Google, the world’s leading search engine, has just released its annual list of the most trending topics and series of 2025. This list highlights the newest and ongoing anime series with the highest search volumes in Japan.
Alongside familiar names like the latest Gundam series, the Top 10 also features some exciting surprises, including Netflix’s romantic horror series The Summer Hikaru Died.
Here is the ranking of the 10 most searched anime series on Google in Japan for 2025, reflecting the diverse and unique tastes of Japanese fans:
1. Takopi’s Original Sin
2. Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX
3. Sakamoto Days
4. The Summer Hikaru Died
5. Milky Subway: The Galactic Limited Express
6. The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity
7. Orb: On the Movements of the Earth
8. Secrets of the Silent Witch
9. From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad’s Been Reincarnated!
10. Tougen Anki
Number One Spot Goes to the Haunting Takopi’s Original Sin
The biggest surprise is the top spot claimed by Takopi’s Original Sin. This dark sci-fi anime became the most searched series in Japan for 2025.
Praised for its cold yet captivating exploration of physical and psychological abuse, the story follows a suffering 9-year-old girl and a lovable alien who intervenes in her life.
Adapted from a short manga on Shonen Jump+, the series does not shy away from raw emotional trauma, avoiding sugarcoating or easy resolutions. It’s a tough watch but deeply human.
Other Noteworthy Titles
Another standout on the list is The Summer Hikaru Died (ranked 4th), currently streaming on Netflix. Based on Mokumokuren’s manga, this supernatural anime tells the story of two teenage boys living in rural Japan, as one begins to suspect something is wrong with his longtime friend Hikaru.
The series raises deep philosophical questions: what truly makes a person? Is it memories or life experiences? Following its huge success, a second season of The Summer Hikaru Died was confirmed in late September.
Ranking third is Sakamoto Days. While it didn’t reach the global popularity of Demon Slayer or Chainsaw Man this year, the series regained fan interest with its action-packed second season.
After season one was criticized for toning down the manga’s craziness, season two delivered a more faithful adaptation. The story grew darker and more serious, delving into Taro Sakamoto’s early days as an assassin and the criminal underworld. It’s considered one of the best action anime of 2025.
This list shows that Japanese fans are not only drawn to major shonen action titles but also pay close attention to independent, thoughtful series exploring psychology, the supernatural, and fresh genres.
With 2025’s success, anime fans have every reason to look forward to an even brighter 2026, featuring the return of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End season 2, Jujutsu Kaisen season 3, The Apothecary Diaries season 3, and many other highly anticipated hits.