The summer 2025 anime season has come to an end. In this article, I would like to share a few personal favorites from the season. Each review touches on what made these titles special without giving away major spoilers, so even if you haven’t seen them yet, I hope this guide helps you find your next show to enjoy.

1. The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity

Among all the summer titles, The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity (JP: 薫る花は凛と咲く) stood out as a radiant and heartfelt high school romance. It beautifully captures the awkwardness, sincerity, and intensity of youthful love.

At its core lies a simple yet timeless story: two students from completely different social environments meet by chance, become aware of one another, and slowly grow closer despite the social and emotional barriers that divide them.

Beyond Rintaro and Kaoruko’s relationship, characters such as Subaru also deal with their own internal conflicts, adding depth and realism to the story. The depiction of their raw emotions and the way they confront prejudice highlight the series’ strength as a coming-of-age romance.

The pure and unfiltered feelings of youth shine so brightly that it almost hurts to watch in the best possible way. Although a second season has not yet been announced, fans are already hopeful to see this story continue.

2. Dr. STONE: SCIENCE FUTURE (Final Arc, Part 2)

The second cour of the final chapter was so captivating that I found myself rewatching from Season 1. That’s how good it was.

Dr. STONE tells the story of humanity turned entirely to stone and the effort to rebuild civilization from scratch. Even after expanding its scope all the way to outer space, the narrative remained tightly structured until the very end, which was truly impressive.

In the final stretch, the sequence beginning with humanity being petrified once again delivers an emotional punch. Without giving away spoilers, Suika’s desperate struggle to revive the world using the “science she inherited” is easily one of the most moving moments of any anime this summer.

It powerfully conveys the series’ central theme that science is not just knowledge or tools but something that is passed down, preserved, and carried forward by human hands.

3. Dandadan Season 2

Following the highly acclaimed first season, Dandadan Season 2 kept the momentum going from start to finish. With the addition of sci-fi and kaiju elements on top of its existing mix of yokai and aliens, the chaos reached new heights. Yet, even within that madness, the show never lost sight of its heart as a coming-of-age battle story.

Episode 18’s insert song, “Hunting Soul,” performed by the in-anime metal band Hayashii, became a major talking point for various reasons. Both the animation and music showcased the studio’s uncompromising quality.

4. With You and the Rain

This series was the most soothing and heartwarming title of the season. It follows Fuji, a novelist, and Kimi, a mysterious tanuki-like creature who insists on being a dog, as they live together in quiet companionship.

Kimi cannot speak but communicates by writing messages on a small flip board, creating a subtle yet fascinating form of cross-species communication. The calm, understated storytelling gently seeps into the viewer’s heart, leaving a lasting sense of peace.

Saori Hayami’s performance as Fuji perfectly completes the anime’s tranquil atmosphere. Her soft and composed tone contrasts beautifully with her more expressive roles such as Shinobu Kochou in Demon Slayer and Yor Forger in SPY×FAMILY.

Each episode tells a self-contained story, making the series easy to watch. The final episode, which reveals the fateful beginning of Fuji and Kimi’s bond, ties the entire narrative together like fitting the last piece of a puzzle, leaving behind a quiet but deeply satisfying afterglow.

5. The Summer Hikaru Died

Perhaps it’s because I’ve always had a soft spot for eerie, rural Japanese horror, but The Summer Hikaru Died (JP: 光が死んだ夏) instantly drew me in. I even ended up reading the original manga all the way to the latest chapter.

The series blends folkloric horror with youth drama, creating a strangely beautiful mix of unease and raw emotion. The story intertwines the grotesque and the sentimental in a way that feels both unsettling and deeply human.

The relationship between Yoshiki and the “something” that has taken the place of his deceased friend Hikaru remains fragile and tense throughout. As each character’s motives gradually come into focus, Season 1 ends right as everything begins to align, leaving the viewer both satisfied and desperate for more.

With the manga also approaching its conclusion, anticipation for Season 2 is running high. Fans who enjoy this series will likely also appreciate Shiki (JP:屍鬼, story by Fuyumi Ono, manga by Ryu Fujisaki), another masterful exploration of rural horror and human fear.