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From the massive merger of Funimation and Crunchyroll to the near-perfect quality of several Netflix originals over mainstream anime to major announcements from various franchises that ultimately proved beneficial, 2022 was a busy year for anime.
There were a great number of series that, without a shadow of a doubt, completely blew everyone's minds out of the water. It was difficult to choose just 10 examples, what with Spy x Family becoming a household name, the triumphant return of Bleach, and the numerous Netflix originals that made their debut.
This list will detail ten anime from 2022 that surprised everyone for a variety of reasons.
Disclaimer: All of these will contain spoilers from the various shows. The opinions reflected therein are only those of the author.
10 2022 anime that got everyone hyped up
1) Chainsaw Man
The anime adaptation of Chainsaw Man via Studio MAPPA blew people's minds. With crisp and clean animation, plenty of blood and gore, and different endings for each episode, Chainsaw Man quickly skyrocketed into many "best of 2022" lists since its premiere in October 2022.
The relatability of Denji as a protagonist being a goofy and slightly perverted teen, who is taken advantage of by everyone he knows, and his struggles with having the titular Chainsaw Man inside of him were all elements that drew people to Chainsaw Man. The fact that there has always been a standout scene in every episode further piqued people's interest, especially with the violent fighting aspect being emphasized so heavily.
2) Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury
The 2022 Gundam series, featuring a lesbian romance and marriage within a school, sounds like fanfiction instead of a show. Yet according to plenty of fans, that's exactly what made Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury really successful. Fans and non-fans alike were taken aback by the announcement of a new Gundam television series, especially after years of movies, OVAs, and ONAs set in a timeline other than Universal Century.
Suletta Mercury and Miorine Rembran's budding romance may have been sparked accidentally when Suletta fought in Miorine's name, but it has blossomed beautifully over the course of the show's first 11 episodes. Of course, given that it's a Gundam series, there's plenty more to discuss, such as the corruption and critiques of capitalism, but for many viewers, the relationship itself is the series' main selling point.
3) Spy X Family
Speaking of romance taking over a show, Spy x Family was a huge surprise likewise. It was unexpected that a found family series centered on a spy, an assassin, and their ESP-gifted child would be so popular. There's more to this anime than just Anya Forger being an adorable icon, as many fans and critics have pointed out.
While Anya may be the show's principal selling point, the antics surrounding Twilight and Yor's "marriage" is also considered the main reason why so many love the show.
4) Bocchi the Rock!
Anime fans haven't flocked hard to a band-focused series since K-On! graced their screens in 2009. Bocchi the Rock! was a smash hit in many circles, but more particularly with people dealing with social anxiety. The K-On comparison is likewise considered appropriate, as Bocchi possesses a more cynical brand of humor and a sharp focus on the realistic aspects of social anxiety.
That's not to say the adventures of Hitori "Bocchi" Gotou are bleak. Hitori's panic attacks are depicted through the animation's glitching and shifting into other styles, while topics like making friends and humorous lightheartedness are also covered in this popular anime.
5) Pokémon
Simply put, 2022 should be considered Pokémon's year for big shakeups. It started with the release of the well-executed (and well-received) video game Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and ended with several major shakeups for the Pokémon anime.
To get into the big surprises from Pokémon that happened in 2022: Ash Ketchum was crowned world champion and shortly thereafter his retirement was announced. After more than 20 years, the original Pokémon anime is officially letting Ash Ketchum retire and moving on to new protagonists. It's been a wild ride that fans will never forget, and many are still surprised it's happening at all.
6) Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
As previously stated, this anime restored faith in Cyberpunk 2077. While some video game players will forever avoid the game for a variety of reasons, the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners anime is considered a massive success. The anime, directed by Studio Trigger, is hyperviolent and packed with memorable Night City characters.
Rebecca, for example, was one of the most popular characters to emerge from the series. She was a 20-year-old, foul-mouthed, and extremely violent woman who remained devoted to the main protagonist, David Martinez. The fact that she was killed enraged some to return to the game and eliminate Adam Smasher.
7) My Dress Up Darling
An anime about the troubles of cosplaying becoming popular sounded like a pipe dream a few years ago. My Dress Up Darling took many by storm, from the animation to its treatment of fanservice being ultimately incredibly tasteful as it's from a teen hormone lens. The star-crossed romance between an aspiring doll maker and an extroverted otaku really sets the show apart from others.
Details of the craftwork that goes into making both dolls and outfits are prominently displayed, as doll maker Wakana Gojo is drawn into the life of otaku Marin Kitagawa. The best part is that neither of their interests are sabotaged by the other or the narrative, which is unusual.
8) Attack on Titan: The Final Season part 2
The premiere and conclusion of Attack on Titan: Season 4 continues to set new benchmarks. Even as the series draws to its divisive end, many viewers have praised Studio MAPPA for their meticulous attention to detail. Many fans believe MAPPA is the only studio capable of producing a high-quality adaptation of this anime, praising the studio's seamless integration of CGI and 2D animation for Titan transformations as well as every dramatic character moment, blade cut, and et al.
The second part of the final season deals with the aftermath of the counterattack by Eren Yeager on Marley. From Gabi Braun going through her atonement, to the grand rematch between Eren and Reiner, to the Rumbling, many anime fans are hardpressed to think of which moment defined this part of the anime. Needless to say, fans are eagerly awaiting the conclusion in 2023.
9) Bleach: The Thousand Year Blood War
For a series coming out of retirement, Bleach's Thousand Year Blood War arc has hit the ground running as a huge surprise to people who may not have expected it to come back at all. Bleach ended over a decade ago, and yet here it is back again with a vengeance.
Those who remember the much-maligned series will be pleasantly surprised by the final arc of Bleach, which features a newer, cleaner animation style, better writing, and no filler. To cut a long story short, it was more than a welcome return to celebrate Bleach's 21st anniversary. The series is currently ongoing, with another cour coming in 2023.
10) Blue Lock
A sports anime being successful after Haikyuu spiked that particular ball seemed unbelievable until Blue Lock kicked that door wide open. Blue Lock sets itself above the rest by being mostly about the player's egos rather than a team-building exercise as most sports shows would depict. Some fans of the genre have stated it's a welcome surprise to be rooting for the "villain team," as many of Blue Lock's heroes seem villainous in their selfish pursuits.
Other sports anime, such as Birdie Wing, may be more deserving of this spot, but Blue Lock has surpassed even Haikyuu and older examples such as Captain Tsubasa in terms of popularity. In fact, many parallels have been drawn between Blue Lock and the aforementioned two sports anime.
As stated above, it was extremely hard to choose examples from 2022 for a list like this. The 2023 looks bright for anime, with even brighter things on the horizon.
