ANIME HEAT EP2: The Season for Sequels: Winter 2025 Mid-Season Highlights
- DIG 4552
- Mar 11
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 20
By Alessandra Henriquez
The Winter 2025 anime season is in full swing, going on its eighth week as of this article’s publication. With more than 40 series releasing new episodes each week, there is something in the lineup for everyone. The most difficult part is choosing what to watch, especially if you’re a busy college student (like me). To help narrow down the search, here’s a short list of highlights from the shows I’ve kept up with along with some others rising to the spotlight.
THE APOTHECARY DIARIES SEASON 2
Starting off strong, we have The Apothecary Diaries returning for a highly anticipated second season. After the first season wrapped up in March 2024, I was desperate to see more of our cat-like protagonist Maomao and her exploits at the imperial palace. Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait much for the sequel, which continues to deliver the same high-quality humor, drama, and historical world-building as its predecessor.
The first episode eased us back into life at the inner court with a lighthearted plot about a cat. However, the story quickly picked up with a new poisonous threat identified, the arrival of a foreign envoy, and suspected foul play at the Crystal Pavilion. The chemistry between Maomao and the beautiful head eunuch Jinshi is still as strong as ever, and each episode continues to reveal new sides and secrets of the characters we’ve grown to love.
Personally, episode six (currently the most recent) has by far been the best. The cliffhanger from episode five was cleared up, and we got to see Maomao flex her wit and assertive nature as the latest mystery came to a close. With six more episodes to go for the sequel’s first cour (yes, we’re getting 24 episodes total!), this is definitely my top choice for must-watch anime of the season.
SOLO LEVELING SEASON 2
Yet another much-awaited sequel making noise this season is Solo Leveling Season 2. Based on the popular Korean manhwa of the same name, the web novel first received an anime adaptation in January of last year. Given the hype between fans of the original work and those introduced through the animated show alike, it is of no surprise the creators pushed for the quick release of a second season.
The story follows our weak but resilient protagonist Sung Jinwoo as he sets out to build a shadow army and become the strongest hunter with his unique ability to level up. Set in a world marred by deadly monsters, season one left off with Jinwoo surviving the brutal job change quest and making significant progress toward his goal. Season two picks up with the Red Gate arc and sets the stage for potential future developments, including Jinwoo finally getting recognized as an S-Rank and the brief appearance of his long-lost father.
Just like the first season, the fight sequences are fluid and well-choreographed, which is nice to see in an anime centered around action. The fight in episode six was especially incredible, with Jinwoo acquiring a new shadow after a sweeping win. While season two has cut some arcs short for the sake of covering more content, the story maintains its integrity and is probably the most watched title of Winter 2025. I heard even Crunchyroll keeps crashing when a new episode is released. As such, it’s a choice if you want to stay up to date with what’s popular.
MY HAPPY MARRIAGE SEASON 2
My Happy Marriage was definitely a highlight of the 2023 anime season, but it left me waiting for more romantic progression between Miyo and Kiyoka. After almost a year and a half of waiting, season two continues to build the in-series universe with the introduction of new key characters.
Episode one expands the Kudo family lore as Kiyoka’s parents make an appearance, posing a new challenge to the young couple’s budding relationship. Later, we also learn about the Gifted Communion, a mysterious organization that claims to create true equality by bestowing gifts to everyone. Miyo must learn to better control her gift as members of the Gifted Communion approach her and Kiyoka with dubious intentions, a journey that parallels her growth in self-confidence and self-love.
As I had hoped, the sequel is not lacking in romantic development either, with each episode bringing us heartwarming moments between the main couple. With a new villain finally in the fray, this season of My Happy Marriage is sure to be even better than the last.
SAKAMOTO DAYS
Okay, enough about sequels. Sakamoto Days is arguably the most anticipated release of Winter 2025. I’ve seen people rave about the manga both online and IRL, so I knew I had to watch the anime adaptation when it aired last month. As someone who never read the source material, I’ve really enjoyed the anime and think it works fine despite the relatively unflashy animation.
I feel like, nowadays, a lot of anime watchers dismiss fight scenes if they’re not on Demon Slayer levels of crazy fluidity and art direction. While I do believe Sakamoto Days could have benefitted from more detailed animation to better showcase the action, I wouldn’t trash the whole series just because the animation is “mid.” The voice acting is seriously phenomenal, with Tomokazu Sugita, who also voices Gintoki in Gintama, breathing life into our favorite retired hitman. The story is equally as compelling, drawing on the themes of family, transformation, and self-acceptance with an air of mystery and action.
If you don’t watch Sakamoto Days for the fight scenes, at least watch it for the comedy and touching moments between Sakamoto, his wife, and his daughter. The opening is also pretty fire, if I might add.
MEDALIST
Medalist follows the story of 11-year-old Inori as she fights her way to compete in the Olympics as a figure skater. Years behind her peers due to starting her training late, our protagonist must overcome nearly insurmountable odds to achieve her dream. With the help of her coach, Tsukasa, Inori faces each struggle head-on and must find the determination to succeed no matter what.
While I have yet to start this one, I’ve seen Medalist described as one of the underrated gems of the Winter 2025 season. Its natural portrayal of a child navigating the road to achievement makes for an interesting watch, and the clips I’ve seen floating around make it difficult not to feel the positivity radiated by each character. The relationship between Inori and Tsukasa reminds us of the importance of support systems and how the people who make an impact on our lives are not always just family.
With shows like Spy x Family, Buddy Daddies, and even Sakamoto Days recently introducing more children and families into the anime universe, I can’t help but think this is partially propaganda for Japan’s declining birth rate. Nevertheless, I’m seated for the cute content.
ZENSHU
A list about seasonal anime would not be complete, of course, without mentioning at least one isekai series. Zenshu is different from most isekai in that it focuses less on immersing you into a fictional universe and functions more as a love letter to animation. The title itself roughly translates to “redo everything”, referring to when a director instructs an animator to completely redo a poorly created scene.
Episode one introduces Natsuko Hirose, an animator whose first anime becomes a massive hit and earns her the reputation of a genius director. As she struggles to understand the concept of first love for her upcoming movie, however, Natsuko is unable to create the storyboard and puts the project’s completion in jeopardy. Now, this is where the story really starts. In true isekai fashion, Natsuko winds up passing out while working on her storyboard and wakes up in the world of her childhood anime movie “A Tale of Perishing.” She finds she’s been given the power to make anything she draws come to life, all by summoning her animation desk and completing days worth of work in seconds.
While I’m not crazy about isekai anime, Zenshu pays homage to classic anime and manga in appreciation of the history of both industries. References include a nod to the Giant Warrior from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, a recreation of the legendary missile choreography known as the Itano Circus, a tribute to the classic 80s manga Tiger Mask, and my personal favorite, a homage to the iconic idol franchise Uta no☆Prince-sama♪. Definitely check this one out if you’re familiar with older anime and want to see how Studio MAPPA ironically tells the story of a struggling animator (let your employees rest!).
Conclusion
I hope this list has been insightful as far as reviewing the major titles of Winter 2025. Let us know if you’ve watched any of these and if you agree with any of the points I made. Also, keep an eye out for another discussion on less-popular titles from this season coming soon!
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