The changing of the season brings renewed hope and excitement, especially for anime fans because it also means a whole batch of new shows are about to make their debut. Anime never sleeps, and there is always something to watch or look forward to. The Winter 2022 anime season is no exception as the industry has gotten the year off to a solid start.
As always, returning shows have hogged the limelight. Attack on Titan: The Final Season Part 2, Teasing Master Takagi-san's season 3, Arifureta season 2, How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom season 2, and The Case Study of Vanitas season 2 are all airing during the current season. That's already a stacked line-up, but plenty of awesome new shows are also leaving their marks. What are the best new anime of the Winter 2022 season that people should try watching?.
Updated March 10, 2022 by Mark Sammut: Winter 2022 is slowly approaching its conclusion; by this point, the season's standout shows have become more than apparent. While sequels have dominated the discourse over the last few months, a few new anime have also garnered plenty of attention and acclaim. Tempting as it might be to watch every seasonal show, that is not always feasible. Consequently, it can be helpful to know which anime to prioritize. This article has been expanded to include a few more great Winter 2022 anime, and links have been added to their streaming pages.
My Dress-Up Darling
- Japanese Title: Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru
- Genre: Slice of Life, Romance
- Where to Stream: Funimation, Crunchyroll, VRV
Wakana Gojo loves crafting hina dolls, but the high school student keeps this information a secret since it has previously opened him up to ridicule. Wakana's isolated life takes a turn for the social when Marin Kitagawa sees him working on a costume and decides that he would be the perfect person to create cosplay outfits for her.
A popular slice of life manga, My Dress-Up Darling's strength lies in its likable main characters and its commitment to intricately showing the costume-creation process. This anime is also a romance, although the story doesn't rush this element. Out of all the new Winter 2022 anime, My Dress-Up Darling had the best opening episodes, delivering stellar animation, enjoyable humor, and an early contender for the year's best girl in Marin.
The Genius Prince's Guide To Raising A Nation Out of Debt
- Japanese Title: Tensai Ouji no Akaji Kokka Saisei Jutsu
- Genre: Fantasy
- Where to Stream: Funimation
Prince Wein wants nothing to do with governing his small kingdom, so he plans a touch of treason to net himself endless riches and an easy life. However, things don't quite work out that way and Wein finds himself saddled with a lot of responsibility along with the love of his people.
The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt is a comedy about an evil protagonist and the way he accidentally (or intentionally) does right by his people. A terrible OP notwithstanding, the anime's first two episodes were perfectly serviceable, introducing a fun sense of humor courtesy of Wein's talent for accidentally doing good. A lot of secondary characters appear to be pretty one-note, although that could improve as the adaptation progresses.
Love Of Kill
- Japanese Title: Koroshi Ai
- Genre: Action, Romance
- Where to Stream: Crunchyroll, VRV
A bounty hunter named Chateau Dankworth is meant to kill Sony, a hitman, but they end up striking something of a bond that puts both of them in even more danger. Love of Kill is an adaptation of a josei manga that has already produced 11 volumes, so there is a lot of content for the show to go through. Although romance plays a part, Love of Kill is predominantly an action manga, and it excels in that area. It remains to be seen whether the anime tries to heighten the romance element.
While certainly not for everyone, Love of Kill's pilot sets up an intriguing mystery while delivering a tense tone that is quite unlike most other Winter 2022 anime. The leads are not especially likable, but they are engaging characters and have good chemistry. Song is especially interesting.
Sasaki And Miyano
- Japanese Title: Sasaki to Miyano
- Genre: Romance, Slice of Life
- Where to Stream: Funimation
One of the standout boy love manga of the last few years, Sasaki and Miyano focuses on the charming relationship between its eponymous high school students. Yoshikazu Miyano is into yaoi manga, a fact that catches the attention of a senior at his school, Shumei Sasaki.
Sasaki and Miyano takes its time exploring the dynamic between the leads, opting to strike a realistic tone that prioritizes character growth. Following two pretty strong episodes, Sasaki and Miyano is shaping up to be one of the best new anime of Winter 2022. Anyone looking for a BL anime should definitely check this out.
In The Land Of Leadale
- Japanese Title: Leadale no Daichi nite
- Genre: Isekai
- Where to Stream: Crunchyroll, VRV
Another isekai anime, In the Land of Leadale is based on a novel by Ceez that also has a manga adaptation. Due to an accident, Keina Kagami lived out the last days of her life in a virtual reality MMORPG. After her death, Keina reincarnates in the game's world as Cayna, and she finds herself face to face with the characters she had created.
In the Land of Leadale strikes a relaxed tone as it seeks to explore Cayna's everyday life in this new world rather than stressing any especially big overarching plots. Isekai anime often take on epic narratives about the "chosen one" fighting off unspeakable terrors. In the Land of Leadale is not that type of anime, and that is perfectly fine. A slow-moving slice of life with an endearing lead, this show is simply charming.
Akebi's Sailor Uniform
- Japanese Title: Akebi-chan no Sailor-fuku
- Genre: Slice of Life
- Where to Stream: Crunchyroll, VRV
Winter 2022 is delivering the goods when it comes to slice of life anime, and Akebi's Sailor Uniform might be the season's best traditional representative of the genre. Akebi gets accepted into a prestigious school and sets out to make a whole host of friends, a goal she dives into with wholesome energy.
CloverWorks certainly did not hold back in the animation department as Akebi's Sailor Uniform is ridiculously gorgeous. The show's backgrounds are breathtaking and greatly enhance the soothing ambiance the anime seeks to build.
Rust-Eater Bisco
- Japanese Title: Sabikui Bisco
- Genre: Action
- Where to Stream: Crunchyroll, Funimation, VRV
For the most part, Winter 2022 is not overflowing with stellar new action anime. Out of all the fresh releases, Rust-Eater Bisco has the most promise. The anime takes place in a post-apocalyptic world defined by rust and mushrooms, and it centers around a protagonist with a reputation for being something of a terrorist.
The opening episodes effectively establish this universe's society and the constant fear that people live under. With good action, two memorable leads, and a decent mystery, Rust-Eater Bisco is shaping up nicely.
Salaryman's Club
- Japanese Title: Ryman's Club
- Genre: Sports
- Where to Stream: Crunchyroll, VRV
One of the unexpected surprises of the Winter 2022 anime season, Salaryman's Club is such a refreshing take on the sports genre. As the show's title suggests, Salaryman's Club is not concerned with only its central sport, badminton, but also the players' work lives. Laboring away at Sunlight Beverage during the day and hitting the court at night, the characters are equally defined by their professions and passions, both of which influence and shape their relationships with each other.
Although there are five main characters, the anime generally revolves around Mikoto Shiratori and Tatsuru Miyazumi, two wildly different people who form a doubles team. As the series has progressed, Salaryman's Club has explored the psyches of its characters, developing them along the way.
Life With An Ordinary Guy Who Reincarnated Into A Total Fantasy Knockout
- Japanese Title: Fantasy Bishoujo Juniku Ojisan to
- Genre: Isekai Comedy
- Where to Stream: Crunchyroll, VRV
Along with a few traditional isekai anime, Winter 2022 has also produced a comedy, and it is a pretty hilarious one at that. Life with an Ordinary Guy Who Reincarnated into a Total Fantasy Knockout follows two bros – Tsukasa Jinguuji and Hinata Tachibana – who are teleported to a fantasy universe to slay themselves a Demon Lord. So far, so isekai. However, this journey comes with a rather significant twist: Tachibana has been turned into a woman.
Also, Jinguuji and Tachibana are magically attracted to each other, a circumstance that produces plenty of awkwardness and hilarity. Life with an Ordinary Guy Who Reincarnated into a Total Fantasy Knockout parodies isekai and fantasy tropes while still delivering an engrossing adventure that can rank among the better examples of each genre. Like any comedy, the anime's humor is not for everyone, but if a viewer enjoys the first episode, they are likely to love the entire series.
Police In A Pod
- Japanese Title: Hakozume: Kouban Joshi no Gyakushuu
- Genre: Slice of Life
- Where to Stream: Funimation
Police in a Pod follows two policewomen in their everyday lives, most of which are quite stressful. Written by a mangaka who used to work as a police officer, Police in a Pod underpins everything with an air of authenticity, combining cynicism with heart and respect.
Although predominantly a comedy, this anime does not shy away from tackling mature subjects. The second episode explore some difficult topics, and the show handled them well.