We here at the J-List Blog love anime and have been watching it for quite a few years collectively. While all of us came into the hobby at different times, it’s all led us to this spot in our lives and careers where we can proudly proclaim our favorite anime titles of 2022. Now, before the comments roll in about all the titles that we didn’t mention, it should be noted that this list isn’t the definitive and objective list of the best anime series of the year. This is just a bunch of anime journalists coming together to state loud and proud that these series we watched moved us and we’re willing to call them our favorites of the year.
Spy x Family (as chosen by L.B. Bryant)
2022 was an embarrassment of riches regarding the overall quality of anime offered each season. Would Spy x Family have been named my favorite series of the year had it only gotten a single cour? Possibly, but it’s certainly not a guarantee. Especially when you consider how many dark horse candidates there were this year. That said, however, it doesn’t change the fact that two cours worth of Spy x Family made it stand head and shoulders above the rest, most of which only had a single cour worth of episodes.
It was hard to make it through more than a few days on the internet in 2022 without running into an Anya meme (I even made one myself last year). Plus, Yor and Loid were custom-made to be thirst traps, so they had that going too. Spy x Family is more than just memes and lust toward animated characters though. This is a series that takes the concept of “found family” and dials the charm up to eleven.
With the series getting a second season and a theatrical movie in 2023, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that we’re going to be hearing a lot more about the Forger family in the coming months and years. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer (as chosen by Justin)
Fans waited a long time for this adaptation. An artist friend brought the manga up years ago, and when the adaptation was announced, I immediately thought of him. I read through the manga before release so I went in fresh, and I quite liked it. I understand that some people were disappointed for various reasons, and I could see some flaws, but I enjoyed my time with it.
Chainsaw Man (as chosen by input(Void))
I know this is a pretty basic pick, but my wife and I went into this expecting just a basic, over-the-top shounen anime. What we got was an incredibly smart, bloody, subversive show that is both incredible to look at and fun to watch. A friend of mine has been singing the praises of the manga for a while now, and I finally see why. Believe me when I say this is something special. I haven’t felt this way about a show since I first watched the original Neon Genesis Evangelion series so many years ago. Don’t miss this!
Cyberpunk Edgerunners (as chosen by MsqD)
Calling this series “ambitious” would be selling it short, given the expectations being laid on its release. Yet rather than being just an “in name only” adaptation or a cheap cash-grab as some cynically riffed way back when, Cyberpunk Edgerunners succeeds in bringing the cyberpunk setting to vivid life, with all its bleak elegance. All while spotlighting memorable characters and delivering a strong execution.
My Dress-up Darling (as chosen by Joeschmo1of3)
I could watch this Pygmalion Project adaptation forever. The likable shy main character and the beautiful bombshell that turns his life upside down is the wish fulfillment story of every otaku. Imagine the expensive figurine on your shelf coming to life and asking you to dress them up in your favorite outfits. The anime was a love letter to otaku fans, and I received the message: “I am loved”.
Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045, Season 2 (as chosen by The Captain)
I live vicariously through the articles of our amazing J-List Blog writers, and I really got into Joeschmo1of3’s blow-by-blow review of Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045, season 2. Yes, I know I haven’t watched it — I only just got through season one of One Punch Man — but of all the anime offerings mentioned here, this one stood out to me as an intriguing story. Besides, cyberpunk is still hot and who doesn’t love watching the antics of tachikomas?
Mob Psycho 100: III (as chosen by Brovahkiin)
I honestly had a hard time getting into Mob Psycho during season 1, but I’m so glad I stuck around for the ride. The series ventures into some deep psychological areas, such as anxiety, self-doubt, and acceptance, while still managing to have the main hero fight a golden metallic god-form ghost inside of a giant broccoli plant by season 3. It doesn’t make sense — while somehow making perfect sense — and I enjoyed ONE’s abstract style every step of the way.
Do you have a favorite series from 2022? Let us know, in the comments below.
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