Spring 2025 is, if nothing else, a big anime season. There are a lot of shows, and by recent standards a relatively small percentage of them are LN adaptations. If anything I would say CGDCT seems to have regained the upper hand from isekai for one season at least. But overall, while the season is trending about as I expected (middling) there was at least a large pool of candidates from which an unexpected sleeper might emerge. And a couple of them have, though each have some yellow flags attached to them.<\/p>\n
As in the preview, I\u2019m covering a lot of series here based simply on the size of the schedule. And as I noted in the preview it\u2019s kind of an hourglass-shaped affair. A few big titles at the top (the core four, as I\u2019ve come to refer to them), not much in the \u201cvery good\u201d range, and a big swathe of titles below that contending for a spot. I\u2019ve had seasons where I struggled to find candidates for the Patron Pick ballot, and a couple where it\u2019s been a challenge to whittle it down. This one is definitely the latter.<\/p>\n
Given how much weight this season is going to have to carry in the year-end reckoning (a certainty given the tenor of series announcements in late 2024) I certainly hope the cour four manage to remain the pillars, and a couple of the field emerge as true gems. As I said we do have a couple of early breakouts, but apart from one I\u2019m still skeptical that they\u2019re going to be able to close the deal. I\u2019m also really missing sports and romcom, which are lightly represented in series that are relevant to my interests. Mystery is the trending genre if there is one, but on the whole I\u2019m not that impressed with the quality of the field there.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Onward, then, to Spring 2025:<\/p>\n
The Elite<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n
None<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Outstanding<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n
Kowloon Generic Romance<\/strong> Kuroshitsuji: Midori no Majo-hen\u00a0<\/strong> Vigilante: Boku no Hero Academia Illegals\u00a0<\/strong> \u00a0<\/p>\n Very Good<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n Apocalypse Hotel<\/strong> Aharen-san wa Hakarenai Season 2\u00a0<\/strong> Anne Shirley<\/strong> \u00a0<\/p>\n Worthwhile<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Zatsu Tabi: That\u2019s Journey<\/strong> Uchuujin MuuMuu\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong> Moonrise Ballpark de Tsukamaete!\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong> Witch Watch\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong> Shoushimin Series 2nd Season\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong> \u00a0<\/p>\n Still Watching<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n Shin Samurai-den Yaiba<\/strong> Sentai Daishikkaku 2nd Season<\/strong> Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato de<\/strong> Lazarus<\/strong> Kidou Senshi Gundam: GQuuuuuuX<\/strong> Chuuzenji-sensei Mononoke Kougiroku: Sensei ga Nazo wo Hodoite Shimau kara.<\/strong> Summer Pockets<\/strong> \u00a0<\/p>\n Dropped:<\/u><\/b> Kijin Gentoushou, Your Forma, Saikyou no Ousama, Nidome no Jinsei wa Nani wo Suru?, Rock wa Lady no Tashinami deshite \u00a0<\/p>\n Here, then, is this season\u2019s blogging prospectus:<\/p>\n Monday<\/u><\/b>: Tuesday<\/u><\/b>: Wednesday<\/u><\/b>: Thursday<\/u><\/b>: Friday<\/u><\/b>: Saturday:<\/u><\/b> Sunday:<\/u><\/strong> Manga:<\/b> Otoyomegatari, Hunter X Hunter (Hiatus)<\/em><\/p>\n Watching For Now<\/b>: Moonrise, Sentai Daishikkaku 2nd Season, Lazarus, Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato de, Kidou Senshi Gundam: GQuuuuuuX, Chuuzenji-sensei Mononoke Kougiroku: Sensei ga Nazo wo Hodoite Shimau kara., Summer Pockets<\/em><\/p>\n Patron Pick Ballot<\/strong>: Ballpark de Tsukamaete!, Shin Samurai-den Yaiba, Witch Watch, Zatsu Tabi: That\u2019s Journey<\/i>, Uchuujin MuuMuu<\/em>, Anne Shirley<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n One more thing before I wrap<\/strong>. A special thanks to everyone who supports LiA financially \u2013 you\u2019re the reason the site is still going. \u00a0The \u201cLiA Bespoke\u201d commissions program is officially open<\/a> and has proved to be a great addition to LiA, so please check it out.<\/p>\n Please check out the LiA YouTube channel<\/a> for manga recommendations, from the vault anime, Japan journeys the My Taste is Better Than Yours<\/em> podcast, and more!<\/p>\n
Episodes Watched<\/strong>: 3
Grade<\/strong>: A-
Comments<\/strong>: Certainly, the premiere would have landed Kowloon Generic Romance<\/em> in the \u201cElite\u201d tier. The episodes since have not quite been on that level but still outstanding. The Sword of Damocles hanging over this series is it\u2019s one-cour length, given that the manga is not only ongoing, but 15 volumes. It is concluding soon so we may get mangaka Mayzuki Jun\u2019s intended ending \u2013 but even if that happens the story is going to be facing serious cuts. And that\u2019s a shame, because its three main elements \u2013 romcom, world-building, and sci-fi mystery \u2013 are all good enough to carry a series on their own.<\/p>\n
Episodes Watched<\/strong>: 3
Grade<\/strong>: A-
Comments<\/strong>: Kuroshitsuji<\/em> has become one of the most consistent franchises in anime. There have been few misses the last couple of seasons, and Midori no Majo-hen<\/em> is off to a similarly excellent start. The second episode was probably the funniest in the entire series run, and the premise seems like another perfect fit for the characters and mythology. To her credit, that\u2019s something Toboso-sensei is clearly very good at identifying. This is shaping up as one of the series\u2019 darkest arcs, and hinting that we may see some exploration of the mystery surrounding Ciel\u2019s (Ciels\u2019?) past.<\/p>\n
Episodes Watched<\/strong>: 3
Grade<\/strong>: A-
Comments<\/strong>: For me Illegals<\/em> does pretty much everything you could ask a spinoff series to do. It honors the spirit of the parent series without mimicking it. It explores themes established by HeroAca<\/em> but not deeply explored, focusing as it does on the grey areas in the spaces between her and villain society. It\u2019s a damn good manga, and with Bones animating you know the anime is going to do justice to the source material.<\/p>\n
Episodes Watched<\/strong>:<\/b> 3
Grade<\/strong>: <\/b>B+
Comments<\/strong>:<\/b> There\u2019s absolutely no question that Apocalypse Hotel<\/em> has been the biggest surprise of the season thus far. The premise is not wholly original but certainly clever, and the execution has been outstanding. There are elements of old Gainax here and it\u2019s telling how many influences I\u2019ve already mentioned in three episode posts \u2013 Yuasa, YKK, Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita, Uchouten Kazoku. Every episode has fleshed out the narrative more, and the added bonus of Miki Shinichirou delivering an absolutely epic performance certainly doesn\u2019t hurt. You never know how it\u2019s going to go with originals but so far, so good.<\/p>\n
Episodes Watched<\/strong>: 3
Grade<\/strong>: B+
Comments<\/strong>: If I\u2019m honest, the season premiere of Aharen-san<\/em> was kind of a whiff, a letdown after so much time away. Almost no Raidou \u2013 and thus Raidou and Aharen together \u2013 and half the episode devoted to a new secondary character. A poor choice for a season premiere, but things have improved since then. When it\u2019s right, this show\u2019s charm factor is off the charts and it delivers a huge number of laughs per episode. I never expected to see the adaptation concluded, so I can live with a few clunkers.<\/p>\n
Episodes Watched<\/strong>: 3
Grade<\/strong>: B
Comments<\/strong>: Though I don\u2019t have much exposure to this material in any of its myriad incarnations, I know its reputation is almost certainly well-earned. So far I would describe this adaptation as pretty much \u201cfine\u201d. It looks pleasant enough in a Ghibli-lite sort of way, and the direction is more than competent. That said it\u2019s hammering through the material at a blistering pace, and even for a newbie like me it\u2019s obvious where some emotional heft is lost as a result. Certainly a pleasant watch which brings no shame to the source material.<\/p>\n
Episodes Watched:<\/strong> 3
Grade: <\/strong>B-
Comments<\/strong>: As much as I loved the premiere of Zatsu Tabi<\/em>, I always felt like it was destined to be a one-off. While it\u2019s clearly been established that this show is capable of being something more, it looks to be mainly a CGDCT and \u201chealing\u201d exercise, which radically limits its upside. Solo travel is just better \u2013 both for personal growth and for anime. I don\u2019t think we\u2019re going to see much more of it from Zatsu Tabi<\/em>, sadly.<\/p>\n
Episodes Watched:<\/strong> 3
Grade: <\/strong>B-
Comments<\/strong>: In a season without Apocalypse Hotel<\/em>, Me and the Alien MuMu<\/em> might be the weirdest show airing. But in a totally different way. This manga adaptation is quirky, whimsical, and distinctly odd in terms of narrative structure. More than perhaps anyone else the music of Kuricorder Quartet vibes with a very particular sort of show, and it fits perfectly with this one. Between the cat stuff, the social anxiety, and the tech geekery the whole experience is quite a fascinating one.<\/p>\n
Episodes Watched:<\/strong> 5
Grade: <\/strong>B-
Comments<\/strong>: I quite liked the first couple episodes of Moonrise<\/em>, but it\u2019s not quite as engaging since. Wit is certainly delivering on the visuals, and there are some interesting hard sci-fi and space opera elements to it. But original series (especially longer ones) by writers without a successful track record with them are always a crapshoot. I find it pretty unlikely the story is going to hold together for 18 episodes but for now, I\u2019m still watching.<\/p>\n
Episodes Watched:<\/strong> 4
Grade: <\/strong>B-
Comments<\/strong>: In a season otherwise bereft of sports series relevant to my interests, Ballpark de Tsukamaete!<\/em> is providing an engaging experience. It\u2019s an episodic show \u2013 three short chapters per episode \u2013 and as a result it can be hit-and-miss. But the baseball stuff is pretty authentic, most of the characters are enjoyable, and it managed to work in a plug for Chicago pizza.<\/p>\n
Episodes Watched:<\/strong> 3
Grade: <\/strong>B-
Comments<\/strong>: As big a fan as I am of Shinohara Kenta\u2019s Kanata no Astra<\/em>, I\u2019ve never really vibed with anything else of his. That included the chapters of Witch Watch<\/em> I sampled, so my expectations going into this adaptation were distinctly modest. But The first episodes were surprisingly funny and surprisingly charming, broadly following the \u201ctwo loveable idiots\u201d romcom template. Episode 3 was less successful but I\u2019m at least open to seeing where it goes from here.<\/p>\n
Episodes Watched:<\/strong> 3
Grade: <\/strong>B-
Comments<\/strong>: Overall I would definitely say this season of Shoushimin Series<\/em> has been a step up for me. Takahiro\u2019s straightforward earnestness has made a nice contrast with the rest of the cast, even as it\u2019s obvious he\u2019s totally being played by Yuki. Meanwhile Jougorou patiently waits off to the side, going through the motion with his triple-timing new \u201cgirlfriend\u201d, as a Holmes and Moriarty vibe develops between he and Osanai. It\u2019s more fun the second go around, and we certainly know Yonezawa Honobu is capable of writing smart material.<\/p>\n![\"Summer](\"https:\/\/lostinanime.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Summer-Pockets-01-20.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
Episodes Watched<\/strong>: 3
Grade: <\/strong>C+
Comments<\/strong>: I keep seeing a hybrid of Ranma 1\/2<\/em> and Dragonball<\/em> when I look at Yaiba<\/em> (though you could obviously throw some Conan<\/em> in there too). It\u2019s Wit so you know it\u2019s going to look great and have excellent action sequences (it does). The story and characters? A mixed bag for me \u2013 Yaiba himself comes off as kind of a dickhead, but he\u2019s basically feral and when you look at his dad, I guess it\u2019s understandable.<\/p>\n
Episodes Watched:<\/strong> 2
Grade: <\/strong>C+
Comments<\/strong>: I\u2019m way behind on Go Go Loser Ranger<\/em>, but based just on one episode my overall take is about the same. It\u2019s sneaky interesting, explores some challenging themes, and features a bravura lead performance by Kobayashi Yuusuke. Nothing brilliant or anything but a solidly entertaining watch I tend to forget about when I shouldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
Episodes Watched<\/strong>: 3
Grade: <\/strong>C+
Comments<\/strong>: The Dinner Table Detective<\/em> started off pretty strongly for me \u2013 the premiere had a nice old Hollywood zaniness to it. But it hasn\u2019t particularly worn well. The mysteries aren\u2019t too gripping but that\u2019s more or less the norm for these sorts of series. I\u2019m not laughing as much as I was, though, and that\u2019s a bad sign this early in the game.<\/p>\n
Episodes Watched<\/strong>: 3
Grade<\/strong>: C
Comments<\/strong>: Of all the criticisms I can level against a show, \u201cboring\u201d might be the most damning. You try not to grade on a curve \u2013 how would I feel about this series if Watanabe Shinichirou weren\u2019t directing it? That\u2019s impossible to do, but I think I\u2019d probably still find it pretty lifeless and derivative. Boilerplate premise and characters who are more types than actual people, not a great combination and one that sadly gives the impression that Watanabe is once again kind of mailing it in.<\/p>\n
Episodes Watched<\/strong>: 3
Grade<\/strong>: C
Comments<\/strong>: Maybe slightly less boring than Lazarus<\/em> but more cynical and irritating. I admit I\u2019m not a huge Gundam<\/em> fan to begin with but it\u2019s depressing to see the franchise in the state it\u2019s in. And that would be true if this series didn\u2019t have the full flower of Gainax\u2019 glory days running it. Maybe this season represents a passing of the torch in anime, but if so you sure hate to see it going down this way.<\/p>\n
Episodes Watched:<\/strong> 2
Grade: <\/strong>C
Comments<\/strong>: Another detective story that isn\u2019t really clicking for me, this one set at a Tokyo high school in 1948. There\u2019s a good pedigree here with the source novels of Natsuhiko Kyougoku (Mouryou no Hako<\/em>), and the second episode was a little better than the first. But on balance it\u2019s not clicking for me yet, and the weird supernatural twist with Enokizu seems somewhat out of place.<\/p>\n
Episodes Watched<\/strong>: 3
Grade: <\/strong>C
Comments<\/strong>: Key going through the motions here so far. There have been a few amusing moments but I\u2019ve seen nothing from Summer Pockets<\/em> to make me believe it\u2019s anything but B-grade Key material.<\/p>\n
<\/em><\/p>\n
Definitely Blogging<\/strong>: Aharen-san wa Hakarenai Season 2, Vigilante: Boku no Hero Academia Illegals<\/em>
On the Bubble<\/strong>: Zatsu Tabi: That\u2019s Journey<\/em><\/p>\n
Definitely Blogging<\/strong>: Apocalypse Hotel<\/em>
On the Bubble<\/strong>: Ballpark de Tsukamaete!<\/em><\/p>\n
On the Bubble<\/strong>: Uchuujin MuuMuu<\/em><\/p>\n
None<\/b><\/p>\n
Definitely Blogging<\/strong>: Kusuriya no Hitorigoto 2nd Season<\/em><\/p>\n
Definitely Blogging<\/strong>: Kowloon Generic Romance, Kuroshitsuji: Midori no Majo-hen<\/em>
On the Bubble<\/strong>: Anne Shirley, Shin Samurai-den Yaiba<\/em><\/p>\n
On the Bubble<\/strong>: Witch Watch, Shoushimin Series 2nd Season<\/em><\/p>\n