POLL: The Best Anime Series of 2022!

It’s that time of year again when we round up the best of pop culture from the last 12 months! Join us as we answer: What were the best anime of 2022? Then, add your own opinion to our poll at the end!

The Geeks have spoken. The following anime series (plus a Staff Pick) are some of the best of 2022, from Attack on Titan to Spy x Family and more. Below, get to know the details about these shows as well as what makes them special enough to top this year’s Best Anime category!

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1. Attack on Titan

Think you know what Attack on Titan is about? Better think again. This action-packed anime is full of twists and turns guaranteed to make your head spin. It’s an unstoppable force of a series that demands your attention — which you’ll be more than happy to give.

The dystopian show follows Eren Yeager, a young orphan with a dangerous power. In Attack on Titan season 4 part 2, Eren leads a crusade against his enemies that might just destroy everything fans have come to know and love. The character arcs and plot from the latest season shook the anime world to its core, especially since we’ll be waiting until late 2023 for the resolution.

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2. Chainsaw Man

Chainsaw Man is brutal and bloody, and the pilot has so much emotional depth that you’ll think your heart is getting carved out on the spot. In the series, a teenage devil slayer named Denji dies at the hands of the yakuza. So does his chainsaw devil companion Pochita. The two create a contract that merges their powers and bodies so that Denji may live to fight another day.

Here’s the thing. All Denji wants is a normal life and a pretty girlfriend. But now he’s hunting alongside the Public Safety Bureau so that they can keep him in check. It’s funny, heartbreaking, and just plain awesome — and the season 1 finale just aired, so you now have plenty of time to catch up.

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3. Demon Slayer

Demon Slayer is a gorgeous anime with lots of fight sequences. But at its core it is about family, resilience, and determination against the worst odds. After his family is murdered and his sister Nezuko becomes a demon, Tanjiro sets out to become a demon slayer. His goal: to find a cure for Nezuko while working to eradicate the leader of the demons.

Along the way, we meet a whole host of comedic and dramatic characters that truly round out the series. Sometimes the plot is episodic, a one-on-one super hero type setting with a hero and a villain. But Demon Slayer shines brightest with its massive arcs, simmering tension, and culminating battles with major consequences. All of these and more were illustrated in the season 2 finale, the series’ most watched and most highly rated episode yet.

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4. My Hero Academia

In a world full of people with “quirks,” only some will have abilities capable of making them heroes. Thus My Hero Academia follows the children like Midoriya who are worthy of saving the world — and the enemies they must fight to get there.

In typical shounen fashion, this anime is rife with boyhood rivalries and extended fight scenes. But it also knows when to slow down for those deserved emotional beats. Above all, My Hero Academia knows how to keep it fun — and that’s the most important part of escapist entertainment.

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5. Spy x Family

Spy x Family begins with a trope — and a delicious one at that. Loid Forger, master spy, must go undercover as a father for his next mission. Hilarity ensues as he picks up a telepathic child and fake wife who spends her free time as both a clerk and an assassin. The funniest part? The brilliant Loid has no clue that his “wife” and “daughter” have these abilities.

The series therefore explores their dynamic, secrets, lies, and betrayals. It’s slice of life meets romance meets action-adventure. This combination is one that keeps you hooked from episode 1. So give it a shot, because you might just fall in love.

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Staff Pick: Jujutsu Kaisen

Jujutsu Kaisen is dark. It’s violent and vicious. But it’s also supremely silly and takes plenty of time to flesh out the huge cast and their relationships. No student is left behind in a world where alliances and grudges can make or break everything. And that’s intentional.

The series mostly focuses on Yuji Itadori, who swallows a possessed object to gain sorcerer’s powers. To keep him in line, he’s recruited to a school where he can hone those powers and fight against Curses intent on destroying the world. It’s kind of a typical “Chosen One” plot — but dig deeper when you press play and you’ll find Jujutsu Kaisen is anything but ordinary.

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From episodes full of zombie demons and Titan blood to cursed fingers and sound breathing, we know that anime made an impact on your life this year. So whatever you spent your time watching, we hope you had fun. You deserve it.

Did we miss your favorite anime? Take our poll below and then connect with other collectors in at side.show/geekgroup, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!