Best Anime Of The Summer 2022 Season

The Summer 2022 anime season is done. Be it returning favorites like The Devil is a Part-Timer! And Overlord or newcomers like Call of the Night or My Stepmom's Daughter Is My Ex, the season had a few shows for almost every type of anime fan. A couple of Spring 2022 anime like Summer Time Rendering and Ao Ashi also aired their second cours.

With so much content to consume, it can be difficult to know where to start. To make that process as simple as possible, here is a rundown of the top Summer 2022 anime, along with information on where they can be streamed.

Updated October 4, 2022: Although some shows have an episode or two left to air, Summer 2022 is essentially over since its successor has already commenced. In the grand scheme of things, this season is unlikely to be remembered as one of the greatest of all time, but it still produced a number of fantastic shows. As always, sequels dominated the discourse, but they were forced to share the spotlight with a couple of popular newcomers. For the last time, this article has been updated to detail the best Summer 2022 anime​​​​​​.

Special Case: Uncle From Another World

While Uncle from Another World is another isekai show, the anime is far from conventional. It was also one of the best comedy anime of Summer 2022. After spending 17 years in a fantasy world, Ojisan returns to Earth and moves in with his nephew, Takafumi.

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Using his cultivated magical powers to craft reasonably successful YouTube videos and to provide snapshot looks into his days as an isekai hero, Ojisan tries to adjust to modern days while reminiscing on an adventure that produced more bad times than good. Uncle from Another World knocks both its fantasy and reality scenes out of the park, combining the sides in a way that enhances each of them.

18 My Stepmom's Daughter Is My Ex (+/- 0)

My Stepmom's Daughter Is My Ex has a title that might discourage people from giving it a try, sort of like Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai. While the former does not come close to reaching the same heights as the latter, Project No.9's anime is nevertheless a fun twist on the romance and slice of life genres. With their parents marrying, Yume and Mizuto suddenly find that they have gone from ex-lovers to step-siblings, and the transition comes with plenty of hurdles.

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My Stepmom's Daughter Is My Ex deals primarily with festering feelings, as both mains are not truly over their past relationship. Initially, their new situation makes things harder since they have to be around each other; however, as the story progresses, Yume and Mizuto steadily build a healthy connection. The anime ends on a strong note with its final two episodes.

17 Vermeil In Gold (+/- 0)

Helping to fill the quota for playful ecchi for the Summer 2022 season, Vermeil in Gold wastes little time in confirming that it will get reasonably risky with its content, even if it is unlikely to show anything too graphic. In order to pass his summoning magic class, Alto uses a mysterious grimoire to conjure a powerful demon named Vermeil, and she is more than happy to act as his familiar. To boost Alto's power, Vermeil needs to get physical with the mage. Yes, that type of "physical".

Vermeil in Gold is a strange beast. In many ways, this is a relatively straightforward fantasy shonen anime. The magical school setting has been done to death, but the introduction of familiars throws a unique twist into proceedings. That said, Vermeil is the only familiar who has shown any personality. The secondary characters are also quite entertaining, particularly Lilia and the members of the Student Council. While the action scenes suffer from lackluster animation, the anime knows how to produce an exhilarating or shocking moment. The show's villains are decent as well.

That is all well and good, however, Vermeil in Gold's value to a viewer will almost certainly depend on their reaction to Alto and Vermeil's relationship. Individually, the characters are fine, but their ecchi scenes together can get uncomfortable. The season's final few episodes divulge Vermeil's backstory, and it is quite an effective reveal.

16 Utawarerumono: Mask Of Truth (+/- 0)

White Fox's anime adaptation of Aquaplus's Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth cannot be watched in isolation since it is the final entry in a trilogy. Like the source games, this anime franchise is absolutely packed with characters, so much so that even people who watched the 2006 and 2015 seasons might struggle to keep track of everyone in the airing sequel.

While it might require some studying to fully appreciate, Mask of Truth is worth the effort. White Fox's animation is great, and it is backed by one of the best soundtracks of the Summer 2022 season. The dense narrative can be overwhelming at times, especially since the anime has a lot of content to cover in just 24 episodes, but the story is generally good.

15 The Devil Is A Part-Timer! Season 2 (+/- 0)

The most highly anticipated anime of Summer 2022, The Devil is a Part-Timer!, proved to be also the most disappointing. Season 2 revolves around the arrival of Alas Ramus, a young girl who identifies Maou and Emilia as her parents. This revelation sends the mortal enemies into a panic, although the pair eventually settle down and begin to regard and treat the unexpected minor as their child. Naturally, Alas Ramus' existence attracts the attention of some powerful people.

The Devil is a Part-Timer! Season 2 has flashes of brilliance, but the sequel never manages to capture the magic of its predecessor. Outside of a small arc that takes place on a beach, season 2 almost entirely ignores Maou's work life, which used to be the anime's selling point. More notably, the animation is considerably worse than in the 2013 series. The uneven animation might be more forgivable if the storytelling and humor were strong, but both aspects are inconsistent.

Despite these criticisms, season 2 is not devoid of charm. Shirou Ashiya and Hanzou Urushihara can be relied upon to deliver a funny moment or two in most episodes, and Chiho Sasaki is still likable even if her character stagnates until the season's last two episodes. Maou and Emi's relationship spins its wheel for most of the season, although their dynamic shows signs of growth.

14 When Will Ayumu Make His Move? (+/- 0)

Anime rom-coms tend to tip-toe around the characters' feelings for each other, so it is kind of refreshing when a series comes along that puts a few things on the table. Ayumu has a crush on Urushi and joins her one-member shogi club, with the goal of confessing after beating her in a game. In the meantime, Ayumu makes it very clear that he is interested in his senpai.

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Ayumu and Urushi have a cute and fluffy rapport built on mutual interest, even if the anime has not fully invested in making them a couple yet. Although the story does have a few fun side characters, they only show up in short bursts and primarily to support the protagonists. When Will Ayumu Make His Move? Is not laugh-out-loud funny, but the anime can put a smile on a viewer's face.

The anime's humor is endearing but also repetitive. Nearly every gag follows the formula of Ayumu unabashedly stating his interest in Urushi, prompting the latter to blush and try to change the conversation. These interactions are lovable in isolation but can grow stale if multiple episodes are watched in a row. That said, Rin's introduction helped shake things up, while secondary characters like Takeru, Sakurako, and Maki are delights whenever they appear.

13 Dropkick On My Devil!! X (+/- 0)

Dropkick On My Devil!! X was not the most popular sequel airing during Summer 2022, but it is one of the better comedic anime of the season. A Goth girl (Yurine) summons an obnoxious demon (Jashin-chan), tying the latter to a contract that can only be broken through the former's death. Consequently, Jashin-chan tries to kill Yurine, an endeavor that always ends in the demon's suffering.

Following a decent opening season, Dropkick On My Devil!!'S sequels expanded the show's roster of characters, introducing all sorts of angels and demons. While the core duo's rapport has not evolved all that much over the years, their interactions with the other personalities in the anime have allowed them, especially Yurine, to develop new dimensions.

Dropkick On My Devil!! X contains the series' most enjoyable batch of episodes, and the cour is consistently funny. This anime is not a masterpiece, but it is entertaining. Summer 2022 lacked much in the way of cozy slice of life anime, and while Dropkick On My Devil!! X is too violent to fully fill that niche, the anime is at least a relaxing sit.

12 Parallel World Pharmacy (+/- 0)

Summer 2022 was jam-packed with isekai anime, and that went beyond simply returning favorites. Harem in the Labyrinth of Another World, My Isekai Life, and Black Summoner are all stories about people being sent to alternate worlds, and each of those shows has something to offer. In terms of traditional new isekai entries, Parallel World Pharmacy was arguably the best of Summer's bunch.

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Instead of an adventurer, this anime focuses on a pharmacist, Kanji, who reincarnates as a child in a family known for medicine. As Falma, Kanji sets out to leave a positive impact on this world through healing rather than brute force. While certainly overpowered, Falma must rely on his medical background to help people, and Parallel World Pharmacy's scientific component seems to be well researched.

As the season progressed, Falma became less interesting since he fully morphed into the standard isekai protagonist who can accomplish nearly anything without breaking a sweat. Nevertheless, Parallel World Pharmacy is an enjoyable sit due to its topic specialization and generally positive tone. The anime ended with the Black Death arc, a saga that hit a few high points but also seemed rushed. The final episode introduced a villain with barely any build-up, only to quickly eliminate them without much of a hassle.

11 Fuuto PI (+/- 0)

A sequel to a 2009 live-action Kamen Rider W series, Fuuto PI is a tough sell, something that was not aided by the series' late debut in the Summer 2022 season. While familiarity with the original show helps, the anime does a decent job of re-introducing its main players so that newcomers will be able to follow along.

Shotaro Hidari and Philip run a detective agency that generally takes on strange cases, like one involving a supposed witch who bathes in public and kills made men. With Shotaro handling the leg work and Philip serving as support, the PIs share an amusing rapport that emphasizes their complementary personalities. Also, they combine to create Kamen Rider W, a literal superhero.

Fuuto Pi tries to be a lot of things. The anime tests its hand at mystery, action, neo-noir, and comedy, and while not every genre is knocked out of the park, most are handled with care and expertise. Shotaro and Philip complete each other well, and they are backed by a strong roster of supporting figures and an enigmatic antagonist who has been pulling the strings from the shadows.

10 Engage Kiss (+/- 0)

With so many anime airing per season, a slow or weak start can doom a show, particularly a new property. Engage Kiss serves as the perfect example of a series that should not be judged on the quality or content of its pilot since the characters' depth does not become apparent until a few episodes in. With the help of a demon girl named Kisara, Shuu Ogata operates as a demon hunter in Bayron City. Initially, Shuu seems to not have much motivation, but the protagonist has a lot more going on than meets the eye.

Engage Kiss has great action sequences, flawed characters who are interesting but not necessarily likable, and a decent plot that suffers from some pacing issues. At times, this story moves at too quick of a pace; in fact, the anime would have benefited greatly from a two cour run that would have granted some relationships, such as Shuu and Ayano, to be established better. Still, despite a rough start, Engage Kiss grew into one of the best Summer 2022 anime, delivering a great final act that packed in some of the season's most memorable fights.

9 Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon? 4 (+/- 0)

Building upon season 3's action-packed finale, Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon? 4 starts things off by instantly setting up an enticing premise for its next arc: Bell needs to reach the lower levels of the Dungeon. As the last few arcs were largely set within Orario rather than the unexplored layers hidden beneath the city, season 4's return to exploration is more than welcome.

Hestia and Bell put together a team of fan favorites who are hopefully capable of surviving the Dungeon's known and unknown challenges. Along with giving more screen time to minor players, this journey has also forced characters like Lili to take on new roles as they seek to complement Bell's strengths and weaknesses.

This cour's first arc is refreshingly straightforward. Essentially, the heroes have to survive the threat of an evolving monster, a situation that produces plenty of nail-biting sequences and great action. After that, DanMachi season 4 commenced a new storyline involving a string of murders credited to one of Bell's allies, leading to a manhunt for the assumed culprit. This arc has been predictable so far, but it has ramped up the intensity quite nicely with the introduction of a horrifying enemy.