2022 was a remarkable year for anime and fans got to enjoy quite a lot of their favorite manga receiving anime adaptations while others that were already popular continued very strong this year. At the helm of most of the anime of this year have been very strong and well-written male characters.
The various amazing anime that lit up 2022 for the fans made sure to do so with these compelling male characters. In a plethora of these characters, only a few have managed to stand out and shine as the very best of the 2022 anime year
10 Ashito Aoi
Ashito Aoi from Ao Ashi has been one of the standout characters of this anime year. He's also one of the characters who fans didn't expect to shine as much as he really did. Aoi is quite talented at football, however, his ego gets in the way oftentimes.
This ego, however, adds a layer of complexity to his character which fans end up liking him even more for. While at his core, he appears to be a selfish character, as he progresses in the anime season, Aoi becomes more and more likable and his character progression is certainly something that everyone has enjoyed this year.
9 Miyuki Shirogane
The President of Shuchiin's Student Council, Miyuki Shirogane is a character that every fan of Kaguya Sama adores. Shirogane is quite a fun character to watch, however, this year, his character was particularly enjoyable due to him diving deep into many new hobbies of his.
At his core, Shirogane is a deeply caring character who enjoys the company of Kaguya quite a lot. At the same time, however, he tries to be stoic and does whatever he can to make sure that Kaguya confesses her love for him. The complexity of his character is fascinating and hilarious to watch at the same time.
8 Ichigo Kurosaki
Ichigo Kurosaki needs no introduction among fans as he is already known to be one of the most popular anime characters of all time, as the protagonist of the famous series by Tite Kubo, Bleach. The Bleach anime returned earlier this year with the adaptation of the Thousand Year Blood War arc and it goes without saying that it has left fans stunned.
Ichigo, being the protagonist, is at the center of all the action and his cool character, combined with all the nostalgia that fans have amassed over the years for him and other bleach characters, makes him rank easily among the very best male anime characters of 2022.
7 Katsuki Bakugo
My Hero Academia's Bakugo is a phenomenal character who's also known to be the most popular in the manga among the fans. With the story now hitting its peak in the anime, it is no surprise that all the main characters are shining much more than ever.
This only means great things for Bakugo, who is always at the center of attention when it comes to the story. This year, his character enjoyed quite a lot of progression which fans can't help but love him for.
6 Xin
Xin is a character that manga fans have loved over the years and now, with Kingdom continuing the incredible story in anime form as well, it is no surprise to see Xin being among the most popular anime characters of the year 2022. Xin's character has shown quite a lot of progress over the years and he's risen to the rank of the leader of the Fei Xin unit.
With a brave heart and undeterred faith, Xin continues to push towards his goal of becoming a General. Everything about his character is incredibly well-written and he goes down as one of the very best of this year.
5 Denji
Chainsaw Man is, quite possibly the biggest anime of the year and its protagonist, Denji was certainly not going to miss out on this list. Having quite a difficult life from the start, Denji's world is turned upside down when he becomes Chainsaw Man. At his core, he's just a child with childish dreams and that is precisely what makes him very fun to witness.
Denji gets himself into trouble and makes mistakes, but also learns valuable lessons in the end. He values every single bond that he creates and for that and much more, he remains to be one of the most popular male characters in anime in 2022.
4 Shigeo Kageyama
Mob Psycho 100 III returned earlier this year with a phenomenal season, just like ever. Fans have been waiting for the continuation of this anime to see their beloved characters and Shigeo Kageyama is certainly one of them. As an esper, he's absolutely fantastic and his growing popularity only makes him more likable.
As with many other characters on this list, Mob goes through quite a lot of character progression, especially towards the finale of the show. Without a doubt, he is one of the most beloved anime characters of 2022.
3 Loid Forger
Spy x family took the world by storm when the anime adaptation was released earlier this year. The show features some incredible characters such as Anya, Yor and everyone's beloved, Loid Forger, also known as Loid is one of the smartest men in all of anime yet, seeing his soft side often makes fans love him more than ever.
Loid can be protective when he needs to be, but more importantly, he tries his best to be a great father to Anya and a great husband to Yor. All his qualities certainly ensured that he remains one of the most loved anime characters of 2022.
2 Bojji
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Ousama Ranking's cour two aired in 2022 and its protagonist, Bojji, is a young Prince incapable of listening or speaking. At the same time, he's also physically quite weak, yet he aspires to be King one day as he is the heir to the kingdom.
Bojji is faced with several complications on his journey and given the fact that he is disabled in more ways than one only makes him a more interesting character. Along the way, Bojji also makes great friends, such as Kage, who stuck by him to the end and eventually conquers all that lies in his path.
1 Monkey D. Luffy
The protagonist of One Piece, Luffy is a man for all seasons. One Piece has recently entered its Wano Country arc and the story is now close to its climax. Being a yearly anime, one would expect the popularity of its characters to die down over time, however, One Piece is going strong as ever.
Luffy has made some big leaps this year and is finally challenging the strongest of the world and spreading laughter and freedom wherever he goes. Undoubtedly, Luffy remains to be one of the best male anime characters of 2022.