While not necessarily an amazing year for anime in terms of sheer numbers, with titles frequently failing to make the grade and falling back on tired subgenres, tropes and clichés, that doesn't mean 2022 has been bereft of top-tier productions. Despite the industry being especially saturated with bland isekai shows and underwhelming romantic comedies, numerous other series helped to make up for them, making the year a worthwhile one for anime fans willing to broaden their search for great content.
Even in seasons where highly anticipated sequels and famous names threatened to steal the spotlight, these high-quality titles were still able to shine through thanks to their compelling storylines, engaging characters, fantastic production values and impressive creative chops. From immediate fan favorites to sleeper hits, 2022 proved that anime can be just as diverse, artistic and innovative as ever.
Honorable Mentions
An all-CGI affair, Blade Runner: Black Lotus proved that anime can take on a major Western franchise like this and still produce something that's both original and visually impressive. Featuring slick action scenes and a suspenseful overarching narrative, Black Lotus perhaps works best because it demands no prior franchise knowledge; instead, it’s focused on telling its own story, building upon its already-existing world without using it as a crutch for its storytelling. - Christy Gibbs
The much-anticipated continuation of the sensational action shonen series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba set the course for 2022, adapting the fan-favorite "Entertainment District" arc. Ufotable's quality is as consistent as ever, permeating through this arc's incredible moments of sakuga. This new season also introduced the Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui, whose colorful personality contrasted perfectly with Demon Slayer's grim world, especially following the events of Mugen Train. - Anna Williams
With gorgeous animation and an original story set in its own universe, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury is easily accessible for newcomer anime fans as well as those who have been around since the Gundam franchise's beginnings in 1979. 17-year-old Suletta makes Gundam history as the franchise's first female protagonist, while its LGBTQ+ representation is woven in and developed in a refreshingly casual manner. - Joe Ballard
I'm the Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss managed to capture all the charm and humor of the light novel and manga series it adapted. While it follows all the typical isekai and otome game-inspired tropes, I'm the Villainess keeps viewers engaged with its fun storytelling and eclectic cast of characters. - Miki Suzuki
10. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 6: Stone Ocean Parts 2 & 3
While "JoJo Fridays" are dearly missed by the community, there's no denying just how hype each new installment of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is. Split into three parts, JJBA Part 6: Stone Ocean took up both the summer and fall anime seasons, concluding Jolyne Cujoh and company's story. David Productions continues to impress with consistent quality, perfectly adapting Stone Ocean's final moments. Part 3 in particular has been considered a masterpiece by many diehard JJBA fans, and for good reason.
Not only did the anime adaptation flawlessly bring Stone Ocean's beloved cast to life, but it's also clear that despite being separated into three parts, each batch of episodes was handled with genuine love and passion for the story being told. Of course, with the ending being what it is, fans of the series are more excited than ever for a potential Steel Ball Run adaptation in the franchise's future. - AW
9. Urusei Yatsura
Reboots are a polarizing topic, regardless of medium. However, Urusei Yatsura (2022) is a shining example of how to get a reboot right, and it also set the standard for what a reboot of a classic series should be. Another series produced by David Productions, Urusei Yatsura keeps all the camp and charm of the original 1980s anime while maintaining its independence. The series utilizes a bubbly city pop aesthetic, a talented cast of voice actors taking on the iconic roles of Lum and Moroboshi and a perfectly lighthearted sense of humor.
While there's nothing deeply profound in Urusei Yatsura (2022) -- being more gag humor than romance -- the series is a reminder that sometimes, it's okay for anime to just be fun, and for fans to relax and enjoy the ride. - AW
8. Call of the Night
Adapted from Kotoyama's original manga of the same name, Call of the Night, produced by LIDENFILMS and directed by Itamura Tomoyuki -- the same mind behind the cult-classic Bakemonogatari anime adaptation -- swooped into the summer anime season and flipped conventional shonen romance on its head. With gorgeous animation, a Neo Tokyo color palette, and infectiously fun opening and ending themes by Creepy Nuts, it's no surprise that Call of the Night quickly became a fan-favorite amid an otherwise quiet summer season.
While the series has received criticism for the protagonist's age compared to his vampiric companion and other cast members, Call of the Night succeeds in romanticizing urban nightlife in the best way possible while delivering a powerful, shockingly progressive message about falling in love. All in all, Call of the Night is a great series for anime fans who want to step out of their comfort zone and experience the wild thrills that come with being a routine night owl. - AW
7. Kakegurui Twin
Fan-favorite series Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler amassed a huge following when the anime first aired in 2017, followed by a direct sequel two years later; its intentionally over-the-top storytelling and unrestrained ridiculousness spawned an abundance of memes, particularly when it came to its characters' facial expressions. Spin-off series Kakegurui Twin is a worthy follow-up in this regard, and despite not starring Kakegurui's main character, it manages to maintain its predecessor's addictively entertaining sense of absurdity.
Not all of Kakegurui Twin reaches the same high levels of stupidity, and the franchise certainly works better the more it throws any idea of subtlety or realism to the wind. However, at its best, the series' ludicrous antics certainly rival that of its sister show, complete with the trademark overly saturated color palette and plethora of meme-worthy facial close-ups. - CG
6. My Dress-Up Darling
Every year brings a few surprise anime hits that seemingly come out of nowhere to capture hearts worldwide, and Winter 2022's My Dress-Up Darling quickly fell into this category. Wakana Gojo enjoys crafting hina dolls but isolates himself out of fear of being ridiculed by his classmates, while his co-protagonist, the popular Marin Kitagawa, has a passion for cosplay. Rather than make fun of Gojo's hobby, Marin is impressed with his talent and asks him to help her create a new cosplay outfit.
Their ensuing adventures and growing romantic feelings are a wonderful story of support, acceptance and self-acceptance, plus plenty of hijinks. While My Dress-Up Darling understandably has its detractors thanks to some unnecessary fan service, both Gojo and Marin -- and multiple other characters they meet along the way -- are given important character development along with the overarching message that it's always okay to be exactly who you are and do what you love. - JB
5. Chainsaw Man
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The long-anticipated anime adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto's smash hit manga Chainsaw Man has not only met its high expectations; it's actually exceeded them in many ways, bringing a wholly unique viewing experience for longtime fans and newcomers alike while carving out a singular place in pop culture.
Yes, Chainsaw Man has delivered the manga's action, the gore, enough twists and turns to make viewers' heads spin, the compelling storyline about a young man living in poverty who suddenly acquires new powers and becomes a Devil Hunter, but it's so much more than that. There's stunning animation, end-credit scenes and songs that change with every single episode, shocking deaths and viewers being constantly challenged with moral quandaries -- all combining to redefine exactly what a shonen anime can be in 2022 and beyond. - JB
4. Bocchi the Rock!
Something of a sleeper hit, particularly in a season packed with well-known sequels and prominent franchises with plenty of hype already behind them, Bocchi the Rock! offered something special with a story that, on paper, may sound rote but succeeded enormously in terms of execution. Consistently funny, charming and (perhaps painfully) relatable, Bocchi's often brutal character comedy is counterbalanced by the series' complete lack of pretentiousness and pure sense of joy, particularly when it comes to its delightful mix of art styles.
In addition, the show manages to maintain a certain intriguing realism. While viewers may have little to no experience in self-learning an instrument or playing in a band, many have likely dealt with some form of social anxiety, struggled with confidence issues when taking their hobby to a professional level, or naïvely hoped to make friends by literally wearing their hobby on their sleeves and desperately waiting for others to approach them -- perhaps even all three. Bocchi the Rock! might lack the inherent "cool factor" of shows like Chainsaw Man, but it more than makes up for it in heart. - CG
3. Ranking of Kings
Studio Wit's Ranking of Kings (Ousama Ranking) may have raised a few eyebrows at first with its unconventional character designs, but as it quickly made clear, this was not a story that aimed to pull its punches. Cleverly subverting many classic fantasy and fairytale tropes via major character reveals and plot developments throughout the series, Ranking of Kings easily cemented itself in viewers' memories thanks to its often surprisingly sophisticated drama and heartfelt story beats.
Of course, while the scripting did most of the heavy lifting, creating a cast of complex yet authentic-seeming personalities with compelling dynamics, Ranking of Kings' music also played a major role. In particular, the anime’s first ED theme ("Oz." by Yama) and second OP theme ("Hadaka no Yuusha" by Vaundy) solidified the series' tone, helping to shape an unforgettable narrative and craft an intensely earnest yet wonderfully intricate atmosphere. - CG
2. Spy x Family
There's no denying the incredible impact that Tatsuya Endo's Spy x Family has had on anime and mainstream pop culture. A combination of action, political tension and the constantly looming threat of war mixed with slice-of-life adventures, Spy x Family expertly manages to be intense, thrilling, comedic and wholesome -- often all in the same episode.
For his latest mission -- which potentially holds world peace in the balance -- the expert spy known as Twilight must put together a fake family and infiltrate Eden Academy in order to gain intel on the mysterious warmonger named Donovan Desmond. The resultant Forger family -- Loid, secretly a spy, Yor, secretly an assassin and their daughter Anya, secretly a telepath -- come together for adventure, hijinks and a growing amount of genuine love and care for one another. Anya in particular has become one of 2022's most beloved anime characters, even being spotted at the 2022 World Cup. Spy x Family continues to grow in popularity thanks to its anime, which has absolutely lived up to Endo's beloved manga. - JB
1. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
While Spy x Family may be the more commercially mainstream anime in many regards, there was no matching Cyberpunk: Edgerunners this year in terms of quality or creativity. Despite being based on the incredibly high-profile Cyberpunk 2077, Edgerunners is very much its own production; if anything, the fact that it's a game-based series makes its success all the more impressive given anime's overall poor track record with video game adaptations.
Some may have initially had doubts about how Edgerunners would pan out because of this, regardless of the big names behind it. Others perhaps feared that non-gamers would not be able to fully appreciate an anime so heavily based on an already-existing franchise. However, Studio Trigger's trademark visual flair, combined with a story that allows for expansive worldbuilding, a fully-realized cast, and both action-packed and emotionally charged moments, resulted in a series that’s both ingeniously savage and wildly entertaining, and one that requires zero experience with the game to enjoy to its fullest. - CG