Nominations are now open! What did you think were the best of the year in each category? Feel free to write a short comment with a retrospective for 2025!
Our volunteers have been hard at work on the website, so if you find anything missing or wonky, just respond to this comment and we'll check it out.
Your account must be at least 180 days old to be eligible to vote.
##Voting will remain open until January 15th 23:59 PST (UTC-8).
Feel free to share your selections on social media and elsewhere using the "share" button on the side. Happy voting!
For more information about the awards, [read an overview here!](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XZWUgg3VI-V06GSLEsUxRMTHadsHlirzgCcwlFArJzQ/edit?usp=sharing)
**EDIT: This year, we tried splitting characters off based on if the show they are in counts as an "ensemble" or not. If you can't find your favorite character in the individual character categories, see if the show is in ensemble! Check the linked overview document for more details.**
Durinthal2026-01-09 20:06
As before I watched [every anime allocated to romance this year](https://myanimelist.net/animelist/Durinthal?status=7&tag=awards-2025) and here are the ones I'm voting for:
- [**With You, Our Love Will Make It Through** / **Kimi to Koete Koi ni Naru**](https://www.livechart.me/anime/13017) — An interesting setting with racial integration as a primary theme, this is also a great execution of a shoujo school romance that isn't afraid to get steamy and ended up feeling spicier than the ecchi shows that had nipples on screen in every episode. It took a while for the final member of the core cast to show up but the four of them make for a great group to cheer on.
- [**I Have a Crush at Work** / **Kono Kaisha ni Suki na Hito ga Imasu**](https://www.livechart.me/anime/12763) — An adult office romance that doesn't have the couple acting like middle schoolers around their first crush. The premise of hiding their relationship is still a bit silly but aside from that it's the kind of thing that I've found sorely lacking in anime.
- [**A Star Brighter Than the Sun** / **Taiyou yori mo Mabushii Hoshi**](https://www.livechart.me/anime/13036) — The flip side of shoujo school romances compared to my first nomination with insecurities around one's innocent first love and a solid childhood friends to lovers story. Yes she's a bit dense when it comes to thinking of his perspective but that's part of the fun.
- [**Honey Lemon Soda**](https://www.livechart.me/anime/12545) — I guess it's the year of shoujo school romances for me because here's another one with its own angle. Compared to the others this has more of a "bad boy" male lead (on the surface at least) and more of a shy, reserved girl rebounding from bullying in middle school. It makes some more quirky choices with its directing that can be divisive but I enjoyed them.
- [**Yano-kun's Ordinary Days** / **Yano-kun no Futsuu no Hibi**](https://www.livechart.me/anime/12906) — Maybe my sleeper hit of the year with it being fun to watch initially for the reaction faces but eventually to see how their awkward but earnest relationship developed. Could just as easily be in slice of life but it was something I looked forward to each week either way.
This year was a step down for me for romance compared to [last year](/r/anime/comments/1hsvkyi/nominations_for_the_2024_ranime_awards_are_now/m58k2gb/), but 2024 was quite strong in that regard and this is more a return to normal. I'll give an honorable mention to **Senpai is an Otokonoko Movie: Sunshine After the Rain** which like with the first season didn't have enough of a focus on romance for me to vote for it. Similarly **Aharen-san wa Hakarenai Season 2** and **Catch Me at the Ballpark!** have some great ships in them but are in slice of life instead.
Gaporigo2026-01-09 20:09
Honey Lemon Soda acknowledgement, we take it.
Ham_PhD2026-01-09 20:26
How did I end up watching **none** of these. I guess I did try 2 of them. I'll have to give the rest of them a shot cause I trust ya.
AdiMG2026-01-09 21:06
Definitely didn't watch as many as you but my favorite was the short series called [The Lenticulars](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlgATKUIfv4&list=PLylWpI-o9raXsnGg6ONA5CY--sI-wl9ez&index=9). It's only a part 1 but it's such a pleasant depiction of a high school romance with a lot of fun musings about the contradictory nature of love.
Durinthal2026-01-09 21:49
I enjoyed that one, simple but effective. Annoyingly MAL hasn't allowed it as an entry so it's not on my list there.
manquistador2026-01-10 01:31
I feel like there is a lot of toxicity, or just boring-ness in most of the shows this year. Watanare was the only one that appealed to me.
Zeralyos2026-01-09 20:07
Thank you for not making the list reshuffle every time I pick something this year.
CosmicPenguin_OV1032026-01-09 20:07
#AveMujicaAOTY2025 here we gooooooooooooooo!!!
ClemFire2026-01-09 21:11
If I could vote for a specific episode \[Ave Mujica\] >!Uika's monologue would be in my running for best episode of the year !<
Dull_Spot_82132026-01-09 20:08
**The Summer Hikaru Died** is my pick for the best anime of 2025. Not only do we rarely get great horror genre adaptations, but we also got one of the most unique explorations of a coming of age narrative with a visual style all its own and voice acting at its best. Music, sound design, direction, it’s all there. This one has the whole package and is a once in a blue moon contribution that will be recommended far into the future.
Kaiguy042026-01-09 20:19
Unpopular opinion probably but I loved the show at the start but as it got towards the end i started finding it boring
Dull_Spot_82132026-01-09 20:24
I never found it boring. Only increasingly unsettling in new and horrific ways.
AdiMG2026-01-09 21:07
Even if that was the case for you, the direction was undeniably great throughout, so people should definitely vote for it in Cinematography here!
Shimmering-Sky2026-01-09 21:12
Don't have to tell me twice, haha. That was one of the first things that came to mind for that category for me.
Kaiguy042026-01-09 21:51
oh no doubt, the direction and cinematography was outstanding but story wise it just wasn’t my cup of tea
BaytaCosmico2026-01-09 22:33
Absolutely would get my vote wherever it is eligible. Loved every aspect of it.
aniMayor2026-01-09 20:09
Hey everyone, the website team managed to import or manually add images for *almost* all of the tens of thousands of anime/character/OP/ED entries in the website... but if you come across an entry that makes you sad that it doesn't have an image, feel free to reply here with a suggested image and I will make sure it gets manually updated.
Likewise if you think there is an entry that is missing entirely it probably was not eligible for one reason or another ([see our eligibility rules here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dnhRl6NEd4FJM1vgBJ-_D8vA12m665_94Rms9tGfqtw/edit?usp=sharing)) but feel free to ask about it here. We do make mistakes and could have just missed it in the database.
Shimmering-Sky2026-01-09 20:10
I can't even find KiLLKiSS from Ave Mujica at all under the OP section? Tried every variation of searching for the song name & the show name and nothing. Its EDs *are* there on the ED section, though.
aniMayor2026-01-09 20:13
Yup, search didn't find it for me either. I tried a fix, does it work now?
Shimmering-Sky2026-01-09 20:14
Yep, it's there now. Thanks!
[](#elderlylove)
Zeralyos2026-01-09 20:52
Expanding on that, I'm not seeing anyone from Ave Mujica in the character awards.
BiggieCheeseLapDog2026-01-09 20:54
They’re in the ensemble category. The characters from ensemble series aren’t eligible for lead or supporting.
Zeralyos2026-01-09 20:58
I see. Not sure when that became a thing but I think it's a pretty terrible idea.
BiggieCheeseLapDog2026-01-09 20:59
It’s what was decided.
(I agree. I still have no idea why they did it that way and am pissed I can’t vote for Orb characters)
Akiyabus2026-01-09 20:54
I can't find any characters from City or Ave Mujica in the character categories (the series themselves are there for the ensemble cast though)
Also can't find [Kaseijin](https://anilist.co/anime/205536/Kaseijin/) for best music video category.
BiggieCheeseLapDog2026-01-09 20:55
Characters from the ensemble category aren’t eligible for lead or supporting.
Akiyabus2026-01-09 20:57
[](#hardthink)
I guess it makes sense for City but I am not sure if that should be the case for Ave Mujica
BiggieCheeseLapDog2026-01-09 20:58
Ensemble wanted Ave Mujica and argued a lot for it so they got it in the end.
cppn022026-01-09 21:37
That's a wild decision. Great ensembles can have characters that are great on their own.
aniMayor2026-01-09 20:59
> I can't find any characters from City or Ave Mujica in the character categories (the series themselves are there for the ensemble cast though)
That is intentional.
From our [Overview Doc](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XZWUgg3VI-V06GSLEsUxRMTHadsHlirzgCcwlFArJzQ/edit?usp=sharing):
> Character Awards
>
> These awards recognize the most outstanding leading characters, supporting characters, and ensemble casts of the year from amongst the year's eligible anime. Each eligible anime is designated to either the Best Leading Character and Best Supporting Character award categories, or to the Best Ensemble Cast award category—**characters from anime with ensemble casts cannot be nominated for the leading and supporting character awards, and vice versa**.
Due to various issues with the Cast category in past years, when we brought it back this year we decided to try a completely exclusive implementation for the reborn Ensemble Cast category, focusing only on the smaller number of shows where there isn't necessarily a clear Lead/Supporting division or else where the show is more fixated on ensemble cast dynamics overall. And hence no characters from any show that is allocated to the Ensemble Cast category are vote'able for Leading Character or Supporting Character.
More explanation here: https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1ny0xga/the_2025_ranime_awards_announcement_and_jury/nhr8s75/
&nbsp;
> Also can't find Kaseijin for best music video category.
Try searching for "Martian" instead of Kaseijin
Akiyabus2026-01-09 21:04
I understand that for a cast as large as City's but can't say I think the same for Ave Mujica
[](#sakurathink)
> Try searching for "Martian" instead of Kaseijin
Thanks!
Zekiel692026-01-09 22:31
Hello, I only see Hyakuemu in the VA Performance, OP and ED categories, and nowhere else. Is this intentional?
aniMayor2026-01-09 22:32
It dropped too late in the year to be eligible for most categories this year, alas. It'll be eligible in next year's awards instead.
cppn022026-01-10 01:32
Not a missing character but can the text for when I copy my nominations to clipboard be slightly fixed so they can be posted here with good formatting on old reddit and 3rd party apps too?
What's needed is one extra linebreak under the category. Right now it copies
edit: [old reddit](https://i.imgur.com/stVURSg.png) and [sync](https://i.imgur.com/LfzbqLz.jpeg) screenshots for those who see both versions properly formatted
aniMayor2026-01-10 01:44
I'll pass that on to the website dev team!
cppn022026-01-10 01:44
[](#nichijouthumbs)
edit: I see this had been changed. Thanks!
GondolaMedia2026-01-09 20:14
[Done my part](https://i.imgur.com/pIeuqDt.png)
[](#modsalute)
Edit: Also 100 meters is not on the movie of the year candidates?
aniMayor2026-01-09 20:32
> Edit: Also 100 meters is not on the movie of the year candidates?
Unfortunately, it dropped just a little bit too late in the year for it to be eligible for the 2025 awards, and will have to be considered in the 2026 awards instead.
Our eligibility for when things can release and still be considered in the awards has gotten more lenient over the years, but there's still ultimately a problem with taking things that drop at the very, very end of the year into consideration, because jurors need time to not only watch them but also analyze and discuss them amongst the jury. So right now there's still some limitations, though this is also under review for next year.
Vaxivop2026-01-09 20:17
Hi everyone please pick a random <300 view short for short of the year thanks!
zairaner2026-01-09 20:24
Everybody vote ninja and assassin! Such a great dark comedy!
drama: ave mujica, medalist, apocalypse hotel, rock is a ladies modesty
comedy: 100 gfs, ninja and assassin under one roof, bad girl
adventure: clevatess
romance: watanare
lsice of life: lycoris recoil, mangakas workplace
suspense: sanda, this monster wants to eat me, takopi
anime of the year: takopi, medalist, clevatess, watanare, ninja and assassin
WorldArcher12452026-01-09 20:34
Watanare over Fragrant Flower? Seriously?
zairaner2026-01-09 21:47
only watched a few episodes of fragrant!
Ham_PhD2026-01-09 20:25
The category I usually care most about is **best character**, so I'll leave my picks (for lead character at least) in an attempt to shill.
* **Yoshiki** (The Summer Hikaru Died) - Understated and seemingly "dull," this character is packed with depth and is fascinating to watch. His name isn't in the title, but his journey is what carries the soul of this show.
* **Yachiyo** (Apocalypse Hotel) - Just an absolute blast to watch. A fun show in its own right, but one that is lifted to greatness purely on the shoulders of its amazing lead. She'll make you laugh, cry, and everything in between.
* **Kobato** (Shoshimin S2) - He didn't catch my attention as much in the first season, but in the second season, you really start to unpack why this guy is special. I really can't say too much if you haven't seen the show, but his . . . obsessiveness is quite captivating.
* **Inori** (Medalist) - The plucky underdog in a sports show is one of the most common archetypes you can find, but sometimes they're just more charming than the rest. That's Inori, who despite being a typical version of this character, is also kinda snarky and pessimistic. That makes her stand out.
* **Wada** (Food Court) - This girl doesn't have any notable traits. She's not smart. She's not courageous. She's not talented. But she's an incredible representation of someone that we have all met before. When you are able to so perfectly capture real humanity into a fictional character like this, it's just magical.
thyeggman2026-01-09 20:31
Hi everyone, I'm writing as a part of the Shorts Jury this year with your annual list of stuff to check out! With *over 500* total entries eligible for shorts this year, it can be daunting to figure out where to start, so this list should help get you started.
The hosts this year have also split the award between music videos (MVs), and short films, so both will have separate nominations and winners! This allows short films more room to shine alongside MVs.
With that out of the way, here are our recommendations!
# Short films ([Youtube playlist](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-P3HWXGYm4&list=PLMbzyGKPhrWWPzzTlNd0YkrvjFGqI9jmF))
* [Baan](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-P3HWXGYm4) \- I'm sure you've heard of it, it's YouTuber Gigguk's short film about home
* [Bottled Insects](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCbKm14_zuE) \- A haunting story about hoarding and animal wellness (CW: Animal Abuse)
* [Bright](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yptpnSgO3vA) \- An eye-themed experimental piece with epic musical direction and distinctive color design
* [Echoes of Memory](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKt412fev-s) \- A brooding story about revisiting a home you no longer recognize
* First Line - A story about a young animator given an important cut by the director. Unfortunately no official link for this one so you'll have to dig it up
* [Fire Craft](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wL0TZzcKWE) \- A film about a boy discovering his late father's love for gardening in a bleak world
* [Hoshi no Ohime-sama](https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/1939748815776751619/vid/avc1/1280x720/-JBf0npv3t4GvXpx.mp4?tag=21) \- A heart-wrenching story about losing a child
* [Mamiko's Poop](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEAFgHtuOIk) \- A girl's poop comes to life and goes to get revenge on the boy who broke up with her
* [Mayo-chan's Night Walk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMFnxahh-WM) \- An r/animeinourworld style shot about a vlogger exploring a city at night
* [On the Other Side](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s0yOxhDryA) \- A charcoal-pencil style animation about connection with fantastic music
* [Red Memory (Aka no Kioku)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAsy0QkeTpw) \- A short by the creator of *Look Back* about growing up
* [Sou](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNguRxS5VCg) \- A young kid loses their home in a fire and escapes on a train full of mysterious people
* [Sushilogy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRUvXr1OJUs) \- A musical piece that plays with an infinite sushi counter to create fun effects
* [The Fox Elevator Boy Renard](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEJnkUoHUGE) \- A short about an elevator operator who is a secret kitsune with electroswing music
* [To the Moon and Back](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjAyWTgwNT0) \- An endearing story about a young girl, her family, and her tadpole
* [Until we Meet Again](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCNb_JsRGjk) \- An animation with geometric characters that tells a story about a grandfather and grandson reuniting
# Music Videos ([Youtube playlist](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skOU8kDB0Xw&list=PLMbzyGKPhrWV4qCTvUsd9LDa-K01TEL4F))
* [Aren't People Just a Tube?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skOU8kDB0Xw) \- VTuber Tsukino Mito teams up with coalowl for their signature dance and fabric animation
* [Caramel Pain](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpEPkPg8YP4) \- Suisei does an animator vs animation style MV
* [Copy and Paste](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVQyawspiqc) \- Fujibase MV about environmentalism with his archetypical spiral faces
* [End of Summer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txHlVxwTzu8) \- Punk rock vocaloid song with a sun-bleached summer aesthetic
* [Fujiyama Charisma](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6PwSMga7AI) \- Hilarious music video featuring the "Charisma Boys" and all of Hokusai's 36 views of Mt. Fuji
* [Gurgle Gurgle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5Q5f5mkh74) \- A punk rock piece with an animator and several different animation styles
* [Haze](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTH46ZUhbas) \- A vocaloid MV set in a bleak industrial world with great action and themes of individualism
* [Horny Money World](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_opjVlYhi4) \- Marine really clowning on the whales
* [Martian](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLRbIc8KZ_8) \- Music video for the full song of OP2 from *Shoshimin*, with super clean animation
* [Meteorgirl](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSdeEU-LTwE) \- Snail house's latest MV about an alien who crash landed and befriends a boy
* [Neon Tokyo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_qduuoIDl0) \- Super relaxing Fujibase MV with synth vibes, with themes of identity
* [Phony](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk38WpvSfII) \- Vocaloid piece with Flipnote studio 3DS visuals
* [Pickles](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlTV8OKvWh8) \- A collaboration between McDonands and a bunch of different creators
* [Sparkling Bandage](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcG1sZILjfc) \- A well-produced MV by VTuber Sana, with cool compositing techniques
* [Sunflower that Wants to Die](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=staQ0DR6oaY) \- An MV by Shinsei Kamatte-chan with a visual bombardment of many different effects
The full eligibility list can be found [here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wEi6tj3GvirQ7ARmwuSsLSF6gT96EPHVracLJ1PlGnc/edit?gid=1275872180#gid=1275872180)
BiggieCheeseLapDog2026-01-09 20:46
I had completely forgotten to juror influence Sunflower That Wants to Die, but it looks like that thankfully wasn’t necessary.
AdiMG2026-01-09 21:02
> First Line - A story about a young animator given an important cut by the director. Unfortunately no official link for this one so you'll have to dig it up
And it's very much worth looking for it. It's an amazing short film about perseverance and growth! If you want just a taste of how stunning a film it is, just take a look at [this cut uploaded on Sakugabooru.](https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/ee3a59109bb0fde5eff1747e5c46f8ad.mp4)
> Aren't People Just a Tube? - VTuber Tsukino Mito teams up with coalowl for their signature dance and fabric animation
Love this MV too, absolute banger with some stunning animation
goldstar942026-01-09 21:20
The shorts are always the most fun part, I always discover a few interesting creators, so thanks for your hard work!
Puddo2026-01-10 00:04
> Fire Craft
Heh completely missed this project actually got released after all those years. Figured it was one of those projects stuck in limbo forever.
minnieboss2026-01-10 00:23
If anyone's looking for more short films, I watched all the eligible ones (excluding MVs) and [posted a list of recs here!](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/s/n1gdOKLTHf)
thyeggman2026-01-10 01:06
We saw this in the jury few days ago, glad to see we share a bunch of recs!
minnieboss2026-01-10 01:23
Yay! And thank you for the MV list!!
Salty1452026-01-10 01:59
Bro really selected the hard mode of categories, but came in clutch with more HW for me.
rogctaw2026-01-12 12:29
I wanted to do this for a couple of years now, but I finally took the time to go through every eligible short. Just want to pop in and say **thank you** to everyone who put this together. It's an incredible resource of independent Japanese animation and neat YouTube channels.
There's so much good stuff there. So many different, experimental animation styles. So many stories that are moving, tragic, personal, or outright bizarre. It's great to see just how different these shorts are compared to most commercial anime.
I ended up voting for:
* **Find Me**: I love how the author describes this. "Their unstable childhoods, their longing for their mothers' love, their endless search for belonging, and wounds that refuse to heal. They want to grow up but can't. I am here to give voice to their cries, speaking through their own words." It's touching concept. Letting wounded people speak about their own experiences, the good and the bad, and transforming it into a lovely piece of animation that is sad but ultimately hopeful. A reminder that things can get better.
* **LULLABY**: A deeply haunting and disturbing portrayal of childhood trauma and abuse (likely CSA). This one will stay in my mind for a long while.
* **Tunnel Wandering**: The whole list has so many weird, experimental pieces of animation. This one still manages to stand out as something else entirely. Both the most unique animation style and the most bizarre story of them all. Considering what else is on the list that's quite an achievement.
* **Q**: Simple compared to a lot of other options. I like how it frames every shots, how it constantly switches between different sound textures and how the story works really well as a metaphor for loneliness.
* **Vision**: Very abstract. I can't describe why it grabbed me so much but the whole thing had me mesmerized. Like a really good piece of abstract art.
There's easily 20+ I wanted to vote for as well. **Hitori**, **Bottled Insects**, **Echoes of Memory** and **On The Other Side...** in particular, but also things like Even devils lose their horns, My Organs Lying on the Ground, First Line, Love★Star, Pepe and Roncino, Rebirth, Sign, SUGAR SUGAR RUNE, THE COLLISION , The Ghost-Cat's Recipe, The Hole, Until we meet again, school route, Sou, and so many more.
KoalaNugget2026-01-13 15:03
I agree with you 100% about the list. While the list serves the purpose of combining the eligible shorts for the awards, so works such as under 30s animation cuts on social media are categorically left out, I definitely feel the list is a brilliant by-product of the work put into the event. It also can be enjoyed even by those who aren't interested in the awards themselves, so I hope people find ways to promote it outside that context as well. The MV list is the same - I partically like the moments it lets me discover videos with just handful of views but overflowing with ideas and earnest work put into them.
I revisited some of the ones you mentioned now and this is definitely an enjoyable set. I'm also a big fan of [Q](https://youtu.be/SXoRBXMmuJM?si=y3EgOF3r8F99D2Ul) in particular. The long takes create a very strong atmosphere on that, and the creator Kihara's solid grasp for compositing shots makes it difficult to get bored with an image even when they are hold on screen for longer. The shot starting at 2:04 is probably my favourite as well as a great example of Kihara's interesting way of adding small motion to the shot that really isn't meant to be the focus but rather add to the overall feeling the shot evokes. On this shot in particular, I'm talking about the golfers swinging in the far distance.
I recommend checking Masataka Kihara's other works as well if interested: [Tomoya!](https://youtu.be/ka65AmCZbTM?si=n_IjySyl4pI0AERI), [Yapolaponky](https://youtu.be/-m-8O6U1Fcc?si=Bq6ncHiCemtnhmhG), and [Ryota](https://youtu.be/0Qu6yt_ZdEo?si=RQUM8UthkWC5JrYv).
Puddo2026-01-13 23:04
Yeah I actively try to keep up with shorts, but there is so much and so much of it is pretty hidden as well. Makes it hard to pick just 5, but also makes it always easy to miss wonderful stuff. So it's a nice part of the awards to have a group really focus on it. Every year there will be a bunch of shorts in the list shared by the jurors that I wouldn't have found on my own. We don't have many of those accessible sources (which makes it frustrating when you do get the taste for them, speaking from experience). It’s a true treasure trove if you like animation in a broader sense.
Also always feels a bit sad to find a fascinating video with just a few views (like Find Me is still under the 100 views) simply because it's some obscure website/channel almost no one heard of. So the awards even nudging only a few people towards them or getting them interested in checking out some shorts in general already feels like a big increase.
DJBay1232026-01-09 20:35
This was a great year for comedys, really hard to pick 5. I chose:
* Kimi no Koto ga Dai Dai Dai Dai Daisuki na 100-nin no Kanojo 2nd Season
* Ninja to Koroshiya no Futarigurashi
* SPY×FAMILY Season 3
* CITY THE ANIMATION (personally my AOTY)
* Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! 3: BONUS STAGE
On another note, I'm quite curious, how many OP's/ ED's, if any, are people nominating from shows they didn't actually watch. Last year I nominated the DanDanDan ED despite not watching the show, just really loved the ED, and was wondering how often people do it.
lordposedyon2026-01-09 22:42
Before I watched JJK I voted for Lost in Paradise. Sometimes if something is THAT good, you go for it I guess.
manquistador2026-01-10 01:34
Comedy is looking fairly stacked. Kind of wish Ninkoro got moved to slice of life.
UltraYZU2026-01-09 21:00
Dandadan better win best OP, it really grew on me and now Im addicted to it. what a banger
spectre152026-01-09 21:04
Trying to view it and it says “limited access.”
aniMayor2026-01-12 19:26
Make sure the URL you are ending up at is: https://animeawards.moe/participate/nominate
If you find yourself at a top page such as https://animeawards.moe/dashboard, etc, then yes you will get that limited access error.
ClemFire2026-01-09 21:06
The votes I were the most passionate about this year:
**Romance**: My Dress-Up Darling S2, Blue Box, Watanare
**Slice of Life**: Ruri Rocks, Mangaka's, Food for the Soul
**Suspense**: Re:Zero S3, Watatabe
**Lead Character**: Marin, Shiori, Subaru, Ruri, and Sukuta
**Supporting Character**: Amano, Hina, Miko, Isabelle, and Hazama
**Anime of the Year:** My Dress-Up Darling S2, Re:Zero S3, Ruri Rocks, and Watatabe
Long story short I love My Dress-Up Darling, and it just made me so happy in a way no other new show truly captured for me in 2025.
That is a based character list. Also I'm not sure if you noticed this too, but I find Marin super popular with a lot of yuri enjoyers. Maybe that's just because she is so loved in general though.
Hitman71282026-01-09 21:21
Yeah, I just like yuri because I tend to enjoy the characters (much better than most male MCs I see in romance). I like MDUD because I like both Gojo and Marin, though I favor the latter.
An MC I don't like often kills my enjoyment of the show, and I will usually end up dropping it.
ClemFire2026-01-09 21:39
I feel that for sure. Also I was a romance anime fan much before I became a yuri fan. An unlikable paper bag MC kills the romance for me and makes me feel bad for the love interest.
zezeviolaoo2026-01-09 22:34
watanare, hibimeshi, ninkoro, lycoreco, damn you have good taste bro
[deleted]2026-01-09 21:08
[deleted]
Shimmering-Sky2026-01-09 21:11
These are us picking out nominations, we aren't actually voting on the winners yet. If you search for Apocalypse Hotel on the Anime of the Year tab, you can find it.
cppn022026-01-09 21:14
Website seems to be down.
PandavengerX2026-01-09 21:24
Sorry, it's a bit slow at the moment, so I took it down for 2 minutes to bump up the RAM and CPU. Unfortunately it still seems to be a bit slow, but let me know if it works for you now.
cppn022026-01-09 21:31
Atm it does.
DoctorWhoops2026-01-09 21:16
##Too many OP, too little time?
Let me help you out! 2025 had some fantastic OP, quite a few of them attached to very popular shows, but also some hidden gems that you probably missed! Here's the most important ones I think you should know about going into voting, in no particular order!
---
[**Kaseijin - Shoushimin Series 2nd Season**](https://v.animethemes.moe/ShoushiminSeriesS2-OP1.webm): One of the best songs *and* visuals of the year. A groovy and layered Yorushika track attached to incredibly creative visuals using papercraft and other mixed media making for an OP that is not just brilliant and one-of-a-kind this year, but in general. If you want to feel inspired or intrigued, whether musically or visually, this is one of the best OP (ever) to experience something that is as fresh as it is fantastic.
[**Watch me! - Witch Watch**](https://v.animethemes.moe/WitchWatch-OP1.webm): Easily the most tightly produced and well put together OP of the year with gorgeous animation, vibrant colors and smooth transitions. Directed by the winner of last year's OP category, attached to a song by YOASOBI, one of the biggest Anisong artists of the past 5 years. A formula that not only sets high expectations but also clears them.
[**Mirage - Yofukashi no Uta**](https://v.animethemes.moe/YofukashiNoUtaS2-OP1.webm): If you enjoy OPs in large part for the songs, then this is the pick of the year. Creepy Nuts combines airy vocals with a syncopated afrobeat rhythm to create a sound that is unique in the medium and so, so smooth. The visuals manage to pair this vibe perfectly with a noire aesthetic focusing on the character that carries the second season to new heights.
[**Method - Sakamoto Days Part 2**](https://v.animethemes.moe/SakamotoDaysPart2-OP1.webm): Vibrant colors, smooth transitions, striking imagery and tight pacing combine together with cool vibes and a smooth rhythm to create an OP that is high-effort and well put together, yet oozes a casual cool attitude. This also probably has some of the best credit integration of any OP this year, making it excel in an aspect that is often overlooked.
[**Ao to Kirameki - Bisque Doll Season 2**](https://v.animethemes.moe/BisqueDollS2-OP1.webm): Bisque Doll's high production values in its second season translate to this OP which celebrates Marin's love for cosplay in an uptempo and highly infectious OP. Between its fabric textures, clever credit incorporation, charming character animation and great color design this OP is a feast for the eyes that carries Bisque Doll's DNA throughout. While this is a show in large part about sewing this OP is, ironically, seamless.
[**Skirt - Apocalypse Hotel**](https://v.animethemes.moe/ApocalypseHotel-OP1.webm): More than just a good song and creative visuals, Skirt is *the* OP this year for narrative and emotional weight. Apocalypse Hotel focuses on an android service robot named Yachiyo that slowly loses sanity over the course of hundreds of years waiting for humanity's return, while the hotel slowly deteriorates around her. This OP captures the sorrowful coping behind her stone-faced programming as she continues to perform a dance choreography despite there being no other staff androids left to join her, nor any guests to perform it for. Any Apocalypse Hotel fan would tell you that this OP hits in both its sorrowful opening and its joyous second half.
[**Shujinkou ni Narou - Sorairo Utility**](https://v.animethemes.moe/SorairoUtilityTV-OP1.webm): Finally, it's the ridiculously infectious sound of Masayoshi Ooishi and Airi Suzuki paired with vibrant color design, cheerful energy and expressive character animation. Stack them on top of each other and you have an OP that feels endlessly replayable and that manages to lift your spirits without fault. It should be no surprise that the OP for a golf show should have some swing to it, and the great visuals you get on top of that make this OP feel like a hole in one.
---
There are hundreds of OP in a year, but watch these and you'll have experienced the ceiling of what 2025 has to offer. If you're unsure on your OP picks, these would be the first ones to look at!
drt02026-01-10 03:13
I second everything you said about Mirage and Ao to Kirameki!
Aside from those my favorites from what I watched this year were:
[Cuz I - Sentai Red Isekai de Boukensha ni Naru](https://v.animethemes.moe/IsekaiRed-OP1.webm): it always had me hyped for a new episode of this highly underrated series!
[Kakumei Douchuu - Dandadan 2nd Season](https://v.animethemes.moe/DandadanS2-OP1.webm): I love the vocals of this song and also [this performance of the full song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQPBf64jW9E).
[Hi wo Mamoru - Spy x Family Season 3](https://v.animethemes.moe/SpyXFamilyS3-OP1.webm): This one evokes cozy melancholic vibes for me.
Finally, shout out to the my other 2 favorite OPs this year that didn't make it to this stage [Kaijuu - Orb](https://v.animethemes.moe/ChikyuuChi-OP1.webm) and [Reweave - Re:Zero Season 3](https://v.animethemes.moe/ReZeroS3-OP1.webm)!
BiggieCheeseLapDog2026-01-10 04:13
Orb is here.
drt02026-01-10 04:21
The OP doesn't show up for me :X
BiggieCheeseLapDog2026-01-10 04:27
They removed it 😔
V4 was there. I don’t know why they got rid of it when it’s technically new to this year.
KitKat17212026-01-10 06:02
That first Witch Watch OP was one of the first ones that come to mind when voting, never watched the show but I still remember that opening.
Unfortunately on the other hand, I hated the Apocalypse Hotel OP song so much that by week three I had to skip it every single time despite the visuals/neat concept, and I rarely bother skipping OPs :(
Neat_Duck_86422026-01-09 21:40
I wasn't able to find Detectives These Days Are Crazy or Witch Watch in ensemble cast
I also couldn't find Apocalypse Hotel in either Slice of Life or Comedy
aniMayor2026-01-09 21:57
> Detectives These Days Are Crazy
It's in Comedy genre (and production + anime of the year). Search for the romaji title: *Mattaku Saikin no Tantei to Kitara*
> I also couldn't find Apocalypse Hotel in either Slice of Life or Comedy
It's in Drama
[](#budgetsmile)
Vaxivop2026-01-09 22:08
Witch Watch is allocated to Main & Supporting so is not eligible for Ensemble (same with Detectives) and Apocalypse Hotel is eligible in Drama.
qscdefb2026-01-09 21:49
It's my first time participating in the nominations, do I need to find and press some submit button after choosing what I want, or is it already saved?
Vaxivop2026-01-09 22:07
It autosaves :)
cppn022026-01-09 21:57
Done with my genre picks. Suspense and SoL look the strongest for me with Comedy and Drama right behind them.
Categories are kinda iffy once again. For example I feel like Aharen-san and Kimi no Iro are both clearly in the wrong category.
edit: Completely forgot the Fujimoto shorts being in the movie category which might possibly be the worst category allocation in the history of the r/anime awards.
Now for the production categories....who to pick in best animation aside from the Lenticulars?
[ ]>!<
[ ]: #hardthink
Nachtwandler_FS2026-01-09 22:24
Damn, the nominations are a mess. How the options were chosen? What am I missing?
Bexase godsamn barely animated Lenticulars aee in "Best animation".
WataTabe has a nomination for animation but not cinematography.
Ave Mujica is not in the list fof best OP or OST while Idolmaster is.
Neither Yachiyo or Ponko are in the run for best characters while a couple of minor characters are.
Damn, I would gave continued the rant, but I want to unserstand how it ended this way?
Zeralyos2026-01-09 22:30
We're doing the nominations here. Everything should be present, if you can't find something you either missed it, are looking in the wrong category (Yachiyo is in best lead while Ponko is in best support), or there was an error adding something and it needs manual attention (Ave Mujica is in the OP list now, you need to refresh the page to see it).
Nachtwandler_FS2026-01-09 22:33
I forgot it does not show all of the nominees in the list.
Zeralyos2026-01-09 22:34
Yeah, the search bar is very important here.
champeagle32026-01-09 22:37
**My top three OSTs of the year are** ***Apocalypse Hotel*****,** ***Mobile Suit Gundam Gquuuuux*****, and** ***New Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt*****.**
The *Apocalypse Hotel* OST is arguably Fujisawa’s best work yet. So many elements from his previous projects come together here, ranging from lush jazz orchestration with doo-wop style vocals to full-blown allusions to John Williams’ *Star Wars* suite (a recurring inspiration in his work) and even Alan Silvestri’s *Avengers* theme. The score occasionally switches up into chill house beats as well. A real standout among the year’s best.
Speaking of house, *Gquuuuux* draws heavily from late-’90s and early-2000s Toonami-era D&B, remixed for a new generation. The beats are full of energy and aggression with rock and orchestral elements blended in alongside callbacks to the franchise’s earliest entries. Co-composer Yoshimasa Terui has a knack for making even a character’s death scene feel strikingly beautiful.
I was genuinely shocked by how strong the OST for *New PANTY & STOCKING with GARTERBELT* turned out to be. You expect plenty of fun techno bops, and they’re absolutely here, but the real surprise is the effort put into the parody tracks. Highlights include a Brian Tyler-esque *Fast & Furious* inspired songs for a segment complete with “See You Again”-style piano, a John Williams-inspired mash-up of *The Mandalorian* and “Duel of the Fates,” and even a full musical episode featuring two of the best insert songs of the year. Absolutely astonishing.
Other dark-horse OSTs worth mentioning include *Turkey! Time to Strike* and *Maebashi Witches*.
*Turkey!*’s soundtrack feels like a culmination of Yuuki Hayashi’s most recent and popular work, blending the slice-of-life feel of *Insomniacs After School* with the intensity of *My Hero Academia* and *Arknights* (you’ll know it when you hear it), alongside the feel of *Blue Miburo*’s feudal Japan. Yuuho Kitazawa of Q.I.S. (and formerly of the peggies) wrote the series’ opening and performed the episode 4 insert song/ending theme, “Flashback.” In a similar vein, Aira Yuuki’s “sincerity flower” serves as a powerful insert/ED for episode 6, cementing it as one of my favorite individual episodes of the year.
While *Maebashi Witches* is certainly not as dynamic or bombastic as *Gquuuuux* or *Apocalypse Hotel*, when its music hits, it hits hard. “When It Hurts” is the OST’s most poignant track and “Let’s WITCH-VERSE,” the show’s henshin song, stands out as one of its most recognizable themes. “You Are My World” (episode 5) features strong lyrics and a surprisingly effective ending, while “Mejirushi” (episode 10) with lyrics by Yūho Iwasato, best known for “The Real Folk Blues” from *Cowboy Bebop* and “Wither” (episode 11), written by TRUE (*Violet Evergarden*, *Sound! Euphonium*), round out the shows best insert songs.
No-Writing8712026-01-09 22:38
Why Reze by Reina Ueda is not included in VA performance category???
aniMayor2026-01-09 23:04
Movies aren't eligible in production categories, and VA Performance is a production category.
No-Writing8712026-01-09 23:09
Then why I can vote for other actors from Reze-hen. They are available
aniMayor2026-01-09 23:12
Database glitch. They weren't supposed to be in there. (They've now been removed)
qwertyqwerty45672026-01-09 22:44
My favourite time of the year where I nominate a bunch of shows that wont make it in!
[](#rengehype)[](#rengehype)[](#rengehype)
and a thank you to the awards team for giving us this great piece of yearly content
[](#anko)
aniMayor2026-01-09 23:42
Go check out pauk's amazing nominations trailer! https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1q8hdgx/which_shows_were_the_talk_of_the_town_in_2025/
Jxlynerah2026-01-09 23:50
where is the submit button
Zeralyos2026-01-09 23:56
Not needed, it auto-saves after every change you make.
Jxlynerah2026-01-10 01:38
oo thx
Wanderingjoke2026-01-10 00:21
Food Court OP and Ballpark ED, check!
Jokuc2026-01-10 00:29
Apothecary, CITY and Orb would probably be my aoty
but I want to bring a message for people nominating for best animation:
DON'T FORGET YAIBA. I know none of y'all watched it cause the story is kind of a sleeper but just watch the opening on youtube. That's the quality for pretty much the entire season. It deserves to be nominated for animation.
Infodump_Ibis2026-01-10 00:36
Thanks for putting this all together. One question? 5-Oku-Nen Button is shortlisted in suspense (and main rewards)? [As in this?](https://myanimelist.net/anime/52162/5-Okunen_Button) REMOW [started putting out eps](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhGamQZtJ7K8VezOKZTbeLNPVzVrOM5nl) nearly 2 years ago and were done in 2024 (eps 1-12 at least; most expired now but they're still on Amazon and [were up before September](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/bbs/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3201887)).
Short 2025 retrospective. Thanks to MAL wrap-up:
- Winter: You watched 6/62 anime from this season
- Spring: You watched 16/81 anime from this season
- Summer: You watched 11/83 anime from this season
- Fall: You watched 5/76 anime from this season
Good filling, thin crust in the sandwich that was 2025. At least that made most genres a breeze to fill out. e.g. Suspense: I watched exactly 4 [and one of them was Twins Hinahima **(didn't select)**](#getout)
aniMayor2026-01-10 00:43
Yup, it's *that* 5-Oku-Nen Button.
Eligibility of an anime for the r/Anime Awards depends on not just when the anime first aired but also when it became widely available to worldwide masses and also when it was first fully translated into English (in sufficient quality). So sometimes you'll get cases where an anime first aired in Japanese in earlier years, but it's eligible this year because it only finally got a full English translation now. Or it was viewable at special festival screenings years ago but is only becoming available to watch at home this year. Etc.
That's how you get some older things showing up in our r/Anime Awards, as it means they were only fully viewable by the average r/Anime member starting this year.
(But no matter what, a given anime is only ever eligible for one year of the Awards.)
whowilleverknow2026-01-10 00:48
4/5 of my anime of the year picks are from Summer, such a fantastic season.
manquistador2026-01-10 00:58
Ishura is Suspense?!?! Action is pretty stacked, so I guess that actually gives it a chance, but for an anime that has an entire premise of being a battle tournament it feels very strange anyone could successfully argue that should be in Suspense.
And Clevatess isn't a main character in the anime named after him?
susgnome2026-01-11 17:33
> Ishura is Suspense?!?!
I was wondering where it was! I guess I can understand why it's there but I'm surprised it's not in Action (or even Adventure).
> it feels very strange anyone could successfully argue that should be in Suspense.
The suspense was figuring out of the 97 characters introduced, who of which will participate in the Royal Games.
Sky20422026-01-10 01:52
100 Meters does not display in best film?
BiggieCheeseLapDog2026-01-10 01:59
It was just past the date of eligibility so it’ll be eligible next year.
Sky20422026-01-10 02:05
Ok, where's the date of eligibility plopped? It's not in the summary and not in the OP.
Is the date different for series and films? We have multiple series from fall (Spy Family 3 and Sanda off the cuff), while 100 Meters was first available in theaters in September.
BiggieCheeseLapDog2026-01-10 02:12
OPs are considered separate from their respective media. The year they air is the year they stay in regardless of the media they’re attached to is eligible.
Eligibility requires the film be released to streaming or have a good enough English translation. If it only releases in theatres, it doesn’t count as not everyone can see it.
There is a fixed date for when something can be eligible for this year’s awards. 100 Metres’ streaming date was past this date, so it wasn’t eligible for this year.
Rit01002026-01-10 01:55
Wow I never would have thought that Silent Hill 2: a totally accurate shitpost summery would be eligible. I did a double take when I saw it.
aniMayor2026-01-10 02:04
All the ronununu shorts are absolute gold and I'm so glad we got to include them this year.
[](#feelingloved)
Salty1452026-01-10 01:57
My computer is broken. It won’t let me select anything other than *Milky Subway* for every category.
CoolVidsFTW2026-01-10 02:23
yippee! Awards is back! For your consideration, I've picked out a few less popular shows (by Reddit karma standards) from a few of the genre categories that might be worth your time and perhaps worthy of being one of your five nominees if you have an extra slot or two:
* **Romance**
* [Dealing with Mikadono Sisters is a Breeze](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59207/Mikadono_Sanshimai_wa_Angai_Choroi)
* [I Have a Crush at Work](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59361/Kono_Kaisha_ni_Suki_na_Hito_ga_Imasu)
* [With You, Our Love Will Make It Through](https://myanimelist.net/anime/60765/Kimi_to_Koete_Koi_ni_Naru)
* [Yano-kun's Ordinary Days](https://myanimelist.net/anime/60254/Yano-kun_no_Futsuu_no_Hibi)
* **Drama**
* [Cocoon: One Summer of Girlhood](https://myanimelist.net/anime/55779/Cocoon__Aru_Natsu_no_Shoujo-tachi_yori)
* [My Melody & Kuromi](https://myanimelist.net/anime/60726/My_Melody___Kuromi)
* [Trapezium (movie)](https://myanimelist.net/anime/57508/Trapezium)
* **Comedy**
* [Ninkoro: A Ninja and an Assassin Under One Roof](https://myanimelist.net/anime/58725/Ninja_to_Koroshiya_no_Futarigurashi)
* **Slice of Life**
* [Aharen-san is Indecipherable (Season 2)](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59466/Aharen-san_wa_Hakarenai_Season_2)
* [Food for the Soul](https://myanimelist.net/anime/60658/Hibi_wa_Sugiredo_Meshi_Umashi)
* [The Colors Within (movie)](https://myanimelist.net/anime/53747/Kimi_no_Iro)
* [With You and the Rain](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59619/Ame_to_Kimi_to)
Hot_Researcher_68392026-01-10 02:30
I'm very confident that even if the public doesn't care, the jury will put The Summer Hikaru Died everywhere, at least in the production categories, and give it the win for Cinematography and Soundtrack, as they should.
Also please nominate This monster wants to eat me in drama and soundtrack please.
Edit: This monster wants to eat me is in suspense, I just learned. So the jury do that pls
NormalGrinn2026-01-10 03:40
This Monster Wants to Eat Me is allocated to Suspense for genre categories, and thus cannot be voted on in Drama.
Psyduckisnotaduck2026-01-10 03:00
I'm excited for this but I'm definitely having trouble recalling what things I was most impressed by over the last year and end up defaulting to the same few shows.
also I have no idea what to do with Soundtrack and Voice Acting.
happy with my character nominations for the time being, at least.
Lead: Anko (Call of the Night), Maomao (Apothecary Diaries), Oguri Cap, Yachiyo (Apocalypse Hotel), Natsuko (Zenshu)
Supporting: Tamamo Cross, Dina (A Wild Last Boss Appeared), Kyouko Tsumugi (Fragrant Flower, all time great anime mom), Mia Adenauer (The Too Perfect Saint), Satsuki (Watanare)
and OP/ED seem pretty set for me
OP: Ave Mujica, Shoushimin Series s2, Witch Watch. Ruri Rocks, My Dress Up Darling s2
ED: Zenshu, mono, My Dress Up Darling s2, Fragrant Flower, Dandadan s2
for OP and ED I excluded anything where I really liked one of the song or visuals but not both. it has to reach peak in both aspects. it kills me a little not to vote for Call of the Night's OP, but I just think the five I'm voting for are a bit better. Silent Witch, the two BAND MAID OPs, MURI MURI, and City were in consideration. in EDs there's no shame in not having much movement or style, but the ones that go to the extra mile will always be the best. in the case of both Dandadan and MDUD the production brought in a totally idiosyncratic talent for the visuals and it really paid off.
drt02026-01-10 03:45
I want to shout out:
**Takopi's Original Sin** - for **Anime of the Year**, Suspense, Animation, Cinematography, VA Reina Ueda as Kuze Shizuka, Ensemble Cast - The show that affected me the most this year, while also being heartbreakingly beautifully animated.
**The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World (Sentai Red Isekai)** - for Adventure, OP - Made me laugh out loud multiple times and the rest of the time made me grin from ear to ear with excitement and Power Rangers hype. I felt like I was 6-7 years old watching the Power Rangers.
**Gachiakuta** - for Action, Animation, Cinematography, VA Yuuki Shin as Jabber - This show surprised me with it's great action animation and frequent subversions to plot cliches (same with SANDA). Special shout out to Jabber's VA, he oozed villainy and masochism.
**Orb: On the Movements of the Earth** - for Drama, Cinematography, Ensemble Cast - Orb had a really interesting way of showing the power of ideas and how they can spread, it' had me guessing what's going to happen next!
My other picks are much more popular so I don't need to write about them, maybe for the voting stage :P
PS: my favorite OPs this year:
[Ao to Kirameki - Bisque Doll Season 2](https://v.animethemes.moe/BisqueDollS2-OP1.webm)
I'm mainly voting for **Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus, Sentai Red Isekai, Catch Me at the Ballpark, Fuuto Tantei,** and **Shoshimin** this year, none of which will likely win anything but I wanted to give some love to them regardless.
Also gave stuff like Kijin Gentoushou, Medalist, Apothecary Diaries, Blue Box, I Have a Crush at Work, (etc) votes, I liked those as well.
KitKat17212026-01-10 05:56
Didn't watch a *ton* of seasonals last year, but tried to spread the love with my picks as much as I could (esp for production categories where I felt justified voting for shows I didn't actually finish like CITY the Animation, Panty & Stocking S2, Gundam GQuuuuuX, mono, etc...). Going through the genre categories was flat out sad though - I didn't finish more than 2 shows in Adventure, Comedy, or SoL haha
My AOTY picks were The Summer Hikaru Died (still easily my favorite of last year), Orb: On the Movements of Earth, Takopi's Original Sin, Apocalypse Hotel, & Apothecary Diaries S2. I know I'm probably missing some good hidden gems though so looking forward to seeing what gets nominated!
ETA - I now need to know what dramatic shenanigans My Melody & Kuromi got involved in for their cute little stop-motion show to be allocated into Drama instead of Adventure, Comedy, or even Slice of Life lol
OkStranger47882026-01-10 06:09
VOTE AVE MUJICA AND UMA MUSUME IN EVERY CATEGORIES
Mukaido2026-01-10 08:32
Anybody else having trouble finding [Kaijuu - Orb](https://v.animethemes.moe/ChikyuuChi-OP1.webm) in the OP nominations?
Vaxivop2026-01-10 10:05
That OP was already eligible in the 2024 Awards and therefore not eligible this year.
zsmg2026-01-10 10:43
I want to give my thanks to all the people involved in the voting process and making the website. (which is great and easy to use)
CuriousBroccolli2026-01-10 13:37
"118 entries are displayed out of 268"
How do I see the rest?
NormalGrinn2026-01-10 13:48
You can use the search bar.
Fluid_Caterpillar_482026-01-10 13:53
Why is Kimetsu no yaiba not eligible for movie of the year?
NormalGrinn2026-01-10 16:12
It's only been available in theaters so far, but for it to be eligible it also needs a release people can view at home.
Nyapan2026-01-10 19:21
I already had an idea of what to vote for so my picks weren't too hard to make.
For anime of the year I voted for **The Summer Hikaru Died**, **Medalist**, **My Hero Academia Final Season**, **Dekin no Mogura** and **Catch me at the Ballpark!**.
For characters, my favorite character of the year was **Tsukasa** from **Medalist**. Sadly I think he has absolutely zero chance of making it in the final selection. If any character from **Medalist** makes it in it's gonna 100% be **Inori** which doesn't bother me too much since I also voted for her.
My other picks for lead character were **Mogura** from **Dekin no Mogura** and **Yoshiki** and **Hikaru** from **The Summer Hikaru Died**. It feels wrong to only pick one even though I personally like **Yoshiki** more and they're both great characters.
For supporting character I voted for **Bakugou** (I would have never expected that before lol), **Keigo** from **Witch Watch**, **Yaomay** from **Kowloon Generic Romance**, **Kyouko Nekozuku** from **Dekin no Mogura** and **Riou** from **Medalist**.
I will say that it's kind of a shame that I couldn't pick my favorite female character of the year **Ruriko** from **Catch me at the Ballpark!** because of the ensemble cast rules. I couldn't choose **Xeno** from **Dr.Stone** either for the same reasons.
The one show that I wanted to choose in genre categories but couldn't was **Dekin no Mogura**. I just don't think it's a suspense show. I would have put it in drama or comedy or even slice of life instead. It's like Bravern in the action category last year all over again lol
Komorebi_LJP2026-01-11 01:10
Orb has my vote for being the best thing I have seen since the last season of Made in Abyss.
Very unique, extremely relevant to the times we live in and one of the most unique and beautiful themes I have seen
champeagle32026-01-11 17:54
If you’re looking for VA performances that pushed emotional range, psychological complexity and sheer commitment this year, these three absolutely deserve to be in the conversation:
● Youko Hikasa as Freya - Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? V
● Yuzuki Watase as Mutsumi Wakaba / Mortis / several inanimate objects - Ave Mujica
I’ve long been a fan of Youko Hikasa, and personally believe she should’ve taken the award last year for her role as Ayano Tanaka in Murai in Love, but I digress. Her portrayal of Freya in DanMachi this year was exceptional: a volatile mix of obsession, pride and desperation. She effortlessly shifts from cool and ruthless to emotionally unraveling, all driven by Freya’s overwhelming desire to be loved by the one she loves most… by any means necessary. Her performance is what makes Freya both terrifying and heartbreaking.
Speaking of obsession, we need to talk about Rico Sasaki. For the past three-plus years, she’s been essentially method acting as Uika Misumi and it shows throughout Ave Mujica. Watching her performance is like observing a slow, controlled boil that finally erupts in one of the year’s most unforgettable episodes, “Te ustus amem.” I genuinely don’t think we’ll get another experience quite like it and to our twisted, voyeuristic pleasure, Ricochi absolutely delivered.
Finally, dear sweet Yuzuki Watase as Mitsumi. Her work in Ave Mujica episode three, “Quid faciam?”, where she performs as literally a dozen characters representing fragments of Mitsumi's collapsing psyche, is award-worthy on its own. It's both terrifying and mesmerizing. On top of that, her portrayal as Mortis, particularly the way she mimics and emotionally manipulates her bandmates by telling them exactly what they want to hear, was chilling and deeply effective. It’s hard to imagine Yuzuki knew this was what awaited her when she signed on as Mutsumi and the result was outstanding.
DazenTheMistborn2026-01-12 18:23
Can't nominate Orb for best OP? Or maybe it was on last year's voting.. I guess it gets weird when there are two cours, or it's an extended season.
Commentaires
[](#anko)
Nominations are now open! What did you think were the best of the year in each category? Feel free to write a short comment with a retrospective for 2025!
Our volunteers have been hard at work on the website, so if you find anything missing or wonky, just respond to this comment and we'll check it out.
Your account must be at least 180 days old to be eligible to vote.
##Voting will remain open until January 15th 23:59 PST (UTC-8).
Feel free to share your selections on social media and elsewhere using the "share" button on the side. Happy voting!
For more information about the awards, [read an overview here!](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XZWUgg3VI-V06GSLEsUxRMTHadsHlirzgCcwlFArJzQ/edit?usp=sharing)
**EDIT: This year, we tried splitting characters off based on if the show they are in counts as an "ensemble" or not. If you can't find your favorite character in the individual character categories, see if the show is in ensemble! Check the linked overview document for more details.**
- [**With You, Our Love Will Make It Through** / **Kimi to Koete Koi ni Naru**](https://www.livechart.me/anime/13017) — An interesting setting with racial integration as a primary theme, this is also a great execution of a shoujo school romance that isn't afraid to get steamy and ended up feeling spicier than the ecchi shows that had nipples on screen in every episode. It took a while for the final member of the core cast to show up but the four of them make for a great group to cheer on.
- [**I Have a Crush at Work** / **Kono Kaisha ni Suki na Hito ga Imasu**](https://www.livechart.me/anime/12763) — An adult office romance that doesn't have the couple acting like middle schoolers around their first crush. The premise of hiding their relationship is still a bit silly but aside from that it's the kind of thing that I've found sorely lacking in anime.
- [**A Star Brighter Than the Sun** / **Taiyou yori mo Mabushii Hoshi**](https://www.livechart.me/anime/13036) — The flip side of shoujo school romances compared to my first nomination with insecurities around one's innocent first love and a solid childhood friends to lovers story. Yes she's a bit dense when it comes to thinking of his perspective but that's part of the fun.
- [**Honey Lemon Soda**](https://www.livechart.me/anime/12545) — I guess it's the year of shoujo school romances for me because here's another one with its own angle. Compared to the others this has more of a "bad boy" male lead (on the surface at least) and more of a shy, reserved girl rebounding from bullying in middle school. It makes some more quirky choices with its directing that can be divisive but I enjoyed them.
- [**Yano-kun's Ordinary Days** / **Yano-kun no Futsuu no Hibi**](https://www.livechart.me/anime/12906) — Maybe my sleeper hit of the year with it being fun to watch initially for the reaction faces but eventually to see how their awkward but earnest relationship developed. Could just as easily be in slice of life but it was something I looked forward to each week either way.
This year was a step down for me for romance compared to [last year](/r/anime/comments/1hsvkyi/nominations_for_the_2024_ranime_awards_are_now/m58k2gb/), but 2024 was quite strong in that regard and this is more a return to normal. I'll give an honorable mention to **Senpai is an Otokonoko Movie: Sunshine After the Rain** which like with the first season didn't have enough of a focus on romance for me to vote for it. Similarly **Aharen-san wa Hakarenai Season 2** and **Catch Me at the Ballpark!** have some great ships in them but are in slice of life instead.
Likewise if you think there is an entry that is missing entirely it probably was not eligible for one reason or another ([see our eligibility rules here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dnhRl6NEd4FJM1vgBJ-_D8vA12m665_94Rms9tGfqtw/edit?usp=sharing)) but feel free to ask about it here. We do make mistakes and could have just missed it in the database.
[](#elderlylove)
(I agree. I still have no idea why they did it that way and am pissed I can’t vote for Orb characters)
Also can't find [Kaseijin](https://anilist.co/anime/205536/Kaseijin/) for best music video category.
I guess it makes sense for City but I am not sure if that should be the case for Ave Mujica
That is intentional.
From our [Overview Doc](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XZWUgg3VI-V06GSLEsUxRMTHadsHlirzgCcwlFArJzQ/edit?usp=sharing):
> Character Awards
>
> These awards recognize the most outstanding leading characters, supporting characters, and ensemble casts of the year from amongst the year's eligible anime. Each eligible anime is designated to either the Best Leading Character and Best Supporting Character award categories, or to the Best Ensemble Cast award category—**characters from anime with ensemble casts cannot be nominated for the leading and supporting character awards, and vice versa**.
Due to various issues with the Cast category in past years, when we brought it back this year we decided to try a completely exclusive implementation for the reborn Ensemble Cast category, focusing only on the smaller number of shows where there isn't necessarily a clear Lead/Supporting division or else where the show is more fixated on ensemble cast dynamics overall. And hence no characters from any show that is allocated to the Ensemble Cast category are vote'able for Leading Character or Supporting Character.
More explanation here: https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1ny0xga/the_2025_ranime_awards_announcement_and_jury/nhr8s75/
&nbsp;
> Also can't find Kaseijin for best music video category.
Try searching for "Martian" instead of Kaseijin
[](#sakurathink)
> Try searching for "Martian" instead of Kaseijin
Thanks!
What's needed is one extra linebreak under the category. Right now it copies
> *Category*
> - Nominee 1
> - Nominee 2
> - Nominee 3
> - Nominee 4
> - Nominee 5
Which returns:
*Category*
- Nominee 1
- Nominee 2
- Nominee 3
- Nominee 4
- Nominee 5
> *Category*
>
> - Nominee 1
> - Nominee 2
> - Nominee 3
> - Nominee 4
> - Nominee 5
would turn it into:
*Category*
- Nominee 1
- Nominee 2
- Nominee 3
- Nominee 4
- Nominee 5
edit: [old reddit](https://i.imgur.com/stVURSg.png) and [sync](https://i.imgur.com/LfzbqLz.jpeg) screenshots for those who see both versions properly formatted
edit: I see this had been changed. Thanks!
[](#modsalute)
Edit: Also 100 meters is not on the movie of the year candidates?
Unfortunately, it dropped just a little bit too late in the year for it to be eligible for the 2025 awards, and will have to be considered in the 2026 awards instead.
Our eligibility for when things can release and still be considered in the awards has gotten more lenient over the years, but there's still ultimately a problem with taking things that drop at the very, very end of the year into consideration, because jurors need time to not only watch them but also analyze and discuss them amongst the jury. So right now there's still some limitations, though this is also under review for next year.
drama: ave mujica, medalist, apocalypse hotel, rock is a ladies modesty
comedy: 100 gfs, ninja and assassin under one roof, bad girl
adventure: clevatess
romance: watanare
lsice of life: lycoris recoil, mangakas workplace
suspense: sanda, this monster wants to eat me, takopi
anime of the year: takopi, medalist, clevatess, watanare, ninja and assassin
* **Yoshiki** (The Summer Hikaru Died) - Understated and seemingly "dull," this character is packed with depth and is fascinating to watch. His name isn't in the title, but his journey is what carries the soul of this show.
* **Yachiyo** (Apocalypse Hotel) - Just an absolute blast to watch. A fun show in its own right, but one that is lifted to greatness purely on the shoulders of its amazing lead. She'll make you laugh, cry, and everything in between.
* **Kobato** (Shoshimin S2) - He didn't catch my attention as much in the first season, but in the second season, you really start to unpack why this guy is special. I really can't say too much if you haven't seen the show, but his . . . obsessiveness is quite captivating.
* **Inori** (Medalist) - The plucky underdog in a sports show is one of the most common archetypes you can find, but sometimes they're just more charming than the rest. That's Inori, who despite being a typical version of this character, is also kinda snarky and pessimistic. That makes her stand out.
* **Wada** (Food Court) - This girl doesn't have any notable traits. She's not smart. She's not courageous. She's not talented. But she's an incredible representation of someone that we have all met before. When you are able to so perfectly capture real humanity into a fictional character like this, it's just magical.
The hosts this year have also split the award between music videos (MVs), and short films, so both will have separate nominations and winners! This allows short films more room to shine alongside MVs.
With that out of the way, here are our recommendations!
# Short films ([Youtube playlist](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-P3HWXGYm4&list=PLMbzyGKPhrWWPzzTlNd0YkrvjFGqI9jmF))
* [Baan](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-P3HWXGYm4) \- I'm sure you've heard of it, it's YouTuber Gigguk's short film about home
* [Bottled Insects](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCbKm14_zuE) \- A haunting story about hoarding and animal wellness (CW: Animal Abuse)
* [Bright](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yptpnSgO3vA) \- An eye-themed experimental piece with epic musical direction and distinctive color design
* [Echoes of Memory](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKt412fev-s) \- A brooding story about revisiting a home you no longer recognize
* First Line - A story about a young animator given an important cut by the director. Unfortunately no official link for this one so you'll have to dig it up
* [Fire Craft](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wL0TZzcKWE) \- A film about a boy discovering his late father's love for gardening in a bleak world
* [Hoshi no Ohime-sama](https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/1939748815776751619/vid/avc1/1280x720/-JBf0npv3t4GvXpx.mp4?tag=21) \- A heart-wrenching story about losing a child
* [Mamiko's Poop](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEAFgHtuOIk) \- A girl's poop comes to life and goes to get revenge on the boy who broke up with her
* [Mayo-chan's Night Walk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMFnxahh-WM) \- An r/animeinourworld style shot about a vlogger exploring a city at night
* [On the Other Side](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s0yOxhDryA) \- A charcoal-pencil style animation about connection with fantastic music
* [Red Memory (Aka no Kioku)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAsy0QkeTpw) \- A short by the creator of *Look Back* about growing up
* [Sou](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNguRxS5VCg) \- A young kid loses their home in a fire and escapes on a train full of mysterious people
* [Sushilogy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRUvXr1OJUs) \- A musical piece that plays with an infinite sushi counter to create fun effects
* [The Fox Elevator Boy Renard](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEJnkUoHUGE) \- A short about an elevator operator who is a secret kitsune with electroswing music
* [To the Moon and Back](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjAyWTgwNT0) \- An endearing story about a young girl, her family, and her tadpole
* [Until we Meet Again](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCNb_JsRGjk) \- An animation with geometric characters that tells a story about a grandfather and grandson reuniting
# Music Videos ([Youtube playlist](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skOU8kDB0Xw&list=PLMbzyGKPhrWV4qCTvUsd9LDa-K01TEL4F))
* [Aren't People Just a Tube?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skOU8kDB0Xw) \- VTuber Tsukino Mito teams up with coalowl for their signature dance and fabric animation
* [Caramel Pain](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpEPkPg8YP4) \- Suisei does an animator vs animation style MV
* [Copy and Paste](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVQyawspiqc) \- Fujibase MV about environmentalism with his archetypical spiral faces
* [End of Summer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txHlVxwTzu8) \- Punk rock vocaloid song with a sun-bleached summer aesthetic
* [Fujiyama Charisma](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6PwSMga7AI) \- Hilarious music video featuring the "Charisma Boys" and all of Hokusai's 36 views of Mt. Fuji
* [Gurgle Gurgle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5Q5f5mkh74) \- A punk rock piece with an animator and several different animation styles
* [Haze](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTH46ZUhbas) \- A vocaloid MV set in a bleak industrial world with great action and themes of individualism
* [Horny Money World](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_opjVlYhi4) \- Marine really clowning on the whales
* [Martian](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLRbIc8KZ_8) \- Music video for the full song of OP2 from *Shoshimin*, with super clean animation
* [Meteorgirl](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSdeEU-LTwE) \- Snail house's latest MV about an alien who crash landed and befriends a boy
* [Neon Tokyo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_qduuoIDl0) \- Super relaxing Fujibase MV with synth vibes, with themes of identity
* [Phony](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk38WpvSfII) \- Vocaloid piece with Flipnote studio 3DS visuals
* [Pickles](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlTV8OKvWh8) \- A collaboration between McDonands and a bunch of different creators
* [Sparkling Bandage](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcG1sZILjfc) \- A well-produced MV by VTuber Sana, with cool compositing techniques
* [Sunflower that Wants to Die](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=staQ0DR6oaY) \- An MV by Shinsei Kamatte-chan with a visual bombardment of many different effects
The full eligibility list can be found [here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wEi6tj3GvirQ7ARmwuSsLSF6gT96EPHVracLJ1PlGnc/edit?gid=1275872180#gid=1275872180)
And it's very much worth looking for it. It's an amazing short film about perseverance and growth! If you want just a taste of how stunning a film it is, just take a look at [this cut uploaded on Sakugabooru.](https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/ee3a59109bb0fde5eff1747e5c46f8ad.mp4)
> Aren't People Just a Tube? - VTuber Tsukino Mito teams up with coalowl for their signature dance and fabric animation
Love this MV too, absolute banger with some stunning animation
Heh completely missed this project actually got released after all those years. Figured it was one of those projects stuck in limbo forever.
There's so much good stuff there. So many different, experimental animation styles. So many stories that are moving, tragic, personal, or outright bizarre. It's great to see just how different these shorts are compared to most commercial anime.
I ended up voting for:
* **Find Me**: I love how the author describes this. "Their unstable childhoods, their longing for their mothers' love, their endless search for belonging, and wounds that refuse to heal. They want to grow up but can't. I am here to give voice to their cries, speaking through their own words." It's touching concept. Letting wounded people speak about their own experiences, the good and the bad, and transforming it into a lovely piece of animation that is sad but ultimately hopeful. A reminder that things can get better.
* **LULLABY**: A deeply haunting and disturbing portrayal of childhood trauma and abuse (likely CSA). This one will stay in my mind for a long while.
* **Tunnel Wandering**: The whole list has so many weird, experimental pieces of animation. This one still manages to stand out as something else entirely. Both the most unique animation style and the most bizarre story of them all. Considering what else is on the list that's quite an achievement.
* **Q**: Simple compared to a lot of other options. I like how it frames every shots, how it constantly switches between different sound textures and how the story works really well as a metaphor for loneliness.
* **Vision**: Very abstract. I can't describe why it grabbed me so much but the whole thing had me mesmerized. Like a really good piece of abstract art.
There's easily 20+ I wanted to vote for as well. **Hitori**, **Bottled Insects**, **Echoes of Memory** and **On The Other Side...** in particular, but also things like Even devils lose their horns, My Organs Lying on the Ground, First Line, Love★Star, Pepe and Roncino, Rebirth, Sign, SUGAR SUGAR RUNE, THE COLLISION , The Ghost-Cat's Recipe, The Hole, Until we meet again, school route, Sou, and so many more.
I revisited some of the ones you mentioned now and this is definitely an enjoyable set. I'm also a big fan of [Q](https://youtu.be/SXoRBXMmuJM?si=y3EgOF3r8F99D2Ul) in particular. The long takes create a very strong atmosphere on that, and the creator Kihara's solid grasp for compositing shots makes it difficult to get bored with an image even when they are hold on screen for longer. The shot starting at 2:04 is probably my favourite as well as a great example of Kihara's interesting way of adding small motion to the shot that really isn't meant to be the focus but rather add to the overall feeling the shot evokes. On this shot in particular, I'm talking about the golfers swinging in the far distance.
I recommend checking Masataka Kihara's other works as well if interested: [Tomoya!](https://youtu.be/ka65AmCZbTM?si=n_IjySyl4pI0AERI), [Yapolaponky](https://youtu.be/-m-8O6U1Fcc?si=Bq6ncHiCemtnhmhG), and [Ryota](https://youtu.be/0Qu6yt_ZdEo?si=RQUM8UthkWC5JrYv).
Also always feels a bit sad to find a fascinating video with just a few views (like Find Me is still under the 100 views) simply because it's some obscure website/channel almost no one heard of. So the awards even nudging only a few people towards them or getting them interested in checking out some shorts in general already feels like a big increase.
* Kimi no Koto ga Dai Dai Dai Dai Daisuki na 100-nin no Kanojo 2nd Season
* Ninja to Koroshiya no Futarigurashi
* SPY×FAMILY Season 3
* CITY THE ANIMATION (personally my AOTY)
* Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! 3: BONUS STAGE
On another note, I'm quite curious, how many OP's/ ED's, if any, are people nominating from shows they didn't actually watch. Last year I nominated the DanDanDan ED despite not watching the show, just really loved the ED, and was wondering how often people do it.
If you find yourself at a top page such as https://animeawards.moe/dashboard, etc, then yes you will get that limited access error.
**Romance**: My Dress-Up Darling S2, Blue Box, Watanare
**Slice of Life**: Ruri Rocks, Mangaka's, Food for the Soul
**Suspense**: Re:Zero S3, Watatabe
**Lead Character**: Marin, Shiori, Subaru, Ruri, and Sukuta
**Supporting Character**: Amano, Hina, Miko, Isabelle, and Hazama
**Anime of the Year:** My Dress-Up Darling S2, Re:Zero S3, Ruri Rocks, and Watatabe
Long story short I love My Dress-Up Darling, and it just made me so happy in a way no other new show truly captured for me in 2025.
1. Watanare
2. Hibimeshi
3. Bad Girl
4. NinKoro
5. Lycoris Recoil Shorts
For characters, Renako (Watanare), Marin (MDUD), Satoko (NinKoro), Chisato (LycoReco), Hinako (Watatabe).
An MC I don't like often kills my enjoyment of the show, and I will usually end up dropping it.
Let me help you out! 2025 had some fantastic OP, quite a few of them attached to very popular shows, but also some hidden gems that you probably missed! Here's the most important ones I think you should know about going into voting, in no particular order!
---
[**Kaseijin - Shoushimin Series 2nd Season**](https://v.animethemes.moe/ShoushiminSeriesS2-OP1.webm): One of the best songs *and* visuals of the year. A groovy and layered Yorushika track attached to incredibly creative visuals using papercraft and other mixed media making for an OP that is not just brilliant and one-of-a-kind this year, but in general. If you want to feel inspired or intrigued, whether musically or visually, this is one of the best OP (ever) to experience something that is as fresh as it is fantastic.
[**Watch me! - Witch Watch**](https://v.animethemes.moe/WitchWatch-OP1.webm): Easily the most tightly produced and well put together OP of the year with gorgeous animation, vibrant colors and smooth transitions. Directed by the winner of last year's OP category, attached to a song by YOASOBI, one of the biggest Anisong artists of the past 5 years. A formula that not only sets high expectations but also clears them.
[**Mirage - Yofukashi no Uta**](https://v.animethemes.moe/YofukashiNoUtaS2-OP1.webm): If you enjoy OPs in large part for the songs, then this is the pick of the year. Creepy Nuts combines airy vocals with a syncopated afrobeat rhythm to create a sound that is unique in the medium and so, so smooth. The visuals manage to pair this vibe perfectly with a noire aesthetic focusing on the character that carries the second season to new heights.
[**Method - Sakamoto Days Part 2**](https://v.animethemes.moe/SakamotoDaysPart2-OP1.webm): Vibrant colors, smooth transitions, striking imagery and tight pacing combine together with cool vibes and a smooth rhythm to create an OP that is high-effort and well put together, yet oozes a casual cool attitude. This also probably has some of the best credit integration of any OP this year, making it excel in an aspect that is often overlooked.
[**Ao to Kirameki - Bisque Doll Season 2**](https://v.animethemes.moe/BisqueDollS2-OP1.webm): Bisque Doll's high production values in its second season translate to this OP which celebrates Marin's love for cosplay in an uptempo and highly infectious OP. Between its fabric textures, clever credit incorporation, charming character animation and great color design this OP is a feast for the eyes that carries Bisque Doll's DNA throughout. While this is a show in large part about sewing this OP is, ironically, seamless.
[**Skirt - Apocalypse Hotel**](https://v.animethemes.moe/ApocalypseHotel-OP1.webm): More than just a good song and creative visuals, Skirt is *the* OP this year for narrative and emotional weight. Apocalypse Hotel focuses on an android service robot named Yachiyo that slowly loses sanity over the course of hundreds of years waiting for humanity's return, while the hotel slowly deteriorates around her. This OP captures the sorrowful coping behind her stone-faced programming as she continues to perform a dance choreography despite there being no other staff androids left to join her, nor any guests to perform it for. Any Apocalypse Hotel fan would tell you that this OP hits in both its sorrowful opening and its joyous second half.
[**Shujinkou ni Narou - Sorairo Utility**](https://v.animethemes.moe/SorairoUtilityTV-OP1.webm): Finally, it's the ridiculously infectious sound of Masayoshi Ooishi and Airi Suzuki paired with vibrant color design, cheerful energy and expressive character animation. Stack them on top of each other and you have an OP that feels endlessly replayable and that manages to lift your spirits without fault. It should be no surprise that the OP for a golf show should have some swing to it, and the great visuals you get on top of that make this OP feel like a hole in one.
---
There are hundreds of OP in a year, but watch these and you'll have experienced the ceiling of what 2025 has to offer. If you're unsure on your OP picks, these would be the first ones to look at!
Aside from those my favorites from what I watched this year were:
[Cuz I - Sentai Red Isekai de Boukensha ni Naru](https://v.animethemes.moe/IsekaiRed-OP1.webm): it always had me hyped for a new episode of this highly underrated series!
[Kakumei Douchuu - Dandadan 2nd Season](https://v.animethemes.moe/DandadanS2-OP1.webm): I love the vocals of this song and also [this performance of the full song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQPBf64jW9E).
[Hi wo Mamoru - Spy x Family Season 3](https://v.animethemes.moe/SpyXFamilyS3-OP1.webm): This one evokes cozy melancholic vibes for me.
Finally, shout out to the my other 2 favorite OPs this year that didn't make it to this stage [Kaijuu - Orb](https://v.animethemes.moe/ChikyuuChi-OP1.webm) and [Reweave - Re:Zero Season 3](https://v.animethemes.moe/ReZeroS3-OP1.webm)!
V4 was there. I don’t know why they got rid of it when it’s technically new to this year.
Unfortunately on the other hand, I hated the Apocalypse Hotel OP song so much that by week three I had to skip it every single time despite the visuals/neat concept, and I rarely bother skipping OPs :(
I also couldn't find Apocalypse Hotel in either Slice of Life or Comedy
It's in Comedy genre (and production + anime of the year). Search for the romaji title: *Mattaku Saikin no Tantei to Kitara*
> I also couldn't find Apocalypse Hotel in either Slice of Life or Comedy
It's in Drama
[](#budgetsmile)
Categories are kinda iffy once again. For example I feel like Aharen-san and Kimi no Iro are both clearly in the wrong category.
edit: Completely forgot the Fujimoto shorts being in the movie category which might possibly be the worst category allocation in the history of the r/anime awards.
Now for the production categories....who to pick in best animation aside from the Lenticulars?
[ ]>!<
[ ]: #hardthink
Bexase godsamn barely animated Lenticulars aee in "Best animation".
WataTabe has a nomination for animation but not cinematography.
Ave Mujica is not in the list fof best OP or OST while Idolmaster is.
Neither Yachiyo or Ponko are in the run for best characters while a couple of minor characters are.
Damn, I would gave continued the rant, but I want to unserstand how it ended this way?
The *Apocalypse Hotel* OST is arguably Fujisawa’s best work yet. So many elements from his previous projects come together here, ranging from lush jazz orchestration with doo-wop style vocals to full-blown allusions to John Williams’ *Star Wars* suite (a recurring inspiration in his work) and even Alan Silvestri’s *Avengers* theme. The score occasionally switches up into chill house beats as well. A real standout among the year’s best.
Speaking of house, *Gquuuuux* draws heavily from late-’90s and early-2000s Toonami-era D&B, remixed for a new generation. The beats are full of energy and aggression with rock and orchestral elements blended in alongside callbacks to the franchise’s earliest entries. Co-composer Yoshimasa Terui has a knack for making even a character’s death scene feel strikingly beautiful.
I was genuinely shocked by how strong the OST for *New PANTY & STOCKING with GARTERBELT* turned out to be. You expect plenty of fun techno bops, and they’re absolutely here, but the real surprise is the effort put into the parody tracks. Highlights include a Brian Tyler-esque *Fast & Furious* inspired songs for a segment complete with “See You Again”-style piano, a John Williams-inspired mash-up of *The Mandalorian* and “Duel of the Fates,” and even a full musical episode featuring two of the best insert songs of the year. Absolutely astonishing.
Other dark-horse OSTs worth mentioning include *Turkey! Time to Strike* and *Maebashi Witches*.
*Turkey!*’s soundtrack feels like a culmination of Yuuki Hayashi’s most recent and popular work, blending the slice-of-life feel of *Insomniacs After School* with the intensity of *My Hero Academia* and *Arknights* (you’ll know it when you hear it), alongside the feel of *Blue Miburo*’s feudal Japan. Yuuho Kitazawa of Q.I.S. (and formerly of the peggies) wrote the series’ opening and performed the episode 4 insert song/ending theme, “Flashback.” In a similar vein, Aira Yuuki’s “sincerity flower” serves as a powerful insert/ED for episode 6, cementing it as one of my favorite individual episodes of the year.
While *Maebashi Witches* is certainly not as dynamic or bombastic as *Gquuuuux* or *Apocalypse Hotel*, when its music hits, it hits hard. “When It Hurts” is the OST’s most poignant track and “Let’s WITCH-VERSE,” the show’s henshin song, stands out as one of its most recognizable themes. “You Are My World” (episode 5) features strong lyrics and a surprisingly effective ending, while “Mejirushi” (episode 10) with lyrics by Yūho Iwasato, best known for “The Real Folk Blues” from *Cowboy Bebop* and “Wither” (episode 11), written by TRUE (*Violet Evergarden*, *Sound! Euphonium*), round out the shows best insert songs.
[](#rengehype)[](#rengehype)[](#rengehype)
and a thank you to the awards team for giving us this great piece of yearly content
[](#anko)
but I want to bring a message for people nominating for best animation:
DON'T FORGET YAIBA. I know none of y'all watched it cause the story is kind of a sleeper but just watch the opening on youtube. That's the quality for pretty much the entire season. It deserves to be nominated for animation.
Short 2025 retrospective. Thanks to MAL wrap-up:
- Winter: You watched 6/62 anime from this season
- Spring: You watched 16/81 anime from this season
- Summer: You watched 11/83 anime from this season
- Fall: You watched 5/76 anime from this season
Good filling, thin crust in the sandwich that was 2025. At least that made most genres a breeze to fill out. e.g. Suspense: I watched exactly 4 [and one of them was Twins Hinahima **(didn't select)**](#getout)
Eligibility of an anime for the r/Anime Awards depends on not just when the anime first aired but also when it became widely available to worldwide masses and also when it was first fully translated into English (in sufficient quality). So sometimes you'll get cases where an anime first aired in Japanese in earlier years, but it's eligible this year because it only finally got a full English translation now. Or it was viewable at special festival screenings years ago but is only becoming available to watch at home this year. Etc.
That's how you get some older things showing up in our r/Anime Awards, as it means they were only fully viewable by the average r/Anime member starting this year.
(But no matter what, a given anime is only ever eligible for one year of the Awards.)
And Clevatess isn't a main character in the anime named after him?
I was wondering where it was! I guess I can understand why it's there but I'm surprised it's not in Action (or even Adventure).
> it feels very strange anyone could successfully argue that should be in Suspense.
The suspense was figuring out of the 97 characters introduced, who of which will participate in the Royal Games.
Is the date different for series and films? We have multiple series from fall (Spy Family 3 and Sanda off the cuff), while 100 Meters was first available in theaters in September.
Eligibility requires the film be released to streaming or have a good enough English translation. If it only releases in theatres, it doesn’t count as not everyone can see it.
There is a fixed date for when something can be eligible for this year’s awards. 100 Metres’ streaming date was past this date, so it wasn’t eligible for this year.
[](#feelingloved)
* **Romance**
* [Dealing with Mikadono Sisters is a Breeze](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59207/Mikadono_Sanshimai_wa_Angai_Choroi)
* [I Have a Crush at Work](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59361/Kono_Kaisha_ni_Suki_na_Hito_ga_Imasu)
* [With You, Our Love Will Make It Through](https://myanimelist.net/anime/60765/Kimi_to_Koete_Koi_ni_Naru)
* [Yano-kun's Ordinary Days](https://myanimelist.net/anime/60254/Yano-kun_no_Futsuu_no_Hibi)
* **Drama**
* [Cocoon: One Summer of Girlhood](https://myanimelist.net/anime/55779/Cocoon__Aru_Natsu_no_Shoujo-tachi_yori)
* [My Melody & Kuromi](https://myanimelist.net/anime/60726/My_Melody___Kuromi)
* [Trapezium (movie)](https://myanimelist.net/anime/57508/Trapezium)
* **Comedy**
* [Ninkoro: A Ninja and an Assassin Under One Roof](https://myanimelist.net/anime/58725/Ninja_to_Koroshiya_no_Futarigurashi)
* **Slice of Life**
* [Aharen-san is Indecipherable (Season 2)](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59466/Aharen-san_wa_Hakarenai_Season_2)
* [Food for the Soul](https://myanimelist.net/anime/60658/Hibi_wa_Sugiredo_Meshi_Umashi)
* [The Colors Within (movie)](https://myanimelist.net/anime/53747/Kimi_no_Iro)
* [With You and the Rain](https://myanimelist.net/anime/59619/Ame_to_Kimi_to)
Also please nominate This monster wants to eat me in drama and soundtrack please.
Edit: This monster wants to eat me is in suspense, I just learned. So the jury do that pls
also I have no idea what to do with Soundtrack and Voice Acting.
happy with my character nominations for the time being, at least.
Lead: Anko (Call of the Night), Maomao (Apothecary Diaries), Oguri Cap, Yachiyo (Apocalypse Hotel), Natsuko (Zenshu)
Supporting: Tamamo Cross, Dina (A Wild Last Boss Appeared), Kyouko Tsumugi (Fragrant Flower, all time great anime mom), Mia Adenauer (The Too Perfect Saint), Satsuki (Watanare)
and OP/ED seem pretty set for me
OP: Ave Mujica, Shoushimin Series s2, Witch Watch. Ruri Rocks, My Dress Up Darling s2
ED: Zenshu, mono, My Dress Up Darling s2, Fragrant Flower, Dandadan s2
for OP and ED I excluded anything where I really liked one of the song or visuals but not both. it has to reach peak in both aspects. it kills me a little not to vote for Call of the Night's OP, but I just think the five I'm voting for are a bit better. Silent Witch, the two BAND MAID OPs, MURI MURI, and City were in consideration. in EDs there's no shame in not having much movement or style, but the ones that go to the extra mile will always be the best. in the case of both Dandadan and MDUD the production brought in a totally idiosyncratic talent for the visuals and it really paid off.
**Takopi's Original Sin** - for **Anime of the Year**, Suspense, Animation, Cinematography, VA Reina Ueda as Kuze Shizuka, Ensemble Cast - The show that affected me the most this year, while also being heartbreakingly beautifully animated.
**The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World (Sentai Red Isekai)** - for Adventure, OP - Made me laugh out loud multiple times and the rest of the time made me grin from ear to ear with excitement and Power Rangers hype. I felt like I was 6-7 years old watching the Power Rangers.
**Gachiakuta** - for Action, Animation, Cinematography, VA Yuuki Shin as Jabber - This show surprised me with it's great action animation and frequent subversions to plot cliches (same with SANDA). Special shout out to Jabber's VA, he oozed villainy and masochism.
**Orb: On the Movements of the Earth** - for Drama, Cinematography, Ensemble Cast - Orb had a really interesting way of showing the power of ideas and how they can spread, it' had me guessing what's going to happen next!
My other picks are much more popular so I don't need to write about them, maybe for the voting stage :P
PS: my favorite OPs this year:
[Ao to Kirameki - Bisque Doll Season 2](https://v.animethemes.moe/BisqueDollS2-OP1.webm)
[Kakumei Douchuu - Dandadan 2nd Season](https://v.animethemes.moe/DandadanS2-OP1.webm)
[Mirage - Yofukashi no Uta](https://v.animethemes.moe/YofukashiNoUtaS2-OP1.webm)
[Cuz I - Sentai Red Isekai de Boukensha ni Naru](https://v.animethemes.moe/IsekaiRed-OP1.webm)
[Hi wo Mamoru - Spy x Family Season 3](https://v.animethemes.moe/SpyXFamilyS3-OP1.webm)
[Reweave - Re:Zero Season 3](https://v.animethemes.moe/ReZeroS3-OP1.webm)
[Kaijuu - Orb](https://v.animethemes.moe/ChikyuuChi-OP1.webm)
Also gave stuff like Kijin Gentoushou, Medalist, Apothecary Diaries, Blue Box, I Have a Crush at Work, (etc) votes, I liked those as well.
My AOTY picks were The Summer Hikaru Died (still easily my favorite of last year), Orb: On the Movements of Earth, Takopi's Original Sin, Apocalypse Hotel, & Apothecary Diaries S2. I know I'm probably missing some good hidden gems though so looking forward to seeing what gets nominated!
ETA - I now need to know what dramatic shenanigans My Melody & Kuromi got involved in for their cute little stop-motion show to be allocated into Drama instead of Adventure, Comedy, or even Slice of Life lol
How do I see the rest?
For anime of the year I voted for **The Summer Hikaru Died**, **Medalist**, **My Hero Academia Final Season**, **Dekin no Mogura** and **Catch me at the Ballpark!**.
For characters, my favorite character of the year was **Tsukasa** from **Medalist**. Sadly I think he has absolutely zero chance of making it in the final selection. If any character from **Medalist** makes it in it's gonna 100% be **Inori** which doesn't bother me too much since I also voted for her.
My other picks for lead character were **Mogura** from **Dekin no Mogura** and **Yoshiki** and **Hikaru** from **The Summer Hikaru Died**. It feels wrong to only pick one even though I personally like **Yoshiki** more and they're both great characters.
For supporting character I voted for **Bakugou** (I would have never expected that before lol), **Keigo** from **Witch Watch**, **Yaomay** from **Kowloon Generic Romance**, **Kyouko Nekozuku** from **Dekin no Mogura** and **Riou** from **Medalist**.
I will say that it's kind of a shame that I couldn't pick my favorite female character of the year **Ruriko** from **Catch me at the Ballpark!** because of the ensemble cast rules. I couldn't choose **Xeno** from **Dr.Stone** either for the same reasons.
The one show that I wanted to choose in genre categories but couldn't was **Dekin no Mogura**. I just don't think it's a suspense show. I would have put it in drama or comedy or even slice of life instead. It's like Bravern in the action category last year all over again lol
Very unique, extremely relevant to the times we live in and one of the most unique and beautiful themes I have seen
● Youko Hikasa as Freya - Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? V
● Rico Sasaki as Uika Misumi / Hatsune - Ave Mujica
● Yuzuki Watase as Mutsumi Wakaba / Mortis / several inanimate objects - Ave Mujica
I’ve long been a fan of Youko Hikasa, and personally believe she should’ve taken the award last year for her role as Ayano Tanaka in Murai in Love, but I digress. Her portrayal of Freya in DanMachi this year was exceptional: a volatile mix of obsession, pride and desperation. She effortlessly shifts from cool and ruthless to emotionally unraveling, all driven by Freya’s overwhelming desire to be loved by the one she loves most… by any means necessary. Her performance is what makes Freya both terrifying and heartbreaking.
Speaking of obsession, we need to talk about Rico Sasaki. For the past three-plus years, she’s been essentially method acting as Uika Misumi and it shows throughout Ave Mujica. Watching her performance is like observing a slow, controlled boil that finally erupts in one of the year’s most unforgettable episodes, “Te ustus amem.” I genuinely don’t think we’ll get another experience quite like it and to our twisted, voyeuristic pleasure, Ricochi absolutely delivered.
Finally, dear sweet Yuzuki Watase as Mitsumi. Her work in Ave Mujica episode three, “Quid faciam?”, where she performs as literally a dozen characters representing fragments of Mitsumi's collapsing psyche, is award-worthy on its own. It's both terrifying and mesmerizing. On top of that, her portrayal as Mortis, particularly the way she mimics and emotionally manipulates her bandmates by telling them exactly what they want to hear, was chilling and deeply effective. It’s hard to imagine Yuzuki knew this was what awaited her when she signed on as Mutsumi and the result was outstanding.