Top five anime of 2022 | UCBloggers | University College Birmingham

December 2022

Blog | Top five anime of 2022

By Arron Baker

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Read time: approx 5 mins

As the year is approaching its end, we are able to look back on the anime industry’s most significant achievements, from its truly unique storytelling that never fails to captivate the viewers with its use of beautiful, dark and humorous art style visuals that always stun its audience.

Along with these Japanese animations comes the outstanding music that goes into them being produced by a number of artists and grand orchestras that empower these shows so much, and what a year it has been for them. The passion that goes into this industry is seen throughout. It is no wonder its popularity constantly increases year by year.

Now let’s look at my top 5 Anime of 2022:

Demon Slayer

Koyoharu Gotouge is the author and illustrator of the Japanese manga series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. It centres on teenage Tanjiro Kamado, who aspires to become a demon hunter following the massacre of his family and the transformation of his younger sister Nezuko into a demon.

What a ride you’re in for with this show. It currently has season 1 that leads into a movie Mugen Train which leads in to this year’s Season 2. Tanjiro and Nezuko head out on deadly missions as Demon Slayers in an effort to protect the world and finally vanquish Demon King Muzan, who created all demons and killed their family. It really leaves you on edge at times.

Many fans consider the amazing anime Demon Slayer to be the greatest shonen series in anime history and there’s so much more to come from it yet.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

This Netflix showcase of director Hiroyuki Imaishi is not something to miss, although it takes place in the same universe as the computer game "Cyberpunk 2077".

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners has a unique and compelling plot. Viewers are emotionally fascinated by it because it depicts distinctive yet accessible characters battling poverty, trauma, and body image concerns in the harsh streets of the night city. Whether you are a fan of the game or not at all, you really have to give this a watch to go along with its success.

It also had a major hit song, “I Really Want to Stay At Your House” by Rosa Walton, with 7 million views alone just on Netflix’s YouTube page. After the show, this song really does have so much more depth and meaning.

Ranking Of Kings

Sōsuke Tōka is the author and illustrator of the fantasy series titled Ranking of Kings. The story centres on Bojji, a young prince who is deaf but above all innocent because, despite several complaints from his subjects regarding his ascension to the throne, he tries his best and aspires to be the greatest of Kings, but not while a dark and sinister story begins to unravel.

This really is a timeless fairy-tale in the making, exposing us to one of the best fictional characters in recent memory while taking place in a vivid storybook setting, with as much grime as Game of Thrones and action as dynamic as Attack on Titan. The colourful animation really does just splashes off the screen.

Jujutsu Kaisen

The show starts off with action, adventure and humour, adding a little drama and mystery to the mix to liven up the story. Gege Akutami is the author and illustrator of the series. Like other shonen series, it has plenty of fights and action-packed rivalry that heighten the excitement.

The narrative centres on high school student Yuji Itadori as he joins a clandestine group of Jujutsu sorcerers to combat Ryomen Sukuna, a potent curse of which Yuji becomes the host. Realising it, the first film this year Jujutsu Kaisen 0, which is a prequel to the first season before even Season 2 is out, shows how much popularity there is for this show. With breath-taking action, the mystery of where the story is leading is never short of surprise.

Chainsaw Man

Tatsuki Fujimoto is the author and illustrator. The plot of Chainsaw Man centres on Denji, a poor young man who enters into a deal to have his body fused with that of a devil or his life-long and only friend named Pochita, giving him the power to turn specific body parts into chainsaws. This leads many to have interest in Denji as he can tear apart demons like no other.

The humour is very much towards adults but always around the corner is nothing but action and darkness. This is still airing because it has not finished its first season and is very much the most anticipated anime that is currently coming out weekly, gaining its diehard fans already.