Top 10 Most Anticipated Anime of 2022

2021 was one of the best years for anime in some time, and 2022 is already looking even better. It’s been quite a tough few years for everyone, and the anime industry has been reflective of this as well. There are even more new anime hitting this year than the last, but at the same time, there are more than look to be of even higher quality. It’s a competitive year on many fronts as a look down the pipeline for the year reveals a slate of promising new releases that spans a wide variety of different genres and audiences.  

Just as fans might have noticed with the opening salvo of new anime projects hitting in the Winter season, 2022 has a ton of interesting projects still left to come in the pipeline. There are a number of projects that are releasing this year following delays from the last two years, and there are some brand new projects brewing as well. There’s bound to be something for everyone as the slate for the year includes some highly anticipated original projects, major adaptations fans have been waiting to see, and some high profile returns after several years away. 

Given that it’s such a packed year coming our way, unfortunately it’s impossible to gather every single interesting new project in one list. Series such as Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon, Rent-a-Girlfriend, Kaguya-sama: Love is War, Komi Can’t Communicate, Tiger & Bunny and more are all coming back, but they’ll have to compete with the likes of franchises on this list like Dragon Ball Super, Bleach, Chainsaw Man, My Hero Academia, and more. 

That’s why, looking ahead for all of the new anime scheduled to release this year, we here at ComicBook.com have gathered ten of the most anticipated new anime releases of 2022. This includes new seasons, brand new shows, movies, and more that are bringing the hype. But what are you looking forward to most this year? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments! You can even reach out to me directly about all things animated and other cool stuff @Valdezology on Twitter!

Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero

Release Date: April 22nd (Japan), International Release TBA

While there are going to be a number of highly anticipated TV anime releases over the course of the year, one major release that’s already getting a ton of attention is Dragon Ball Super’s next major feature film. It’s an exciting release given that it’s going to be the first new anime for the franchise in four years, and that’s especially promising for what that could mean for the future as well. This new film has yet to reveal its international plans, but it’s highly likely to make its way around the rest of the world later this year as well. It’s going to hit pretty early and potentially dominate conversation for the year as a whole. 

Spy x Family

Release Window: April 2022

There are a number of brand new anime projects making their debut this year, and this includes some highly anticipated manga adaptations in the mix. Tatsuya Endo’s original manga series has been steadily picking up steam with fans over the last couple of years, and there’s a good chance it’ll take off even more with its official anime adaptation. A collaboration between WIT Studio and CloverWorks, Spy x Family is a blend of a family comedy, major action set pieces, and even a dash of romance as the fake Forger family builds their lives together. Great character designs, an interesting world, and even more to witness. You’ll want to keep an eye out for this one. 

The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2

Release Window: April 2022

There’s going to be a lot of brand new originals and adaptations coming our way over the year, but there will also be some major returns as well. The Rising of the Shield Hero straight up dominated when the first season premiered a few years ago, and it was quickly confirmed for two more seasons. The second season was initially slated to debut last year before an unfortunate delay as a result of the ongoing COVID pandemic, but now the series is finally back as Naofumi and his increasingly packed part takes on a whole new region filled with all kinds of tough challenges. Now that he’s taking on invading heroes from other worlds, there is bound to be a ton of action coming this season! 

The Devil is a Part Timer! Season 2

Release Window: July 2022

Speaking of major returns, one of the biggest anime coming back this is year is The Devil is a Part Timer! This is one of the many series fans admittedly gave up on all hope on potentially coming back for a second season someday. The anime initially debuted back in 2013, and it never really seemed like there was interest in the series coming back for another round. Fan demand was adamant, however, and soon that demand will be met with a brand new season. This newest season will be tackled by a different studio and staff (hence the updated look for the characters compared to the original season), but it’s still got much of the same wacky vibe that the original had. Now it’s just a matter of seeing if it can stick the landing. 

My Hero Academia Season 6

Release Window: Fall 2022

The fifth season of My Hero Academia admittedly had its fair share of problems in terms of how it brought the last few arcs of the series to screen, but Season 6 of the series enters with a clean slate with a ton of potential material to adapt. The Paranormal Liberation Front War arc of Kohei Horikoshi’s original manga series took place over the course of a year of real time chapter releases, and that means there quite a fair bit of material to adapt. Should the new season take its time with this next major phase of the series, it could please a lot of fans with not only the major events coming in this war but also leaves room to fill in some of the gaps actually left from the manga’s story. It could end up being the strongest season of the anime yet if it all works out. 

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War

Release Window: Fall 2022

As already seen through the first half of this list, 2022 is a year full of high profile premieres and returns. And just like The Devil is a Part Timer, Bleach is an anime fans have been asking for more of ever since it was tragically cut short during its initial run. Ending before the anime could adapt the final arc of Tite Kubo’s original manga series, Bleach’s anime is finally coming back in full with the debut of the Thousand-Year Blood War arc. This final arc of the series carries some of the biggest fights, biggest transformations, biggest power levels, and a whole new world opening before it all comes to an end. It’s what fans have wanted for so long, and after seeing the first footage of this new adaptation, this new Bleach could very well meet up to all of the expectations and then some. 

Chainsaw Man

Release Window: TBA 2022

The back half of this list features many new anime projects announced for the year, but have yet to nail down a specific release window or date. This makes the wait for each of these projects all the tougher, and one of the hardest to wait for is Chainsaw Man. Tatsuki Fujimoto’s original manga series started off with a cult following of fans during its initial run, but exploded in popularity towards its end as more and more fans flocked to all of the wildness of each new chapter. It’s one of the oddest, violent, brutal, yet utterly heartbreaking and charming series to come out of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, and with Studio MAPPA at the helm, it’s highly likely the anime will come to dominate just as much. Expect a lot of barking. 

Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun

Release Window: TBA 2022

Made in Abyss gathered a cult following alongside its initial debut back in 2017, but in the years since has grown to a huge franchise. Successful film releases have followed since that first season, and it will soon be joined with a second season coming later this year (as well as a video game and more). It’s a deceptively deep and dark series that catches you off guard right from the get go as we see just what kind of danger its child main characters are really in, and its twisted world building continues with this coming season. If the new episodes carry just as much of a quality as the first season in design, sound, and more, then we’re in for one of the biggest releases of the year. 

Uzumaki

Release Window: TBA 2022

Speaking of new anime that has been hard to wait for, the wait for this one has been particularly tough. A co-production between Production I.G. and Adult Swim, Uzumaki has been in development for the last couple of years. Taking on one of famed horror creator Junji Ito’s most famous manga works, this adaptation has a bold presentation that we have admittedly seen very little from. There have been a few updates from Adult Swim on the series’ progress, but it’s such an unknown anomaly that it seems fitting for a Junji Ito anime adaptation. It’s exciting, mysterious, and will most likely terrify when it finally drops. Fingers crossed that it actually does hit this year, however. 

Overlord Season 4

Release Window: TBA 2022

There are a number of returns on this list that are probably more high profile, but I admittedly stuck this one on here because it’s something I personally am very much looking forward to. Power fantasy Isekai anime selections are a dime a dozen, and many of the newer ones are boasting quite the impressive quality compared to some of the older hits. Overlord is different, however, as it follows Ains Ooal Gown as he continues his dark dominance over the world and eschews much of the traditional power fantasy trappings by instead adding more of an “evil” to it. This is a character whose real self isn’t as dominant as his outward appearance would imply, and a fourth season (and movie) will see him and Nazarick continue taking over the world. It’s just going to scratch all the right itches.