My Hero Academia Wins Anime of the Year Over Demon Slayer

The hierarchy of the anime world shifted dramatically in 2025. While fans expected the box-office juggernaut Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle to sweep every accolade available, the industry has crowned new champions. In a stunning turn of events at South Korea’s prestigious "Anithing Awards," the Ufotable giant was defeated by its fiercest theatrical rival, Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc. However, the biggest surprise of the night wasn't a movie at all; it was My Hero Academia, which proved that long-running television anime still have the power to outshine cinema blockbusters.

While the rivalry between Demon Slayer and Chainsaw Man dominated the headlines, neither film took home the ultimate prize. The "Best Anime of the Year" honor at the Anithing Awards went to My Hero Academia. Thanks to a phenomenal Season 8, the superhero series managed to beat both blockbuster films in the final voting. The victory highlights a massive shift in fan sentiment, proving that when the quality peaks, a serialized TV anime can still topple high-budget theatrical releases.

The bad news for the Demon Slayer Corps continued in the theatrical category. Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle was easily one of the biggest highlights of 2025, releasing in July to immediate success in Japan and around the world. However, despite the spectacle, according to the awards held in South Korea, it was not the critical favorite. At the Anithing Awards, Chainsaw Man: The Movie – Reze Arc secured a convincing victory over Infinity Castle, as reported by Game Rant. 

Chainsaw Man captured the hearts of critics with its innovative storytelling and darker narrative. It even achieved a historic milestone on MyAnimeList, ranking as the #2 highest-rated anime of all time, sitting just behind Frieren. While Demon Slayer was well-rated, it couldn't quite match that level of critical acclaim.

Reze and Akaza Lead Character Rankings

The change in the tide was perhaps most brutal in the character popularity polls. In the "Best Female Character of 2025" category, Chainsaw Man’s Reze dominated the voting to take the number one spot. In a shocking upset, Demon Slayer’s Shinobu Kocho—the Insect Hashira and a primary focus of the Infinity Castle movie—failed to even crack the top three. Shinobu was beaten not only by Reze but also by characters from smaller franchises, including Kaoruko Wagyuri from The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity and Marin Kitagawa from My Dress Up Darling. 

However, Ufotable did secure a consolation prize in the "Best Male Character" category. The villain Akaza secured third place, managing to beat out Chainsaw Man’s protagonist, Denji, who failed to make the top tier. It seems that while the Chainsaw Man girls are stealing the show, Demon Slayer’s villains still hold a special place in the audience's hearts.

Even the streaming numbers showed a change in viewing habits. While the Demon Slayer franchise commands over 150 million cumulative views across all arcs, the head-to-head battle for the most-watched individual season of 2025 went to the retired hitman, Taro Sakamoto of Sakamoto Days. Sakamoto Days offered a low-barrier, binge-ready entry point for casual viewers.

Despite these losses in prestige and rankings, Demon Slayer remains the undisputed king where it counts most: the bank. Infinity Castle racked up a massive $787.2 million USD worldwide. The financial breakdown is staggering, including $260.1M from Japan, $134.3M in the US, and $93.8M from China. It became Japan’s number one box office hit of all time and ranked as the 7th highest-grossing film of 2025 globally. While, Chainsaw Man was the critic's choice of the year; yet it simply could not match that level of box office success.