One of the largest and most exciting events of the year for the manga industry is the AnimeJapan exhibition, where fans eagerly anticipate which manga will be adapted into anime. Besides being a fantastic way for fans to connect and discuss their favorite series, this event also presents opportunities for manga creators to showcase their work to notable production companies. The event runs until February 12, 2025, and is expected to reveal how the anime and manga industry has become a global phenomenon.
As of now, there is still a long time before the final results are determined, but here are the first ten manga that have been nominated:
- The One Within the Villainess
- Usotsuki! Gokuou-kun
- Gokurakugai
- Nue’s Exorcist
- Phantom Busters
- Girl Meets Rock!
- Firefly Wedding
- Ugly Duckling of the Entertainment District
- Kindergarten Wars
- Love Bullet
The most highly anticipated manga for 2025 in this nomination process is expected to have no surprises, with many notable series included.
The AnimeJapan “Manga We Want to See Adapted” contest has had a significant impact in the past
Although it may seem random, previous contests at AnimeJapan have successfully encouraged production companies to pay attention to developing manga series. For instance, the manga “Dangers In My Heart” ranked first at the end of the contest and was adapted into an anime by Shin-Ei Animation in 2023.
Other notable series include “Senpai Is an Otokonoko,” which Project No. 9 is adapting into an anime in July 2024, and “Komi Can’t Communicate,” adapted by Netflix and OLM Team Kojima in 2021. Each of these series achieved significant success after the release of their respective anime adaptations, especially “Komi Can’t Communicate,” which became a popular comedy manga aimed at a younger audience.
While there is no guarantee that any specific work will be adapted this year, those nominated are likely to gain significant attention. “Gokurakugai” stands out as a strong contender due to its appealing narrative and character development, while “Love Bullet” also has the potential to be adapted into a unique anime, focusing on captivating visuals.
