What is the 2025 Kotoshi no Kanji Chosen by Anime Fans? Survey Deadline: December 8th

With less than a month left in 2025, the year is swiftly drawing to a close. As we approach the end of the year, one of Japan’s beloved annual traditions is the announcement of the “Kotoshi no Kanji” (今年の漢字), or “Kanji of the Year.” This significant character is revealed every December at the historic Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto, always drawing much attention and discussion.

Last year, the character chosen was “Kin” (金), meaning gold. This selection beautifully encapsulated various major events and sentiments of the year, including the excitement of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the emergence of political slush fund scandals, and the ongoing, relentless rise in prices. This year, anime fans are eagerly awaiting the announcement, which is scheduled for December 12th.

Cast Your Vote for the 2025 Anime Fan’s Kanji of the Year!

Inspired by this impactful tradition, Anime! Anime! is thrilled to launch a special reader survey titled “What is the 2025 ‘Kanji of the Year’ chosen by anime fans?” We invite you, our passionate readers, to join in and share your unique perspectives. What single kanji character do you feel best encapsulates the year from an anime fan’s point of view? Feel free to express your thoughts in a free-form answer!

Click here for the survey
※Please note: Each person is kindly requested to respond only once.
Basic information such as gender and age are optional fields, and you are welcome to participate without providing them. Everyone is encouraged to join in!

The deadline for submissions is December 8th. The results of the survey will be published as soon as they are compiled. Don’t miss out!

Results from 2024