Our Top 10 Favourite Anime of 2022

Our Top 10 Favourite Anime Series of 2022

With 10 Bonus Honourable Mentions (Only Available Here on the Blog) 

Hi Everyone, and Happy Belated New Year! 

Just like every year, you know we can’t start off the new year without recapping all our favourite anime series from the previous year first. So here’s Our Top 10 Favourite Anime Series of 2022:

To add to that, we’ve also got 10 bonus debut anime series that made our Honourable Mentions list which we’ve included here on our blog. In all, that’s 20 anime series of 2022 to check out! So what are you waiting for? Get watching and get scrolling ~

* Like last year, we’ll only be covering anime series that debuted in 2022, so no sequels and no movies either.

    Studio: Liden Films  |  Genre: Rom-Com / Supernatural  |  Duration: 13 episodes  |  Stream: HiDive

#10 – Call Of The Night 

VOTED: BEST SOUNDTRACK

The series Call of the Night is essentially a love letter to the night. Ever experience that special feeling of walking home with your friends after a night out? When the only light to guide your way is the soft glow of streetlamps, and you’re just met with that absolute quiet hum of nighttime? There are no cars, no other people, it’s just you and your surroundings existing in that one single moment. With that comes this bubbling euphoria of being totally free. You can run, jump, dance, frolic, you can even walk down the middle of the road, and there’s no one around to stop you. This is the kind of liberating experience that our protagonist, Kou Yamori, stumbles across one night while feeling restless. Now how does an average middle schooler, who gets decent grades, and is generally well-liked by his peers and teachers, end up walking around town in the dead of night? Well, in a word, boredom. Kou becomes so bored with everyday life that he decides to stop going to school altogether. The lack of everyday stimuli quickly leads to insomnia though. And as a result, he starts sneaking out of the house and going on late-night walks. Here he meets, Nazuna Nanakusa, a bizarre girl who seems to embody the very freedom he seeks. But Nazuna has a secret. Could learning it finally bring Kou’s life some excitement? Or are some secrets better left uncovered?  

Studio: P.A. Works  |  Genre: Comedy / Musical |  Duration: 12 episodes  |  Stream: HiDive

#9 – Ya Boy Kongming

Nowadays, isekais seem to fall into three categories. #1 A character gets transported to a world that is less technologically advanced than their own - usually to some medieval fantasy setting. #2 The protagonist gets transported into some sort of otome game - usually as the villain/villainess. #3 Someone from the past gets transported to the present-day - usually that someone is a well-known historical figure. In this case, Ya Boy Kongming falls into the rarely seen third category. Where the story follows Zhuge Kongming, a very real historical figure who lived during China’s Three Kingdom era, and who was hailed as a master military strategist. As he lies on his deathbed, Kongming wishes to be reincarnated into a peaceful time. This is when he is wooshed 1,789 years into the future to what is modern-day Japan. Arriving, more specifically, in the center of Shibuya in Tokyo, on the night of Halloween. There he gets dragged around from club to club by partygoers who love his “costume” (historical clothes), eventually ending up in the BB Lounge. This is where he first hears Eiko Tsukimi, a young aspiring singer, perform her music. Blown away by her profound ability to reach people’s hearts with her songs, Kongming decides right then and there to become her “strategist” (manager). Not only to help her achieve her dream of becoming an internationally known songstress but also to hopefully help change the world with her gift.  

Studio: Wit Studio/CloverWorks  |  Genre: Comedy / Action / Spy |  Duration: 25 episodes  |  Stream: Crunchyroll

#8 – Spy x Family

We know, we know, this one is a shocker. Touted as one of the best anime series of the year and a future classic, how does SpyxFamily not only not make our TOP 10 list, but barely even make our Honourable Mentions list as well? Well… we’re all friends here, right? So we’ll be honest. The animation is 10/10 - no surprise there, it’s Wit Studio and CloverWorks. The character design and the story’s concept are equally good. I mean a story about a world-renowned spy codename: Twilight, who goes undercover as a family man named Loid Forger, and in order to uphold his cover, accidentally adopts a girl with psychic abilities and then marries a professional assassin working for the other side, all in the hopes of bringing peace to two neighbouring warring countries, is gold. But now the character development and story execution were… meh. We felt that it had great potential, but then, it kinda didn’t really go anywhere. It went from an action-adventure to a slice-of-life series, and on top of that, the story gets so ridiculous at times it's well… ridiculous. So we felt a bit bamboozled. That’s not to say it’s not worth the watch, because it is. It’s a heartwarming show about a group of misfits who become a family, and as long as you go into it knowing and expecting that, it’s a great watch.

Studio: Liden Films  |  Genre: Sports |  Duration: 12 episodes  |  Stream: Crunchyroll

#7 – Salaryman's Club

If you’re someone who’s tired of always watching high school-related sports anime series then Salaryman’s Club might just be the refreshing change you need, some could even say it's almost as refreshing as a green onion-flavoured ginger ale soda… haha... we kid.  

The story follows Mikoto Shiratori, a corporate badminton player with some unresolved trauma that’s made him swear off playing doubles. Unfortunately, when he’s found to be underperforming as a singles player, Mikoto finds out just how cut-throat the corporate world can really be. Now being cut from one of the best corporate teams in Japan, and having little to no prospects, he’s forced to move back to his hometown. Thinking his badminton career might be over, he’s over the moon when a smaller team from a local beverage sales company reaches out to him and immediately jumps at the offer. The only problem is that the only opening on the team is for the doubles team. But beggars can’t be choosers - so if Mikoto wants to continue playing badminton, he’s going to have to give it a shot. But this is a smaller team, meaning not only is he expected to show results on the court, but he’s also expected to show results in the office, where he’ll be working a regular 9-5 sales job. Luckily his doubles partner just so happens to be the ace of their department and decides to take him under his wing. Hoping to make them the best pairing since Natto flavoured Cola.  

Studio: DOMERICA  |  Genre: Rom-Com |  Duration: 12 episodes  |  Stream: Netflix

#6 – Romantic Killer

VOTED: BEST MEME GENERATOR

Anzu Hoshino’s really not interested in falling in love. All she needs in life are three things to maintain her happiness, and those are: playing video games, eating chocolate, and force-cuddling her beloved cat Momohike. So just when Anzu pops in a new game to start off her weekend of nothing but junk food and gaming, she’s shocked when a little yellow magical puff-like creature named Riri appears before her eyes and claims to be some sort of wizard of love. Turns out, Anzu’s new game was a trap! A trap set up to ensnare anyone who’s been avoiding love. This has to do with something about Japan’s decreasing birthrates, and because of that, apparently Anzu has been chosen to participate in some love experiment. An experiment that Anzu immediately gives a solid HARD pass. But Riri isn’t taking no for an answer. It’s their duty to make Anzu fall in love, so from now on, Anzu will be forced to live in an Otome game-like reality, where she’ll be thrown into every cliche romantic comedy-like scenario possible. And just to make sure Anzu doesn’t get distracted, Riri has also confiscated all of Anzu’s loves. Say goodbye to video games, chocolates, and your dear precious Momohike, Anzu, because that’s all gone until the experiment is complete. But Anzu’s no meek maiden. Oh no, she plans to fight romance and kill it wherever it strikes! Riri, you’re going down!

Studio: OZ  |  Genre: Adventure / Post-Apocalypse |  Duration: 12 episodes  |  Stream: Crunchyroll

#5 – Sabikui Bisco

VOTED: BEST WORLD-BUILDING

Sabikui Bisco is probably one of the best world-building attempts we’ve seen in a while and was also giving us the shounen action fix we’d been craving all year. It was just a shame that there was one character who seemed determined to derail the potential that this show had... cough cough... Milo. If it hadn’t been for that, this one would have probably ranked pretty high on our Top 10 list. That’s how interesting this world was. So despite our having some issues with it, we still believe it deserves some attention.  

Now the story takes place in a post-apocalyptic Japan, where a plague of rust has not only eaten away at every human structure but has also eaten away at every living thing it can get ahold of, turning Japan into a barren desert wasteland. Rumour has it that the cause of this is due to mushroom spores being released into the atmosphere. Due to this, anyone who’s found to be associated with fungi has essentially been deemed a criminal. Putting Mushroom Keepers right at the top of the wanted list. But this is all just propaganda being spread by the Government though, and Bisco, a young Mushroom Keeper, is determined to set the record straight. The truth is there’s actually a legend among the Keepers about a rare mushroom that might just be the cure to this rusting sickness. But that would mean that someone is working to keep it a secret from the public. Someone possibly within the Government or even more nefariously within the Keepers. But why?

Studio: A-1 Pictures  |  Genre: Action |  Duration: 13 episodes  |  Stream: Crunchyroll

#4 – Lycoris recoil

Ever wonder why Japan is deemed one of the safest places to live? What if it wasn’t because of laws, or regulations, or people just being good citizens? What if it was because there were secret covert syndicates responsible for keeping the peace without anyone ever knowing there was even a problem, to begin with? Perhaps, a syndicate going by the name of Lycoris Recoil, for example? Lycoris Recoil is a secret organization made up of agents that were recruited as children and trained in the art of combat and espionage, and whose sole mission is to remain unseen while keeping order. If you ever ran into one of its agents, you’d never know, as they look like any other schoolgirl. This is how they blend in and go unnoticed. That’s right, Lycoris Recoil, is made up of agents who are a bunch of teenage girls. Girls with guns seems to be the trope here. There is a male version of this group, though they don’t really interact, which was a missed opportunity in our books. Don’t get us wrong, the main characters are pretty likable, and the action is actually fairly good. But we’re getting a little bored of all these stereotypical all-girl or all-boy or harems style teams... which is a big reason why it stayed in Honourable Mentions. How about some covert co-ed teams? Psycho-Pass, 86, Attack on Titan, Witch Hunter Robin, Cowboy Bebop, Chainsaw Man, all these teams were co-ed and, in our opinion, so much more dynamic because of it. It would be great if we could see more of that in the future. 

Studio: Studio Mir  |  Genre: Comedy / Drama |  Duration: 8 episodes  |  Stream: Netflix

#3 – Lookism

The anime series Lookism is an adaptation of a Korean Webtoon by the same name. And has become quite popular online, due to the fact that the author has based many of their characters on well-known Korean celebrities. Which we found made the series even more entertaining.   

For those of you who might not know, Lookism is discrimination or prejudice based on an individual’s physical appearance. A topic that the show tries its best to tackle, and one that we felt they were pretty successful in doing.    

The story follows Park Hyung Suk, a 17-year-old boy who has been described as being ugly, short, and fat. Because of this, he’s experienced constant bullying and abuse by his classmates, making going to school absolute torture. Hoping to get a fresh start, he decides to transfer to a school out in Seoul. However, a few days before school starts something incomprehensible happens to him when he suddenly wakes up to find himself in the body of a tall, athletic, and all around good looking guy. Even stranger is the fact that his original body is merely sleeping right next to him. He quickly discovers that he can swap between both bodies. While one is awake the other is asleep. With this newfound power, he gets the opportunity to see the world through different eyes, and this makes him want to become a better version of himself. One that is kinder, and more accepting of himself, regardless of which body he inhabits. A lesson that most people would benefit from learning. Now as nice as that is we do feel that we have to warn you that some people might find the bullying scenes, especially at the start of the series, quite triggering. They can be intense, so discretion is advised. We will say that it does get better though. We would also like to add that the music, especially when it comes to the rapping, is leagues better than in Ya Boy Kongming. In our opinion, at least.

Studio: Eight Bit  |  Genre: Sports / Thriller |  Duration: 24 episodes  |  Stream: Crunchyroll

#2 – Blue Lock

If you like feel-good sports anime series, that are all about teamwork and friendship, then keep walking cause Blue Lock is not that, and we’d suggest you check out Aoashi instead. But if you like sports anime series to be more battle royale-like and psychologically thrilling, then this is it. 

Blue Lock follows Yoichi Isagi as he’s invited to participate in a controversial training camp for soccer known as Blue Lock. Here 300 under-18 soccer players will compete head to head to see who will win the opportunity to become the next Star Striker for Japan’s national soccer team. To do this, you’ll have to prove that you have not only the right mindset and necessary skills, but also the drive to become number #1, no matter who you’re faced against. Because in order to participate in Blue Lock you’ll have to put your future career on the line. The penalty for not succeeding at Blue Lock is that you’ll be barred from ever going pro in the future. Pretty harsh, but on the other hand if you can make it through the selection process you’ll be offered a direct path to the national team. So I guess you have to ask yourself, how badly do you want it? And what are you willing to do to make it happen?

We have to say it was actually pretty refreshing to see a series that was so honest about what it really takes to become the top player of a country. Had the season been finished by the time of our video, we might have had two soccer series make the Top 10 list.  

Studio: Liden Films  |  Genre: Comedy / Slice-of-Life |  Duration: 10 episodes  |  Stream: Netflix

#1 – Kotaro Lives Alone

One day, Shin Karino, is greeted by his new 4-year-old next-door neighbour Kotaro. Shin is initially surprised to find some little kid knocking on his door, but it’s clear that Kotaro’s a bit of an oddball, with a very creative imagination. Not only does Kotaro walk around with a plastic katana, but he also emulates his speech pattern to match that of his favourite samurai cartoon character from a show on tv. At first, Shin doesn’t really think anything of their first encounter, chalking it up to Kotaro simply playing, and assumes that he’ll eventually also meet his parents. But as time goes on, Shin and the other residents of the apartment complex, come to realize that Kotaro is actually living all on his own. And though Kotaro seems to be doing fine and rarely asks for help, as adults, they are a little concerned. I mean, he’s four! Where are his parents? When asked, Kotaro chooses to reveal very little and is determined to do his best while living independently. Respecting his autonomy, but still worrying, Shin and the gang go out of their way to keep an eye on him, frequently stepping in if they feel he needs assistance or just a friendly face. And as they spend more and more time with each other, the more of a makeshift family they all become. Coming to the realization that perhaps they need him just as much as he needs them.

Well, there you have it, that’s the end of our list! We hope that you’ve found something that piqued your interest, whether it be from our Honourable Mentions list or from our Top 10 list. Of course, feel free to leave us a comment if you agree or disagree with any of our choices. And again, Happy New Year, we look forward to another year filled with anime :D  

Now stay safe out there, and as always,

 

~ Stay Obsessed