10 most upsetting Anime Awards 2025 wins

Each Anime Awards 2025 win was supposed to be a testament to anime excellence, but not all sat well with fans. The 9th annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards, which took place May 25, 2025, in Tokyo, Japan, attracted world attention and celebratory glamor.

The awards are now a coveted standard for anime success, honoring everything from character creation to a show's animation excellence. However, the 2025 event was not as anticipated, with several Anime Awards 2025 wins provoking a global outcry.

This year's winners included Solo Leveling, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. While most of the latter's wins drew cheers, others caused heated arguments throughout the boards and social networks.

From Anime of the Year to Best Supporting Character, the winners raised eyebrows for favoring style over quality or tradition over novelty. Below are the 10 most disappointing Anime Awards 2025 wins that caused frustration and split the anime fandom.

Disclaimer: The article solely reflects the author's opinion and not Sportskeeda as a whole.

Solo Leveling and Demon Slayer’s Anime Awards 2025 win sparked controversy among fans

1) Solo Leveling winning anime of the year

Still from Solo Leveling (Image via A-1 Pictures)

Solo Leveling's Anime of the Year 2025 win surprised many fans. Although the adaptation featured cutting-edge visuals and heart-pumping action, critics claimed it lacked narrative weight and emotional impact.

Despite its sleek production, the anime was heavily criticized for relying too heavily on power fantasy tropes. With emotionally resonant contenders like Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End in the running, this win was viewed by many as a result of global hype overpowering artistic merit.

2) Best Main Character: Sung Jinwoo (Solo Leveling)

Still of Sung Jinwoo (Image via A-1 Pictures)

Sung Jinwoo’s Anime Awards 2025 win for Best Main Character sparked considerable controversy. Although Jinwoo is certainly powerful and fashionable, his emotional arc is also seen as shallow.

He seldom engaged with moral complexity or personal weakness in a manner akin to characters such as Thorfinn (Vinland Saga) or Bojji (Ranking of Kings). The win seemed to prioritize popularity and visual appeal over emotional complexity and layered development.

3) Best Slice of Life: Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!

Still from Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines! (Image via A-1 Pictures)

The Anime Awards 2025 win for Best Slice of Life went to Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!, a decision that perplexed many fans of the genre. Although the premise of this show subverting rom-com tropes was appealing, critics pointed out that the characters did not have emotional development, and the tone of comedy occasionally undermined the depth that could have otherwise been achieved.

Other shows, such as Insomniacs After School or My Happy Marriage, had more realistic slice-of-life series with strong emotional plots and character development. Many felt that this win overemphasized quirky concepts rather than heartfelt storytelling.

4) Best Continuing Series: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

Still from Demon Slayer (Image via Ufotable)

The Anime Awards 2025 win for Best Continuing Series was handed to Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’s Hashira Training Arc, a move that puzzled many fans. Despite the visuals, the arc had no dramatic plot advancements or emotional climaxes.

In contrast, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 had a gruesome and intricate storyline with character deaths and changing motifs. For many, the Demon Slayer victory was a default, legacy-driven pick.

5) Best New Series: Solo Leveling

Solo Leveling’s third Anime Awards 2025 win came in the Best New Series category. Although its production values were very high, critics said it was too cautious with its storytelling structure and themes.

Contenders like The Apothecary Diaries and Undead Unluck offered up world-building complexity and narrative experimentation. This victory indicated a desire for mass marketability over taking risks in the creative department.

6) Best Supporting Character: Fern (Frieren: Beyond Journey's End)

Fern’s Anime Awards 2025 win for Best Supporting Character highlighted the series' emotional depth, but not all fans were convinced. While Fern is a grounded and reliable presence, she often operates in the narrative background, rarely commanding major plot shifts.

Her win over bold, scene-stealing characters like Gojo Satoru and Nanami Kento from Jujutsu Kaisen left some questioning whether narrative subtlety was overrated in this case.

7) Best Comedy: Mashle: Magic and Muscles The Divine Visionary Candidate Exam Arc

Still from The Divine Visionary Candidate Exam Arc (Image via A-1 Pictures)

Mashle’s Anime Awards 2025 win for Best Comedy didn’t end well with everyone. Although the series provided its usual dose of deadpan humor and hyperbolic magic battles, many viewers felt the humor became repetitive and relied too much on parody and not so much on intelligent writing.

Series such as Bocchi the Rock! or The Dangers in My Heart provided more subtle, character-based humor that strongly connected with the audience. For many, this win highlighted a trend of rewarding surface-level laughs over genuine comedic innovation.

8) Best Animation: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

Demon Slayer’s Anime Awards 2025 win for Best Animation wasn’t unexpected, but that was part of the problem. With the likes of Ufotable dominating this space for so long, fans also wanted to see the likes of MAPPA (Jujutsu Kaisen) or Studio Bind (Mushoku Tensei) get the nod for design innovation. The end product seemed repetitive, perpetuating the belief that visual consistency was confusing with boundary-pushing creativity.

9) Film of the Year: Look Back

Still from Look Back (Image via Studio Durion)

Look Back claimed the Anime Awards 2025 win for Film of the Year. While many respected its poignant themes and minimalist storytelling, others questioned whether it had the broad impact of contenders like Suzume or Blue Giant. The win sparked a debate between artistic credibility and popular influence, with some arguing that accessibility and audience reach were overlooked.

10) Best Romance Anime: Blue Box

Still from Blue Box (Image via Telecom Animation Film)

This Anime Awards 2025 win for Best Romance puzzled many. Blue Box offers wholesome high school romance, sure, but A Sign of Affection brought groundbreaking inclusivity by centering a romance around a deaf protagonist, offering both representation and emotional complexity. Fans were disappointed to see the more socially impactful and innovative series lose to a conventional, albeit sweet, teen romance.

Final Thoughts

While the Anime Awards 2025 celebrated numerous deserving series and talents, these upsetting wins reveal how difficult and subjective recognition in art can be. These ten Anime Awards 2025 wins triggered ongoing debates within the anime community, whether due to overwhelming hype, franchise legacy, or creative misalignment. As anime continues to rise in global influence, so does the need for thoughtful, balanced recognition of the medium's best achievements.

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About the author

Jayshree Gupta covers anime at Sportskeeda, with over 1.5 years of experience in entertainment writing. She has previously contributed to platforms like Desi Rap Network. Currently pursuing a Master's in English Literature, she also holds a degree in Physics, which she believes sharpens her analytical skills and helps her to draft content that resonates with diverse audiences.

One of the aspects Jayshree loves about anime is its ability to tell deeply resonant stories that transcend cultural and language barriers. She feels that anime not only entertains but also inspires and connects people from all walks of life. She admires mangaka Eiichiro Oda for his exceptional world-building and comedians like Ravi Gupta and Abhishek Upmanyu for their impeccable comic timing.

To ensure accuracy in her work, Jayshree conducts thorough research, cross-checks facts, and relies on trustworthy sources. When not writing, she finds solace in nature through gardening, enjoys magical films and series, and immerses herself in books, which has always been her favorite hobby.

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Edited by Toshali Kritika