Crunchyrollis perhaps the greatest treasure trove ofanimeever assembled, and the platform is phenomenally popular with anime fans as a result. The most popular series on the platform are quite representative of current trends in anime in general, and as such a list of the top 20 Crunchyroll series is reflective of the fandom’s desires.
To assemble this list of the top 20 most popular anime on Crunchyroll, the main factor dictating inclusion has been the number of reviews each series has received on the app. While this does tend to be slightly biased in favor of newer series, it’s still overwhelmingly indicative of what kind of series are doing well with fans at the moment.
Although the number of reviews will naturally change over time, this list should provide an interesting snapshot of just what was hot on Crunchyroll in 2025.
20Dr. Stone - 171,000+ Reviews
Based on the Manga by Riichiro Inagaki and Boichi, Animated by TMS Entertainment
Dr. Stonefollows the story of Senku, a brilliant teenager with an intense interest in science and engineering. After everyone in the world is suddenly turned to stone without warning, Senku becomes one of the first to awaken, thousands of years into the future. In a world reclaimed by nature, Senku aims to revive human civilization’s greatest scientific accomplishments.
Dr. Stoneattempts to be educational, but often simplifies the science for the sake of the story. Still, its pro-science angle is a welcome breath of fresh air in a world that’s sometimes disturbingly anti-education. Senku faces many problems that science can’t solve as well, such as philosophical disagreements about what the new world should look like.
While it strains the bounds of credulity at times,Dr. Stoneis overall a very fun showwith a refreshing message that encourages viewers to learn.
19Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku - 181,000+ Reviews
Based on the Manga by Yuji Kaku, Animated by MAPPA
Hell’s Paradisefollows a killer named Gabimaru the Hollow, who was caught during an assassination attempt and arrested. Proving exceptionally difficult to execute due to his superhuman durability, Gabimaru is offered a deal instead: in exchange for a pardon, Gabimaru must take part in a mission to obtain an immortality elixir on a distant island, after many previous attempts failed.
Partnered with an executioner who he must bring back alive as part of the deal, Gabimaru is sent to the dangerous island along with a number of other death row inmates, and their success or failure will hinge on their ability to work together under deadly and mysterious conditions.
WhileHell’s Paradisecan be rough and gory, it has a heart to it that’s difficult to dismiss, even for those who aren’t normally drawn to such bloody content.
18Mashle: Magic and Muscle - 191,000+ Reviews
Based on the Manga by Hajime Komoto, Animated by A-1 Pictures
In a world where one’s magical potential determines everything, Mash Burnedead is the unlucky one to have no magic at all. Forced to enroll in an elite magic school to save his life with his adoptive father, Mash must make a name for himself despite having no legitimate access to magic at all.
Mashleis a comedic series, with many of the jokes revolving around Mash’s absurd physical strength, and how it allows him to create the illusion of magical power (such as when he “flies” a broom by moving his legs quickly). It’s a bit likea cross betweenBlack CloverandOne-Punch Man, as so few can compete with Mash’s strength.
Mashle’s first season came out in 2023, but its popularity has had a long tail, and a second season came out in 2024. A third season has been confirmed, although no release date is set.
17My Dress-up Darling - 195,000+ Reviews
Based on the Manga by Shinichi Fukuda, Animated by CloverWorks
Wakana Gojo is a high-schooler whose hobby is making small dolls, but he does everything he can to conceal this hobby as he’s been made fun of for it in the past. However, when Marin Kitagawa, a beautiful classmate of his, learns of his hobby, she encourages him to escalate to cosplay, helping to design costumes for her to wear.
The story is primarily a romance, as Wakana and Marin slowly realize they have developed feelings for one another over the course of their collaboration. For anyone who’s ever been embarrassed after being judged for a hobby, Wakana is a highly relatable protagonist. There are, of course, many difficulties the pair must face before getting together.
With the manga having recently concluded this year,the end of theMy Dress-Up Darlinganime is right around the corner, making now a great time to dive in.
16Naruto Shippuden - 202,000+ Reviews
Based on the Manga by Masashi Kishimoto, Animated by Studio Pierrot
Naruto Shippudenhas proven to be one of the rare exceptions to the preference for newer series among Crunchyroll reviewers.Shippudenis the second part of theNarutomanga, set after a major timeskip and containing the bulk of the manga’s significant events. It’s also one of the longest series on the list at 500 episodes.
As one of manga’s Big Three,Narutofollowed the eponymous young ninja who dreamed of being Hokage, a ninja leader. However, Naruto is also afflicted by having a dangerous beast sealed within him, causing him to be ostracized by many. Naruto must work exceptionally hard to prove himself, as well as harness the powers of the Nine-tailed Beast that lurks within.
Naruto Shippuden’s lasting popularityjust goes to show one should never count out the classics.
15Blue Lock - 221,000+ Reviews
Based on the Manga by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and Yusuke Nomura, Animated by Eight Bit
Blue Lockis a sports manga that follows the Japanese National Football (Soccer) Team after they hire a mysterious new coach, Jinpachi Ego, with an extreme training program known as Blue Lock. Yoichi Isagi, a high schooler, decides to give this ludicrous training his best effort, and is recruited as one of 300 potential candidates for the team.
WhiletheBlue Lockanime (particularly season 2) has sometimes been criticizedfor its animation quality, the series has been resoundingly popular, even showing up at actual sporting events in the real world.Blue Lockhas been an absolute phenomenon in Japan and beyond, invigorating interest in the sport of football/soccer.
Blue Lockis in many ways a typical sports anime, so it’s unlikely to win over critics, but for those who enjoy sports anime, it doesn’t get much better than this.
14Black Clover - 226,000+ Reviews
Based on the Manga by Yuki Tabata, Animated by Studio Pierrot
Black Cloverfollows the tale of Asta, a young boy with no magical talent in a world where everyone has their own special grimoire, a book of magic spells unique to them. Asta is determined to become the Wizard King, however, and sets out to join the Magic Knights. During his trial, Asta is suddenly granted a mysterious grimoire.
This grimoire has a five-leaf clover on it, indicating an association with the demonic. Asta himself gains the ability to wield anti-magic swords from the grimoire, and that’s enough to win him a seat on one of the Magic Knight squads, the Black Bulls. There, Asta meets a variety of new friends and begins making his way to the top.
TheBlack Cloveranime is sometimes criticized for having too much filler, but the series’ story follows in the footsteps of greats likeNarutoandBleach, making it easy to draw in fans. Withseason 5 finally on the way,Black Cloveris likely to get much more popular.
13Dandadan - 226,000+ Reviews
Based on the Manga by Yukinobu Tatsu, Animated by Science Saru
Dandadantook the world by storm with its debut in 2024, rapidly becoming one of the most popular anime of the year. With its second season underway at time of writing,Dandadanonly stands to get more popular in the coming months.
Dandadanfollows Momo Ayase and Ken “Okarun” Takakura, a girl who believes in ghosts and the supernatural and a boy who believes in aliens and cryptids. They each dare the other to spend a night at a site where such beings were reported, resulting in Momo being abducted by aliens and Okarun being cursed by a ghost.
Being cursed isn’t all bad, though; as Okarun learns to use his powers, he gains the ability to transform into a blisteringly fast form.Dandadanis a wild show that’s incredibly hard to predict, as just about anything could happen at any given time.
12That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime - 247,000+ Reviews
Based on the Light Novels by Fuze, Animated by Eight Bit
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slimewas one of the progenitors of the Isekaiboom that happened in the 2010s. It follows a man who is killed in a random stabbing, and gets reincarnated in another world in a body fit to deal with stabbings: that of a slime.
After meeting the sealed away Storm Dragon, Veldora, he’s granted the name Rimuru Tempest, and finds he’s accumulated fantastic magical power. Rimuru sets out to help the local monsters build up a civilization, aims to bring all the luxuries of modern-day Japan to this fantasy world, no matter what it takes. Thus begins Rimuru’s quest of nation-building in another world.
Reincarnated as a Slimeis pretty funny, but it also tells a compelling story of how one man’s knowledge of modern life proves to be one of the greatest superpowers of all.
11Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End - 260,000+ Reviews
Based on the Manga by Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe, Animated by Madhouse
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s Endis another massive hit from 2024that has quickly climbed lists of the best anime ever made. The story follows Frieren, an immortal elf who once traveled alongside a party of heroes to help them defeat the Demon King. After achieving their goal, the party went their separate ways, with Frieren not thinking much of it.
However, when Frieren encounters these friends decades later, she finds them close to the end of their lives, and the hero Himmel has already passed long ago, as a human. Frieren reflects on her journey and her relationships, and begins a new journey with new companions to the resting place of souls, hoping to speak to Himmel again.
Frierenis a beautiful story of loss and what it means to live on, as well as the importance of the next generation.
