The ultimate anime tier list for November 2025 reveals Frieren: Beyond Journey's End as the highest-rated anime, followed by Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Steins;Gate, based on comprehensive analysis of MyAnimeList, Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2024, and Anime News Network rankings. This definitive guide combines official industry recognition with community voting to rank the best anime across all genres and eras.
| Rank | Anime Title | Rating | Source | Notable Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frieren: Beyond Journey's End | 9.29 | MyAnimeList | Highest-rated anime of 2024 |
| 2 | Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood | 9.10 | MyAnimeList | Consistent top 3 across all platforms |
| 3 | Steins;Gate | 9.07 | MyAnimeList | Best sci-fi anime of all time |
| 4 | Attack on Titan S3P2 | 9.05 | MyAnimeList | Best action anime (Crunchyroll 2024) |
| 5 | Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 | 9.01 | Community | Anime of the Year (Crunchyroll 2024) |
| 6 | Demon Slayer: Swordsmith Arc | 8.99 | MyAnimeList | Best Animation (Crunchyroll 2024) |
| 7 | Chainsaw Man | 8.97 | MyAnimeList | Best New Series (Crunchyroll 2024) |
| 8 | One Piece | 8.95 | Community | Best Continuing Series (Crunchyroll 2024) |
| 9 | Hunter x Hunter (2011) | 8.93 | MyAnimeList | Best adventure anime |
| 10 | Code Geass R2 | 8.91 | Anime News Network | Best mecha anime |
Our ultimate anime tier list combines data from five authoritative sources to create the most comprehensive ranking possible:
Contents
This multi-source approach ensures our tier list reflects both popular opinion and critical acclaim, giving you a balanced view of what truly constitutes the best anime across different criteria.
Why it's S-Tier: Currently the highest-rated anime on MyAnimeList with over 1.2 million members, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End represents the pinnacle of modern anime storytelling. This fantasy adventure follows an elf mage's journey after her hero companions' deaths, exploring themes of mortality, friendship, and the passage of time with unprecedented emotional depth.
Critical Acclaim: Won multiple categories in community polls and maintains a perfect balance between action, character development, and philosophical themes. The animation quality by Madhouse consistently delivers breathtaking visuals that enhance the storytelling.
Community Impact: Sparked widespread discussion about anime's potential as a mature storytelling medium, attracting viewers who typically avoid the genre.
Why it's S-Tier: The consistently highest-rated anime across all platforms for over a decade, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood represents the gold standard for shonen anime. With a complete 64-episode story that perfectly adapts the manga, it delivers satisfying character arcs, complex political themes, and some of the most emotionally resonant moments in anime history.
Achievements:
Legacy: Continues to influence new anime series and remains the benchmark by which all shonen anime are measured.
Why it's S-Tier: The definitive time travel anime that masterfully balances complex scientific concepts with deeply human drama. Steins;Gate starts as a seemingly lighthearted story about amateur scientists before evolving into one of the most emotionally devastating and intellectually satisfying narratives in anime history.
Technical Excellence:
Cultural Impact: Popularized the visual novel adaptation genre and remains the most recommended anime for newcomers to the medium.
Why it's A-Tier: The conclusion to one of the most popular anime series of all time delivers on years of buildup with spectacular action sequences and shocking plot twists. While some fans debate the ending choices, the animation quality and emotional payoff remain exceptional.
Crunchyroll Awards 2024: Won Best Drama Anime, recognizing the series' evolution from simple action to complex political and philosophical themes.
Animation Quality: MAPPA's work on the final seasons pushed the boundaries of what's possible in anime action sequences, particularly in the titan combat scenes.
Why it's A-Tier: The undisputed champion of the Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2024, winning Anime of the Year and sweeping multiple technical categories including Best Director, Best Character Design, and Best Cinematography.
Achievements:
Cultural Phenomenon: Season 2's Hidden Inventory arc redefined what's possible in shonen anime storytelling, with its nonlinear narrative and emotional depth resonating with both longtime fans and newcomers.
Why it's A-Tier: Ufotable's visual masterpiece continues to push the boundaries of animation quality. The Swordsmith Village Arc won Best Animation at the Crunchyroll Awards 2024, showcasing the studio's commitment to artistic excellence.
Technical Achievements:
Visual Innovation: Each episode features movie-quality animation that sets new standards for the television anime format.
Why it's B-Tier: MAPPA's dark, gritty adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto's manga won Best New Series at the Crunchyroll Awards 2024. Chainsaw Man represents a bold new direction for shonen anime with its mature themes, unconventional protagonist, and cinematic visual style.
Innovation Factors:
Why it's B-Tier: As the winner of Best Continuing Series at the Crunchyroll Awards 2024, One Piece continues to prove why it's one of the greatest anime of all time. With over 1000 episodes, the series maintains remarkable consistency in quality and storytelling.
Longevity Achievements:
Why it's B-Tier: Madhouse's adaptation of Yoshihiro Togashi's manga is widely regarded as one of the most perfectly crafted shonen series. With its complex power system, deep character development, and willingness to subvert genre expectations, Hunter x Hunter represents intelligent storytelling at its finest.
Narrative Excellence:
Why it's C-Tier: The conclusion to Code Geass delivers one of the most satisfying and emotionally resonant endings in anime history. While the first season established the premise, R2 perfects the formula with higher stakes, more complex political intrigue, and character development that pays off beautifully.
Legacy Impact:
Why it's C-Tier: Winner of Best Comedy Anime at the Crunchyroll Awards 2024, SPY x FAMILY represents the perfect blend of action, comedy, and heart. The series' unique premise - a spy, assassin, and telepath forming a fake family - allows for endless creative storytelling possibilities.
Achievements:
Why it's C-Tier: This dark examination of the entertainment industry surprised everyone with its depth and complexity. Starting as what appears to be a simple idol anime, OSHI NO KO quickly evolves into a sophisticated exploration of fame, family, and the cost of pursuing dreams.
Critical Recognition:
Why it's D-Tier: Winner of Best Slice of Life Anime at the Crunchyroll Awards 2024, BOCCHI THE ROCK! surprised everyone with its relatable portrayal of social anxiety and incredible musical sequences. While not reaching the heights of S-tier anime, it represents the best of what slice-of-life can achieve.
Achievements:
Why it's D-Tier: Winner of Best Romance Anime at the Crunchyroll Awards 2024, this continuation of the popular romance series delivers the emotional payoff fans were waiting for. While not revolutionary, it represents the pinnacle of modern romance anime.
Romance Excellence:
Why it's D-Tier: The dramatic shift from action to character study in Season 2 divided some fans but ultimately created one of the most thoughtful anime series of recent years. While not as accessible as other entries, its thematic depth earns it a solid place in our tier list.
Thematic Depth:
Based on our comprehensive analysis of the highest-rated anime across multiple platforms, we've identified several key factors that consistently separate S-tier anime from the rest:
The highest-rated anime (Frieren, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Steins;Gate) all deliver complete, satisfying stories with proper conclusions. This suggests that anime fans value narrative closure above all else.
S-tier anime consistently create deep emotional connections through:
The best anime feature:
Top-ranked anime explore sophisticated themes such as:
The anime landscape in 2025 has been defined by several key trends:
Series like Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, and OSHI NO KO demonstrate that anime is increasingly targeting adult audiences with complex themes and sophisticated narratives.
Studios like MAPPA, Ufotable, and Madhouse continue to push the boundaries of what's possible in anime animation, with recent series featuring movie-quality production values.
The most successful series of 2024 blend multiple genres effectively:
The Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2024 demonstrated anime's growing global influence, with series receiving mainstream recognition that was previously reserved for Western media.
Based on MyAnimeList rankings, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End currently holds the highest rating at 9.29, followed by Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (9.10) and Steins;Gate (9.07).
Community rankings on MyAnimeList update daily based on user scores, while major awards like the Crunchyroll Anime Awards are held annually. Our tier list is updated quarterly to reflect the latest data.
We combined data from MyAnimeList community ratings, Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2024 results, Anime News Network bayesian ratings, IMDB user scores, and professional critic rankings to create the most comprehensive anime tier list available.
Rankings are based on aggregated data from multiple sources. While personal preferences vary, our tier list reflects broader community and critical consensus. Many excellent anime may not appear simply due to the competitive nature of the rankings.
Rate and review anime on MyAnimeList, participate in Crunchyroll Awards voting, and engage in positive community discussions to help raise awareness for series you believe deserve higher recognition.
Series like Dead Dead Demons Dededede Destruction and The Fable received critical acclaim but lower community recognition, suggesting they may be underrated gems worth discovering.
Community rankings reflect popular opinion and accessibility, while critic rankings often prioritize technical innovation and artistic merit. Our tier list balances both perspectives for a comprehensive view.
Newer anime like Frieren and Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 have achieved remarkable rankings, but classics like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Steins;Gate maintain their positions through consistent quality and lasting impact.
Action, fantasy, and sci-fi dominate the highest tiers, but romance (Horimiya), comedy (SPY x FAMILY), and slice-of-life (BOCCHI THE ROCK!) all have strong representatives in our rankings.
Animation quality is a significant factor, particularly in technical categories, but storytelling, character development, and emotional impact carry more weight in overall rankings.
For series like One Piece or Attack on Titan, consider watching in arcs rather than trying to marathon everything at once. Each arc typically tells a complete story while contributing to the larger narrative.
Many anime reference Japanese culture, history, and social norms. Taking time to research these elements can significantly enhance your appreciation and understanding of the storytelling.
Both subtitle and dub options have merit. Subtitles preserve the original voice acting performances, while dubs can make viewing more accessible. Try both to see what works best for you.
Start with highly-rated series in genres you enjoy, then gradually explore different categories. Our tier list provides an excellent starting point for discovering quality anime across all genres.
Bookmark this ultimate anime tier list as your comprehensive guide to the best anime of 2025. With quarterly updates reflecting the latest community ratings and industry awards, you'll always have access to the most current and accurate anime rankings available.
Join the discussion on our Discord community to share your thoughts on these rankings and discover new recommendations from fellow anime enthusiasts. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to the medium, this tier list will help you navigate the vast world of anime with confidence.
This comprehensive anime tier list was last updated in November 2025 and will be refreshed quarterly to reflect the latest community rankings and industry developments.