Fall 2022 anime season is done, and it was undoubtedly the strongest of the year. In terms of hyped shows, Fall 2022 was about as stacked as they come. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, Chainsaw Man, Spy x Family Part 2, and Mob Psycho 100 III were all highly anticipated, and they were accompanied by some surprising hits too.

Hype is all well and good, but that does not mean much if a show fails to deliver. Now that the season is over, the best anime of Fall 2022 can be decided. The ranking contains shonen, romance, comedy, slice of life, and even a touch of mecha.

To qualify, a show must have debuted during the Fall 2022 season. Therefore, no Summer 2022 continuations (Uncle from Another World) or long-running series (One Piece).

Special Mention: Golden Kamuy Season 4

Due to the passing of a key staff member on the production team, Golden Kamuy season 4 has been indefinitely delayed. The current cour is slated to run for 12 episodes, with half of those already airing; however, Brain's Base has opted to put episodes 7-12 on pause for the time being. As the studio has not canceled the series, Golden Kamuy is likely to return in the future, although everyone involved should take as much time as they feel is necessary.

As this is a unique situation, Golden Kamuy has been removed from the weekly rankings. That said, season 4 has maintained the high standard of quality set by the anime's previous runs, and it is arguably shaping up to be the series' strongest cour.

16 Arknights Animation: Prelude To Dawn (+/- 0)

Following a strong opening episode, Arknights Animation: Prelude to Dawn has lost some steam, all the while still remaining an above-average experience. The series takes place in a world rife with Catastrophes, natural disasters that leave behind an energy source that can also infect people. The latter often face discrimination, leading to a divided society filled with terrified people who are willing to subdue others to ensure their own security.

Prelude to Dawn introduces Rhodes Island, a pharmaceutical company that acts like a rogue army while seeking to find a cure. Led by Amiya, Rhodes Island rescues the "Doctor" from Reunion, a group that fights for the infected by attacking everyone else. Although a noble cause, Reunion is the anime's main threat.

Individually, Arknights Animation's episodes are decently animated and feature flashes of tense sequences. Rhodes Island is very much the underdog, and the heroes are constantly on the verge of being overwhelmed. However, when taken as a whole, Prelude to Dawn feels like it is running in place. It does not help that the anime introduces a few new characters per episode, resulting in a large but mostly forgettable cast.

Prelude to Dawn's last two episodes were a step in the right direction following a string of mediocre entries, even if the finale lacked much in the way of tension. Ultimately, season 1 is a glorified prologue that exists to establish this universe and the story's main characters. In that sense, the show did its job, and, hopefully, will lead to a superior sequel.

15 More Than A Married Couple, But Not Lovers (+/- 0)

Based on Yuki Kanamaru's seinen manga, More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers is a unique romance anime. In this universe, high school students are paired off so they can play house and pretend they are married. Each couple is graded depending on their willingness to work together during the assignment; if they get a high enough score, they earn the option to pick a different partner. The shy Jiro Yakuin is matched with the reasonably popular Akari Watanabe, someone he barely knows and who does not seem to have a positive opinion of him. However, as they both have crushes they would rather be "married" to, they need to co-exist to get what they want. As Jiro and Akari spend more time together, they start to grow an appreciation for each other.

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More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers' premise creates this weird start-and-stop romantic tension as Jiro and Akari are clearly presented as the primary couple, but their relationship is frequently put on the back burner to allow the story to push other options as genuine contenders. The secondary love interests are not particularly bad, but their dynamics with Jiro and Akari are less interesting than the central pair's unorthodox situation. When focusing on its leads, this anime is pretty great.

14 Play It Cool, Guys (+/- 0)

By definition, slice of life is understated. These shows are designed to teleport viewers to a relaxing and conflict-free world, and when executed well, slice of life anime can be something special. Along with a lack of options, Fall 2022 did not produce a standout entry in the genre, and most series seem destined to be forgotten once the season concludes. Encourage of Climb: Next Summit undermined it by launching with a 4-episode recap, while Management of a Novice Alchemist struggles to stick out from the myriad of fantasy anime that have debuted in recent years.

That said, Fall 2022 was not totally devoid of charming slice of life shows. Play It Cool, Guys has been a pleasant surprise, with Pierrot's anime improving with each passing episode. The story revolves around four cool but clumsy guys who wind up convening around a cafeteria. The show's early episodes are dedicated to the individual characters, and it takes a while for the cast to come together. While the former chapters are decent, Play it Cool, Guys picks up considerably once the leads start to interact with each other.

13 Do It Yourself!! (+/- 0)

Out of all of Fall 2022's slice of life anime, Do It Yourself!! seemed the most likely to develop into a series worthy of sitting alongside Yuru Camp and Non Non Biyori. So far, Pine Jam's series has not quite managed to reach those heights, although it is still an easy watch. More importantly, Do It Yourself!! is probably the best pure slice of life anime of the season.

Set in an alternate reality where technology has advanced to such a point as to render "do it yourself" projects obsolete, this anime revolves around a high school club that wishes to keep the outdated practice alive. The injury-prone Serufu Yua stumbles her way into joining the DIY club, and she is quickly accompanied by a transfer student, a shy classmate, and a girl who ends sentences with "meow." The cast is rounded out by Rei, the club's president and founder, and Miku, Serufu's childhood friend who attends a more prestigious school.

Do It Yourself!!'s art style utilizes a soft color palette that complements the show's positive tone, and the animation is deceptively fantastic. The characters are a mixed bag. Serufu and Miku are great, but the rest of the girls range from forgettable to periodically annoying. However, the anime does have a funny recurring joke revolving around a pig.

12 To Your Eternity Season 2 (+/- 0)

To Your Eternity was one of the best anime of 2021, but the first season ended on a polarizing arc. Consequently, season 2 did not launch with that much momentum behind it, a fact exasperated by a change in studio and a late debut date. Drive's anime has been a mixed bag, and it is difficult to predict whether things will improve or get worse moving forward.

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Jumping forward generations, news about Fushi's immortal existence has spread across the land. While some people have taken to worshiping Fushi as a walking god, others see him as a demon. This juxtaposition serves as To Your Eternity season 2's main conflict, especially since the anime is willing to show the faults in the logic of both sides.

Season 2's storytelling has been decent, and new characters like Bonchien, Todo, and Kahaku have proven to be good additions. However, the show is hurt by inconsistent animation, rushed pacing, and Fushi's frustrating naivety.

11 Welcome To Demon School! Iruma-kun Season 3 (+/- 0)

While generally fun, Iruma's life at Babyls demon school has never been simple, and that has not changed in season 3. In order for the Misfit class to remain in their luxurious classroom, they must all reach Daleth level before their final exam, something that is almost impossible for first-years. To give them a fighting chance, the students have been assigned tutors who can focus on their individual strengths, although their methods might not be all that orthodox.

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Iruma winds up under the tutelage of Barbatos, Balse's cousin, a powerful girl who treats her protege as a servant rather than a student. Welcome to Demon School! has mostly maintained the qualities of its previous entries, with season 3 expertly balancing humor and character development. The anime has shown love to every member of the Misfit class, setting all of them on a journey of self-discovery and growth. While this has been generally a positive decision, season 3 has been slower than usual since the anime is constantly jumping back and forth between different characters.

10 The Eminence In Shadow (+/- 0)

Compared to the isekai-heavy Summer season, Fall 2022 only had a few world-jumping stories. The Eminence in Shadow was the standout isekai anime of the season, along with being one of Fall's funnier shows. Cid wishes to be the mastermind pulling society's strings from behind the curtain, a dream he might be able to actualize after he is reborn in a magical world. While portraying a nobody in public, the powerful Cid plays out his fantasy by pretending to be the leader of a secret organization created to fight a dangerous cult.

This might be an elaborate game of make-believe for Cid, but for everyone else, it is deadly real. The Eminence in Shadow extracts most of its humor from Cid's obliviousness and also his willingness to act the fool to keep up his "background character" masquerade. This anime is also not afraid to get violent, bloody, and shocking; in fact, The Eminence in Shadow had some of Fall's most visceral fight scenes.

9 Blue Lock (+/- 0)

Arguably the most compelling sports anime of 2022, Blue Lock presents a different take on the genre. Japan has tasked Ego Jinpachi with winning a world cup, and the coach has concluded that the team's missing piece is a quality (and selfish) striker. Therefore, Jinpachi invites the best high school-level players to take part in a battle royale designed to produce the ultimate forward; however, the other 299 losers will be forbidden from ever playing for the national team. Yoichi Isagi is one of these players, and he is part of Team Z.

Blue Lock has a unique twist on the sports genre, one that forces characters to quickly push past their limits if they want to survive. While Yoichi is technically surrounded by (mainly) superior strikers, he is still one of the most promising prospects in the sport, and he primarily needs to better understand his strengths. The premise also allows for a unique dynamic as Yoichi's teammates are also his opponents.

8 IDOLiSH7 Third BEAT! Part 2 (+/- 0)

Despite their popularity, idol anime are an acquired taste. If someone is not interested in Japan's music industry, these shows can be an impossible sell. While not an exception in the grand scheme of things, IDOLiSH7 is one of the better entry points into the idol genre since it is considerably more dramatic than most other series.

Third Beat! Part 2 is one of the darkest cours in the franchise's history, all the while still retaining a sense of hopefulness and camaraderie. IDOLiSH7 has never shied away from showing the seedy underbelly of the entertainment business, an element amplified by Ryou Tsukumo and Zool's recent rise to prominence. The season has steadily built up to Friends' Day, a charity event hosted by a year's most popular idol groups. IDOLiSH7 will have to survive the marathon while keeping an eye out for potential sabotage.

7 Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury (+/- 0)

In the Fall of 2022, Gundam returned with a new anime, one that does not require prior knowledge of the franchise to appreciate. Set in its own timeline, The Witch from Mercury envisions a universe run by corporations, with the most powerful ones forming the Benerit Group led by Delling Rembran. In this story, Gundam technology has been outlawed.

A 17-year-old girl named Suletta joins the Asticassia School of Technology, an academy run by Benerit. This school's important decisions are decided through duels, and that includes who will marry Miorine Rembran, Delling's daughter. Suletta quickly finds herself garnering unwanted attention due to her mecha, Ariel, which appears to be a Gundam.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury is built on the strength of its main relationship between Miorine and Suletta, two teenagers who have wildly different personalities that complement each other. Like most of the best Gundam anime, The Witch from Mercury focuses more on characters and politics than mecha action, although the show has produced plenty of memorable fights as well.

6 My Hero Academia Season 6 (+/- 0)

Although still popular, My Hero Academia has been in a downturn for a while, with seasons 4 and 5 struggling to recapture the magic of their predecessors. This placed extra pressure on the Fall 2022 entry since it not only needed to show that the anime could still deliver the goods but also do it in a season stacked to the brim with battle shonen goodness. Impressively, season 6 managed to turn the tide, producing My Hero Academia's greatest batch of episodes in years.

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The Paranormal Liberation War arc finds the Heroes launching a full-scale assault on the Paranormal Liberation Front in an attempt to cut the villains at their knees before Tomura Shigaraki's awakens from his slumber. Season 6 has been non-stop action so far, and My Hero Academia has done a wonderful job of showcasing a massive roster of characters as all hell has broken loose. Mirko stole the show in the first couple of episodes, while Shigaraki has reaffirmed himself as one of shonen's greatest modern villains.

In some ways, My Hero Academia season 6 has retroactively elevated the value of its underwhelming predecessors, particularly season 5. Those cours laid the foundation for the current arc, serving as the calm before the storm.

5 Spy X Family Part 2 (+/- 0)

Spy x Family enjoyed a stellar 2022, and season 2 is already confirmed to be in the works. Part 1 was arguably the best new anime of Spring 2022, and it did not take long for the world to fall in love with the Forgers, particularly Anya. While nowhere near as hyped as its predecessor, Part 2 has generally maintained a similar level of quality.

In fact, the Fall 2022 cour has done a great job of expanding the cast, allowing characters besides Loid and Anya to shine. Yor has benefited the most from this sharing of riches, and the secret assassin is finally starting to come across as a main character rather than a glorified support. Fiona is also an amusing addition who bounces well off Loid and, to a lesser extent, Yor. Conversely, Anya has taken a backseat for large chunks of Part 2, even if she can still be relied upon to deliver a funny moment per episode.

4 Mob Psycho 100 III (+/- 0)

Mob Psycho 100 has been dependably excellent since its opening scene, and season 3 is the anime's strongest cour. The Fall 2022 episodes cover the manga's last few chapters, starting with the Divine Tree arc and concluding with the Epilogue. Consequently, Mob has spent most of the season looking toward the future as he tries to define who he wishes to become. Despite respecting Arataka Reigen and enjoying his time with Spirits and Such Consultation Office, Mob's destiny lies elsewhere and he will eventually move on.

Mob Psycho 100 III finds Bones at the top of its game, delivering stellar animation that ranks among Fall's best. The visuals are matched by the show's impeccable storytelling, with the Divine Tree arc being particularly memorable. As the show approaches its end, Mob takes on his greatest challenge yet – himself.

Mob Psycho 100 is done, and the anime might go down as one of the most satisfying manga adaptations of all time. It is almost impossible to conceive ways of how the series could have been handled better. Now that Shigeo's story is done, newcomers should jump into this universe and binge-watch all three seasons.

3 Chainsaw Man (+/- 0)

Bar none, Chainsaw Man was the most hyped Fall 2022 anime prior to the season's launch. Debuting in 2018, Tatsuki Fujimoto's manga steadily grew into one of the most popular active shonen properties, and MAPPA's adaptation capitalized on the source material's fame. However, the manga's positive reputation meant the anime needed to meet high expectations, and a poor start could have derailed the show's momentum. Thankfully, Chainsaw Man started out as good before gradually making the jump to greatness.

Set in a world with devils and humans who hunt them, Denji has led a hard and punishing life. When he is left to die at the hands of a horrifying monster, Denji fuses with his only friend – the devil Pochita – and becomes Chainsaw Man. Finally tasting some degree of power, Denji is recruited by a devil hunting agency by a woman named Makima, and he sets out to impress his handler.

While entertaining from the get-go, Chainsaw Man initially threatened to fall into a monster-of-the-week rhythm. That said, the anime eventually moved away from this structure, a shift accomplished through two of the best episodes of the Fall 2022 season. Gory, uncomfortable, irreverent, and darkly funny, Chainsaw Man feels fresh in a genre/demographic that has been overexposed over the last three decades. More importantly, season 1 merely contains the opening steps of Denji's journey, and there is, hopefully, a lot more to come.

2 Bocchi The Rock! (+/- 0)

In a season dominated by sequels and adaptations of highly popular source materials, Bocchi the Rock! has been an unexpected but pleasant surprise. While Aki Hamaji's manga is enjoyable, CloverWorks' anime enhances the experience through creative animation, deft comedy, and impeccable sound design, the latter of which is especially important for a music-themed story. Although revolving around a few girls forming a punk rock band, Bocchi the Rock! is primarily driven by the eponymous character's social anxiety as she tries to step out of her comfort zone, a process that is relatable and frequently hilarious.

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At a glance, this series might seem to be a slice of life akin to something like K-ON!, but that's not an accurate representation of the Fall 2022 show. Along with being quite plot-driven, Bocchi the Rock! consistently pushes its protagonist, Hitori "Bocchi" Gotou, putting her into (comically) tense situations where she must swim or sink. And, on occasion, Bocchi is permitted to sink. Even though its premise is relatively ordinary, the anime gets unexpectedly surreal whenever Hitori's bouts of anxiety are manifested. On occasion, Bocchi the Rock! transforms into a fever dream that takes risks both visually and narratively.

For its finale, Bocchi the Rock! sets the stage for Hitori to face her greatest personal and musical challenge yet. As has become a tradition in anime, this moment revolves around a school festival.

1 Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War (+/- 0)

A decade following the conclusion of its initial anime run, Bleach is back to adapt the Thousand-Year Blood War arc that covers roughly 200 chapters of the manga. Pierrot's sequel celebrates the show's big return with a fantastic opening episode featuring some of 2022's smoothest animation, and the anime has only improved since then.

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War reignites a long-dormant conflict between the Soul Society and the Quincy Clan, a feud stemming from incompatible ideologies regarding the treatment of Hollows and souls. The lore behind this conflict is complex, but the anime has done an impeccable job of easing viewers back into this universe while simultaneously maintaining a fast tempo. This cour is built around the Sternritter's invasion of the Soul Society, a nail-biting stretch of episodes filled to the brim with incredible visuals and heartbreaking exchanges. Since then, the anime has slowed down slightly as Ichigo tries to pick up the pieces following the onslaught, leading to a big revelation regarding the protagonist's family tree.

Where To Stream Every Fall 2022 Anime

More than 45 anime aired during the Fall 2022 season. As not every show can be highlighted in the above section, the upcoming table includes the streaming information for every other Fall 2022 anime.

This section also includes anime that started prior to Fall 2022 (like One Piece); however, shows that are not on streaming services will be omitted (like Sazae-san, Crayon Shin-chan, and Doraemon). ONAs or OVAs will not be included either.

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