Here are some of the many characters who won our hearts this year.
With 2025 coming to a close, it’s time to look back at all the beautiful things this year offered us. While the anime titles from this year were a mixed bag, there were some incredible characters that we fell in love with. From strong and complex female leads to green flag male leads, from wholesome couples to morally gray duos, this year has given us many well-rounded characters. Here is a list of our favourite anime characters from 2025 that we are excited to see more of.
10. Monica Everett (Secrets of the Silent Witch)
We are going to start this list with someone who made us all say “aww” at least once while watching her on the screen. Monica is the protagonist of Secrets of the Silent Witch, and despite being one of the strongest witches in the realm, she is often paralysed due to her extreme social anxiety.
Similar to Bocchi from the popular Bocchi the Rock anime. Monica often finds herself in situations where she can’t speak or interact with people. But she doesn’t let these precarious circumstances stop her from heading straight onto her goals. After all, she is the strongest witch in the realm. The endearing Monica Everett is an inspiration to those who struggle with social situations.
9. Evil Eye (DAN DA DAN Season 2)
Jiji is a character who people immediately fell in love with when he appeared at the end of the first season of DAN DA DAN. Getting to see even more of him in the second season was a treat. The Yokai who possessed his body is another matter entirely, but he also turned out to be surprisingly…lovable?
Evil Eye, aka the Yokai that wants to destroy all humanity, is almost childlike in his hunger for revenge and destruction. This makes sense, as he was tortured endlessly as a child before becoming an evil spirit. Despite being “evil”, he is also endearing in his innocence and thus invokes a lot of mixed feelings in the audience. Now that the other characters of the anime have found some good methods to keep his destructive abilities in check, it’s only a matter of time before Evil Eye is slowly incorporated into the core group of DAN DA DAN.
8. Inori Yuitsuka and Tsukasa Akeuraji (Medalist)
Medalist burst into the anime scene in January 2025 and immediately won the hearts of the audience. With the usual heartwarming feelings that comes with any sports anime, Medalist also had an amazing teacher-student relationship. The story follows 11 year old ice skater Inori and professional ice dancer Tsukasa, who is on the verge of giving up.
While Inori is told by everyone that she’s too old to start professional skating, Tsukasa takes it upon himself to teach her after witnessing her brilliance. Together, they skate toward a dream that seems too far away. Their motivational journey is stunning, both visually and emotionally. The way Inori and Tsukasa inspire each other is enough reason for you to watch the anime, and the beautiful animation is just a cherry on top. With Season 2 coming on 24 January, 2026, we can’t wait to see more of this duo.
7. Mia Adenauer and Philia Adenauer (The Too-Perfect Saint: Tossed Aside by My Fiancé and Sold to Another Kingdom)
Talking about strong duos, we can’t forget Philia and Mia. Although it seemed like a regular fantasy revenge story at first, The Too-Perfect Saint quickly proved its uniqueness with two sisters who love each other deeply. Despite being preferred by the prince, Mia hates the prince who hurt her sister and sends her off to another country. She then spends the rest of the story plotting an elaborate revenge, while also protecting the country as a Saint.
On the other hand, Philia, despite being a brilliant Saint, was always overlooked. But she never harboured any ill will towards her little sister Mia, who was sweet and popular. Even though she received far more respect in the country she was sold to, Philia never forgot Mia. In the end, their bond proves that women are stronger together. It also gave us a refreshing break from revenge stories, where women are often pitted against each other.
6. Oguri Cap (Umamusume Cinderella Gray)
The Umamusume anime made a return this year with the adaptation of the Cinderella Gray manga, and immediately made it to the top of the charts. This series’ protagonist is Oguri Cap, a horse girl from the countryside who gets into Tracen Academy after dominating the racing scene back home.
Although she is treated as a nuisance by some other horse girls, Oguri is unendingly patient. Her love for running shines through with how much passion and practice she pours into it. She is also a voracious eater, which only makes her more endearing. With a sad backstory and calm personality, Oguri Cap is a great protagonist!
5. Yoshiki Tsujinaka and Hikaru Indo (The Summer Hikaru Died)
Taking a sharp turn from wholesome, we land on a morally dubious couple consisting of a human and a literal Eldritch Monster. Yoshiki is a high school boy who realises that the person who returned to his best friend Hikaru’s place from the town’s surrounding forest might be something supernatural. Despite that, he can’t help but give into his own desires when the monster asks him not to tell anyone his secret.
The chemistry between Hikaru and Yoshiki is charming yet disturbing. Despite being a monstrous entity, Hikaru looks at the human world with childlike wonder. Yoshiki constantly struggles with the guilt of hiding his friend’s dangerous true nature. However, the two can’t help being attracted towards each other either. With a second season on the way, fans can’t wait to find out where their dangerous desires lead them next.
4. Scarlet El Vandimion (May I Ask for One Final Thing?)
Even if you haven’t watched this anime, you have witnessed Scarlet’s destructive fists in some corner of social media. Despite being a noble lady, The protagonist Scarlet fights like a champion boxer. Her fists are enough to take down monsters and men alike. However her trigger happy demeanour is not the only thing that makes her so inspirational.
Scarlet is both a fighter and an intellectual. Her sharp wit is just as destructive as her fists. Be it politics or magic, Scarlet is calm, clever, and efficient. The comedic contrast between her beauty and her brutal force makes this anime stand out amidst the plethora of fantasy series. Even if you’re not a fan of this genre, Scarlet’s fights make this anime absolutely worth it.
3. Kaoruko Waguri and Rintaro Tsumugi (The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity)
Don’t worry, we didn’t forget the wholesome romance lovers. The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity was one of the most anticipated shōjo titles of this year, and neither the story nor the characters let us down. Kaoruko and Rintaro, despite belonging to vastly different enemy schools, never harbour any bad feelings about each other.
We see these teenagers meet in Rintaro’s family’s pastry shop and fall in love in the most wonderful way. Despite facing problems, they never let go of each other. The realistic way in which their friends are written is also refreshing. All in all, every character in this series is a green flag, and you need to watch it ASAP!
2. Rudo Surebec (Gachiakuta)
Gachiakuta is probably 2025’s most popular new shōnen series. With the gritty dark, fantasy, sci-fi setting and overarching revenge plot, it’s hard not to like the story. However, what steals the show is its protagonist Rudo Surebec, who attains a powerful weapon after being thrown into the pit from the surface after his adoptive father is murdered.
Despite being stuck in an unknown and dangerous world, Rudo is unendingly kind. Although he has the personality and temper of a feral dog, he doesn’t shy away from laying his life down for the people who helped him. He takes his duty as a Cleaner seriously and even has some wisdom to impart on those who are struggling. He is also super adorable, especially when faced with affection from women. With the next season of Gachiakuta already in production, we can’t wait to see more of Rudo and his unexpected charms.
1. Tasuku Tsubakino (Wind Breaker Season 2)
Bringing this list to its conclusion is a character who made an unforgettable imprint on the hearts of Wind Breaker fans. Tasuku Tsubakino, lovingly called Tsubaki-chan, broke every stereotype around shōnen anime with their fashionable high heels. Despite being a senior in an all-boys high school, Tsubaki dresses femininely, wears skirts, has long hair, and painted nails. But they are not to be underestimated.
Tsubaki is one of the four kings of Bofurin, and is an amazing fighter. Their graceful moves are just as deadly as they are stunning. With a heartwarming backstory that tells us to always follow our passion without caring about what others think, Tsubaki has won thousands of hearts around the world. Hopefully, we will be graced with more of their charm in the next season of the anime.