As 2025 nears its end and we wonder what awaits us in 2026, now’s a good time to reflect on the ongoings of the year… anime-wise, of course. With Crunchyroll Arc, you can get a glimpse of the anime journey you’ve taken in 2025. This isn’t just a recap of the series you’ve watched; it's an exploration of where anime has taken you via your favorite series, genres, and the time you spent crying over (insert anime protagonist who made you feel things). RELATED: Crunchyroll Arc Returns for 2025: Discover Your Anime Year in Review Along the way, you’ll meet a different spirit companion that encapsulates your anime experience. From the action-oriented Bonehead Brawler to the Nutmeg, the romance expert, these companions are a representation of the kind of anime you tend to gravitate toward, which begs the question: What anime should you watch next That’s where this nifty little feature comes in. Learn about our Crunchyroll Arc spirit companions and figure out what anime you should add to your queue. Of course, if you’ve already seen these recommendations, there’s nothing wrong with switching things up or, even better, giving the Dread Collector in your life a new series to watch. CRUNCHYROLL ARC 2025 Meet the Crunchyroll Arc Spirit Companions Pick Your Next Anime Based on Your Crunchyroll Arc Results Meet the Crunchyroll Arc Spirit Companions! From left to right: Hamurai, Bonehead Brawler, Nutmeg and Dread Collector. From left to right: Hanabae, Sage Puff and Wondering Neko. Pick Your Next Anime Based on Your Crunchyroll Arc Results! Hamurai – General Anime Hamurai, described as a curious dimensional nibbler, is for the anime fan who’s open to any kind of story. This is also great for the non-anime fan who’s curious about the medium. Anime series that fit this category tend to be good picks when you’re not looking for anything specific, or when someone new to anime asks, “What should I watch?” While I usually tell folks to decide based on their favorite genre, if that’s not an option, I hit the staple general anime picks like Cowboy Bebop or, if you want something more recent, SPY x FAMILY . These are entertaining anime series that don’t feel too daunting to watch. They aren’t very long, they’re good at hooking the audience right away, and their plots are easy to grasp (one being a space Western with a memorable, ragtag group of bounty hunters, and the other being one of the most wholesome family anime series out there). Kaiju No. 8 is another example, assuming you’re a fan of Kaiju battles and underdog protagonists, and if you want something that feels casual at first, only to pull you in with its ongoing mysteries and intriguing characters, The Apothecary Diaries has got you covered. RELATED: All SPY x FAMILY Arcs in Order (So Far) Cowboy Bebop SPY x FAMILY Kaiju No. 8 The Apothecary Diaries Bonehead Brawler – Shonen/Action/Adventure Bonehead Brawler can’t talk right now as they're too busy fighting five bosses at once. This kind of aura is perfect for fans of shonen anime, and boy, you’ll likely not run out of options anytime soon. We can, of course, tell you about the classics like ONE PIECE and Naruto , two series with underdog protagonists who go on grand adventures full of emotional highs, devastating lows, found family dynamics and, of course, plenty of action. Really, it just depends on whether you’re in the mood for Team Pirate or Team Ninja. Some newer shonen titles include series like Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and My Hero Academia which, if you haven’t started the story of Izuku Midoriya, now’s a good time since we’re in the final season! If you want a character who feels like a superhero because of how overpowered he is, there’s always Solo Leveling ’s Sung Junwoo, whose battles are as intense as the seemingly unwinnable situations he’s tossed into. Or, if you’re Team Delinquent, there’s Yu Yu Hakusho or WIND BREAKER , or if you’re team “taking out the trash, wait, is trash a metaphor?” there’s Gachiakuta . Basically, Bonehead Brawler’s got you covered with the anime hits. RELATED: Anime Like One Piece on Crunchyroll ONE PIECE My Hero Academia Solo Leveling Gachiakuta Nutmeg – Romance Nutmeg, the cheeky hoarder of hearts, is storing away romance anime for the winter. To kick things off, there’s Horimiya , a story where two high school students discover that they both act completely differently when they aren’t in school. They connect through each other’s real personalities, but it turns out they aren’t the only ones who aren’t being completely honest with themselves. My Dress-Up Darling is another “polar opposites” story that’s all about accepting who you really are and, more importantly, finding the people who will appreciate the real you. A Sign of Affection is also full of feel-good vibes. Its soft art style and focus on communication through its hard-of-hearing protagonist make every part of the romance worth it, especially since it features one of the greenest flags in recent romance anime history. That said, if we’re talking green flags in anime, we have to bring up Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! Assuming you’re hooked by the title, you’re in for a story that ends up being more than its wacky premise which, like an isekai, is right in the title. Bonus? You get to see adult office workers making sense of their feelings for each other. RELATED: A Sign of Affection Creators suu Morishita on Yuki’s Relatability and Surrounding Her With Supportive People Horimiya My Dress-Up Darling A Sign of Affection Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! Dread Collector – Action/Horror If the Dread Collector is the creature you got in your Crunchyroll Arc, then you have a taste for things that go bump in the night. Lucky for you, anime fully embraces the horror genre, and much like isekai, it does so in a variety of ways. If you want straight-up horror, for example, then bite-sized stories like the ones found in Theater of Darkness: Yamishibai are a good start. For more psychological horror, there’s Satoshi Kon’s legendary Paranoia Agent , which is sure to be an instant classic for the horror fan who wants something to think about after the series ends. For fans who like horror that doesn’t quite look like it fits the genre, something like Toilet-bound Hanako-kun is the perfect combination of cute, humorous, and surprisingly dark. If you’re in the mood for heavy action with your horror, look no further than shonen heavy hitters like Chainsaw Man and its perfect blend of terrifying creatures, brutal action, and heavy topics that’ll take you off guard. To be honest, we can go on and on with recommendations here ( JUJUTSU KAISEN , ZOMBIE LAND SAGA , Mieruko-chan , Higurashi: When They Cry – GOU , just to name a few), but this should be a good start down the Dread Collector’s path. RELATED: Your Halloween Anime Watchlist, From Kooky to Spooky Theater of Darkness: Yamishibai Paranoia Agent Toilet-bound Hanako-kun Chainsaw Man Hanabae – Romantic Comedy We’re back with more romance anime recommendations courtesy of Hanabae, keeper of those embarrassing moments that inevitably happen in front of your crush. It’s physically impossible to have an anime romcom entry without mentioning Kaguya-sama: Love Is War , a series with romantic leads so frustratingly in love with each other that the narrator himself is beyond done with their shenanigans. For more love interests who’ll make you want to slap your forehead in frustration, there’s Tomo-chan Is a Girl! , a series that highlights that moment when you fall for your best friend who can't grasp the fact that you’re definitely trying to hit on them. My Senpai Is Annoying has a similar level of lovably dense love interest as our leading lady deals with her feelings for her “annoying senpai,” who is the exact opposite of her personality-wise. To add to the annoyance hinted at in the title, the protagonist is rarely seen as a love interest because of her height and appearance. Once you’re done with love interests who take a while to realize they’re in a romcom, check out MY love STORY!! , a series that spends a lot of its runtime with the couple as a couple! While the wholesome male lead may not seem like a love interest, he ends up finding his perfect match and is supported by his best friend. RELATED: Anime Like My Dress-Up Darling Kaguya-sama: Love Is War Tomo-chan Is a Girl! My Senpai Is Annoying MY love STORY!! Sage Puff – Fantasy/Isekai Be kind to Sage Puff, for it’s their first day as an eternal flame guardian and they’re trying their best. That said, when it comes to fantasy, and especially isekai, anime viewers are flush with options. There are a myriad of ways to be transported to a new world, and each one leads to different results. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is good for the adventurer who likes their protagonist to look unimpressive (in this case, a slime) but actually be capable of being incredibly OP. Meanwhile, something like Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill is perfect for anyone looking for something more wholesome, though you probably should watch that one during dinner so there’s food in front of you. For anyone looking for an isekai that’s more thought-provoking, this year’s ZENSHU is great for anyone fighting through a creative slump. Of course, if you’re someone who just wants a good fantasy without the whole “hit by a truck and transported into a new work” angle, you can’t go wrong with Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End . By starting at the end of the adventure, this fantasy anime captures everything we love about a good fantasy story while making you realize the value of the bonds you form with others. RELATED: What Kind of Meal Would You Prepare in Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill? That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill ZENSHU Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Wondering Neko – Seinen/Fantasy Our Wondering Neko is on the hunt for revenge, so we definitely need to mention one of the most notorious seinen out there. Berserk (or Berserk: The Golden Age – Memorial Edition ) is a series full of action, pain, and one of the most devastating anime betrayals of all time. You’ll find it on many a recommendation list, especially if you’re looking for hard-hitting revenge narratives. While we could go on and on with revenge anime recommendations (technically, we already did ), there’s a couple of other titles to highlight how much variety exists under the seinen umbrella. Recent releases like Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider offer a unique take on the story of an adult (in this case, a 40-year-old man) who embraces what he used to love as a child. Meanwhile, Bungo Stray Dogs is full of complex characters who go through a series of unforgettable adventures that help shape their narratives. Like a lot of anime with cool superpowers and imperfect heroes, there’s a lot more going on that you’ll enjoy piecing together. For something that takes a bit of a break from serious tones, Golden Kamuy has an unexpected amount of humor mixed with its historical setting. Its initial premise of searching for gold leads to a story full of colorful characters, a respect for the culture it’s depicting, and the kind of comedy that’ll take you off guard until you realize that it’s all a part of the plot. RELATED: Gachiakuta and the Tropes of Anime Vengeance Berserk: The Golden Age – Memorial Edition Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider Bungo Stray Dogs Golden Kamuy
