Anime in 2022 is off to a terrific start, with a perfect balance of pleasant slice-of-life anime with dramatic finishes to action-packed shows. Dedicated fans from all across the world have already voiced their opinions by ranking some of the best anime of the season. There have been many hits with new types of anime series being introduced – some of them are heartwarming while others keep you on the edge of the seat for more.
However, there are many series that have not left a mark but rather a bad taste in the mouths of the viewers. From Isekai anime to post-apocalyptic settings, there have been some disappointments, to say the least. Here is the list of the 5 best series and 5 worst series in 2022 so far:
Best Anime Of 2022 So Far:
1. Attack On Titan (Final Season Part 2)
This era of Attack On Titan features apocalyptic terror, great animation from Studio MAPPA, and goosebumps-inducing voice acting – all while the show’s themes are finally brought to the forefront. Though we will have to wait another year to witness the true conclusion to this story, this season of the series is at its best. Eren getting one of the finest character changes in anime has been one of Attack on Titan’s greatest achievements.
After presenting Eren as a chilly, closed-off character last season, this season ultimately revealed his plan to wipe out every last human outside of Paradis Island. What makes his story so fulfilling is the show’s emphasis on his not doing a complete 180 in context to his personality. There can be no winners, no happy endings, but this season establishes Attack on Titan as a defining anime for the modern period, with stunning action, nuanced characters, a suspenseful plot full of pathos, and one of the best character journeys in fiction.
2. Demon Slayer – Entertainment District Arc
The anime studio Ufotable never disappoints and has hit the mark even this time with the Entertainment District Art. One of the best aspects of this arc is the characterization. We have seen our trio progress from being weak demon slayers incapable of facing the Twelve Kizuki to facing an Upper Six Demon head-on. With the defeat of the demon twins, Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Inosuke were finally able to stand up to Rengoku’s faith in them by slaughtering an Upper-Rank Demon – a feat that has not happened in over a century.
The animation of this season is one for the history books. It feels as if you are watching it happen in front of your eyes. The storyline this time was hilarious as well as entertaining as we got to focus on each of our characters. There was development for Nezuko and her powers as well and it seems as if Demon Slayer is moving towards a proper end goal rather than just stacking up fillers needlessly. With its beautiful presentation and storyline this time, it is no wonder one of the best of 2022.
3. Spy x Family
Spy X Family has only released three episodes and it has already become so popular that it even surpassed the likes of Attack On Titan. Spy x Family, based on Tatsuya Endo’s ongoing Shonen Jump action-comedy manga, finds its humor by combining Cold War-era spy dramas with the more commonplace household problems of child-rearing. While there are moments of action and an overall case-solving plot, it’s really just about a man struggling with being a new father and discovering new things about himself and the world as well along the way.
Plotlines involving cold-blooded murder may appear to be at odds with the show’s slice-of-life components, but they are actually a thematic compliment. The action in Spy x Family’s debut episode is not very showy, but that doesn’t make it uninteresting. The animation detail in such instances is extremely beautiful, and the choreography is accurate and fast. The action, however, remains matter-of-fact, with rapid, single strikes and the speedy vanishing of adversaries under an improvised smokescreen. We may still be in the early stages of Spy x Family, but we have a clear notion of where it’s going as its solitary and icy lead character discovers the comforts of connection and unconditional love.
4. Kaguya-sama: Love is War Ultra Romantic
The third season of the series is already off to a great start, and it’s no surprise that it was one of the most anticipated anime of the Spring 2022 season. The witty, brilliant, and hilarious over-the-top action for everyday occasions, as well as the epic battle of wits to come out on top in romance, are as funny, intelligent, and hilarious as they have ever been.
Ultra Romantic’s debut episode sets the bar high for the remainder of the season. As always, the animation is crisp and easy on the eyes, and the show’s distinctive stylization is still in full form. The characters, who are the show’s clear strength, are still fascinating, and their interactions with one another feel natural and remain at the top of the category. We are also getting a dive into the lives of other side characters, so it’s a treat to watch.
5. My Dress-Up Darling
My Dress-Up Darling, or Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi Wo Suru, is a romance and slice-of-life anime based on Shinichi Fukuda’s popular manga series. My Dress-Up Darling is a passionate and engaging series that has just made its way into the public consciousness because of the quality of its main characters. It was not perfect, and it had flaws, but the benefits much surpassed the drawbacks. The show’s successful attention to little moments is reflected in the production. In the great scheme of things, it may be a low-stakes plot, but each episode feels massive when you see how each component is brought to life. Character designs are chock-full of little features that really stand out in particular circumstances.
The show tries to convey cosplaying as an art form, with numerous highly thorough explanations of little tricks of the trade that cosplay artists employ for each of their works – it really helps to highlight how much artistry goes into each cosplay. It’s given specific attention throughout the entire process, from conception to the time it takes to construct each costume, the motives of each artist, and what happens once each costume is completed. The series has a lot of spinning plates in motion at once, and what’s even more astounding is that it all makes sense in retrospect. It’s a breath of fresh air in many ways, romantic and otherwise, and it’ll be difficult to surpass as the year progresses.
Worst Anime Of 2022 So Far:
1. Orient
What ticked most viewers of this series is the fact that the animation was nothing compared to the manga. Some scenes have blurry animation and very weak actions sequences. A.C.G.T is criticized for the outdated animation style by many who watched the series. Character designs keep up with their manga counterparts, but they are not very striking.
Similarly, the magical demons in this anime appear to be largely based on Japanese folklore, but the majority of them are mediocre at best. Storywise, Orient just feels that it wants to tick off the checklist of shonen anime tropes, the plot feels nonsensical and the characters are what you expect out of any other shonen cast.
2. The Strongest Sage with The Weakest Crest
The Strongest Sage with the Weakest Crest has so far shown to be a completely unoriginal fantasy animation. J.C. Staff’s animation has not made much of an impression so far, and it kind of mixes in with the studio’s other fantasy titles. Unless you are a fantasy or isekai fanatic, it will be hard to be interested in the series. The protagonist, Matthias, feels too overpowered because of which there is not much progression of character. He just has a group of girls following him to stare in awe at his show of powers.
Every buildup leads to a bland ending with the same conclusion and solution to the problem. The plot feels repetitive and uncomplex as if the series was made for a younger audience. The romantic subplot between Matthias and Lurie had the potential to add to the story, but that too failed as the romantic aspect is just used for comedic purposes. As for the fighting scenes, there is no tension because all fights end with an overpowered move of finishing the opponent in one hit.
3. She Professed Herself Pupil of The Wiseman
Following the isekai anime series trend, and also the name that many people had been anticipating in 2022, She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wiseman is a letdown. Mira, the main character, is developed superficially and without intensity. The plot revolves around Mira just overpowering any enemies she comes across while everyone around her has no idea what’s going on and the protagonist’s growth is obstructed.
The audience becomes frustrated as a result of this. The world-building is skipped by the series so it also becomes hard to understand the society and environment in the series and no portrayal of the development of the protagonist to show why and how they became so powerful. The art is low-budget and the CGI battles did the series no favor.
4. World’s End Harem
World’s End Harem, also known as Shuumatsu No Harem in Japanese, is an Ecchi, Sci-Fi, and Harem anime created by Studio Gokumi of Tsurezure Children and AXsiZ which is known for shows like Seiren. The anime is based on Kotaro Shono’s and LINK’s manga of the same name. The only thing that is set apart from literally every other ecchi show that came before or after it was that World’s End Harem tried hard but failed horribly to be more than just sex scenes.
The show’s female characters are either sex objects or cruel power-hungry maniacs who would gladly destroy a whole subsection of the planet in order to rule it. The show tries to introduce some women who aren’t like the two types outlined here, but they get so little screen time that their presence isn’t noticeable. World’s End Harem was both too hentai to be an anime and too anime to be considered true hentai. It tried to be good at two things at the same time and failed miserably at both.
5. Platinum End
Platinum End is extensive and vapid at the same time, pointing vaguely to fascinating or controversial issues without actually stating anything substantive about any of them. Religion, existentialism, geopolitical strife, inequality, and a dozen other complicated and dramatic issues could have been used in a way to better the plot. However, they were topics that were just put on the surface level in the series with zero explanation or background to them. It’s a lazy attempt at nihilism.
Except when it’s too late and the arc/show is about to end, the program flip-flops between various ideas and sticks to none of them. This could have been the most incoherent plot of all time. Something promising might happen in one episode, giving you hope for the show’s future, only to be squandered in the next episode like a twisted joke. Halfway through the season, the show turned a switch and became a completely different show – one that was more stable than prior seasons but featured far fewer highs and lows.
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