2025 Spring Premiere Digest

Spring brings a crop of nostalgic revivals, from aesthetic throwbacks to reinventions of classic franchises.

Which shows do you review? 

We don’t review shows that are direct sequels, shorts, or (generally) for very young children. Anything not licensed and/or immediately available is off the table as well; series that are dropped in batches (the binge/Netflix model) won’t receive are a premiere review but are eligible for recommendations at end of season. Shows with late release dates will be reviewed separately from the digest.

While shows may change category as they continue to air, for ease of reference this is the order that will be used when discussing shows on our mid-season and wrap-up podcasts. Please note that any shows released in batches/by cour rather than weekly will not be discussed on the mid-season podcast.

How do you write the reviews?

Lizzie, Alex, Vrai, Cy and Tony split the majority of shows, with Chiaki stepping in to pinch-hit. The titles were divided by each reviewer’s preferred workload and choice. Caitlin is at ANN this season, so you can check out her reviews over there.

Once we have more funding, we’d like to change our current model to provide a wider range of perspectives on more episodes. We’re a long way from that goal, but it’s been a personal wish of ours since launch and we hope to make it happen someday.

What do your reviews focus on? 

This varies by writer to some extent (some of us are more focused on visuals, others on narrative, and so forth), but as a feminist site it’s of course essential that we raise any issues of intersectional feminist interest.

When you read an AniFem review, you’re likely to learn about female character designs, queer representation, analogies to real-world marginalization, and so on. If you think we missed something, please comment under the review and let us know!

Why do you categorize them?

The purpose of these reviews is to give you, our readers, information to help you decide if you want to try a show. There’s greater access to anime than ever before, and we want to help you find series you can truly love, without wasting your time on a show that contains an automatic deal-breaker, be that fan service, queerphobia, the sexualization of children, and so on.

Individuals can find value in any series, and we will never lead a boycott of a particular show, but we want to make it easier for you to get the most out of your limited time. In our digest, feminist-relevant themes and ideas take precedence, with overall narrative quality coming second and personal preference a distant(ish) third.

Premieres that seem to contain progressive themes are at the highest end and those featuring regressive ideas (or out-and-out hatefulness) are at the lowest. We expect some disagreement and welcome debate, so if you have any objections to our lists then by all means let us know in the comments!

I found a show I’m interested in! Where can I watch it?

This will vary depending on where you live, but you can browse Yatta-Tachi’s Spring 2025 Premiere Chart for the legal streaming sites carrying each series. Check to see if a show is available in your region!

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Spring 2025 Premiere Digest

The following titles are organized by categories, then alphabetically. Note that, because of the way premiere dates are staggered, we’ve had the chance to watch multiple episodes of some series. To give you a fuller picture of how much information we were working with when creating these rankings, we’ve marked how many episodes of each show we’ve seen.

Feminist potential

Premieres that so far seem to be addressing progressive ideas or themes and executing them competently. Please check individual reviews for more detailed content warnings.

• Anne Shirley (Episodes 1-2): A gorgeous new take on a proto-shoujo classic that pays homage to older adaptations while welcoming in new viewers, concerned with the autonomy of children and very much celebrating its odd little girl protagonist.

• Maebashi Witches (Episodes 1-2): Still finding its footing, but there’s a very promising magical girl series in here.

• Mobile Suit Gundam: Gquuuuuux (Episodes 1-2): While some aspects render this inaccessible to Gundam franchise newcomers, the rest of the material—including some new female leads—makes the confusion worth it. 

• Rock is a Lady’s Modesty (Episodes 1-2): Whether you’re into band girls, yuri-toned rivalries, or satire of the ridiculous standards of high-class femininity, give this one a look,

• The Too-Perfect Saint: Tossed Aside By My Fiancé and Sold to Another Kingdom (Episode 1): A promising shoujo fantasy that’s very interested in the impossible double-standards women are expected to adhere to.

It’s… complicated

Similar to the above category, but in addition to all those possible feminist themes, the show may be biting off more than it can chew or in danger of fumbling its chosen themes.

• The Gorilla God’s Go-To Girl (Episodes 1-2): Doing some potentially interesting things with masculine versus feminine-coded superpowers, but it’s a bummer that the heroine seems to be the only notable girl character.

• Kowloon Generic Romance (Episodes 1-2): 90s throwback that’s both affectionate for and suspicious for the thorny concept of “nostalgia”; some fan service and a queer-coded antagonist.

• LAZARUS (Episode 1): The medical horror set-up is a great and timely hook, though hopefully it will engage more with how its premise intersects with disability down the line.

• TO BE HERO X (Episodes 1-2): Leans into exploring the commodification of heroes as a product, but also offs the only prominent female character almost immediately for pathos; though it does go on to explore her perspective.

Neutral zone

Very little to warn folks about, but also not a ton of progressive ideas to chew on so far either.

• #COMPASS2.0 ANIMATION PROJECT (Episode 1): Painfully dull mobile game adaptation.

• Apocalypse Hotel (Episode 1): CyGames seems on track to keep their streak of excellent original anime, this time starring a Sisyphean robot in the post-apocalypse.

• The Beginning After the End (Episode 1): It’s not bad, but it lacks a compelling hook to make it memorable in a sea of super-powered reincarnation isekai.

• The Brilliant Healer’s New Life in the Shadows (Episode 1): It’s boring, but at least it knows slavery is bad!

• Catch Me at the Ballpark! (Episode 1): Working at a ballpark is a great idea for a hobby anime, but the show is unfortunately let down by mediocre direction.

• CLASSIC★STARS (Episode 1): Aims to strike a chord by combining European classical music stylings with j-pop rock and a hefty dose of camp, and it’s glorious.

• Food For the Soul (Episode 1): Chill, university-set club show about enjoying food and making friends, with the power of PA Works behind it.

• mono (Episode 1): Coming to us from the creator of Laid-Back Camp, this makes a strong start as a hobby show, albeit with a couple of potentially frustrating jokes.

• Once Upon a Witch’s Death (Episode 1): Despite being a story about a girl with one year left to live, this is solidly comfort food viewing.

• Teogonia (Episode 1): Has just enough of a hook to give it potential as an isekai, as long as it doesn’t sink into writing shortcuts.

• Umamusume: Cinderella Gray (Episode 1): Just a solid underdog sports story. With horse girls.

• WITCH WATCH (Episode 1): Energetic and silly, with an almost Saturday Morning Cartoon sort of vibe.

• ZatsuTabi -That’s Journey- (Episode 1): The characters could be stronger, but if you like travel shows this might be a relaxing watch.

Yellow flags

Premieres that weren’t actively hateful at the premise level, but still raised some noteworthy caveats or concerns.

• Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive? (Episode 1): These two teenagers will be tested by the most terrifying force of all: compulsory heterosexuality.

• The Dinner Table Detective (Episode 1): Heiress by day, detective by night, this premiere will have you trying to find all the clues for what went wrong with such a fun premise.

• My Hero Academia: Vigilantes (Episode 1): Has the chance to be an interesting spinoff, though still reflects the franchise’s issues with writing women. 

• A Ninja and an Assassin Under One Roof (Episode 1): The jokes work more or less, but the leery camera undoes a lot of the show’s charm.

• Summer Pockets (Episode 1): Throws back to tropes from 20 years ago in the worst way.

• The Unaware Atelier Meister (Episode 1): A fantasy light novel adaptation about a not-so-average guy and the lineup of girls who love him (again).

• YAIBA Samurai Legend (Episode 1): A remake of Aoyama’s pre-Conan title and a good reminder that nostalgia can be a double-edged sword.

• Your Forma (Episode 1): Cooking with all the usual ingredients of a cyberpunk crime procedural, but is doing so much that it leaves its female lead unfortunately underdeveloped.

Red Flags

The issues listed are intrinsic to the premise; or, even if the issue is isolated it potentially poisons the whole show.

• From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman (Episode 1): Not just any harem show, but one about a middle-aged man whose students are throwing themselves at him.

• I’m the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire! (Episode 1): An indulgent isekai about revenge (with a side of heavy misogyny) but in space this time!

• Please Put Them On, Takamine-san (Episode 1): Femme domme fetish title that throws in false rape accusations and a virginity-based powers for good measure.

• The Shiunji Family Children (Episode 1): Both wants you to take its sibling romance drama seriously and wants to do a bunch of cheap fanservice gags.

• Sword of the Demon Hunter (Episode 1): Definitely doing something with the concept of the “madonna/whore complex” but seems unsure about exactly what that is.