2025 Amewards - Best Anime of the Year
Hello /r/anime!
With 2025 ending I thought it would be nice to look back at this past year of anime we had. This is the _sixth_ year ^(^and ^possibly ^last ^year) I'm doing this. [2020](https://redd.it/ko2ou2) & [2021](https://redd.it/rui00x) & [2022](https://redd.it/1001f47) & [2023](https://redd.it/18vehee) & [2024](https://redd.it/1hr6yyh) if you're curious on checking those out. I decided to make this little post once again to share my more unique tastes but also maybe direct people to some underwatched shows from this year!
Criteria is simply based on my **personal preferences and opinions** so for those who know me these might differ from the norm and probably even your own opinions. Winners are generally determined by their genre/category, so which show shows off their genre the best will be taken into account but some exceptions will be made. Shows can only be eligible for one genre category! No committee, no jurors, no audience voting, just me here.
These are simply the *Amewards* and my ~~questionable~~ subjective opinion. Only entries that finished in 2025 are being counted.
Movies or one episode OVAs/Specials will **not** be in contention for these.
Feel free to post your thoughts, comments and criticisms below! If you see a show not mentioned here then there's a good chance I just didn't get around to watching it as I only did around ~90 entries this year.
2025 has been my busiest IRL year yet so less entries than usual sadly.
My [**MAL**](https://myanimelist.net/profile/AmethystItalian) for reference.
---
#[Anime of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/qycWITx.jpeg)
Unlike last year there may be no 10/10s but still some great shows! On top of the list this year is none other than [**Blue Box**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/57181/). This show started off strong for me and just kept growing. A cast full of likeable characters, a love triangle that I didn't flat out hate and an actual sports side that I got invested in. There were a few strong romances this year but Blue Box just had that special stuff for me that had me super excited to watch each week. Second place goes out to last year's third place winner [**Kusuriya no Hitorigoto 2nd Season**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/58514). Was nice to see this show move up a spot with another spectacular season. The stakes felt raised and it's always great to see Maomao do her thing. Third place goes to another romance focused show that stood out to me [**I Have A Crush At Work**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59361). Adult romance in the workplace where they actually act like adults?? Sign me up! This one was not only cute but showed how good office romances can be in anime. We got spice, side ships and good communication.
Highly recommend all 3 of these!!
[Worst Anime of the Year] >!< (No good characters, no good mystery, no good romance and the pacing was very off. Outside the setting, nothing of value here)
---
# [Action of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/8VQ18g6.jpeg)
Action for me is generally aimed on how much fun I'm having with the show's action scenes so prolonged 1 on 1 hard to follow fight scenes are never going to mean too much for me. For first place I decided to go with a pick not many people would consider with [**May I Ask for One Final Thing?**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59846) coming out just on top. It was just so much fun to see Scarlett punch anything and everyone around her. Not the standard action pick but definitely the one I had the most fun with. In close second we have a more traditional pick in [**Sakamoto Days**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/58939). Part 2 made me fall in love with the cast more which was a nice addition to the already fun and diverse action in the show. For third place I'm slotting in [**Vigilante: Boku no Hero Academia Illegals**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/60593). Confession, I still haven't finished BnHA so there's a world where that actually takes this spot but I actually enjoyed Vigilante much more than I expected to. Felt a lot lighter, less Deku and just more fun to watch than where BnHA is now.
[Worst Action of the Year] >!< (There's no worst sequel this year but this show would definitely get it, just awful pacing)
---
# [Adventure of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/ICWsFKe.jpeg)
Up first we have an adventure that's almost at the finish line in [**Dr. Stone: Science Future**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/57592). This adventure just keeps getting more and more grand as we approach the finale, this year's episodes were especially strong and even felt finale like! For second place we have last year's third place winner in [**Shangri-La Frontier Season 2**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/58572).While it did feel like a small step down from season 1 it still managed to be very entertaining to watch. Likeable big cast, creative world and many different ways to keep things fresh. For third we have [**Once Upon a Witch's Death**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59169) which feels more of an outside pick but this show and its main character really grew on me. As the cast expands and the MC learns more it really does become a very nice time.
[Worst Adventure of the Year] >!< (I've been burnt out of travel/sightseeing anime so this one was no surprise sadly)
---
#[Comedy of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/pKXHgUx.jpeg)
First place feels a bit cheating but [**Lycoris Recoil: Friends Are Thieves of Time.**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59369) was the funniest show of the year. It may have been extremely short but this cast is just unbeatable. They have such good chemistry and voice acting that even in suhc a small doses it made me laugh so much. In second place we have [**Spy x Family Season 3**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59027). An Amewards staple at this point. While this season did have more serious action moments the comedy of the cast always ends up being the draw of the show. Lastly in third we have [**Witch Watch**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59597). It took a bit for me to fully fall in love with this one but as the cast expanded more and Nico got more control of her magic I started falling under its charm. It had me laughing for characters I didn't even like at first!
[Worst Comedy of the Year] >!< (This wasn't much of a romance or mystery so the comedy was the only leg to stand on and it didn't stand on it well)
---
#[Drama of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/WylgnC8.jpeg)
Drama is always a category that feels hard to define and it falls in and out of the Amewards.This year I wanted to make sure it was there to include the underwatched [**Trillion Game**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/56662/Trillion_Game) as first place. It feels great watching the 2 leads succeed when it always seems like they won't. Business side is a bit out there but it's fun to watch te creativity of the pair as they take on many David vs Goliath moments. Second place is [**Call of the Night S2**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/58390) which probably would have won the best sequel award as this season was just top tier. Expanding the cast and including interesting backstories made this show as a whole better In third place we have a national treasure in [**Anne Shirley**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/60334). Was great to watch Anne grow on her journey, lots of ups and downs just as life is. A nice watch overall!
[Worst Drama of the Year] >!< (Giant waste of time that starts off really well. Takes you on this journey that even in the moment feels unsatisfying but keeps one upping itself)
---
#[Fantasy of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/Ixke2te.jpeg)
In a very female lead focused category the winner for fantasy is [**The Too-Perfect Saint**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/60157). A strong cast and really competent lead will always do well for me and this show did just that. Even the secondary lead was fun to watch!
Coming in it at a very close second is [**Silent Witch**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59459). This show surprised me as unlike the last show it has a lead with an archetype I tend to hate. Somehow Monica does avoid this though and she's not only likeable but very easy to root for as well. Good cast and great visuals make this an easy choice for one of the best of the year. For third place we have [**Pass the Monster Meat, Milady!**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/60162) which was also nice surprise. While this one didn't rewrite the fantasy genre it was very consistent with a very strong ship. Nice to see a healthy and supporting ship in anime once in awhile!
[Worst Fantasy of the Year] >!< (I defended this one a lot through the year but that doesn't not make it the worst...very rough)
---
#[Isekai of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/6DXxMui.jpeg)
In a break from Amewards tradition there is only one isekai genre this time! Not sure if that means I'm watching less or there are less around. The big winner this year is [**The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59514) where we actually get to see someone with powers get isekai'd! Had some ups and downs but it did make me laugh out loud a lot with how absurd it could get and how it made fun of itself. Second place goes to a staple now in [**Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill Season 2**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/57025). More of the same here and somehow Sui got even cuter. In third we have [**Zenshuu**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/58502) which means the male isekai'd MCs out performed the women this time around! Zenshuu also had some ups and downs but it was a show I was very curious to watch each week and had my attention the full time.
[Worst Isekai of the Year] >!< (Another show I did defend but did end up being the worst isekai I finished this year, has potential but not sure if I'd watch more)
---
#[Music of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/z5AEd5w.jpeg)
Warning in advance...I did not watch many music shows this year sadly. That being said there was a clear winner here in [**Karaoke Iko!**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/6013). This one felt unique and stood out with every episode. Not a typical band or idol show, it felt very refreshing. Also anytime Ono D sings I need to give a show extra points to. Second place goes to [**Rock Is a Lady's Modesty**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59360) which had I did have a fair amount of issues with. Definitely started strong but was a bit too crude and sweaty at times. Cast is overall likeable and easy to root for which is always important in shows like this. In third is [**BanG Dream! Ave Mujica**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/56653) which was somehow even messier than the last entry in this series. For Umiri I'll give this one third.
[Worst Music of the Year] >!< (Wasn't kidding when I haven't seen enough music shows this year, this show was all over the place enough that it deserves this as well)
---
#[Mystery of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/Y53IrBI.jpeg)
[**The Apothecary Diaries Season 2**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/58514) repeats as winner in this category! While the characters are my favourite part of the show and the setting is great it's the mystery that sets it apart and keeps me invested. Great show and I can't wait for more. Getting second place is [**Lazarus**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/56038) may not be your standard mystery romp but the mystery was the reason I kept tuning in. While no Cowboy Bebop it did have a pretty exciting cast and a more interesting overall plot. Coming in third is [**Ameku M.D.: Doctor Detective**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/58600) which had its own ups and downs but I enjoyed the medical mysteries of it all. Maybe as someone who hasn't seen House I found it pretty interesting and different.
[Worst Mystery of the Year] >!< (While the setting and overall mystery are both interesting, the execution, pacing and characters are just awful)
---
#[Romance of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/o2cq7I5.jpeg)
My number one genre of anime so this category will always hold a special place in my heart and this one should be no surprise as it won the AotY, the top spot this year goes to [**Blue Box**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/57181/Ao_no_Hako). This show just has _IT_, from the characters to the romance of it all it just has that special sauce that makes it feel so real. You get invested in each character and in turn their feelings as they all figure it out. Truly a special show! For second place it goes to [**The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59845) which actually made a really strong case for number one as it also felt like it had that special thing to make a romance stand out. The characters are all likeable and it's a romance you root for immediately. The growing feelings and seeing the characters feel each other out was adorable to watch. Lastly for romances we have one I don't expect to see on many lists in [**A Star Brighter Than the Sun**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/60969) which while VERY tropey it's sweet and gets to a good place. The cast is likeable and while the leads can be frustrating they're both very easy to root for. Wish the show had more of a side ship!
[Worst Romance of the Year] >!< (Not much positives here, girls on their own can be okay but the harem, supernatural aspect and ecchi choices just bring it all down. Brings shame to its name)
---
#[RomCom of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/dcantxG.jpeg)
Romance and RomCom are two different categories in the Amewards and its always hard to justify which goes where. These shows I found focused a bit less on the romance and more on the comedy but both sides do need to be strong. First place goes to [**I Have a Crush at Work**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59361) which just checked off so many boxes. Adult cast acting like adults, spicy but classy moments and even a strong side ship! Truly one of the best workplace romances we've gotten so far in anime and it's not even close. Coming in at second a show that reminded of a past Amewards winner Shikimori-san in [**Yano-kun's Ordinary Days**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/60254) which while not quite as good was still a fun time! A really nice cast and cute main ship but love triangles and lack of a strong side ship made it a bit harder to get into at times. In third place we have one that surprised me in [**April Showers Bring May Flowers**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/53512). Did not think I would like this one as much as I did as I didn't care too much about the main ship but it introduced one of the best side ships of the year which was enough for it to push it to third. The main ship is still fine and likeable but the side ship was much more my speed.
[Worst RomCom of the Year] >!< (Frustrating plot and romantic progression. Not many likeable characters and just a bunch of meandering.)
---
#[Sci-fi of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/k3acadO.jpeg)
While we go another year with no mecha category it's hard to be sad when a show as special as [**Apocalypse Hotel**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59675) comes around to take this category. Always impressive when an anime original can stand on its own and stand this tall. Great setting that's only topped by the leading lady. The show is at its best when she's on center stage and thankfully she is around a lot to carry that spotlight. Rolling into second we have the cult favourite [**Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/61274) and this one came out of nowhere for me and I think everyone else too. I heard about this show through r/anime and really didn't think it would live up to the small hype it was gaining but it was actually just a nice little fun time. Would easily watch more! Last up is a bit of a seat filler with [**Fire Force Season 3**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/51818) which while it had its ups and downs it still has me really curious to see where it goes next as the world its built has been an interesting one!
[Worst Sci-Fi of the Year] >!< (No buddy cop, no ship, no interesting world. Pacing is poor...not much here redeemable)
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#[Slice of Life](https://i.imgur.com/fyOW27P.jpeg)
The winner for this year's Slice of Life is [**Food For The Soul**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/60658) which felt like PA Works at their best. A great and likeable cast with some fantastic cast interactions. Reminded me of Yuru Yuri more than a couple times which is a great compliment to the show and how fun it was. The second place entry was one I initially didn't finish during its run but I did end up completing this past week ni [**With You and the Rain**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59619). Was a good thing I waited as I was constantly comparing it to last year's second place SoL winner Kinoku Inu which was unfair to it and also sadly I kept seeing Kowloon Generic Romance's MC. After getting over that it really was a cute and light show that was very easy to binge. Rounding out at the top 3 is one that surprised me in [**A Mangaka's Weirdly Wonderful Workplace**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/57859) where I somehow dislike more characters than I like but it still made it an enjoyable watch each week. A good cast balance made it more consumable and while the MC can be Bocchi-like she does get her work done which is good to see.
[Worst Slice of Life of the Year] >!< (If I finished City maybe that would have been here but instead this will fit in which wasn't too much of a SoL but wasn't too much of a mystery either)
---
#[Sports of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/YwaOgOh.jpeg)
SPORTS! Another year and another golf winner, this year [**Sorairo Utility**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/58066). While no Tonbo it still does a really good job with golf and making it more fun and interesting than the actual sport. A good balanced cast and a main character who gets better as the show goes along. Would love to watch more of this one. The silver medal, irony not on purpose here, [**Medalist**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/55318) which took me more than a few episodes to come around to. In the end they got me hooked though with a great teacher and student relationship. Hoping the drama can stay low for future seasons! The bronze medal goes to what has become a staple in this genre in [**Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59636) which while is a good time it's also my worst Uma Musume entry as it just goes back against a lot of what I love about the series. The races are still exciting and you root hard for Oguri but it falls pretty far behind other entries in the series.
[Worst Sports of the Year] >!< (Feels bad to have this as worst as it was still surprisingly good but the sports side of it is really lacking)
---
If you actually read through all of that thank you so much! My sixth, and maybe final, time doing my personal awards like this and my taste has always been a bit controversial around these parts so it's always a bit tough to put all my thoughts in one place. You probably won't be agreeing with all too much but I hope you at least check out some shows you wouldn't have before. I hope you all have an amazing 2026 and let's hope we get a great year from airing anime again!
#[Full album](https://imgur.com/a/dV37K4c)
With 2025 ending I thought it would be nice to look back at this past year of anime we had. This is the _sixth_ year ^(^and ^possibly ^last ^year) I'm doing this. [2020](https://redd.it/ko2ou2) & [2021](https://redd.it/rui00x) & [2022](https://redd.it/1001f47) & [2023](https://redd.it/18vehee) & [2024](https://redd.it/1hr6yyh) if you're curious on checking those out. I decided to make this little post once again to share my more unique tastes but also maybe direct people to some underwatched shows from this year!
Criteria is simply based on my **personal preferences and opinions** so for those who know me these might differ from the norm and probably even your own opinions. Winners are generally determined by their genre/category, so which show shows off their genre the best will be taken into account but some exceptions will be made. Shows can only be eligible for one genre category! No committee, no jurors, no audience voting, just me here.
These are simply the *Amewards* and my ~~questionable~~ subjective opinion. Only entries that finished in 2025 are being counted.
Movies or one episode OVAs/Specials will **not** be in contention for these.
Feel free to post your thoughts, comments and criticisms below! If you see a show not mentioned here then there's a good chance I just didn't get around to watching it as I only did around ~90 entries this year.
2025 has been my busiest IRL year yet so less entries than usual sadly.
My [**MAL**](https://myanimelist.net/profile/AmethystItalian) for reference.
---
#[Anime of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/qycWITx.jpeg)
Unlike last year there may be no 10/10s but still some great shows! On top of the list this year is none other than [**Blue Box**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/57181/). This show started off strong for me and just kept growing. A cast full of likeable characters, a love triangle that I didn't flat out hate and an actual sports side that I got invested in. There were a few strong romances this year but Blue Box just had that special stuff for me that had me super excited to watch each week. Second place goes out to last year's third place winner [**Kusuriya no Hitorigoto 2nd Season**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/58514). Was nice to see this show move up a spot with another spectacular season. The stakes felt raised and it's always great to see Maomao do her thing. Third place goes to another romance focused show that stood out to me [**I Have A Crush At Work**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59361). Adult romance in the workplace where they actually act like adults?? Sign me up! This one was not only cute but showed how good office romances can be in anime. We got spice, side ships and good communication.
Highly recommend all 3 of these!!
[Worst Anime of the Year] >!< (No good characters, no good mystery, no good romance and the pacing was very off. Outside the setting, nothing of value here)
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# [Action of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/8VQ18g6.jpeg)
Action for me is generally aimed on how much fun I'm having with the show's action scenes so prolonged 1 on 1 hard to follow fight scenes are never going to mean too much for me. For first place I decided to go with a pick not many people would consider with [**May I Ask for One Final Thing?**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59846) coming out just on top. It was just so much fun to see Scarlett punch anything and everyone around her. Not the standard action pick but definitely the one I had the most fun with. In close second we have a more traditional pick in [**Sakamoto Days**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/58939). Part 2 made me fall in love with the cast more which was a nice addition to the already fun and diverse action in the show. For third place I'm slotting in [**Vigilante: Boku no Hero Academia Illegals**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/60593). Confession, I still haven't finished BnHA so there's a world where that actually takes this spot but I actually enjoyed Vigilante much more than I expected to. Felt a lot lighter, less Deku and just more fun to watch than where BnHA is now.
[Worst Action of the Year] >!< (There's no worst sequel this year but this show would definitely get it, just awful pacing)
---
# [Adventure of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/ICWsFKe.jpeg)
Up first we have an adventure that's almost at the finish line in [**Dr. Stone: Science Future**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/57592). This adventure just keeps getting more and more grand as we approach the finale, this year's episodes were especially strong and even felt finale like! For second place we have last year's third place winner in [**Shangri-La Frontier Season 2**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/58572).While it did feel like a small step down from season 1 it still managed to be very entertaining to watch. Likeable big cast, creative world and many different ways to keep things fresh. For third we have [**Once Upon a Witch's Death**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59169) which feels more of an outside pick but this show and its main character really grew on me. As the cast expands and the MC learns more it really does become a very nice time.
[Worst Adventure of the Year] >!< (I've been burnt out of travel/sightseeing anime so this one was no surprise sadly)
---
#[Comedy of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/pKXHgUx.jpeg)
First place feels a bit cheating but [**Lycoris Recoil: Friends Are Thieves of Time.**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59369) was the funniest show of the year. It may have been extremely short but this cast is just unbeatable. They have such good chemistry and voice acting that even in suhc a small doses it made me laugh so much. In second place we have [**Spy x Family Season 3**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59027). An Amewards staple at this point. While this season did have more serious action moments the comedy of the cast always ends up being the draw of the show. Lastly in third we have [**Witch Watch**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59597). It took a bit for me to fully fall in love with this one but as the cast expanded more and Nico got more control of her magic I started falling under its charm. It had me laughing for characters I didn't even like at first!
[Worst Comedy of the Year] >!< (This wasn't much of a romance or mystery so the comedy was the only leg to stand on and it didn't stand on it well)
---
#[Drama of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/WylgnC8.jpeg)
Drama is always a category that feels hard to define and it falls in and out of the Amewards.This year I wanted to make sure it was there to include the underwatched [**Trillion Game**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/56662/Trillion_Game) as first place. It feels great watching the 2 leads succeed when it always seems like they won't. Business side is a bit out there but it's fun to watch te creativity of the pair as they take on many David vs Goliath moments. Second place is [**Call of the Night S2**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/58390) which probably would have won the best sequel award as this season was just top tier. Expanding the cast and including interesting backstories made this show as a whole better In third place we have a national treasure in [**Anne Shirley**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/60334). Was great to watch Anne grow on her journey, lots of ups and downs just as life is. A nice watch overall!
[Worst Drama of the Year] >!< (Giant waste of time that starts off really well. Takes you on this journey that even in the moment feels unsatisfying but keeps one upping itself)
---
#[Fantasy of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/Ixke2te.jpeg)
In a very female lead focused category the winner for fantasy is [**The Too-Perfect Saint**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/60157). A strong cast and really competent lead will always do well for me and this show did just that. Even the secondary lead was fun to watch!
Coming in it at a very close second is [**Silent Witch**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59459). This show surprised me as unlike the last show it has a lead with an archetype I tend to hate. Somehow Monica does avoid this though and she's not only likeable but very easy to root for as well. Good cast and great visuals make this an easy choice for one of the best of the year. For third place we have [**Pass the Monster Meat, Milady!**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/60162) which was also nice surprise. While this one didn't rewrite the fantasy genre it was very consistent with a very strong ship. Nice to see a healthy and supporting ship in anime once in awhile!
[Worst Fantasy of the Year] >!< (I defended this one a lot through the year but that doesn't not make it the worst...very rough)
---
#[Isekai of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/6DXxMui.jpeg)
In a break from Amewards tradition there is only one isekai genre this time! Not sure if that means I'm watching less or there are less around. The big winner this year is [**The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59514) where we actually get to see someone with powers get isekai'd! Had some ups and downs but it did make me laugh out loud a lot with how absurd it could get and how it made fun of itself. Second place goes to a staple now in [**Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill Season 2**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/57025). More of the same here and somehow Sui got even cuter. In third we have [**Zenshuu**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/58502) which means the male isekai'd MCs out performed the women this time around! Zenshuu also had some ups and downs but it was a show I was very curious to watch each week and had my attention the full time.
[Worst Isekai of the Year] >!< (Another show I did defend but did end up being the worst isekai I finished this year, has potential but not sure if I'd watch more)
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#[Music of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/z5AEd5w.jpeg)
Warning in advance...I did not watch many music shows this year sadly. That being said there was a clear winner here in [**Karaoke Iko!**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/6013). This one felt unique and stood out with every episode. Not a typical band or idol show, it felt very refreshing. Also anytime Ono D sings I need to give a show extra points to. Second place goes to [**Rock Is a Lady's Modesty**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59360) which had I did have a fair amount of issues with. Definitely started strong but was a bit too crude and sweaty at times. Cast is overall likeable and easy to root for which is always important in shows like this. In third is [**BanG Dream! Ave Mujica**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/56653) which was somehow even messier than the last entry in this series. For Umiri I'll give this one third.
[Worst Music of the Year] >!< (Wasn't kidding when I haven't seen enough music shows this year, this show was all over the place enough that it deserves this as well)
---
#[Mystery of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/Y53IrBI.jpeg)
[**The Apothecary Diaries Season 2**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/58514) repeats as winner in this category! While the characters are my favourite part of the show and the setting is great it's the mystery that sets it apart and keeps me invested. Great show and I can't wait for more. Getting second place is [**Lazarus**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/56038) may not be your standard mystery romp but the mystery was the reason I kept tuning in. While no Cowboy Bebop it did have a pretty exciting cast and a more interesting overall plot. Coming in third is [**Ameku M.D.: Doctor Detective**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/58600) which had its own ups and downs but I enjoyed the medical mysteries of it all. Maybe as someone who hasn't seen House I found it pretty interesting and different.
[Worst Mystery of the Year] >!< (While the setting and overall mystery are both interesting, the execution, pacing and characters are just awful)
---
#[Romance of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/o2cq7I5.jpeg)
My number one genre of anime so this category will always hold a special place in my heart and this one should be no surprise as it won the AotY, the top spot this year goes to [**Blue Box**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/57181/Ao_no_Hako). This show just has _IT_, from the characters to the romance of it all it just has that special sauce that makes it feel so real. You get invested in each character and in turn their feelings as they all figure it out. Truly a special show! For second place it goes to [**The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59845) which actually made a really strong case for number one as it also felt like it had that special thing to make a romance stand out. The characters are all likeable and it's a romance you root for immediately. The growing feelings and seeing the characters feel each other out was adorable to watch. Lastly for romances we have one I don't expect to see on many lists in [**A Star Brighter Than the Sun**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/60969) which while VERY tropey it's sweet and gets to a good place. The cast is likeable and while the leads can be frustrating they're both very easy to root for. Wish the show had more of a side ship!
[Worst Romance of the Year] >!< (Not much positives here, girls on their own can be okay but the harem, supernatural aspect and ecchi choices just bring it all down. Brings shame to its name)
---
#[RomCom of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/dcantxG.jpeg)
Romance and RomCom are two different categories in the Amewards and its always hard to justify which goes where. These shows I found focused a bit less on the romance and more on the comedy but both sides do need to be strong. First place goes to [**I Have a Crush at Work**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59361) which just checked off so many boxes. Adult cast acting like adults, spicy but classy moments and even a strong side ship! Truly one of the best workplace romances we've gotten so far in anime and it's not even close. Coming in at second a show that reminded of a past Amewards winner Shikimori-san in [**Yano-kun's Ordinary Days**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/60254) which while not quite as good was still a fun time! A really nice cast and cute main ship but love triangles and lack of a strong side ship made it a bit harder to get into at times. In third place we have one that surprised me in [**April Showers Bring May Flowers**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/53512). Did not think I would like this one as much as I did as I didn't care too much about the main ship but it introduced one of the best side ships of the year which was enough for it to push it to third. The main ship is still fine and likeable but the side ship was much more my speed.
[Worst RomCom of the Year] >!< (Frustrating plot and romantic progression. Not many likeable characters and just a bunch of meandering.)
---
#[Sci-fi of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/k3acadO.jpeg)
While we go another year with no mecha category it's hard to be sad when a show as special as [**Apocalypse Hotel**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59675) comes around to take this category. Always impressive when an anime original can stand on its own and stand this tall. Great setting that's only topped by the leading lady. The show is at its best when she's on center stage and thankfully she is around a lot to carry that spotlight. Rolling into second we have the cult favourite [**Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/61274) and this one came out of nowhere for me and I think everyone else too. I heard about this show through r/anime and really didn't think it would live up to the small hype it was gaining but it was actually just a nice little fun time. Would easily watch more! Last up is a bit of a seat filler with [**Fire Force Season 3**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/51818) which while it had its ups and downs it still has me really curious to see where it goes next as the world its built has been an interesting one!
[Worst Sci-Fi of the Year] >!< (No buddy cop, no ship, no interesting world. Pacing is poor...not much here redeemable)
---
#[Slice of Life](https://i.imgur.com/fyOW27P.jpeg)
The winner for this year's Slice of Life is [**Food For The Soul**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/60658) which felt like PA Works at their best. A great and likeable cast with some fantastic cast interactions. Reminded me of Yuru Yuri more than a couple times which is a great compliment to the show and how fun it was. The second place entry was one I initially didn't finish during its run but I did end up completing this past week ni [**With You and the Rain**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59619). Was a good thing I waited as I was constantly comparing it to last year's second place SoL winner Kinoku Inu which was unfair to it and also sadly I kept seeing Kowloon Generic Romance's MC. After getting over that it really was a cute and light show that was very easy to binge. Rounding out at the top 3 is one that surprised me in [**A Mangaka's Weirdly Wonderful Workplace**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/57859) where I somehow dislike more characters than I like but it still made it an enjoyable watch each week. A good cast balance made it more consumable and while the MC can be Bocchi-like she does get her work done which is good to see.
[Worst Slice of Life of the Year] >!< (If I finished City maybe that would have been here but instead this will fit in which wasn't too much of a SoL but wasn't too much of a mystery either)
---
#[Sports of the Year](https://i.imgur.com/YwaOgOh.jpeg)
SPORTS! Another year and another golf winner, this year [**Sorairo Utility**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/58066). While no Tonbo it still does a really good job with golf and making it more fun and interesting than the actual sport. A good balanced cast and a main character who gets better as the show goes along. Would love to watch more of this one. The silver medal, irony not on purpose here, [**Medalist**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/55318) which took me more than a few episodes to come around to. In the end they got me hooked though with a great teacher and student relationship. Hoping the drama can stay low for future seasons! The bronze medal goes to what has become a staple in this genre in [**Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray**](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59636) which while is a good time it's also my worst Uma Musume entry as it just goes back against a lot of what I love about the series. The races are still exciting and you root hard for Oguri but it falls pretty far behind other entries in the series.
[Worst Sports of the Year] >!< (Feels bad to have this as worst as it was still surprisingly good but the sports side of it is really lacking)
---
If you actually read through all of that thank you so much! My sixth, and maybe final, time doing my personal awards like this and my taste has always been a bit controversial around these parts so it's always a bit tough to put all my thoughts in one place. You probably won't be agreeing with all too much but I hope you at least check out some shows you wouldn't have before. I hope you all have an amazing 2026 and let's hope we get a great year from airing anime again!
#[Full album](https://imgur.com/a/dV37K4c)
Commentaires
[](#ilovethiskindofshit)
[](#elderlylove)
And yeahhhhh my worst choices are always the point people disagree with the most but as far as Amewards goes this year should be less offensive than most!
Thanks for reading and commenting!!
How many shows are you planning to stick with this season, out of curiosity?
[](#curious)
[](#whatdidijustread)
[](#faito)
[](#panic)
[](#brightidea)
Hah, the text on Orb alone makes it as offensive, if not more, than most, lol.
[](#teehee)
Overall good picks for amewards. Comedy in particular is very stacked with great podium. Sci-fi also lowkey did very well this year with not just Apocalypse Hotel but Milky Subway too.
Will say Blue Box AotY surprising, but great pick
It had a chance! Was probably the next one up in romcom, still a surprise how much I liked that one.
> Will say Blue Box AotY surprising, but great pick
Surprised me too! Was definitely harder than last year to pick a top show as I had a few fighting for the top spot this time around.
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment!
Calling Orb, #66 highest rated anime of all time on Mal, a waste of time, is your cherry on top!
Common sentiment around here lol
And yeah I really struggled to find much value in Orb personally sadly
As usual, even if I may disagree, I admire staying true to yourself and laying out your views.
In response, I should give my takes:
* I sadly found Blue Box unforgiveably boring and I dropped it after 16 episodes. However, Kusuriya remained great, and Crush at Work was also peak.
* Worst Anime does fit. Not my worst, but damn it was bad.
* Adventure only watched Once Upon a Witch's Death, which I liked a lot and which grew into its own after two heavy-handed first episodes. Worst show I liked though, but not as much as others.
* Comedy - I did like the Lycoris shorts a lot! SpyxFam was also good, even if the novelty has mostly worn off. Didn't watch Witch Watch or your worst, but the worst did seem bad in the PVs.
* Drama - Didn't watch Trillion, but did like Call of the Night....'s manga. Should finish at some point. Anne Shirely was really nice for the first cour and then became increasingly insufferable in the second. Your worst Drama, funnily enough, is either the best show or the worst show, depending on who I'm talking to. I liked it broadly, and I get both the praise and the criticism it receives.
* Fantasy of the Year - Didn't watch Saint, but did watch Silent Witch and Monster Meat and both were neat shows. Though Silent Witch was the better work overall, Monster Meat was hard carried by how pleasant and charming its main couple was. Didn't watch worst.
* Isekai of the Year - Didn't watch Red Ranger or Campfire Cooking. Did watch Zenshuu, which I hated. It wasn't just a SI fanfic, it was *every* SI fanfic. Didn't watch worst.
* Music of the Year - Rip your pool of candidates lol. Didn't watch karaoke, but did like Rock Lady and Ave Mujica!
* Mystery of the Year - Apothecary was great, but hard disagree on Lazarus, which was pretty bad in every aspect that was not visuals or soundtrack. Ameku I kinda liked but it wanted to be Detective Conan so badly, it was pitiful. Worst deserved.
* Romance of the Year - Did not watch any of the three. Did read the manga for worst, and while I liked it, I get it...
* RomCom of the Year - Crush at Work indeed creat. The other two I didn't watch. Neither did I watch worst.
* Sci-fi of the Year - Did drop that worst show relatively quickly! Did like Hotel and while it's the smarter show, I enjoyed Subway more. Fire Force I never started.
* Slice of Life - Oh what impeccable taste. All three great shows. No notes. Did like Worst quite a bit too, despite the production issues.
* Sports of the Year - Mad-Ame, your taste is décoiffant. Sorairo Utility was indeed amazing and charming. Wormed itself into my heart and stayed there. Medalist was also great. Cinderella Gray I still need to watch, I'm still at Uma Musume S3 -.- One day, I'll have caught up. Never watched worst show, so dodged a bullet there.
Glad to hear some backup there at least! Was a rough watch...
> Your worst Drama, funnily enough, is either the best show or the worst show, depending on who I'm talking to. I liked it broadly, and I get both the praise and the criticism it receives.
Just glad to hear there's others who didn't care too much for it!
> Though Silent Witch was the better work overall, Monster Meat was hard carried by how pleasant and charming its main couple was.
Yeah very similar feelings here, that main couple really put that show on their back.
> Did read the manga for worst, and while I liked it, I get it...
Not an Amethyst show haha and if it were named anything else I would have skipped it lol
> Oh what impeccable taste. All three great shows. No notes. Did like Worst quite a bit too, despite the production issues.
Woo glad to have a 3/3 approved category!
And glad to see Sports section do well too.
Merci beaucoup for taking the time to read it and comment Tai, greatly appreciated!!
[](#toradorable)
Not much to be sad about your worst picks, because for the most part I agree with them. A lot of those shows were bad. Except Zatsu Tabi. That one was great.
Biggest snubs are Okitsura and Ruri Rocks.
[](#lolifightsback)
Yeah definitely a case of me being tired of the "genre" more than anything the show did itself
> Biggest snubs are Okitsura and Ruri Rocks.
Okitsura did get my "fastest binged show" for my MAL wrapped so that's something!
_Ruri Rocks I never even started_
[](#abandonthread "sorry")
I didn't know that show was that bingeable. But at least it won something.
And Ruri was great. The rocks were very pretty.
[](#seasonalhype)
Never cook again
Well done.
Happy new year!
I‘m going to be that guy and say that I actually did have this on my radar a couple of months before it came out and was properly hyped for it too.
[](#seasonalcool)
Besides that, it wouldn’t be the Amewards without a couple of headscratchers, but this year I actually agree with a lot more of your placings than usual, so that’s something!
I had heard nothing until Daily Thread brought it up here!
> but this year I actually agree with a lot more of your placings than usual, so that’s something!
Better start being worried about your taste changing for the worse!
[](#flyingbunsofdoom)
>
>
>
> I had heard nothing until Daily Thread brought it up here!
I know someone posted the prequel short ([Milky Highway](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSc27JPm3r8)) in the daily thread before it started airing. That's how I learned about it.
Some of your top picks, like Blue Box and Red Ranger, were early drops for me, and seeing Kowloon Generic Romance picked as worst overall makes me twitch. Several of your other favorites, like Food for the Soul and Fragrant Flower, were no more than just ok to me. To top things off, I don't think you even watched my AOTY, The Summer Hikaru Died.
So, A+ work yet again. It's always fun to see something different for an end of the year wrap up. I'll really miss reading these if you're retiring.
Wouldn't have it any other way!
[](#tanakalove)
> To top things off, I don't think you even watched my AOTY, The Summer Hikaru Died.
I did start it with plans to finish but then just fell way too behind on the season. I remember being into what was happening but I just ran out of time sadly.
> So, A+ work yet again. It's always fun to see something different for an end of the year wrap up. I'll really miss reading these if you're retiring.
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment even if our tastes don't often align! Hopefully it can come back next year but I don't think it would be on the same scale as I'll probably be watching maybe half as many seasonals as I have in the past...
[](#shatteredsaten)
People are gonna love this one lol
[](#azusalaugh)
Sci-Fi and SoL are probably my favourite picks, mainly for their respective top 2.
What a time that show was...
[](#rinkek "for what I could actually see at least lol")
And yeah both Sci-fi and SoL and really strong second place finishes!
Oh, I saw Trillion Game there. IIRC it was written by Dr Stone's maker so I have it on my PTW. Hopefully will get around to watching that at some point
Interesting to see more people not feeling Orb though. I went in watching it with high hopes and it just became worse and worse and in the end I felt like they just wanted to waste my time completely. Around episode 14 or so IIRC it was basically said that there's a way to basically solve the entire plot with no repercussions, so it alongside many other plot holes were just... Ugh
Hope you like Trillion Game if you give it a go!
>Hope you like Trillion Game if you give it a go!
Somewhere in the never ending PTW [](#deadtired)
[](#flustered)
First was Orb then was Dandadan
It'd probably be better for me to just stick to my own shows lol
[](#justright)
I think the spiciest take I could find was that you don’t like Bocchi-like archetypes, which I’m not surprised at all by. I loved your inclusion of *May I Ask One Final Thing?* and *I Have a Crush at Work*, both of which were personal stand outs this year in their own ways, even if we ranked them slightly differently. *Blue Box* was a show I had overlooked this year, but I’ll have to check it out with your endorsement as AOTY.
[](#seasonalhype)
>
Feels like each year loses a bit more spice haha
> I think the spiciest take I could find was that you don’t like Bocchi-like archetypes
Yeah my 2022 Amewards was not well appreciated for that take haha
> Blue Box was a show I had overlooked this year, but I’ll have to check it out with your endorsement as AOTY.
Hope you enjoy it and thanks so much for reading and commenting!
[](#anko)
This feels like the best received they've ever been, not to mention people commenting excited to experience their first Amewards! Talk about having truly made it!
That said
> Feels like each year loses a bit more spice haha
yes, it does feel like that, although I must say I really appreciate that you've just stuck to your guns and not gone controversial just for the sake of controversial and following your heart and whimsy when judging them! That said, I do feel like they've always been fairly even-handed and civil write-ups even when encountering shows you intensely disliked, which always made the downvotes seem wrong-headed, as much as they contributed to the flavor lol
At any rate, as enjoyable a write-up as ever! As usual I'm rarely reading for the actual judgements as much just your recap and writing style as the best way to round out the anime year lol
[](#utahapraises)
Sorry to hear this might be the last. Is it too much hassle writing these up? I imagine it must take quite a while to write.
> Third place goes to another romance focused show that stood out to me I Have A Crush At Work. Adult romance in the workplace where they actually act like adults?? Sign me up! This one was not only cute but showed how good office romances can be in anime. We got spice, side ships and good communication.
Damn, seems I missed a great show. I'd meant to pick that up but got overwhelmed that season. I'll need to go back someday.
> [Worst Anime of the Year] Kowloon Generic Romance
I hadn't realised it was quite that low for you, but yeah, that was such a disappointing show.
> For first place I decided to go with a pick not many people would consider with May I Ask for One Final Thing? coming out just on top. It was just so much fun to see Scarlett punch anything and everyone around her.
Haha yeah her punches were always satisfying, it's just a shame the rest didn't live up to that for me. Glad to hear you enjoyed it so much though.
> In second place we have Spy x Family Season 3. An Amewards staple at this point. While this season did have more serious action moments the comedy of the cast always ends up being the draw of the show.
Oh is the third season worth picking up? I just wish Spy x Family was worthy of being in the top romance category instead of comedy, more Loid x Yoi content plz.
> [Worst Fantasy of the Year] I Want to Escape from Princess Lessons (I defended this one a lot through the year but that doesn't not make it the worst...very rough)
Just hearing its name makes me hear that *ping* and meta-look-to-camera thing it loved to do.
> That being said there was a clear winner here in Karaoke Iko!. This one felt unique and stood out with every episode. Not a typical band or idol show, it felt very refreshing. Also anytime Ono D sings I need to give a show extra points to.
lol yep, I'm going to need to rewatch his headbanging to that Crimson song after I finish writing this comment.
> In third place we have one that surprised me in April Showers Bring May Flowers. Did not think I would like this one as much as I did as I didn't care too much about the main ship but it introduced one of the best side ships of the year which was enough for it to push it to third.
Was that Gota x Ugu? Yeah they were a surprisingly great couple by the end.
> [Worst Sci-Fi of the Year] Your Forma (No buddy cop, no ship, no interesting world. Pacing is poor...not much here redeemable)
Boooooo. Echika x Harold were cute together (in those brief moments between all the times Echika gets kidnapped), but yeah, it wasn't a great show.
> [Worst Sports of the Year] Catch Me at the Ballpark! (Feels bad to have this as worst as it was still surprisingly good but the sports side of it is really lacking)
I'm surprised it's even tagged as a sports anime on MAL, as yeah there really isn't any sports in it. Other than that one match in the finale, I'm not sure if we ever saw the outcome of a match, or even who the team was playing most episodes.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Ame. It's always fun to hear such an informed opinion, there's not many shows that slip past you.
Yeah the time to put it all together and me probably watching maybe 50% less shows than I have in the past make it harder to continue at this scale sadly, but we'll see!
> Damn, seems I missed a great show. I'd meant to pick that up but got overwhelmed that season. I'll need to go back someday.
Was a really fun one! Is just an office romance so nothing _too_ groundbreaking but wow was it nice to see an anime finally do it right.
> Oh is the third season worth picking up? I just wish Spy x Family was worthy of being in the top romance category instead of comedy, more Loid x Yoi content plz.
I quite enjoyed it but if you're on the fence on the show as a whole it can be moved on from. And yeahhhh I WISH the show focused more on romance, would move up my ranks for sure!
> Just hearing its name makes me hear that ping and meta-look-to-camera thing it loved to do.
LMFAO I had forgotten about that haha, great callback
> lol yep, I'm going to need to rewatch his headbanging to that Crimson song after I finish writing this comment.
Ouu me too, good call
> Was that Gota x Ugu? Yeah they were a surprisingly great couple by the end.
Yup! Was rooting for them hard, if the show was about them fully I could see it getting a much higher score lol
> Boooooo. Echika x Harold were cute together (in those brief moments between all the times Echika gets kidnapped), but yeah, it wasn't a great show.
It's just so often they're separated...so wild for a buddy cop type show
> I'm surprised it's even tagged as a sports anime on MAL
Me too but it let me count it here as I had nothing else haha
> Thanks for sharing your thoughts Ame. It's always fun to hear such an informed opinion, there's not many shows that slip past you.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment, always appreciate reading your thoughts on them every year!!
Unexpected pick, but glad it won the Sports title. It's also my overall #4 of the year of any genre (after Tasokare Hotel, Ameku Takao no Suiri Karte, and Ruri no Houseki), despite not usually being a sports series fan (although have a higher tolerance depending on which sport they depict and soft spot for golf-based ones).
Also probably because Slice of Life is one of my favorite genres and to me it feels kind of like a Sports + Slice of Life hybrid, probably because of Minami's pure novicehood and the playful super casual dynamic of all the girls.
The sports parts I did enjoy but their interactions were what made fall in love with the show.
Yeah Food for the Soul was just such a great watch, felt like some of the best classic SoLs I'm used to watching that feel less and less present.
I'll take it!
Now Apocalypse Hotel is winning in its category is great stuff. It was my favourite anime from 2025. Plus Food For the Soul was also one of my favourites. It also won in its category.
My main disagreement is with Tying the knot with an Amagami Sister in the worst romance but knowing that u don't like harem plus as i remember u only watched it because of Amagami name so I will let that slide.
As for the worst drama - Orb. I agree it was pretty crap. I dropped it after 3 episodes when it aired then i picked it up again a month ago but the dialogues were so bad plus the production quality didn't help either. So again I dropped it around the 10th episode this time.
So congratulations on wrapping up another Awards Year.
Also I hope u get enough time this year to watch all the anime u want. Thanks as always for doing this.
That's already a super high amount to agree on so love seeing that!
> Now Apocalypse Hotel is winning in its category is great stuff. It was my favourite anime from 2025. Plus Food For the Soul was also one of my favourites. It also won in its category.
Yeah both big standouts in the categories, ran away with first place easily.
> as i remember u only watched it because of Amagami name so I will let that slide.
Yeah if it was named literally anything else I would have avoided it fully lol
> As for the worst drama - Orb. I agree it was pretty crap
Well I'm glad you got out when you did! IMO that was the better half of the show too
> So congratulations on wrapping up another Awards Year. Also I hope u get enough time this year to watch all the anime u want. Thanks as always for doing this.
Thank you! And thank you for taking the time to read and share your thoughts, glad there was a lot that we shared!
[](#abandonthread)
My friend, WHAT? Did you tune out while watching them?
Uh oh at [Worst Drama]>!Orb!< being worst drama of the year as that's on my 2026 PTW list.
[Worst RomCom]>!Himari was soooooo frustrating at times I wish he got together with the other girl instead.!<
Yes! Yes! I finally found my people.
>[Worst Music of the Year]
No! No! What the heck is this.
It's a bit of a bummer there’s no Shoshimin in the Mystery category, though. Although this might turn into another monkey’s paw situation.
>[Worst Mystery of the Year] Kowloon
This is certainly a good choice. It’s very meh mystery-wise.
[](#utahapraises)
> No! No! What the heck is this.
It got third at least!
> It's a bit of a bummer there’s no Shoshimin in the Mystery category, though. Although this might turn into another monkey’s paw situation.
It just missed out for 3rd...was just worse than S1 I feel
Really was not a fan of Blue Box, Fragrant Flower, Too Perfect Saint, Lazarus, and a few others.
That said, there are some pretty solid winners. Especially happy with Witch Watch and I Have a Crush at Work being mentioned.
> My sixth, and maybe final, time doing my personal awards like this
Not like this...
[](#itsnotfair)
Will be a strong one to end it on if anything at least!!
[](#rinkek)
And thank you for always reading these, greatly appreciated!
The loid back story was so good
The opening sequence protect the sun is catchy and really good
But I'm not completely out of the loop, because I'm slowly catching up on decades of anime.
I rely on the recommendations from Crunchyroll or ADN.
I just hope they're not too cheesy 😅
But I've noted 3 or 4 titles that are mentioned in the categories I like.
I’m surprised you like Silent Witch so much since you despise Bocchi’s character type. I thought Monica was definitely a weaker character than Bocchi, even if she was still pretty good.
While I understand your Zatsu Tabi opinion, I like that one so overall I disagree more than I agree which is par the course.
Thanks for taking the time to read and yeah Orb and me just never got along...
really do feel like I need to watch I Have a Crush at Work.
for me it wasn't the greatest year for romances because several of them bothered me. To be honest, I dropped Blue Box in the first cour, on the basis of knowing how it was going to go and feeling absolutely nothing positive about Chinatsu or Taiki. I just could not stand to see Best Girl get hurt, okay? if we're supposed to be okay with Taiki/Chinatsu, why did they make Hina so insanely charismatic?
for A Star Brighter than the Sun and Pass the Monster Meat Milady, I have the Curse of the Manga Reader. the former isn't even a bad adaptation at all, probably a better production than, say, Honey Lemon Soda. but good lord in anime form the miscommunication is completely unbearable. I don't know that I can stand to watch two people that like each other so strongly talk past each other over and over, and honestly Kouki's actions stop making any sense. Pass the Monster Meat Milady just felt like such an inadequate adaptation of a manga I like so much that I have nine volumes. if either of these picked up later in the season I'd love to know, because I hate that I fell off of two shoujo romance anime. not the kind of precedent I want to set!
I do want to co-sign your appreciation for Red Ranger and Too Perfect Saint, two shows that really slipped under a lot of people's radars but deserved more positive attention. Though, Red Ranger is so committed to The Bit that a lot of people are just never going to understand it. But it is Sincere in a way most isekai are not. Togo's overwhelming sincerity is such an antidote to the rank cynicism of so many isekai, tbh.
I find this list is rather safe.
Other than me seeing Apothocary Diaries and Lazarus on this list many of the anime on this list are very generic.
Also why a seperate romance catergory and rom/com category?
Some shows feel more focused on romance than others is all.
Lazarus, Fragrant Flower, Blue Box, Medalist, and Milky Subway (I think I actually recommended this one to you!) are all shows I liked as well, and the first two are so underappreciated it's nice to see them earn a high ranking here. I'm not caught up on my sequels yet, but already know I'm going to love Spy x Family S3 and Apothecary Diaries S2 (I'm a source reader), and Dr. Stone has been great so far too.
There's also quite a few on this list I'm planning to check out, like Witch Watch, or read the manga/LNs (Star Brighter, Silent Witch, Sakamoto Days, Campfire Cooking).
It's funny that I also rated Your Forma pretty low, but I actually liked the buddy cop and world-building stuff in the first two arcs. The third arc storyline is where it fell apart for me.
Only real disagreement is that the LycoReco shorts didn't work for me. It made me realize how much the action plot was the main draw for me, because I didn't feel the comedy stood well on its own.
Feels like it as!
> but I actually liked the buddy cop and world-building stuff in the first two arcs. The third arc storyline is where it fell apart for me.
I liked what bit we had but just felt like there really wasn't enough of it.
Hopefully I can manage maybe a reduced version or something next year, we'll see how I can manage on time
Fully agree Blue Box was AOTY though, really did have it all, even managed to make me appreciate a sports show, which is a rarely accomplished feat.
Yeah a weaker year than last year for sure but still some gems in there, glad you also liked Blue Box!
And none of your picks for Worst this year made me think "Wow, I strongly disagree with this." I might reconsider that if I one day eventually get to *BanG Dream! Ave Mujica*, but I can't feel strongly about that yet.
A trend I'm noticing as I write my reactions to these is that I tend to have more to say of what you placed 2nd or 3rd than your 1st Place Winner in many categories as I didn't get around to starting or finishing these series. But I definitely do want to for shows like *Food For The Soul* and *Sorairo Utility*.
There are 3 winners this year where I went "Oh let's go Ame!" and I'll be sure to note them.
___
>Action of the Year
A pleasant surprise *Sakamoto Days Part 2* hit 2nd, but I definitely think it picks up in all areas from the first cour.
>Adventure of the Year
Happy *Once Upon a Witch's Death* is getting a shoutout here since that didn't end up being a popular show for the Spring season.
>Comedy of the Year
It's strange, but *Spy x Family S3* is the most I've liked an already good show since S1 Part 1 but it wasn't really for its comedic moments this season (though Anya with the Fake Bomb Collar and the montage of Yor playing volleyball on Melinda's team were funny highlights).
>Drama of the Year
The image is just of Anko for *Call of the Night S2*, but she 100% deserves it for how much she elevates S2.
>Fantasy of the Year
Liked that Monica managed to overcome a tendency for you to dislike that kind of character.
>Isekai of the Year
This is 1 of those 3. I'm not sure if it's my #1 of the year, but I can wholeheartedly support *The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World* for this category.
>Music of the Year
Even though this is a weak category for you this year, love to see *Rock Is a Lady's Modesty* getting runner-up. The crudeness the girls of Rock Lady have is a bonus for me. The sweating is not something I personally took note of even though it is apparent. It's certainly a unique critique of the show though.
>Mystery of the Year
2 of 3. Absolutely love *The Apothecary Diaries S2*'s big storyline it covered this year with Shisui and the moment behind the waterfall Maomao and Jinshi had. Not the greatest at noticing what was the step down in production for S2 so that didn't bother me either.
>Romance of the Year
The shonen romances are in Top 2 for this year, but I can support *Blue Box* as the winner of this category.
>RomCom of the Year
So my personal favorite for this year is not something I see you ever wanting to watch, but I can vibe with *I Have a Crush at Work* as the winner.
>Sci-fi of the Year
3 of 3. I don't think anymore needs to be said about how fantastic *Apocalypse Hotel* is from me. Can't believe it missed Top 10 from [ANN's Editorial Team](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/seasonal/2025/the-best-anime-of/the-top-10-anime-of/.232030). This is the real list/awards that made me mad the most from this year thus far, but there's still time to dethrone that. It will be hard though.
>Sports of the Year
Happy you came around on *Medalist*, but sad *Catch Me at the Ballpark!* was the worst pick.
>Anime of the Year
Like all of these picks and seeing *The Apothecary Diaries S2* moving one spot up.
____
Hopefully 2026 can be less busy for you, but if not then congrats on keeping this (and being able to watch enough anime to do your own awards) going for 6 consecutive years.
Shame too because I’ve enjoyed your previous compilations, and some of these are definitely valid.
> Anime of the Year
[](#neat)
Blue Box was so good this year and a little surprised to see it at the top but it does feel deserving of that spot, I agree with you for the most part. I do wish we got a bit more sports in it but it did have a great cast that I was fully invested in. I Have A Crush At Work was also a lot of fun! I loved that you used the ED visual for it instead of fan art because that visual is just too good
[](#kaorusmile)
> Action of the Year
I really need to watch "May I Ask for One Final Thing?" I don't watch stuff for VAs that often but Asami Seto as the main lead and the premise sound too good to pass up
> Adventure of the Year
One day I'll finish S2 for SLF... one day...
Good to see that it was still entertaining to watch even though you felt it was a step down from S1
[](#mugiwait)
> Comedy
Number 1 is not surprising here
[](#azusalaugh)
> Drama
[Anne](#mugiwait)
> Fantasy
[Silent Witch](#mugiwait)
Very surprised that Monica was good for you don't normally like those character types
> Mystery
[Lazarus](#mugiwait)
I'm glad to see you liked it! I had planned to watch it while it aired but the release for it here was dumb and I just didn't have the time this year to watch as much as I would've liked
> Romance
[](#sobright) Good picks with 1 and 2, I need to check out A Star Brighter Than The Sun
> Sci-fi
[Apocalypse Hotel](#seasonalapproval) Completely agree with you that, Yachiyo was a great lead and the overall story was enjoyable. [Episode 11](#ilovethiskindofshit)
> Slice of Life
[Food For The Soul](#mugiwait)
> Sports
[Sorairo Utility](#mugiwait)
Golfing is too strong, I'll need to check this and Tonbo out. Medalist was great too! Glad to see it on here, I loved Tsukasa and I'm excited for S2 coming up
There's usually a show I like that ends up in your worst but not this year lol, so I take that as a win
If this is the last time you're doing Amewards then I want to say thanks for putting the time and effort into these the past 6 years, as I like seeing shows I need to be on the lookout for! (and you always choose some great fanart). I have 8 shows on here I need to check out
[](#saesmile) [](#saehug)
Also great to see love for Dr. Stone, Witch Watch, and Shangri-La Frontier. I never expected Dr. Stone to get a full adaptation, but I'm overjoyed that it is.
Have you checked out Shoshimin at all?
I have! Sadly S2 I found to be a bit worse than S1 and drawn out at times
>My sixth, and maybe final, time doing my personal awards like this
[](#sadholo)
If this is Crunchyroll or the corrupt r/anime awards trying to bust out their superior competition, [I know a guy who can help](https://i.imgur.com/a8lVvyO.png)
Its sincerity had me smiling ear to ear, the comedy had me laughing out loud and even the serious dramatic moments hit emotionally.
Otherwise, as usual I don't agree with much ahaha but I'm glad to see Fire Force, Busu ni Hanataba wo, Milky Subway, and Silent Witch represented. I'm also a bit surprised by some of your categorizations, i.e. Chuuzenji being in slice of life and Ballpark being in sports (as it was a nice enough show as a slice of life.)
Sorry to hear that this might be the last one. I hope that you will continue to do these even if it's just the top choice per category. It's always fun to read Amewards!
Thank you for reading and commenting!!