The best anime of 2022, so far
polygon.com2021 was a banner year for anime, featuring the long-awaited return of regular favorites such as Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, and My Hero Academia alongside exciting new original anime like Oddtaxi, The Heike Story, Sonny Boy, and SK8 the Infinity. 2022 is shaping up to be much of the same, with popular series such as Mob Psycho 100, Vinland Saga, The Devil is a Part-Timer, and even Bleach slated to make their return later this year. And all signs point to the highly anticipated debuts of Chainsaw Man and Uzumaki!
There’s a wealth to choose from, and not nearly enough time in the day to watch it all, which is why we’ll be updating our list of the best anime airing in 2022 throughout the year as the seasons progress. Take a look at the best anime the year has to offer so far, and be sure to check back in when we update our list later this spring! For clarity and convenience, this year’s list is in alphabetical order.
The final season of Attack on Titan may be the most contentious anime on this year’s best-of list. Much has been said and written on the final chapters of the Attack on Titan manga, from creator Hajime Isayama’s inferred pro-Imperialist sentiments to the series’ uncomfortable allegorical parallels to real-life historical atrocities. Bearing these criticisms in mind, it’s understandable to ask why Attack on Titan is on this list.
The answer is simple: Directors Jun Shishido and Yuichiro Hayashi and studio MAPPA have taken what is a messy and divisive conclusion and have produced (through 22 episodes) the best possible animated incarnation of it. The combined one-two punch of the season’s 20th and 21st episodes alone easily ranks as one of the most shocking revelations of any anime
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