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Get ready for episode 119 of the hit battle series Uron Mirage! No, you haven't missed out on a major title. This series-within-a-series is a recurring element of the witch-centric rom-com Witch Watch . This week, it's hijacking episode 14! The series is a favorite of Nico and Morihito's teacher Yuri Makuwa and fellow student Kukumi, the latter of whom does numbers on social media with her Uron Mirage fanart. Watch the show come to life in creditless versions of the opening and ending — set to "Bitter end" by who-ya extended and "Flashback Syndrome" by Ali, respectively. Uron Mirage (Witch Watch) Creditless Opening Video Uron Mirage (Witch Watch) Creditless Ending Video Related: Witch Watch Anime Magics up Second Cour Creditless Opening and Ending Videos A new visual also depicts Uron Mirage main characters Oboro (left) and Utsuro (right): The cast for this special episode consists of: Utsuro Akizuki voiced by Ryoko Shiraishi...

Summer is here, and that means 2025 is at its halfway point. The year has already seen some big anime news, and the Bam Smack Pow team is here to recap the key stories that you may have missed.

To help simplify things, we've broken it down into sections dealing with some of the major anime trends of the year so far, including the major announcements of what's in store for the rest of 2025 and beyond.

Debuts & returns (and where to watch them)

We've wrapped up the year's Winter and Spring anime seasons, which means some of the year's anime series have wrapped up their run. On the other hand, other series are continuing, returning, or have been confirmed to return in the back half of the year.

Here's a quick summary of some of the can't anime series of 2025 to either catch up on or look forward to.

• Ameku M.

Yuki Tabata’s Black Clover has had an exciting week as the series recently celebrated its tenth anniversary. This celebration marked the journey of the franchise that has seen some accomplishments and some struggles at the same time. Nonetheless, it has reached a point where it is considered to be one of the greatest stories in history, and the upcoming developments will only add to it.

However, despite all this, Black Clover fans have had a major complaint with the anime series in particular about its absence for the last 4 years. The anime adaptation created a lot of hype, but all of it was ruined when the project decided to take an indefinite hiatus, with no disclosure about the return of the series.

This hiatus may soon come to an end as it looks like the Black Clover anime will be making a return, and this return is being honored...

Crunchyroll has great news for anime fans across the nation. The award-winning anime Solo Leveling and even more fantastic hits are now available to more North American users than ever before.

Now available on SmartCast-enabled TVs, anime fans in North America can access over 50,000 anime episodes from popular shows like Solo Leveling through Vizio, the renowned electronics brand of Walmart. This exciting digital expansion includes 25,000 hours of anime from over 2,000 titles. In addition to Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-, Vizio owners can also watch hot shows like My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, One Piece, Fire Force Season 3, Wind Breaker Season 2, To Be Hero X, and more.

Crunchyroll Viewers Can Now Watch Over 50,000 Anime Episodes on Vizio Smart TVs

Crunchyroll's massive anime library is now available on all Vizio Smart TVs through the SmartCast platform, featuring titles from a wide range of genres, both past and present. This not only...

The digital manga platform Manga Mirai began distributing titles from publisher Viz Media on June 24, ahead of its planned debut at Anime Expo 2025.

The addition will bring approximately 4,000 volumes from the North American publisher to the service in stages.

Manga Mirai, which was launched in March 2025 by Ntt Docomo, Inc. in partnership with MyAnimeList Co., Ltd., Akatsuki Group, and Media Do Co., Ltd., confirmed the multi-stage release of the Viz catalog.

The initial rollout included series such as One Piece, Naruto, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Jujutsu Kaisen, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, and Call of the Night. Two additional titles, Uzumaki and Komi Can’t Communicate, are scheduled for release on July 1.

Related:

BookWalker Global Launches Over 3,900 Popular Viz Media Titles Including One Piece, Bleach, Jjk & Dandadan

In conjunction with the new titles, the platform will hold an “Adapted to Anime” campaign from July 1 to July 31. The promotion will offer a...

Spring 2025 might not have aired the biggest hits of the year, but it did have a good selection of anime. From pure comical anime to those that hunger for action and adventure, the season had a good mix of debuts. Of course, some made a comeback with their second seasons, but some of the new debuts stood out as well.

With a good mix of mystery, comedy, action, romance, slice-of-life, and more, Spring 2025 was off to a great start. Now that it is finally coming to its end, it’s high time to summarize the best of the lot that stole the spotlight and deservedly so.

Moonrise Moonrise featured a cosmic conflict | Credits: Wit Release DateEnding DateNumber of EpisodesStreamingApril 10, 2025April 10, 202518Netflix

Moonrise focuses on a cosmic conflict between residents of the Earth and the now-colonized Moon. The protagonist, Jack, is a scout in Earth’s army and swears to seek...

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is a breath of fresh air from the increasingly tragic events of its parent series. The anime was welcomed by fans with open arms, and its shifted Pov attracted plenty of Shonen lovers. The story is on a smaller scale and balances both comedy and serious events perfectly.

The fresh take on the Mha universe was much needed, and the protagonist is extremely relatable. Despite all of its positives, the anime (mostly the studio and higher-ups) made one mistake that is now irreversible.

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes‘ potential was undermined by its Spring 2025 debut Mha: Vigilantes was better than most spring 2025 anime | Credits: Bones

Spring 2025 was one of the worst anime seasons. It mostly consisted of returning anime like The Apothecary Diaries season 2, Wind Breaker season 2, Fire Force season 3, etc. Most of the new debuts were also extremely underwhelming. The Beginning After the End successfully pissed...

Even though the new Harry Potter series has been moving at full speed ahead, fans will still have to wait a while until they can go back to Hogwarts. Anime fans, however, have something similar to keep themselves entertained while waiting for HBO to start rolling out Harry Potter episodes. Mashle: Magic and Muscles is already on its way to Season 3, but the arrival of Season 2 on the Netflix catalog has shown the streaming platform's potential to bring new stories to wider audiences. This past week, the fantasy anime series raked in over 1.3 million views and ranked among the most-watched titles in the library.

As the title suggests, Mashle: Magic and Muscles isn't just about fantasy. The anime series has a slate of similarities with Harry Potter, starting with the fact that protagonist Mash Burnedead (voiced by Chiaki Kobayashi in the original Japanese and by Aleks Le in the English...

As I flipped through the pages of Witch Watch, it didn’t take long for me to realize that it reminded me of the one true lord of the Shonen comedy world: Gintama. I’m sure that plenty of other readers and watchers have also related it to the same. After all, it was Gintama that popularized the shameless usage of other popular series for its comedic purpose.

But does that mean Witch Watch is just a glorified copy of Gintama? I think not. Instead, I felt a familiarity with the series that I longed for, especially since Gintama itself has been on a break for far too long.

Witch Watch made me lean into the comfort of what I missed

Kenta Shinohara, the author of Witch Watch, is best known for Sket Dance, an extremely popular comedy manga which consistently makes it into the list of best comedies. But...

Following the broadcast of Witch Watch 's 12th episode in Japan, the anime's official accounts unveiled a brand-new trailer and visual to prepare fans for another season's worth of magical antics. Two incoming cast members and the second cour's opening song, "Tokihanatsu" by Hashimelo ( Urusei Yatsura Season 3 Op), are previewed below. It was also announced that pop-rock band yutori ( My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Ed) performs "Tsuki to Watashi no Kakurenbo" for the new ending song. Witch Watch Cour 2 Trailer Witch Watch Cour 2 Visual The newly announced cast members are as follows: Miharu Kiryu voiced by Yuki Wakai Rui Fujiki voiced by Yohei Azakami Miharu Kiryu Rui Fujiki Related: Crunchyroll Summer 2025 Anime Season Lineup Announced! Hiroshi Ikehata ( Tonikawa: Over The Moon For You ) directs the Witch Watch anime at Bilbury Animation Studios, with series composition by Deko Akao ( The Case Study of Vanitas ), character designs by Haruko Iizuka ( Horimiya ) and music...

The Summer 2025 anime season is just around the corner. So it's no surprise that this week's anime news is dominated by new information about the upcoming season. The Bam Smack Pow team has got you covered for everything you need to know about anime this summer!

With that, let's dive into this week's biggest reveals.

Crunchyroll reveals Summer 2025 schedule In this photo illustration a Crunchyroll Inc. logo seen... | Sopa Images/GettyImages

Crunchyroll has announced a comprehensive list of the anime to coming to the streaming service this summer, showcasing the both new and returning series coming when the new anime reason begins.

Crunchyroll's Summer 2025 line-up includes:

• Clevatess

• My Dress-Up Darling season 2

• Kaiju No. 8 season 2

• Arknights: Rise From Ember

• Dr. Stone Science Future cour 2 (i.e. the second part of the season that already aired)

Elsewhere, Crunchyroll has confirmed its slate of English dubbed series for the Summer 2025 season. The exact...

The official website and accounts for the Inexpressive Kashiwada and Expressive Oota anime today announced an October 2025 broadcast, which will follow a world premiere screening at AnimeExpo 2025 on July 3. A selection of preview stills from the first episode was also unveiled. Inexpressive Kashiwada and Expressive Oota Episode 1 Preview Stills Related: Inexpressive Kashiwada and Expressive Oota Anime Introduces Two New Cast Members Tomohiro Kamitani ( Nyaight of the Living Cat ) directs the Inexpressive Kashiwada and Expressive Oota anime at Studio Polon, with series composition by Michiko Yokote ( Puniru is a Kawaii Slime ), character designs by Naoto Nakamura ( Date A Live ) and music by Yukari Hashimoto ( Witch Watch ) and Tetsuya Shitara. Fuyu Azuma penned the original manga. MangaPlaza publishes an official English version of Fuyu Azuma's original manga and describes the story: Kashiwada-san is a girl who doesn't show emotions on her face no matter what happens. Oota-kun is a boy who shows...

Anime fans know that this will be a pretty great summer to be a fan of Japanese animation. In order to tease what's coming our way, Crunchyroll unveiled a complete line-up of titles that are debuting or returning to the platform as soon as the season starts, and fans should keep it at hand in case they don't want to miss any of the exciting anime series that have been highly anticipated.

Summer will kick off with the new series Takopi's Original Sin. Based on a manga released in 2021, the sci-fi story centers around an octopus-like creature that crash-lands on Earth and strikes up a friendship with a nine-year-old girl. The series debuts on June 28. Shortly after that, on July 1, it's time to dive into two other new series: Detectives These Days Are Crazy! and Necronomico and the Cosmic Horror Show. Both series debut on the same day as the highly anticipated Season 4 of Rent-a-Girlfriend.

The Summer 2025 anime season is set to start in less than a month. To help fans prepare, Crunchyroll has revealed which upcoming anime series will be offered on its site starting June 28.

As detailed in a recent press release, Crunchyroll's Summer 2025 anime slate includes more than 40 new and returning titles from a wide variety of genres and demographics. These include highly-anticipated continuations such as Dandadan Season 2, Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun Season 2, My Dress-Up Darling Season 2, The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 4, Kaiju No. 8 Season 2 and many more. In addition to several major seasonal debuts, Crunchyroll will offer a colorful selection of brand-new anime IPs from several well-known animation studios. Select highlights from the new season can be viewed below.

The Biggest New & Returning Anime of Summer 2025 on Crunchyroll Takopi's Original Sin (June 28) Lord of Mysteries (June 28) Necronomico and the Cosmic Horror Show (July 1) Rent-a-Girlfriend Season 4 (July 1) Clevatess (July 2) Dandadan Season 2 (July 3) Welcome to the Outcast's Restaurant!

Fans of isekai stories always have something new to check out in the world of anime, and this summer it won't be any different. Next month, the new anime series The Water Magician is debuting on Crunchyroll, and the streaming platform announced today when you can expect to check out the very first episode of the series: it starts rolling out Season 1 on July 3, just a couple of weeks from now. Along with the release date, a new trailer was unveiled to announce some of the voice actors who are helping bring the story to life. You can check it out in this article.

The new and atmospheric trailer of The Water Magician initially makes it all about Ryo (Ayumu Murase), a young boy who gets transported into a magical new world — with Studio Ghibli vibes — after a tragic accident in his life. He discovers himself as a water magician,...

Witch Watch might have stolen the attention of comedy lovers in the summer 2025 season, but another 2023 anime series was blatant with its usage of humor. The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You anime aired from 2023 to 2025, spanning 24 episodes and two seasons, and won over fans with its parody nature.

In fact, The 100 Girlfriends became so popular for poking fun at the harem genre with self-aware jokes and numerous comic cliches that fans even began comparing it to Ghost Stories. Ghost Stories is a 20-episode anime series from 1994 that became a huge hit amongst Western audiences for its peculiar English dub.

The 100 Girlfriends has cemented its place in the comedy genre

The 100 Girlfriends is the definition of ‘don’t judge a book by its cover,’ or in this anime’s case, by its name. Because the moment anyone hears its name, they are almost forced to assume...

Imagine this: You’re watching a random anime, and out of nowhere, one of its characters stands up and references a famous franchise. The level of excitement we experience in that moment is unexplainable. Witch Watch is an anime that has tons of such references. In the modern world of anime, Witch Watch stands out as a masterclass in incorporating wild pop culture references to elevate its story.

The way Witch Watch incorporates these delightful pop culture references is seamless. The anime is only 10 episodes into its story, and it has already integrated several references to iconic franchises like The Avengers, Star Wars, and Dragon Ball into its story. These nods are more than just random throwaway gags. They are clever elements woven into the narrative to create something that is refreshingly hilarious.

Witch Watch is a love letter to pop culture nerds Nico and Morihito | Credits: Bibury Animation Studio...

The official YouTube channel for the two-member unit Yoasobi has started streaming a new music video for the English lyric version of their latest song "Watch me!," which is now featured as the opening theme for the spring 2025 TV anime Witch Watch . Yoasobi digitally released the original Japanese lyric version of the song on May 18 and it ranked No. 1 in Oricon's weekly digital single charts, and the music video has attracted over 5.7 million views to date. The English lyric version of the song is sung in English with rhythmical pronunciation while keeping the Japanese sound intact. Yoasobi " Watch me! (English Version)" Music Video The limited edition deluxe CD set, which includes both the Japanese and English versions of "Watch me!," is set to release in Japan on June 25, 2025. The set comes with a box featuring an illustration of the main heroine Nico drawn by the anime production team, a...

We all know no high school anime is complete without an overpowered, overly-clichéd student council. And the anime adaptation of Witch Watch is delivering, with a cast list that's both stacked with talent and (in many cases) perfectly typecast! The nine members of the student council, each with their own very specific quirks, join the series in the 10th episode, "Trope-tacular Student Council / A Stray Cat’s Bubble of Bliss": Tenryu Kiyomiya Ibara Ibu Yuzuru Kenmochi Tenryu Kiyomiya voiced by Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (Teruki Hanazawa in Mob Psycho 100 ) Ibara Ibu voiced by Miyuko Sawashiro (Fujiko Mine in Lupin the 3rd ) Yuzuru Kenmochi voiced by Jun Fukuyama (Lelouch in Code Geass ) Related: Witch Watch Anime Shares Animated Music Video of Yoasobi's "Watch me!" Syrup Kuromitsu Riro Takumi Syrup voiced by Rie Kugimiya (Nagi Sanzenin in Hayate the Combat Butler! ) Kuromitsu voiced by Misaki Kuno (Xiaolan in The Apothecary Diaries ) Riro...

Netflix has a strong slate of anime series for this month, and the streamer decided to highlight all of them in a new video that teases what's ahead for some of its biggest titles. Due to the simultaneous release with Japan, the streamer is slowly drifting away from its binge format to release new episodes weekly instead of waiting to debut all of them at once when the season is over. The strategy has been paying off, with anime titles constantly figuring among the top 10 most-watched titles on the platform.

The leading title this month is, of course, One Piece. The anime series returned from a hiatus just a couple of months ago, and now the Egghead Arc Part 2 is moving forward at full speed. In it, Luffy (voiced by Mayumi Tanaka in the original Japanese and by Colleen Clinkenbeard in the English dub), Tony Tony Chopper (Ikue Ohtani/Brina Palencia...

Netflix is packing the summer with anime heat, and the long-awaited return of Mashle: Magic and Muscles is making serious waves among fans. While several flashy premieres and continuations are on the way, the cult favorite stands out. Beloved for its deadpan hero and absurd blend of brute force and wizardry, the series is getting a major spotlight this summer as the Divine Visionary Candidate Exam Arc heads to the platform. With new regions gaining access, Netflix is clearly banking on Mashle's growing global fandom.

This release is part of a broader anime push from Netflix this season, according to @NetflixAnime on X, marking a strategic mix of crowd-pleasers and risk-takers. From stylish originals to long-requested returning series, the summer anime lineup reflects Netflix’s increasing commitment to the genre. And with heavy competition from streaming rivals, it is not just about quantity, it is about impact. Netflix wants this slate to stick,...

Witch Watch has different levels of first impressions. I know that because initially I expected it to be a typical shonen series. Any guesses why? Simply because it serializes in the Weekly Shonen Jump. That perception was quickly challenged as soon as I watched the first episode. Then it became a comedy anime!

Now, I think I have finally got it right because Witch Watch is so much more than just comedy. Every episode makes you realize that comedy is a very important aspect of the complete package, but the anime has other things to offer as well. These other things have unexpectedly and deeply moved me; the emotional resonance is where the true appeal of the show lies.

What does Witch Watch have to offer beyond the comedy?

Every time Nico uses her magic or Kanshi gets involved in any of the subplots in Witch Watch, I prepare myself for some great gags.

Witch Watch‘s comedy has been nothing but refreshing so far. Every episode and skit has been humorous in its own way, and the series has the ability to appeal to a universal audience. No matter what kind of comedy one is into, Witch Watch is sure to attempt it.

Episode 9 of Witch Watch delivered a story that was a bit emotional, followed by a hilarious skit between the characters. The series often highlights the hilarity in some real-life situations, even though people accept it as usual. The latest episode tries to do the same and shows how people would speak if they only learnt how to talk from textbooks.

Witch Watch points out the hilarious absurdity of textbook English

Trying to learn a language from textbooks or apps is a universal experience. But oftentimes, these textbooks and apps use a formal tone, which is different from the informal and conversational language used while speaking.

The year is nearly halfway through and it’s time to see which openings from the spring season were the best of the best. I asked for your votes and you all of course came through and it’s time to breakdown which shows managed to get into the top five. There’s some heavy hitters in regard to musical groups and a nice variety of different kinds of shows for spring, but which series managed to come out on top as your favorite opening of spring? #5: The Apothecary Diaries - "Kusuhiki" by Mrs. Green Apple 7 percent Winter’s second place series returns with a new opening and shows it’s still a force to be reckoned with. “Kusuhiki” is a fun track that provides a nice atmosphere for the opening itself, but the animation truly shines here. There are quite a few fun and neat point-of-view shots that...

The Spring 2025 anime season is gradually drawing to a close, allowing Japanese streaming sites to analyze which works have garnered the most attention. Recently, NicoNico revealed that Shonen Jump's latest anime IP is the #1 most streamed series on its service of Spring 2025.

According to PR Times, the hit fantasy rom-com Witch Watch is currently the highest-rated anime work on NicoNico. The series is based on Kenta Shinohara's Weekly Shonen Jump manga of the same name. Witch Watch'splacement as #1 on NicoNico's top 10 mid-term ankings chart was determined by the collective number of "views, comments and accesses" that the series has gained since its streaming debut via the service. In late April 2025, the series sat at the #2 spot beneath the nonsensical comedy series Gag Manga Biyori Go. However, the ratings have changed significantly since the beginning of the season. The complete top 10 list can be viewed below.

Japan Reveals New Top...

Abby Trott is just as passionate about Dandadan as any of the fans would be. During our interview, I came to realize, when interviewing her with @tushar-auddy, that she isn’t just an amazing voice actor but also an incredible conversationalist. Demon Slayer and Dandadan weren’t the only things we got to talk about, going from our shared love for late-night ramen to cosplaying.

The best part was getting to know the ins and outs of the voice acting industry. You hear them in video games and animated projects, but what goes on behind the scenes can only be conjecture. For someone as lively as Trott, Momo and Nezuko stood at two extremes – one who rarely talked and the other who talked her heart out.

Abby Trott can only handle so much screaming in one day

When voicing characters as intense as Momo, putting in everything at once can...

If someone ever sees any form of injustice and their immediate reaction is, ‘Superman would never let this happen, ’ then they’re absolutely right. Superman reacts to unjust situations as if it’s a reflex action. You know who else has an unwavering sense of justice and doesn’t think twice before jumping in to save the day?

It’s Momo Ayase from Yukinobu Tatsu’s Dandadan. This is not coming from us, but the mangaka himself. During an interview, he shared his thoughts on Momo, and it’s lovely to hear that the mangaka is as much a part of the Momo fan club as any of us. So let’s hear what he had to say about the character.

Yukinobu Tatsu’s favorite character is the Superman of Dandadan Momo Ayase | Credits: Studio Science Saru

It hasn’t even been a full year since Dandadan‘s premiere, but...

Witch Watch has no enemies, and why would there be any? The anime has been nothing but full of joy. From the character interactions to the chaos, every episode is a mix of magic, misadventures, and Nico’s love for Morihito. There’s not much to complain about, but nothing sticks with you either. It’s difficult to pinpoint a single moment from the eight episodes so far that was memorable beyond the episode’s duration.

How is that possible? Perhaps the lack of a compelling protagonist is sabotaging Witch Watch’s potential. But wait, don’t we have Nico? Yes, we do have her, but her characterization feels lacking. While the overall tone of the anime might be the reason behind that, there’s a possibility that Nico might turn out to be the most underwhelming aspect of the series.

Witch Watch might not be a typical shonen, but...

Witch Watch is a hilarious anime indeed, with two completely unhinged characters as protagonists. Nico might be the trigger of most of the mishaps, but Morihito is also not too far behind in enabling her. The series works because of the incredible dynamics between the two.

Understanding the dynamics between these two characters makes life way easier, not just for fans and viewers of the anime, but also for those who had to work on it and actively lend a hand to the creative process.

Morihito’s voice actor clearly understood the character’s priorities Voicing Morihito meant understanding the character of Nico as well | Credits: Bibury Animation Studio

In the Witch Watch anime, Ryota Suzuki plays the role of Morihito, while Rina Kawaguchi voices Nico. Both of the voice actors performed extremely well and brought their respective roles to life. In fact, fans have been loving their voices as the characters,...

Witch Watch wouldn’t be nearly as fun if it wasn’t for its great cast of characters. Most of them are loud, chaotic, or silly. But Morihito? He’s different. Unlike the other characters, he’s mostly calm and responsible. Until… he’s not! The first episode of Witch Watch showed us a very different side of Moi, something we weren’t prepared for.

To be fair, it was Nico’s magic that brought out the colorful side of Moi. His voice actor, Ryota Suzuki, spoke about this particular scene during an interview. A small regret and some inexperience made this part of Moi slightly difficult to play. Here’s what the voice actor has to say about it.

Nobody expected this from Morihito in Witch Watch, not even his voice actor

Ryota Suzuki has played many popular characters, including Ishigami from Kaguya Sama: Love is War, Ryusui from Dr. Stone,...

When we thought the Spring 2025 anime season couldn’t get any better than it already is, fans were graced with the presence of Witch Watch. It’s as if the series is single-handedly on a mission to save the dying comedy genre in the industry. Each episode so far has been a comedic masterpiece, one after another, something that’s been long missing since Gintama.

However, on top of its perfectly timed parodic comedy, Witch Watch has another card up its sleeve: its equally compelling magic system. In fact, the series even gives us a feeling of nostalgia with its intricate applications of magic spells, which actually have a fascinating origin story. As it turns out, the ever-so-popular children’s manga/anime, Doraemon, is behind the magical setting of Witch Watch!

Doraemon’s influence can still be felt in Witch Watch!

In a recent interview published on MangaPlus Shueisha, Kenta Shinohara,...

Eiichiro Oda and Hajime Isayama have similarities in the sense that both are great manga artists. Their works are the cream of the crop when it comes to the Shonen genre. Also, both manga are bestsellers that enjoy cult popularity.

They delve into complex themes and have an array of interesting characters. But it’s their common technique that makes it all the more iconic. Yes, this method adds more layers to the storytelling, but that is not all.

Witch Watch mangaka, in particular, used the same technique that saved it from being forgotten. It proved to be fruitful as a storytelling tool, but how did that happen? Well, let’s unpack this now, shall we?

Hajime Isayama and Eiichiro Oda’s technique ‘saved’ Witch Watch

New-age anime are on the rise and Witch Watch is no stranger to that. The series is currently among the popular modern manga in the Shonen genre.

Not every anime that premieres is an instant favorite or even a cult classic. With the number of shows that premiere each season, it’s only fair that some just aren’t going to perform as well as others.

However, just because they aren’t all seasonal favorites, that doesn’t mean they’re all unwatchable. Plenty of shows have potential if only given the shot by the right audience. With that in mind, here are four Spring 2025 anime you should give a chance - or even a second chance - this season.

Witch Watch

Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu

Witch Watch is a fantasy series about a witch named Nico and her ogre familiar, Morihito. She has recently returned home to continue her witch training with the help of her oblivious crush, Morihito, whose main goal is to keep her safe and clean up the fallout from her magical antics.

For decades, Gintama has been the undefeated champion of comedy anime. No anime has even come close to imitating its utterly absurd humor. But maybe, just maybe, Witch Watch can achieve what no one has been able to?

Gintama has its own brand of humor that is unlike what any anime has ever replicated. In fact, the series has no care in the world. It has caught media flak, copyright strikes, and did parody after parody, and yet, the anime continued to put out gem after gem.

Is Witch Watch the latest Gintama of the anime world?

The very first stark similarity that Witch Watch has to Gintama is that both are Shonen series that predominantly rely on comedy. Both anime care very little about what happens next as long as the audience gets a piece of the absurd humor. They also balance serious moments and comedy episodes quite well,...

Witch Watch is the most difficult anime if you wish to win a ‘no-laugh’ challenge. Every turn of the story greets you with chaos and adorable scenes that will force you to break into a smile. If Kanshi is on the screen, then god bless you, because you will end up laughing. All Witch Watch characters are silly to an extent, but Kanshi takes the chaos to a whole new level.

However, limiting Kanshi’s perception to mere comic relief undermines his potential. The story delves into his insecurities in the later arcs, making him more interesting as a character. He serves as a lesson for modern anime on how to develop side characters by treating them fairly.

Kanshi elevates the joy of Witch Watch Kanshi asks Morihito about his role in the YouTube episode | Credits: Bibury Animation Studios

Kanshi’s first appearance in Witch Watch made it clear that...

By this point, it’s common knowledge that drawing manga is no joke. The process is debilitating for mangaka, even more so if they follow a weekly schedule. Currently, I’m obsessed with Witch Watch, and I love how the art style and designs were simple at the beginning, but got more complex as the story progressed.

Kenta Shinohara, the creator of Witch Watch, shared how much time it takes him to work on a single chapter. I wasn’t surprised by this revelation, but rather impressed, as every panel shows the effort the mangaka puts into his series. He specified that one particular aspect of the manga takes the majority of his time, and here’s what it is.

Kenta Shinohara on his process behind Witch Watch

Witch Watch manga was first published in 2021, and the anime premiered this spring and it has drawn more fans to the ani-manga series.

2024 was a great year for anime, but one of the biggest hits was only released later that year. Dandadan became a favorite of many anime fans, for those who are seasoned and new. It’s all owed to its unique concept, the blend of genres, and realistic characters, but there’s one aspect of it that surpasses all of it and guaranteed its success.

Science Saru wasn’t playing around when it came to animating Dandadan. The animation for the series is one of the best we’ve seen in years. It brings a whole new life to the manga, with its incredibly vibrant style and fluid movement. Every episode of the anime was a delight to watch.

The trailer for the second season of Dandadan proves that Science Saru isn’t going to drop its quality either. While they do sacrifice some details from the manga, the anime is...

Yukinobu Tatsu’s Dandadan is returning once again with the second season of the series that will contain more action, thrilling developments, and a new demonic villain. The series was one of the most celebrated anime last year, and the second season is bound to be even more powerful and will most likely break the records of Dandadan season 1.

One reason why fans think that Dandadan season 2 will be bigger and better than season 1 is the animation quality of the upcoming series. Fans recently got treated to another trailer of the upcoming Dandadan season, and the visual brilliance hinted at within the trailer has proved that the series will be one of the biggest releases of 2025.

Additionally, fans are so impressed with Science Saru’s work on Dandadan season 2 that they have compared the series to A-1 Pictures’ Solo Leveling. In fact, there are some who believe that Dandadan might surpass Solo Leveling this year.

Popular anime streaming site AnimeHeaven has seemingly fallen afoul of copyright holders, with every episode featured on the site is now inaccessible following mass DMCA takedown action.

The piracy streaming site was home to anime episodes both old and new, including popular ongoing and newly airing titles such as One Piece, My Hero Academia, Fire Force, Witch Watch and thousands of others. As of writing, the website remains online, although every video is unplayable with a message simply stating, "Episode no longer available because DMCA trolls took down video server." Via Similarweb, the website gained 11.6 million total visits over the past month, with the majority of these coming from the United States, as well as Canada, the UK, the Philippines and Japan.

AnimeHeaven the Newest Target of Anime Piracy Takedown Action Rip animeheaven due to "DMCA trolls took down video server"by u/lost12 in Piracy

The DMCA takedown action...

Back when Dandadan aired in the fall of 2024, I watched every episode with the guarantee that they would make me laugh. Comedy is a staple of Dandadan, and despite all the action, adventure, and beautiful visuals, that’s what attracted me to it. Fast forward to Spring 2025, and Witch Watch has renewed my love for comedies.

While both series deal with humor, they are different-flavored comedies. Dandadan isn’t nearly as lighthearted as Witch Watch, but the comic timings in both series are perfect. But while Dandadan takes its time to return with a new season, Witch Watch might be the perfect series to binge on.

The flavors of humor in Dandadan and Witch Watch

Dandadan is a Shonen series that employs comedy, but Witch Watch is a comedy series by its nature. To put it simply, Witch Watch‘s whole purpose is to serve humorous moments through its characters and their circumstances,...

Spoiler Alert !!!This article contains minor spoilers for Witch Watch episode 8.

If you’re watching Witch Watch from this seasonal anime line-up, you’ve got good taste. It’s evident that you enjoy light-hearted anime with a great cast of characters, and that you’ll be ready to watch Witch Watch episode 8 as soon as it drops! The episode is scheduled to be released on May 25, but what time exactly, and what can you expect? So far, every episode has been a joyful ride.

The relationship dynamics of the characters are wholesome, and there’s no end to the chaos. Episode 8 is highly likely to maintain that fun streak. No true fan would want to miss out on that, so here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming episode of Witch Watch anime.

Witch Watch episode 8 release date, time, and all you need to know Kanashi and Nico...

With each new month comes new additions to your watchlist. April brought us the Netflix Original Devil May Cry alongside many other traditional anime like The Apothecary Diaries, and May continues this by introducing even more shows.

This includes newer episodes of One Piece's Egghead Island arc and The Apothecary Diaries's Season Two, as well as sequels and spin-offs of like My Hero Academia: Vigilantes.

Some completely new series have also been added, such as the currently-airing Witch Watch and Sasaki and Peeps. We've put together a list of the best Netflix anime, so you know what to watch on Netflix in May 2025.

Best new anime arriving on Netflix in MaySasaki and Peeps

Getting a pet can change many things in your life, especially if you're a middle-aged businessman. For Sasaki, saving the bird named Pii-chan gives him magical powers belonging to one of the greatest mages in another world.

Dance along with Nico in her new music video! Yoasobi has released the full version of Witch Watch opening theme "Watch me!," complete with an adorable animated vid. Check it out, and see how many memorable moments from the series so far you can spot: Witch Watch - "Watch me!" Music Video Related: Witch Watch Anime Makes Magic in Creditless Ending Movie Kenta Shinohara began serialization of Witch Watch in Weekly Shonen Jump in 2021, with 21 volumes released in Japan to date. Viz Media publishes an official English version of the manga. Hiroshi Ikehata ( Tonikawa: Over The Moon For You ) directs the Witch Watch anime at Bilbury Animation Studios with Masao Kawase acting as Assistant Director. Deko Akao ( The Case Study of Vanitas ) is on series composition, with character designs by Haruko Iizuka ( Horimiya ) and music by Yukari Hashimoto ( A Sign of Affection ). The anime was first announced in August 2024. Crunchyroll...

Another weekend is upon us. That means it's once again time for the Bam Smack Pow team to bring you a weekly round-up of all the most important anime news of the week that was. This week, we're focusing on some major releases for the summer and beyond. Our anime recommendation this week is also one of the most influential and important anime movies of all time.

2025 Anime Awards reveal additional guests, presenters and where to stream

With Crunchyroll's 2025 Anime Awards set for May 25, the popular anime streaming service has announced several additional details about the ceremony. Most importantly, the start time for the ceremony and where fans can watch the live stream: the pre-show for the 2025 Anime Awards begins at 5:00 pm Japanese Standard Time (4:00 am Eastern) and the ceremony itself starts at 6:00 Jst (5:00 am Eastern). Anime fans around the world can watch the ceremony...

The anime Witch Watch is effectively proving how a story does not have to be extremely complicated or intricately woven to be entertaining. It can very well survive on the intentional inclusion of absurd comedy if done right.

This is because, even though some might disagree, peak brainrot media is all the rage now for its unhinged qualities. They do not make any logical sense, and they do not even need to because their ridiculousness is what makes them so effective.

Similarly, Witch Watch does not want to follow a clean narrative, and that is exactly its point.

How absurd scenarios deliver humor in Witch Watch

The world of Witch Watch in itself is pretty unbelievable because here, exist ogres, witches, and even Tengus, who live and operate amongst normal people without hiding anything. On top of that, their existence hardly creates any commotion, as, at the end of the day,...

Witch Watch easily stands out as one of the best romcom anime this season, especially in a lineup that hasn’t really offered many standout shows. It has quickly generated much buzz because of its interesting premise and hilarious punches that remind us of gag comedy anime like Gintama.

The story of Witch Watch also relies on ample references to other shows, which just adds to its comedy charm. This kind of playful tone highlights the much-needed renewal of meta-comedy anime, which kind of got lost in recent times.

The Demon Slayer references were the highlight of episode 4

In episode 4 of Witch Watch, we learn more about the character called Kanshi Kazamatsuri, or Kan, who is a Tengu. He is also one of Nico’s childhood friends and shares the same goal of protecting her from any problems as the protagonist, Morihito.

But, it gets established right away that Morihito...

This is turning out to be a pretty good year for anime fans. Aside from the returning titles that are about to hit us this summer, new stories are managing to grab the attention of viewers and become surprise hits. One of those titles is Witch Watch. The new anime series debuted earlier this month and quickly formed a fan base because of its references to several other anime series. Now, the show will have the potential to reach an even bigger audience as Netflix starts to roll out the English dub of the series.

Witch Watch mixes elements of comedy, fantasy and adventure — all of that in a slice-of-life setting. In the story, an inexperienced witch named Nico is sent to live with her friend and childhood crush, an ogre named Morihito (Stephen Fu) who is able to retain a human appearance. The duo deals with threats that pop...

With another week wrapping up, the Bam Smack Pow team is here once again to bring the biggest anime news of the past week. The big news this week is the continued announcement of new anime dubs for Spring 2025, plus a big update on the Demon Slayer theatrical run set for later this year.

Demon Slayer: Mugen Train returning to theaters in May

In anticipation of the release of the series' final story arc hitting theaters later this year, Crunchyroll has announced that the previous Demon Slayer movie, Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train will get a special 4K re-release in North American theaters starting May 14. Tickets go on sale starting April 30.

Functioning as the Demon Slayer anime's second season, Mugen Train was originally released in Japan in the fall of 2020 as a feature-length movie. Despite the complications of the Covid pandemic, Mugen Train has...

April marked the beginning of Japan's Spring 2025 anime season. One of the country's most popular streaming sites recently revealed which shows are consistently drawing the largest audiences each week so far.

NicoNico's video distribution service has announced its top 10 most successful anime works so far that saw debuts in the Spring 2025 season. According to PR Times, the site's rankings are based on the total number of "live broadcast views and accesses," which occurred from April 1-17. Based on these criteria, NicoNico's most popular title is Gag Manga Biyori Go, which is based on the titular comedy manga by Kosuke Masuda. Incidentally, the site's second-highest ranked anime, Witch Watch, is also a comedy. The full top 10, listed from most to least popular, can be viewed below.

Japan's Most Popular Anime of the Spring 2025 Season Revealed by Niconico Image by Bibury Animation StudiosGag Manga Biyori GoWitch WatchRock Is a Lady's ModestyOnce...

The new comedy-cum-fantasy anime, Witch Watch, seems to be generating some serious hype for Spring 2025, and there’s a big reason why you should also be excited about it. It’s none other than Megumi Ishitani who is directing the opening sequence of this anime!

In case you don’t know, she has been the animator and director for the One Piece Fan Letter, which is why it’d surely be exciting to see how her style translates to this new series. Her take on Witch Watch seems quite refreshing so far, as it blends comedy and magic with a perfect ratio.

Nico Wakatsuki from Witch Watch | Credits: Bibury Animation Studios

After the serious tone in Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, this contrasting tone in a fantasy anime feels like a breath of fresh air without even losing the magic element that draws us to these worlds. If one had to compare,...