7 Best Anime Series of 2022 (So Far)

Following the success of Demon Slayer: Mugen Traina 2020 animated film that broke Japanese box office records even in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, teen hero Tanjiro returned in early 2022 for a second season of epic battles and mayhem. The series, hailed for its beautiful animation, currently sits in the “Entertainment District Arc,” which sees Tanjiro and his friends hunt down a dangerous demon disguised as a high-ranking courtesan.

Even though the English dub was just released last month, a third season for the wildly successful anime adaptation has already been greenlit.

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The most anticipated anime event of the year, the latest episode of The attack of the TitansThe last season of just aired in Japan, completely shocking the audience. Although marred by controversial due to the show’s imperialist message and borderline fascist undertones, the series developed a massive American following.

Evolving through several major twists that disrupt the original concept, The attack of the Titans focuses on a post-apocalyptic future in which cities build massive walls to keep out the “Titans”, giant, killer humanoids that roam the Earth.

For better or worse, the slow accumulation of fan theories and plot reveals was the kind of show that game of thrones viewers could look back with excitement and shock, proving the power strong characters have over their dedicated fans.

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A short limited series of six episodes (rare for anime!), Orbital children follows five young heroes as they attempt to navigate a space station heading for disaster. Cute Kids and Their Brightly Colored World hit Netflix in January, wowing audiences with its crisp animation style.

Created by Mitsuo Iso, a veteran animator of classic anime like FLCL and ghost in the shell, Orbital children is his first new story in over 15 years. It was a long wait but, in the end, it was worth it.

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Ranking of kings is the adorable story of Bojji, a little prince ready to take his father’s throne. Performing selfless acts and learning to come out of his shell, Bojji is all heart as he discovers what it means to not only be a good leader, but also a good person.

Complicating the story is his half-brother Daida, who believes power and conquest could be his path to the throne, putting him in direct opposition to young Bojji.

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A heartwarming romance about two classmates who help each other break down conceptions of masculinity, Sasaki and Miyano based on the story of The boys like comic books, which feature gay romances.

Although Miyano is afraid to let people in, Sasaki helps break down his walls, and you can’t help but encourage them to grow together.

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Tokyo’s 24th Ward is a new original anime from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure creative director Tsuda Naokatsu, who follows a Minority report-like plotting about people predicting crimes before they happen.

Living in Tokyo Bay’s titular 24th Ward, the three leads are classic anime handsome boys that fans are sure to love (something Naokatsu clearly picked up from his experience working on androgynous main characters in JoJo). It all works here with an exciting new story.

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One of the most popular anime series of all time, the fantasy pirate epic One Piece is currently in its 20th (!) season. The show reached a milestone in November when it premiered its 1,000th episode, coinciding with the announcement from Netflix’s upcoming live-action series.

The story of a world covered in oceans where pirate crews sail the seas, A play may slow its release schedule as it catches up to the source material, but its success shows no signs of stopping. Thank god for that.

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