Anime to look forward to in 2022
In 2021, anime fans got new seasons of Seven Deadly Sins, Scissor Seven, and Castlevania, and were introduced to some fun new releases, such as Komi Can’t Communicate, Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop, and Shaman King, to name a few.
Last year also saw the debut of Arcane, a cyberpunk animated masterpiece set in the League of Legends fictional universe, which was released to critical acclaim.
While we won’t be seeing a second season of Arcane until after 2022, there’s still a lot of great animated content to look forward to.
Anime continues to thrive in the mainstream media, and a new slate is rolling out again on our small screens this 2022.
Here’s a look at just a few of the most exciting new anime movies and television shows coming this month and beyond.
Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2
Release date: Jan. 10, 2022
The long-running Attack on Titan anime, based on the hit Japanese manga series, finally comes to an end this year with Part 2 of the fourth and final season.
Set in a world where humanity lives inside cities surrounded by three enormous walls that protect them from the gigantic man-eating humanoids referred to as Titans, Attack on Titan follows Eren Jaeger’s quest to rid the earth of the Titans after his mother is killed and his hometown is destroyed.
The long-awaited Episode 76 dropped on Netflix last Monday, Jan. 10 featuring a brand-new theme song and ending theme. The remaining episodes are set to drop weekly.
DOTA: Dragon’s Blood (Book 2)
Release date: Jan. 18, 2022
The second season of DOTA’s animated show Dragon’s Blood is arriving on Netflix this month.
DOTA: Dragon’s Blood Book 2 follows a conflicted yet courageous Dragon Knight who must use the power of the dragon within to stop a deadly demon in this epic fantasy based on the popular online game.
In the aftermath of the battle for the Nightsilver Woods all our characters set off on more adventures, for the Dark Powers, for the Dragons and for all of man kind.
The Orbital Children
Release date: January - February 2022
The Orbital Children is a two-part anime special that will see the first three episodes arrive on Netflix by the end of January, and will follow up with a further three episodes in February.
Set in 2045, The Orbital Children is about two children born on the moon and three kids from Earth try to survive after an accident on their space station leaves them stranded.
Child of Kamiari Month
Release date: Feb. 8, 2022
The very first internationally exclusive anime movie coming to Netflix in 2022 is Child of Kamiari Month. The anime has already debuted in Japan.
The Japanese animated film tells the story of a 12-year-old girl, Kanna, who was born as a descendant of the Gods. Her family has a mission to deliver offerings from all over Japan to the Gods' gathering in Izumo.
Although Kanna's mother was to complete the mission, her passing prompted Kanna to finish the task, hoping she could reunite with her dead mother in the Gods' land at the end of her journey.
Tiger & Bunny 2
Release Date: April 8, 2022
For the first time in 11 years, new episodes of Tiger & Bunny are on the way.
Set in a futuristic city where heroes fight crime whilst promoting real life sponsors, the series focuses on two superheroes, the old-fashioned Kotetsu T. "Wild Tiger" Kaburagi and the rookie hero Barnaby "Bunny" Brooks Jr., as they are forced by their employers to work together.
Ultraman (Season 2)
Release date: April 14, 2022
Japan’s greatest Tokusatsu warrior is returning in Spring 2022, three years after the first season debuted.
In the next season of Ultraman, Shinjoro will team up with his fellow Ultramen allies and continue to fight the ensuing threat from the stars.
Bubble
Release date: April 28, 2022
Bubble is an upcoming Japanese animated film produced by Wit Studio, the studio responsible for the first three seasons of Attack on Titan.
The story is set in Tokyo, after bubbles that broke the laws of gravity rained down upon the world. Cut off from the outside world, Tokyo has become a playground for a group of young people who have lost their families, acting as a battlefield for parkour team battles as they leap from building to building.
Hibiki, a young ace known for his dangerous play style, makes a reckless move one day and plummets into the gravity-bending sea. His life is saved by Uta, a girl with mysterious powers. The pair then hear a unique sound audible only to them. Why did Uta appear before Hibiki? Their encounter leads to a revelation that will change the world.
Spriggan
Release date: 2022
Spriggan is an upcoming adaption of Hiroshi Takashige and Ryoji Minagawa’s manga of the same name. Netflix first announced the series in 2019, and following production delays related to the coronavirus pandemic, the anime series is now set to debut in 2022.
Set in the waning years of the Cold War, the manga follows the story of Yū Ominae, a high school student who leads a double life as a “Spriggan,” an elite covert agent working at the behest of the clandestine ARCAM Corporation to recover powerful ancient artifacts left behind by an ancient civilization and prevent them from falling into the wrong hands.
Vampire in the Garden
Release date: 2022
An upcoming original anime from Wit Studio, Vampire in the Garden follows two young women—one a vampire, one a human—as they bond over the power of music despite the dissonance between their races. Previously slated to debut in 2021, Vampire in the Garden will now premiere on Netflix sometime in 2022.
key art for Vampire in the Garden by WIT STUDIO is here!
— Netflix Anime (@NetflixAnime) November 9, 2021
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¡La imagen promocional de Vampire in the Garden de WIT STUDIO ya está aquí! pic.twitter.com/bORXBRVWZS
Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas (Season 1)
Release Date: 2022
Zack Snyder's Army of the Dead was one of the biggest releases on Netflix in 2021, and the live-action movie has expanded its universe with spin-offs including an upcoming animated series.
Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas will take place before the events of the heist featured in the film, and will take place during the downfall of Las Vegas as Scott Ward, and his team of mercenaries try to evacuate civilians from the zombie-infested city.
Many of the cast members from the film will be returning to reprise their voice roles, including Dave Bautista and Ella Purnell.
We’ll also see the debut of Joe Manganiello in the franchise, who will lead the series as the voice of Rose. Jay Oliva, who previously helmed Trese, will serve as showrunner for the animated origin story.