitauji High School Concert Band | Also boring. | 7 | Recap | 1 |
| 30 | 08-03-25 | Liz to Aoi Tori Liz and the Blue Bird | GORGEOUS. Heartwrenching. Wish I caught this in theaters. Unfortunately you need the context of Hibike! Euphonium to truly enjoy it. | 9 ★ | Movie | 1 |
| 31 | 08-05-25 | Sword Art Online | Maybe they should have stopped at 1 cour. | 7 | TV | 25 |
| — | 08-09-25 | Tokubetsu-hen Hibike! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest Sound! Euphonium: Special Edition ~Ensemble Contest~ | Fine. | 7 | OVA | 1 |
| 32 | 08-10-25 | Hibike! Euphonium 3 Sound! Euphonium 3 | Actually good still! Kyoto Animation always knows what they’re doing! | 9 | TV | 13 |
| 33 | 09-01-25 | Senpai ga Uzai Kouhai no Hanashi My Senpai is Annoying | Monotonous but has it’s moments. | 7 | TV | 12 |
| 34 | 09-04-25 | WIND BREAKER S1 | Hey wait this is actually what I wanted from Tokyo Revengers. | 8 ★ | TV | 13 |
| 35 | 09-05-25 | WIND BREAKER S2 | AND it’s STILL GOOD in S2? I’ll keep watching. | 8 ★ | TV | 12 |
| 36 | 09-08-25 | Orenchi no Furo Jijou The Circumstances in My Home’s Bathtub | Dumb thing for turning your brain off. | 7 | OVA | 13 |
| – | 09-11-25 | Kimetsu no Yaiba: Mugenjou-hen Movie 1 – Akaza Sairai Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle | Worth seeing on a big screen. Think I’m mostly burned out on the story and characters by now. | 8 | Movie | 1 |
| 37 | 09-11-25 | Kimetsu no Yaiba: Hashira Geiko-hen Demon Slayer: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc | Um shoulda wached this before the film! Fine. | 7 | TV | 8 |
| – | 09-20-25 | ONE PIECE FAN LETTER | ABSOLUTE EYE CANDY set after OP Ep 522. WILD animation. Must protec Girl. | 9 ★ | Special | 1 |
| 38 | 09-22-25 | Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru Season 2 My Dress-up Darling Season 2 | Loved it ×1000. Binged the entire manga immediately. Found new community additions very endearing. | 9 ★ | TV | 12 |
| 39 | 09-22-25 | Dandadan 2nd Season | DOPE. S2 maintains the high energy. Always creative in both the story and animation’s expression. | 9 ★ | TV | 12 |
| 40 | 09-23-25 | Mushoku Tensei II: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu Part 2 | Trash. Flimsy wish fulfillment. What happened to all the world politics? Why does this get such a big budget?! | 7 | TV | 13 |
| 41 | 09-23-25 | Ame to Kimi to With You in the Rain | Healing anime gonna heal. Don’t expect big shifts. | 8 | TV | 12 |
| 42 | 10-07-25 | Witch Watch | Fire premise that lost the point by episode 3. Slice of Life turns monotonous by end of season. | 7 | TV | 25 |
| 43 | 10-10-25 | Kaijuu 8-gou 2nd Season Kaiju No. 8 Season 2 | Mostly vibes without much plot progression. Can’t imagine reading the manga though. | 8 | TV | 11 |
| — | 10-10-25 | Kaijuu 8-gou: Hoshina no Kyuujitsu Kaiju No.8: Hoshina’s Day Off | Cute but pointless. | 7 | Special | 1 |
| — | 10-15-25 | Chainsaw Man: Reze-hen Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc | STUNNING. Peak anime bullshit that’s also a masterful letter to cinema. Watched the US premiere at CIFF’s Music Box! | 9 ★ | Movie | 1 |
| 44 | 10-16-25 | Little Witch Academia (TV) | Worth watching to see Trigger grow as a studio, but main character is obnoxious. | 7 | TV | 25 |
| 45 | 10-22-25 | Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity | Absolutely wasn’t expecting an enjoyable romance in 2026. | 9 ★ | TV | 13 |
| 46 | 10-27-25 | Karaoke Iko! Let’s Go Karaoke! | Goofy but premise is forcing it. | 7 | TV | 5 |
| 47 | 11-06-25 | Yofukashi no Uta Season 2 Call of the Night Season 2 | Solely vibes. Cramming S2 into the first would have made for a tighter, more intriguing story. | 7 | TV | 12 |
| 48 | 11-12-25 | Mushoku Tensei II: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu Part 2 Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 | Trash. Devolved into a crappy harem anime and I honestly don’t know why they’d waste the talent. | 6 | TV | 12 |
| 49 | 11-14-25 | Tsuihousha Shokudou e Youkoso! Welcome to the Outcast’s Restaurant! | Boring at first but then surprise – actual plot! | 8 | TV | 12 |
| 50 | 11-22-25 | Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san Teasing Master Takagi-san | Fine. Repetitive. | 7 | TV | 12 |
| 51 | 12-02-25 | Shiki | Prime remake material given the ensemble cast. Captures that early 2010s ennui of anime in this time. | 7 | TV | 22 |
| — | 12-02-25 | Shiki Specials | Not sure why these were cut from the series. | 7 | Special | 2 |
| 52 | 12-16-25 | Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu (2009) The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya | Lots of good sci-fi and philosophical concepts with humdrum execution. | 6 | TV | 28 |
| 53 | 12-18-25 | Taiyou yori mo Mabushii Hoshi A Star Brighter Than the Sun | Cute but repetitive! Would never pass the Bechedel test. Fragrant Flower hits better. | 7 | TV | 12 |
| 54 | 12-18-25 | Kakuriyo no Yadomeshi 2nd Season Kakuriyo -Bed & Breakfast for Spirits- 2 | Yikes, this series looks awful. Not thrilled about continuing. | 6 | TV | 12 |
| 55 | 12-21-25 | Koi wa Ameagari no You ni After the Rain | Uncomfortable premise but a respectful glimpse into rebuilding one’s identity amid sadness and longing. | 8 ★ | TV | 12 |
| 56 | 12-28-25 | Shabake | Charming! Not the horror series initially promised but still a worthwhile story. Adaptation of a long novel series. | 8 ★ | TV | 13 |
| 57 | 12-28-25 | Kingdom 6th Season | Shorter seasons are tough with the shonen battle vibes, but the production looks much better. | 7 | TV | 13 |