The Winter season has melted away, and that means it’s time for the new wave of Spring 2022 anime releases! 2021 was one of the strongest anime years in recent memory, and that put a lot of pressure on 2022 to keep up the pace. The Winter 2022 anime schedule got things off to a great start with some massive franchises delivering powerhouse episodes along with some brand new releases that really got fans’ attention. It’s tough to follow up such a strong season, and thankfully the Spring looks to be up to the task. But it seems like it’s going to provide a much different experience than the Winter. ย
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Looking at the Spring 2022 anime slate as a whole outlines a few major patterns. It’s a season mostly dominated by returning series, but in a much different way than you’d expect. There are fewer major action franchises, and instead many of the most anticipated debuts or returns are comedies, romantic or otherwise. Even with that said, there’s a widespread variety of the types of comedies, action shows, and even a few mysterious thrillers this time around.ย
With so many new shows to keep an eye out for, ComicBook.com is here to help with our picks for the Top 10 Most Anticipated anime of the Spring 2022 season. Could not fit every major release into this list, of course, so let us know your picks! Which shows are you most excited to see? 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!
Tomodachi Game
Release Date: April 5th (Crunchyroll)ย
If the likes of Squid Game on Netflix caught your interest, then here’s another game that might scratch that itch. Based on Mikoto Yamaguchi and Yuki Sato’s original manga series, Tomodachi Game pulls a close group of five friends into a mysterious game. It’s revealed that one of them is secretly millions of dollars deep in debt, and thus has signed them up for the chance at clearing that debt with a series of mysterious games. Each game challenges their friendship, and soon secrets are revealed, drama sparks and much more. It could scratch that much needed suspense itch.ย
Crunchyroll describes Tomodachi Game as such, “High school student Katagiri Yuichi, who values friendship above all else, enjoys a fulfilling life with his close friends Sawaragi Shiho, Mikasa Tenji, Shibe Makoto, and Kokorogi Yutori. However, after a particular incident, they’re dragged into a debt repayment game.”
The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2
Release Date: April 6th (Crunchyroll)
Serving as the marquee action franchise for the season, The Rising of the Shield Hero has finally returned with Season 2. The debut anime season was one of the hugest hits when it landed a few years ago, and the wait for its second season has been particularly tough. Originally scheduled to release in Fall 2021 before finally releasing in the Spring 2022 anime schedule, Naofumi is setting out on the biggest mission yet. After finding out the true secret of the Waves at the end of the first season, Aneko Yusagi’s original light novel series has opened up.ย
Naofumi’s party is getting bigger, there’s a new mission involving a giant sacred turtle, and if the first season was anything to go by there are bound to be some impressive sequences if it all works out for the best. It’s definitely going to take up most conversation this season.ย
Tiger & Bunny 2
Release Date: April 8th (Netflix)
Another major action franchise making its return is Tiger & Bunny. It’s been an even more painful of a wait for more of this franchise as it’s been ten long years since the release of the Tiger & Bunny movie. Finally returning for a proper second season of the anime, Tiger & Bunny 2 takes place years after the events of that first season and follows Wild Tiger and Barnaby as they try to adjust with the changes that have been made to the professional hero world over the years. Younger and newer heroes, more challenges, and lots of cool hero action will be coming to Netflix!ย
Netflix describes Tiger & Bunny 2 as such, “Fighting for peace โ and their sponsors โ the odd couple of Wild Tiger and Barnaby continue to work as superheroes. But with the number of superheroes increasing around the world, how will these two veterans fare!?”
Date A Live Season 4
Release Date: April 8th (Crunchyroll)
It’s a pretty big season for returns overall as yet another major franchise is returning for a new season too. Date A Live has had one of the more interesting anime past thus far as all three of its seasons were handled by three different production studios. That trend continues with the returning fourth season of the series that introduces Shido to new Spirits who he’ll need to charm before they pose an even greater danger. Basically, it’s going to be more of what fans loved in the first three seasons…but more of it!ย
Crunchyroll describes Date A Live IV as such, “With multiple Spirits now living with him, Shido’s juggling act of giving ladies attention is never-ending. On top of that, more Spirits arrive for him to put the charm on. As he seals more and more, with his intentions unknown to them, will he be able to keep this up or will it lead to one big, giant spatial quake?”
Love After World Domination
Release Date: April 8th (Crunchyroll)
There are a few unique looking romantic comedies making their debut this season too. Fans might have noticed how the romantic comedy genre in general has been evolving in some pretty fun ways. It’s been a shake up of core premises, and one unique take comes from Hiroshi Noda and Takahiro Wakamatsu’s original manga, Love After World Domination. This story sees the leader of a Power Rangers like team falling in love with one of the major villains they fight each week. The two of them then need to hide their love from their respective sides lest they have to break up.ย
The secret to a great romantic comedy is getting a couple early on and then watching their relationship develop, and blending that with a lot of potential for fun Power Rangers type shenanigans could make for an interesting watch this season.ย
Kaguya-sama: Love is War Season 3
Release Date: April 9th (Crunchyroll)ย
The leading return for the romantic comedy fans is certainly Kaguya-sama: Love is War -Ultra Romantic-. The second season of the series came to an end with a mysterious tease for a third, but it wasn’t until last year that a third season was actually confirmed to be in the works. Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane have grown closer than ever before with the first two seasons, but at the same time they have become more stubborn to share their feelings too! If you were a fan of the wacky romantic shenanigans in those first seasons, this one will be right up your alley.ย
Crunchyroll describes Kaguya-sama: Love is War -Ultra Romantic- as such, “Shuchiin Academyโan elite school where the most gifted students flock to. It is also where its Student Council brought together Vice President Kaguya Shinomiya and President Miyuki Shirogane. While everyone expected a speedy courtship and agreed that the two geniuses would make the perfect couple, the pair, it seems, has too much pride to confess their true feelings for one another! The two remain fully committed in devising a highly cerebral strategy in this cunning war of love… Will they take their relationship to the next level by the final day of Shuchiin Academy’s culture festival!?”
Spy x Family
Release Date: April 9th (Crunchyroll)
The Spring season might be mostly dominated by some major franchise returns, but there are some debuts that are just as big. Tatsuya Endo’s original manga series has built up quite a cult following since it debuted in Shueisha’s Jump+ app a couple of years ago, and it has been such a notable run that many felt like an anime adaptation was inevitable. What has been a surprise, however, is seeing just how much has been put behind bringing it to life. A joint production between WIT Studio (the studio behind Ranking of Kings, Vinland Saga and much more) and CloverWorks (which produced My Dress-Up Darling, Horimiya and more), Spy x Family is getting off on the right foot.ย
Kicking off with an international spy needing to quickly put together a family in order to somehow get closer to an elusive political target, Spy x Family has everything you need. With its central trio of a super spy, deadly assassin, and telepathic child navigating their new family life while trying to keep their individual secrets, it all quickly results in action, hilarious misunderstandings, and even some romance! This will be the big one, folks.ย
Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie
Release Date: April 9th (Crunchyroll)ย
Before each new seasonal schedule begins, there is usually one or two new anime series that really strike a chord with fans. Whether it’s revealed that a cult following has been actually waiting a long time for an adaptation, or something about its premise and promotional materials catch fans’ eyes right away. This time around that seems to be happening quite a bit with Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie. Based on Keigo Maki’s original manga series, the titular Shikimori is the girlfriend of the main character, Izumi, who is revealed to be more than her cute looks would imply.ย
It’s the type of romantic comedy dynamic that has become especially popular in recent seasons with shows like Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro, Teasing Master Takagi-san, and Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! (to a lesser extent), and clearly the audience is ready for a harder edged take on that type of main love interest. Now it’s just a matter of seeing how far such a premise actually takes the series. There’s a lot of romantic comedy competition, but this might have the right angle to stand out.ย
Komi Can’t Communicate Season 2
Release Date: April 27th in the U.S., April 7th in Japan
The final of the major returning romantic comedies this Spring us also one of the more recent hits. Tomohito Oda’s Komi Can’t Communicate had a major cult following for its manga run, but its anime debut last year catapulted it into a whole new territory. It’s one of the rare Netflix licenses that has the streaming service releases episodes on a weekly basis a few weeks after their initial premiere. It was a must-watch for that reason alone, but then you’re introduced to the titular Shoko Komi and her wacky classmates and even wackier world.ย
Seeking to make 100 friends, the slice of life comedy will be bringing even more wacky characters, introduce Komi to fun new activities, and see her getting closer to accomplishing her dream all while having fun on the way. It’s going to be the major unwinding anime fans will need every week.ย
Summer Time Rendering
Release Date: April 15th (Disney+ in Japan, TBA for other countries)ย
This pick is sort of a cheat, unfortunately, but we have to talk about it. It’s streaming on Disney+ in Japan alongside its initial TV debut, but unfortunately international territories will have to wait a bit longer. This release is certainly one to watch for that Disney+ novelty alone, but Summer Time Rendering doesn’t really need it to provide a great hook. Based on Yasuki Tanaka’s original manga series, this series follows Shinpei, a boy who ended up growing up together with a pair of sisters, Ushio and Mio, following the death of his parents.ย
Years later, Ushio drowns in a mysterious accident and Shinpei heads back to his small island hometown. But he soon figures out that Ushio’s death wasn’t exactly an accident and thus goes on a chase to figure out what’s happening in his town. The series will be adapting the entire manga by the time it’s over, so this is definitely one that fans might want to binge through when it drops outside of Japan. Until then, we’ll have to keep an eye on it from afar.ย
