Summary
2022 was a good year for anime. Each season produced a string of beloved series covering a wide range of genres, ensuring that most people had something to watch. Along with new and returning properties, anime likeOne Piecealso continued their never-ending run. The year even produced a couple of great anime movies.
Picking out thebest anime of 2022is not a simple task as the industry was on top of its game for most of the year. Consequently, dozens of shows present convincing arguments for deserving a spot, and personal preference also plays a part. Still, a few series stand above the rest.
Movies will not be considered.
Updated on Jul 04, 2025:Each2022 animehas been updated with its specifications, including the number of episodes and source material creators.
Honorable Mentions
Over 120 anime aired throughout 2022, and that figure is on the conservative side. Besides quantity, the year was also not lacking in quality, with each season producing a couple of must-see shows along with plenty of decent series. As highlighting everygreat 2022 animewould be impossible, here are a couple of honorable mentions.
Season 3 is only on HIDIVE.
Teasing Master Takagi-sanhas produced three seasons of wholesome goodness, and the 2022 entry is comfortably the anime’s best cour. Although slow-moving, Takagi and Nishikata’s teasing-based friendship and chemistry have gradually strengthened over the years, hinting at their potential future relationship.
In terms of romantic overtones, season 3 is more overt than its predecessors, althoughTeasing Master Takagi-sanremains first and foremost a comedy. Shin-Ei brought its A-game for the latest batch of episodes, producing one of the most gorgeous iyashikei-style anime of the last couple of years.
Chainsaw Manwas the most hyped anime of 2022, which could have been a blessing or a curse. On the one hand, MAPPA’s adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s shonen manga tapped into a ready-made audience; conversely, a disappointing start could have led to severe backlash. Ultimately,Chainsaw Manproved more than capable of living up to expectations, provided one takes into consideration that the Fall 2022 season merely scratches the surface of what this story has to offer.
Gory, unpredictable, and packed with unforgettable personalities who go against battle shonen archetypes,Chainsaw Manis a visceral experience that occasionally feels like a fever dream. Denji is one of 2022’s most unusual protagonists, andhe is supported by fantastic characters like Makima, Power, and Aki. Hopefully,Chainsaw Man’s time in the anime sun has only just begun.
A side story to CD Projekt Red’sCyberpunk 2077,Edgerunnersis a visual tour de force by a studio known for producing them. Set in the beautifully terrifying Night City, Trigger’s sci-fi anime chronicles David Martinez’s indoctrination into a cyberpunk gang, a choice that tends to severely shorten life expectancy. Narratively, the series touches upon themes of discrimination, desperation, and thecorruptive influence of capitalism and technology.
Edgerunners' scattershot story plays second fiddle to world-building and character development, and the show’s focus is squarely on David’s growth along with his relationship with Lucy. Dynamic and unpredictable, the latter yearns to leave behind Night City, a dream that is borderline unattainable.Cyberpunk: Edgerunnersdoes not require prior knowledge of its universe to appreciate, and Trigger’s anime serves as a brilliant gateway into this fascinating sci-fi world.
Summer Time Renderingfollows Shinpei Ajiro as he heads back to his home island to attend the funeral of a childhood friend. However, the teenager quickly comes to realize that a shadow looms over Hitogashima, one he must expose. Launching with a tense and captivating pilot, OLM’s anime is an impeccably scripted murder mystery that makes clever use of a time loop structure.
While relatively plot-driven,Summer Time Renderingalso has a memorable roster of characters. Realistically intelligent but also fallible, Shinpei is an endearing lead who does a good job of anchoring the story; meanwhile, Ushio, Mio, and Hizuru all bring a unique dimension to the overall package.
Stone Oceanis only on Netflix.
In 2022, Netflix releasedStone Ocean’s final two parts, which combined for a total of 26 episodes. WhilePart 2is merely pretty good, its sequel is an improvement in nearly every department.Stone Ocean Part 3finds Jolyne and company chasing after Pucci, who is consistently a step ahead of the heroes. This journey’s close is defined by tragedy, heartbreak, and moments of brief triumph.
Stone Oceanis among the most popularJoJoarcs, andPart 3finally showcases why this is the case. The plot is generally exciting, but it is the characters who are responsible for the anime’s brilliance. The final episodes shine a light on basically every major player in the story while cementingPucci as one of the franchise’s greatest villains.
In a world defined by two powerhouse nations who are in a very tentative peace, superspy Twilight must carry out covert operations to maintain this delicate balance. His latest mission involves infiltrating a school in the hopes of forging a connection with a politician; consequently, the spy adopts a young girl named Anya and enrolls her in the academy so she can befriend the target’s son. To keep up appearances, Twilight also needs a wife, which he finds in the seemingly shy Yor. However, unbeknownst to Twilight, Anya can read minds and Yor is an assassin. Together, they form the Forgers, a family built on a foundation of lies.
Spy x Familymakes full use of its unorthodox dynamic to produce constant laugh-out-loud moments, with Anya being particularly hilarious. While episodic at times, the story has started to deepen the connection between the Forgers as well, setting up for a potentially even better season 2. Airing during Spring and Fall 2022,Spy x Familywas one of the year’s biggest delights.
Season 2 is only on HIDIVE.
Plainly put,Made in Abyssis not for everyone. Technically, this statement holds true for every piece of art in existence; however, Kinema Citrus' show rarely shows any interest in entertaining viewers, at least not in a traditional sense.Lengthy chunks of the story revolve around torturing its young protagonistsand the folks they meet in the titular Abyss, andThe Golden City of the Scorching Suncontains the anime’s most viscerally brutal sequences yet.
If it clicks with someone,Made in Abyssbecomes something special. The dark fantasy series is willing to go to places that most of its contemporaries are not ready to thread. That said, the anime does not rely on its shock factor to keep audiences engaged, as the series' world-building is among the best in any modern show.
After roughly a decade,Bleachmade its big comeback, andfans could not have asked for a better revival.Thousand-Year Blood Waradapts the final arc in the manga revolving around a conflict between the Soul Society and Quincies. Pierrot’s Fall 2022 anime instantly made its intentions clear by opening with one of the best animated episodes of the year, and the cour maintains that standard for the rest of its run.
As the show follows up hundreds of episodes,Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood Waris not particularly accessible to newcomers, but that takes nothing away from the adaptation’s brilliance. In terms of pure action in 2022, Pierrot’s work is second to none, with the fights being both visually immaculate and creative.
Attack on Titan: The Final Season Part 2is difficult to properly judge since the cour’s reputation could retroactively improve or decline depending on its impending sequel’s reception. ProvidedPart 3sticks its landing, the anime’s penultimate season will be remembered as a masterwork in crafting and maintaining nail-biting tension.
Eren’s transformation into a broken villain with genocidal aspirations has been a sight to behold, andPart 2completes this transition while also cementing the rest of the cast’s standings heading into the story’s final beat.
The biggest surprise of 2022,Bocchi the Rock!came out of nowhere. Based on Aki Hamaji’s comedy manga, CloverWorks' anime centers around Hitori “Bocchi” Gotou, a girl who struggles with social anxiety. Throughout middle school, she spent all her free time practicing the guitar in isolation. While she has accumulated a sizable online following, Hitori wishes to join a band, a goal that would require her to speak to someone first. One day, she is randomly invited to perform with a band lacking a guitarist, and this chance encounter changes Hitori’s life.
Bocchi the Rock!explores Bocchi’s attempts to step out of her comfort zone, a process that often causes her to depart on surreal bouts of fantasy. Although music brings themain girls together,Bocchi the Rock!dedicates most of its time to exploring the characters away from the stage. This is a coming-of-age comedy about a relatable protagonist who must constantly challenge herself if she wants to become the person she wishes to be; more importantly, Hitori frequently fails, which makes her triumphant moments all the sweeter.
