Summer 2025 Wrap-Up

Now that the Summer 2025 season is fully over and all of the series I’ve been following are either ending or going on hiatus, it’s time to look at how the series I followed finished out.

Because of the high volume of titles, covering every one of them here would make this post cumbersome. Hence I am only including those titles for which I have updated my grade since the Mid-Season Reports and/or have additional commentary to offer. Also, I won’t be including Secret of the Silent Witch here, since I intend to give that series a full, independent write-up after its last episode airs on (presumably) 10/3.

Summer Mid-Season Report part 1 titles which will not be covered here include DAN DA DAN, New Saga, Private Tutor to the Duke’s Daughter, and Reborn as a Vending Machine 2. Please refer to the linked article for my impressions on those.

Summer Mid-Season Report part 2 titles which will not be covered here include Scooped Up By an S-Ranked Adventurer; The Rising of the Shield Hero s4; Uglymug, Epicfighter; and Witch Watch. Please refer to the linked article for my impressions on those.

BEST OF SEASON: Clevatess

Overall Rating: A-

Honestly, I don’t have a whole lot to add on this one, so I’m including it mostly to just encourage people again to watch it. The series stays true to its nature as classic old-school fantasy through to the end of this season and along the way delivers a number of flashy and beautifully-designed battles, too, along with some seriously gross graphic content. It also raises big mysteries about the ancient history of the setting and why things are the way they are now, and I always appreciate that in any series. This is top-tier fantasy animation. It is getting a sequel, and I’m a bit ambivalent over the suggestion that this one might be taking a “magic school” path, but I’ve enjoyed the characters and setting so far, so I’ll give it a chance. Kudos also again for the stellar English simuldub, especially Katie Wetch as Alicia and Celeste Perez as Nell/Nelluru.

OTHER TITLES

Betrothed to My Sister’s Ex

Overall Rating: C+

This one has some interesting twists in the late stages; it’s not every day you see a major plot development and pivotal conflict in an anime series hinge on literacy (or the lack thereof). The twist involving what happened to Anastasia was actually far less surprising, since it had been telegraphed to a degree, though it was still interesting in the way that it was neither entirely an accident nor entirely planned, but instead more a case of adapting a rough plan to the circumstances. (Anastasia’s motives also make her a more rounded character than I was initially expecting, even given that I recognized right away that she wasn’t part of the villainy towards Marie.) The happy, lovey-dovey ending leans on the saccharine side but it’s still quite satisfying, especially for Anastasia.

Call of the Night s2

Overall Season Rating: A-

The first season of Call of the Night was a strong effort with a unique appeal, but this second season, taken as a whole, may be even stronger. It explores points about both vampires in general and Nazuna’s origins in particular that have been neglected so far, while also delivering a semi-uniting plot in the anti-vampire endeavors of the detective Anko, who turns out to be a far more interesting character than she might have appeared to be at first. What drove her to go on assault against the vampires, and how this involves Nazuna (even though Nazuna isn’t technically responsible for it) makes for a strong character arc, and it gives us a surprisingly robust running battle scene in the season’s 10th episode, too. This season also reveals that the story is far more gay (or, more specifically, yuri) than it initially appears to be, and rather than being lurid (as, arguably, There’s No Freaking Way leans towards), it makes sense here. Ending the last episode with the original closer was also neat. This one joins Clevatess, Rascal, Darling, and maybe DAN DA DAN as one of the top five series of the season.

Kaiju No. 8

Overall Season Rating: B

Who cares if you’re being formulaic if you execute that formula well? That’s what the latter part of this season comes down to for Kafka and the Defense Force around him. On the downside, spreading the focus so thin limits the focus on great character Kafka, but it does give other characters chances to shine, and they show that beautifully as No. 9 makes his move in the last two episodes. The later episodes also give the series a much-needed Mina/Kafka introspection and shows, for the first time, where her real feelings lie. Other particular highlights include Kikoru getting to wearing the same suit her mother wore and Hoshina’s odd relationship with No. 10 (as shown above). All of that buoys up some weaker content in the center of the season. The season ends on a major cliffhanger, so I’ll definitely be back for the inevitable continuation.

My Dress-Up Darling s2

Overall Season Rating: A-

Glamor girls in anime might be admirable, but you’d rarely call one truly adorable. And yet somehow this series has accomplished that feat beautifully with Marin. We’ve seen plenty of anime girls go crazy over trying to figure out how to admit that they love a male character, but there’s just something charmingly sweet about how Marin first comes to realize that she’s in love with Wakana and then tries to work up the nerve to confess to him. Meanwhile, all sorts of other interesting characters are afoot as the series cycles through various cosplays scenarios, including the gleefully gruesome group “Coffin” cosplay, and Wakana gets a fair amount of character growth, too. The series was a delight to watch and easily one of the top five series this season.

Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus

Overall Season Rating: A-

This may be far from the flashiest series this season, but if any other series had better character writing, I didn’t see it. I’ve always loved how this franchise takes ordinary human foibles and transforms them with understated supernatural spins, and we see plenty of opportunities for that in the overarching (and apparently not completely resolved!) mystery about who singer Touko Kirishima really is. The breadth of franchise familiarity necessary to completely understand everything is also impressive; I plan to rewatch the movies before rewatching this series again, and may give the franchise a full write-up once I’ve done so. Anchoring it all is one of the neatest relationship in all of anime: the couple of Mai and Sakuta, which is rarely at the forefront of events in this part of the series but is never completely pushed into the background, either. A follow-up movie that will adapt the last two novels in the franchise is coming, and I will definitely be back for it.

Sword of the Demon Hunter

Overall Rating: B

Despite some solid writing, I sadly have to lower my grade on this one because the artistic issues which develop in the later parts of the series simply can’t be ignored. The end of the series, which felt more like the end of an arc than a seasonal stopping point, was also a bit unsatisfying, even if it was a neat story which was foreshadowed by a random comment made in 2009 several episodes back. (In fact, the sword master demon’s appearance in modern day was also foreshadowed in a background scene late in the series’ first half.) While I would have liked to see more of the story in 2009, the series makes excellent use of recurring cast members in the 1800s and in drawing connections to modern day. Still, this feels like only part of a much, much bigger story, one that is nowhere near conclusion as the series ends. I’d love to see more animation on this one, but was the series successful enough to warrant that? MAL’s rankings suggest that the series was only moderately popular rather than a hit. I guess we’ll see going forward.

Summer Pockets

Overall Rating: B

For better or worse, this series stays true to the spirit and rhythm of Key adaptations through to its last scene. That means that its last five or so episodes are its strongest and most emotional content, though this isn’t anywhere near the intense tearjerker that some of its predecessors were. (Not for lack of trying, though!) While the story may have been a painfully slow burn at times, its finale shows that there was a point to all of it, that everything really was building towards something (i.e., Umi’s story), and that the name of the series has a very specific symbolic meaning within the context of the series. I wouldn’t necessarily say that everything is satisfyingly resolved in your end, and how you react to the series’ last quarter will depend heavily on how much you can become invested in Shiroha being the Main Girl (and especially how Umi’s part supports that), but the story largely achieves what it set out to do, even if that wasn’t done in a splashy fashion.

The Water Magician

Overall Rating: B-

While criticism about the series’ lackadaisical pacing isn’t without merit, the series shows in its second half that it can deliver in its big moments. The duel between Ryo and the Inferno Mage in episode 12 was as scintillating a battle as his duel with the akuma in the first half, and his test match against Sera was no slouch, either. Seeing Ryo seriously pissed off for a change in the former case was a real treat, too, as is Sera in general; she’s probably my favorite supporting character from any series this season. (The way she smiles has a lot to do with it, but it’s also her energy and her very balanced character design. Every scene with her and Ryo hanging out together just feels natural, too.) On the downside, the series’ efforts to showcase other characters, too, limits Ryo’s participation at times. This was a pretty successful series, so it seems likely to get a sequel. I’ll definitely be back if it does.

There’s No Freaking Way I’ll Be Your Lover! Unless. . .

Overall Rating: B

As expected, the season ends with three of the four girls in Renako’s friend group now firmly in her harem (whether she wants it that way or not). However, the shift in the main conflict going from the more antagonistic Satsuki-Mai rivalry to a Mai-Ajisai rivalry is an interesting twist, and Renako having been attracted to Ajisai all along (whether she admits it or not) only complicates things further. Mai comes off as a bit more sympathetic in the end, but it’s hard not to root for Renako to ultimately hook up with Ajisai instead. All of this plays out in a mostly-delightful succession of romantic comedy scenarios, complete with continuing light doses of fan service. A movie sequel, which I’ve been led to believe will finally focus on the fourth girl (who’s been almost entirely absent for the past few episodes), has been announced, so the fun isn’t over yet.

Turkey! Time To Strike

Overall Rating: B+

I have to respect this series some for having the moxie to pull off the stunts that it does. The way that bowling is forced into each episode of this time-travel series – even to the extent of making it a major crisis and plot point! – practically becomes a running joke, but somehow the series makes it work. It pulls off a number of slick tricks, including recasting the OP for one episode with the bowling team member’s Sengoku-era counterparts and delivering a truly jaw-dropping final twist that, in retrospect, had been hinted at all along due to concealing who voices a certain role, and it does all of this while taking a serious look at each of the girls and their backstories and concerns. And I can’t fault the series for making Mai an obvious lefty, either! This was a real surprise which ended up being way better than just a silly series with a stunner of a founding gimmick.

Welcome to the Outcast Restaurant

Overall Rating: C

And, honestly, this rating might even be too high, as the series takes a distinct nosedive in its second half as it tries to explore a bigger but also very formulaic plot. It also tries too hard to make its battle component work with its cooking component. The only minor upside is the bath scene which confirms which confirms that Vivia may be effeminate, but is actually a guy and not a woman pretending to be a guy. Not really sure where the story could go next, either. This was ultimately one of the season’s most forgettable series.

Except for the aforementioned Secret of the Silent Witch review, that’s all for this season. Be sure to check out the Fall 2025 Preview Guide if you haven’t already.