So far, 2025 has been an extraordinary year for the global anime and manga industry. Fans have enjoyed blockbuster anime like Solo Leveling Season 2 early in the year, followed by high-quality series such as Gachiakuta.
In the manga world, ongoing series continue to deliver outstanding chapters. As usual, there are winners and losers in various awards held throughout the year.
Witch Hat Atelier named Best Manga of 2025
Earlier this year, Solo Leveling Season 1 took home the Anime of the Year award convincingly. However, in the manga category, one title shocked fans by winning the Best Manga of 2025 at the Harvey Awards: Witch Hat Atelier.
This victory surprised many fans. Witch Hat Atelier has been steadily gaining popularity, especially with its highly anticipated anime adaptation scheduled for 2026. Still, a manga with a classic, gentle art style beating out some of the biggest titles in the world, including One Piece, was a major upset.
An unexpected win
Anime and manga fans eagerly await award results every year, and 2025 was even more exciting as the next generation of manga continues to grow strong. After Solo Leveling’s huge win at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards, all eyes turned to the manga awards.
The recent announcement of the Harvey Awards results stunned many. Witch Hat Atelier claimed the top prize, surpassing all other contenders. Although well-known among manga enthusiasts, the series has yet to reach a wider audience due to the absence of an anime adaptation until now.
What’s more surprising is that One Piece, the world’s biggest manga, did not win this award because it wasn’t even nominated.
According to the rules, the Harvey Awards are straightforward: any manga that released a volume in the previous year is eligible, including One Piece. This has led to speculation that the nomination committee simply chose not to include One Piece, possibly to keep the competition fairer for other series. After all, with One Piece’s massive popularity and loyal fanbase, it would be tough for other titles to compete on equal footing.
The Harvey Awards seem to favor more modest series. This year’s nominees, besides Witch Hat Atelier, were also relatively gentle and emerging titles like The Summer Hikaru Died and Wind Breaker.
Witch Hat Atelier’s anime could become a major hit
Winning Best Manga of 2025 at the Harvey Awards highlights the enormous potential of Witch Hat Atelier. Although it debuted in 2016 and its anime adaptation was delayed until 2026, this victory affirms its quality.
Fans have high hopes for the upcoming anime. If the studio delivers, Witch Hat Atelier could become a major new series on par with global phenomena like Solo Leveling or Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. We look forward to seeing if Witch Hat Atelier can work its magic next year.