As 2025 draws to a close, anime fans are buzzing about the standout series of the year. Naturally, Solo Leveling often comes up in these conversations, having won the Crunchyroll Award earlier this year. With its second season achieving even greater success, many expected Solo Leveling to claim top honors again. However, another major anime has outshined it.
My Hero Academia season 8, marking the series’ conclusion, has achieved an incredible milestone and its reception has even surpassed Solo Leveling. It now holds the highest-rated anime episode of the year, beating Solo Leveling’s iconic episode “Are You the King of Humans?” With epic battles, stunning animation, and Horikoshi’s compelling storytelling, My Hero Academia has truly stood out, with its best moments still ahead.
My Hero Academia Season 8 Exceeds All Expectations
Solo Leveling season 2, which aired earlier in 2025, was a hit with its thrilling action sequences that outshone the first season. Overall, Solo Leveling season 2 was excellent, and episode 12, “Are You The King of Humans?”, held the highest IMDb rating of the year for a long time with a score of 9.7.
Yet My Hero Academia season 8 went beyond expectations as the studio worked hard to deliver the best possible finale. Episode 3, “Final Boss!!”, impressed fans deeply. Everything about the episode, from visuals and animation to direction and story, was outstanding.
Currently, this episode holds the highest IMDb rating for any anime episode in 2025, scoring 9.8 compared to Solo Leveling’s top score of 9.7. While the difference may seem small, it’s significant when considering the best of the best.
The final episode of My Hero Academia could still achieve an even higher rating, especially if the adaptation maintains the quality seen in the early episodes.
My Hero Academia Season 8 Outshines All 2025 Anime
When it comes to the anime of the year title, fans know Solo Leveling won earlier in 2025, but that doesn’t necessarily make it the best anime. Many incredible series have stood out this year, including The Apothecary Diaries season 2, Dandadan season 2, Takopi’s Original Sin, Lord of the Mysteries season 1, and more.
Alongside Solo Leveling, all these shows had a shot at the best anime of 2025, but the truth is My Hero Academia season 8 has emerged as the standout.
Season 8 is the final chapter of one of the greatest shonen anime of all time, closing a multi-generational journey. There couldn’t be a better farewell than what Studio Bones has delivered so far. Every fan knows that regardless of awards, My Hero Academia season 8 is the best anime of 2025 in terms of quality, emotional impact, and cultural significance.