The Best New and Ongoing Anime Shows You Must Watch Posted Apr 1, 2022
During the height of the pandemic lockdown, people still worked, had school, and managed to find ways to have fun despite the negativity of the pandemic. While everyone has different ideas of fun, it is safe to say that some activities gained more momentum than others.
The western audience has not been known for watching foreign-language content like Japanese anime, which has been, for many years, a niche genre in the west with a small-dedicated audience that grew up watching Naruto, Bleach, and other early iconic properties that made it to the west.
Anime seems to have really taken off in the west and gained mainstream appeal when Netflix (everyone's favorite dumpster fire that occasionally gives us quality shows) put Avatar the Last Airbender (abbreviated as ATLA) on its platform.
Some anime fans are probably picking up their torches and pitchforks, ready to lynch us for calling ATLA anime, which it technically is not. We are aware and are only mentioning it because it was the gateway 'anime' for most people who would later go on to try actual anime.
Here, at the beginning of 2022, we are going to talk about some of the ongoing anime series that everyone has been crowing about. Various honorable mentions will be recommended as well.
1. Jujutsu Kaisen
The blockbuster anime sensation of 2020, Jujutsu Kaisen was still going strong in 2021. The plot follows Yuji Itadori, a decent schoolboy, who one day eats a real finger that functioned as a conduit for a strong demon known as Sukuna.
After devouring the finger, Itadori is taken in by Gojo Satoru, a dubious but powerful mentor, who assembles a Naruto-style ensemble of three core characters to combat the creatures labeled as curses in their reality.
Jujutsu Kaisen is a show which subverts Shonen anime conventions.
It's also one of the few shonen where women are given as much depth and power as males, as seen by this season's standout episode, which delves into the characters' psychology through wonderfully synchronized showdowns.
2. Odd Taxi
Odd Taxi is a basic exterior that conceals a deep inner core; each of the show's 13 episodes follows the rhythm of taxi driver Hiroshi Odokawa, an oddball and chronically single walrus who is bored with his mundane daily routine.
Unknown to him, a missing girl creeps into his life as his cab becomes the focal point of the investigation. Odd Taxi, which is a mix of Taxi Cab Confessions and Durarara!!, avoids bombast in favor of a slower-paced drama about friendships, cultural pressures, and modern life.
The cast's witty banter reveals a genuinely human perspective on modern life, touching prevalent but sometimes overlooked topics like gambling addiction, dating apps, and the need to make it in a world filled with microcelebrities. It's unlike anything you can find in the anime world right now.
3. Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba)
Kicking off with a bang, Demon Slayer starts with the relatively meek Tanjiro Kamado transforming into an angry warrior after enduring a trial by fire. Tanjiro's family is attacked by demons, who transform his sister, Nezuko, into a demon.
When the recently orphaned Tanjiro meets a Demon Slayer, he vows to avenge his family's murder, assassinate any demonic creatures he finds, and save his sister from her doom.
The second season of the highly lauded Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba series takes a unique approach. Rather than airing an entire season of new content, Ufotable split the season into two parts: the Mugen Train arc, which edits the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Mugen Train film into a seven-episode plotline with added content, and the Entertainment District arc, a brand-new arc that takes place immediately after Mugen Train.
The Mugen Train movie was excellent in and of itself, so it's no surprise that it translates well to the episodic television narrative.
4. Ranking of Kings
Prince Bojji, who was born deaf, is harassed by his half-brother and mocked by his subjects. Bojji aspires to become a worthy king after meeting Kage, a shadow who comprehends his emotions so that he may claim his rightful throne.
Featuring a pretty traditional fantasy setting (it has a look and mood that is similar to Dragon Quest), Ranking of Kings is beautifully done in watercolor. Its wonderful combat and flowing, freeform interpretation of fantasy is reminiscent of Jacques Demy's fanciful realms, and its touching plot leads to a timeless epic quest.
Moreover, it's a really sympathetic picture of the handicap, both uplifting and difficult in its portrayal of Bojji.
The show uses sign language recommended by the Tokyo Federation for the Deaf, which is a significant step forward for media and a way to make these important languages more popular.
5. SK8 the Infinity
Sk8 the Infinity, like the greatest sports anime, has wonderful bonds that could be more than what they appear, intriguing rivalries, and plenty of styles. The hidden "S" tournament is fraught with intrigue, and the subversively over-the-top villain Adam, for better or worse, comes to dominate the plot as it unfolds.
The bond between Reki Kyan, a high school sophomore, and incoming transfer student Langa Hasegawa, who introduces her to skateboarding, provides unexpected emotional grounding.
Sk8 the Infinity establishes intriguing relationships between opponents and allies, with an undercurrent of friction between Reki and Langa as the former becomes uneasy about how rapidly his close buddy takes up new abilities.
For the first time, the protagonist isn't naturally gifted, and the show's characterization is based on the fears of hard-won aptitude honed through a lot of effort. Even at its most theatrical, though, the program never loses sight of the fact that skateboarding comes first when it comes to having fun.
6. The Heike Story
The Tale of the Heike, a literary narrative of the Genpei War, is the basis for The Heike Story. It follows Biwa, an orphaned oracle who is adopted by the heir of the tribe who murdered her father. Despite her aversion to aiding her father's assassins in their war endeavor, she decides to chronicle the events to come, establishing herself as the author of the titular epic.
Reiko Yoshida's take on history is powerful and poignant, and when combined with the captivating woodblock-influenced animation style, the series has a folklore feel as well as emotional closeness.
It's a respectable and thoughtful recounting of a significant time in Japanese history, as well as a glimpse into Japan's present and even future.
7. 86
86 (Eighty-Six) is instantly distinctive in its frightening confrontation with fascism, taking place more than a hundred years in the future during a struggle between two factions of apparently autonomous robots.
It opens in the rich republic of San Magnolia, displaying its capital city from the viewpoint of Lena, a young military major in charge of directing a legion of machines against an opposing Army of drones, based on the light novel series '86'.
The spider-like "drones," however, are not self-piloted; they're piloted by an oppressed underclass of humans known only as "86s," a fact known to the military but concealed from civilian populations. The 86s are stripped of all human rights and forced to kill and die on behalf of the Alba, a race of humans.
The opening season of 86 is both thrilling and heartbreaking, depicting government tyranny and privilege without compromise.
Honorable mentions
We know that there are some titles that anime fans would be livid not to see here. Bear in mind that the honorable mentions are by no means any less stunning than the seven listed anime series above and they should definitely become a part of your recommended viewing list too.
- Attack on Titan (the final season came out in 2022)
- Wonder Egg Priority
- Pui Pui Molcar
- Tokyo Revengers
- Star Wars: Visions (a true world-building anthology)
- Sakugan
- Sonny Boy
- SSSS. Dynazenon
- To Your Eternity
- Zombie Land Saga Revenge
- Uma Musume: Pretty Derby
- Komi Can't Communicate
- Nomad: Megalobox 2
Given the popularity of anime, viewership numbers are expected to go up in the upcoming years. As a revolution in the animation industry sees studios in the west stepping out of mediocrity with new hits like Arcane, Invincible, Castlevania, Dota Dragon's Blood, and more, done in the highly stylized anime fashion, anime fans are in for an exciting ride.
Streaming giants have realized they also have to cater to a more demanding audience that wants to see nuance, diversity, and a move away from tropes that may be damaging to certain communities, genders, and more. With the current success of anime shows on streaming services, we can expect all major streaming giants to keep bringing content from other cultures to the Western audience.
