Top 10 Adult Animation Shows Of The Year So Far

#10: “Castlevania: Nocturne” (2023-)

Season 2

Quality shows based on video games are no longer a rarity, and this shift arguably started with Netflix’s “Castlevania.” The original series drew from “Dracula’s Curse,” “Curse of Darkness,” and “Symphony of the Night.” This sequel series covers “Castlevania: Rondo of Blood,” a game many Westerners wouldn’t get to play until 2010 - 17 years after its Japanese release. Following Richter Belmont, the first season of “Nocturne” could feel rushed, but showed potential in its animation and action. Season 2 is an improvement, not only taking the visuals to the next level, but also allowing more time to flesh out the characters. With the return of fan-favorite ​​Alucard and some welcome newcomers, it’s a season that ups the stakes in more ways than one.

#9: “Devil May Cry” (2025-)Season 1

Adi Shankar was a key creative force on the original “Castlevania” series. Shankar delivers another gory, kinetic, and occasionally tragic video game adaptation with “Devil May Cry.” While you’ll recognize characters like the white-haired demon slayer Dante, this is an original story. Some new elements, like the political commentary, might catch longtime fans off guard. In terms of demon-slaying action, though, the series lives up to its source material with bloody as hell animation from Studio Mir. Season 1 also includes some excellent voice work from the late Kevin Conroy as Vice President William Baines and Hoon Lee as the mysterious White Rabbit. Episode 6, in particular, ranks among the most striking and devastating pieces of visual storytelling we’ve seen all year.

#8: “Rick and Morty” (2013-)

Season 8

Although it’s called “Rick and Morty,” Season 8 of Adult Swim’s flagship show branched out from the titular duo with more emphasis on the rest of the Smith family. While not up there with the show’s golden years, this season gave us standout episodes like “Nomortland,” proving that having multiple Jerrys isn’t such a bad thing. Two Beths are better, however! The show digs deeper into the complexities of Beth and Space Beth, in turn forcing Rick to examine his parental choices. Speaking of parents, remember Morty’s son from Season 1? He’s back, as are some other characters buried deep within your memories. Pleasing fans isn’t easy, as James Gunn might tell you, but “Rick and Morty” continues to balance laughs with unexpected pathos.

#7: “Big Mouth” (2017-25)Season 8

“Big Mouth” is about as adult as adult animation gets, but let’s be honest. The show’s gross-out humor attracted plenty of ten-year-olds when it first hit the scene in 2017. Whether it saw you through puberty or made you look back at your own awkward adolescence, “Big Mouth” was simultaneously the most mature and immature show on TV for eight seasons. This final semester resolves a few lingering plot threads, like the identity of the Ponytail Killer. Yet, it doesn’t wrap up everything in a tidy package. Uncertainty lingers over the series finale, although the Great Unknown isn’t something we should run from. It’s bound to bring changes, good and bad, but whatever awaits, it’ll be better with a friend by your side.

#6: “Dandadan” (2024-)Season 2

WatchMojo already did a Top 10 for the Best Anime of 2025 So Far, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t give at least one a shoutout here. While definitely for older viewers, you might think twice about watching “Dandadan” with your parents. This adaptation of the manga bursts with pent-up sexual tension. For all the innuendos, there’s a surprisingly sweet relationship between protagonists Momo and Okarun at its core. Season 2, which chronicles the “Cursed House” and “Evil Eye” arcs, is more of an ensemble piece with expanded roles for characters like Jiji. The show’s appeal still mainly derives from its central couple, even if they remain unofficial. As raunchy, violent, and ludicrous as matters get, our hearts lift seeing these two hold hands.

#5: “Harley Quinn” (2019-)Season 5

Harley and Ivy find themselves in a rut at the beginning of Season 5, but this superhero satire is as funny and fresh as ever. The showrunners keep taking the characters to new places, both physically and emotionally. This season changes the scenery to Metropolis, which might seem like an optimistic alternative to the brooding Gotham. Beneath Metropolis’s shimmering exterior, though, are shady figures while an otherworldly threat looms on the horizon. Harley Quinn is the wild card that the city needs, although our titular antihero faces her own share of curveballs this season. No matter what the world throws at Harley, Ivy is by her side. Putting the power in power couple, we’d follow these characters to the end of the world and beyond.

#4: “Invincible” (2021-)

Season 3

More than ever, Season 3 of “Invincible” makes its audience ask whether superheroes do more bad than good. Even someone pure of heart like Mark Grayson isn’t immune to collateral damage, and saying sorry can’t mend the lives caught in the crossfire. This season forces Mark to look in the mirror, seeing what he could’ve become and could still be if pushed to his breaking point. This is reflected in his evil variants, all of whom are voiced by Steven Yeun. Mark also sees himself in his little half-brother Oliver, who has their father’s lethal instincts, but nurture may win out over nature. When torn between morality and protecting loved ones, though, Mark finds that you can’t always have it both ways.

#3: “King of the Hill” (1997-2010, 2025-)

Season 14

It’s been fifteen years since we last saw the Hills. This is reflected in Season 14, which sees the characters change with the times. Bobby is no longer trapped in puberty purgatory with Bart Simpson. That boy is a man now, opening the door to new storylines. As Bobby starts his career as a chef, Hank and Peggy settle into retirement while catching up with some old friends. Indeed, that’s the best way to describe this new season. Although the characters are older and their world is different, the audience slips back in as if they never left Arlen. The season marks a tear-jerking goodbye to voice actors like Johnny Hardwick and Jonathan Joss, but it’s also a reunion with characters we know and love.

#2: “South Park” (1997-)Season 27

It’s harder than ever for comedians to talk about Trump. Not just because he’s more inclined to sue, but what else can possibly be said about POTUS after nearly a decade of jokes that practically write themselves? “South Park” answers with its twenty-seventh season, which doesn’t merely poke the bear. This season pulls the bear’s pants down and kicks it below the belt… only to find there’s not much to kick. Trump isn’t the only target of ridicule, with JD Vance and Kristi Noem also getting the “South Park” treatment. The White House might disagree, but “South Park” isn’t just having one of its funniest seasons in years. It’s perhaps never been more relevant in an age where freedom of speech is constantly challenged.

#1: “Common Side Effects” (2025-)Season 1

Speaking of timely shows, “Common Side Effects” revolves around a mysterious blue mushroom that can seemingly cure any ailment. That is, except for the corporate greed rooted in Big Pharma. As heavy-handed as the subject matter might be, “Common Side Effects” is humorous and insightful, with an overarching story that’ll leave you hooked from the first episode. At the center is a meaningful bond between the nonconformist Marshall and Frances, who has become a cog in the machine. Their relationship blossoms in an unlikely place with a tortoise providing fertilizer. Receiving an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Animated Program, “Common Side Effects” is among the year’s smartest and most inventive shows, no matter the genre or medium. No negative side effects to be found here.

What animated shows have you watched this year? Let us know in the comments.