Winter Anime 2022 Season Preview

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Last Updated: 01.22.2022

Continuing Coverage: Kimetsu no Yaiba S2, Hanyou no Yashahime S2, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean
Winter Season Hiatus: Quietcupcake (Taking a breather for the season), Kazanova (will be continuing Hanyou no Yashahime S2 coverage)

01.09.2022 Notice!
Berry’s computer broke down so until she gets the replacement she will late picking up some title she’s interested in this season.
Shadow will be covering Kimetsu no Yaiba S2 in her steed, and Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean has been put on hold until further notice.
Thanks for understanding!

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Resources: AniList, A.I.R, ANN, FanSub DB, LiveChart, MAL

PLEASE READ – Preview Format Disclaimer: The following titles featured in this season preview were decided by each of the writers who are participating this Winter by making a list and ranking then titles them by levels of interest.

• High: Most Anticipated
• Moderate: The Eye-Catchers
• Wild Cards: A Shot in the Dark

Participating writers’ rankings were then tallied and placed within the categories of interest based on the majority of votes or compromised when tied. So you will continue to see a variety of reactions based on the titles which have been selected to be featured. At the time same, the writers are not obligated to share their thoughts on the titles they are not interested in/unlikely to watch.

If you wish to see the full list of the preview, you will be able to find it in Live Chart.

High: Most Anticipated

Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2
Shingeki no Kyojin: The Final Season Part 2 | 進撃の巨人 The Final Season

Source: Manga
Animation Company: MAPPA 
Website: shingeki.tv/final
Premiere: January 10, 2022 (JST)
Genre: Action, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Psychological
Trailer: PV 1 | PV 2
Synopsis: The second part of Shingeki no Kyojin: The Final Season.

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Berry: looks off into the distance This is it. We’re almost at the end and I have no idea how this will all go. There’s been so many twists and turns in this series, crazy revelations, that I have no clue how things will pan out because the situation in the show is so abysmal. I’m just glad that I had marathoned the show recently so I can be part of this insanity. I’m both nervous and excited!

Shadow: HEEEEECK YEAH. This is it everyone. The supposed final part of the final season for the series. MAPPA has been doing great with this series, but I do think that they haven’t hit certain animation strides as WIT did yet. So hopefully this season will allow them to really show what they can do in AOT like they did with Jujutsu Kaisen. I have seen how the manga ended and I won’t say here how I feel about it, but I am curious as how the anime will handle it. Hopefully for the best because this series is a series to remember.

Possible Blogger: Shadow

Demon Slayer: Entertainment District Arc
Kimetsu no Yaiba 2 | 鬼滅の刃２

Source: Manga
Animation Company: ufotable 
Website: kimetsu.com/anime/yukakuhen
Premiere: December 5, 2021 (JST)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Supernatural
Trailer: PV 1 | PV 2
Synopsis: The second season of Kimetsu no Yaiba. The season will be divided into two parts:

Tanjiro and his comrades on a brand new mission within the Yoshiwara Entertainment District. A new 1-hour special episode will begin this section of the story after the conclusion of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Mugen Train Arc.

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Eva: Would it be fair to say I’m not emotionally ready for this? [Sweating nervously]

Berry: So far so good with this arc. It’s been really exciting and entertaining so far so I’m looking forward to how this arc will go!

Shadow: Definitely excited to continue on with Demon Slayer after that killer of a Train arc we had. Looks like we’ll be focusing on the white haired Sound Hashira this time. I feel like we had a really bad impression on nearly all of the Hashira when we first saw them due to them being really against having Nezuko alive since she is a demon. However, after what Rengoku showed us, I feel like all the Hashira can be likable once we get to know them and their circumstances. So I am excited to learn more about Sound Ninja man and see if he’s a good guy under his “flamboyant” declarations. Not to mention what Tanjiro and the gang will do moving forward after what transpired in the Mugen Train.

Possible Blogger: Berry (On-Going Coverage)

The Case Study of Vanitas Part 2
Vanitas no Carte | ヴァニタスの手記 2クール

Source: Manga
Animation Company: Bones
Website: vanitas-anime.com
Premiere: January 14, 2022 (JST)
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Supernatural
Trailer: PV 1 | PV 2 | PV 3
Synopsis: The second cour of the Case Study of Vanitas

Rumors revolving around The Book of Vanitas, a clockwork grimoire of dubious reputation, draw Noé, a young vampire in search of a friend’s salvation, to Paris. What awaits him in the City of Flowers, however, is not long hours treading the pavement or rifling through dusty bookshops in search of the tome. Instead, his quarry comes to him…in the arms of a man claiming to be a vampire doctor! Thrust into a conflict that threatens the peace between humans and vampires, will Noé cast in his lot with the curious and slightly unbalanced Vanitas and his quest to save vampirekind?

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Eva: Had I not been on hiatus when the first cour came out, I’m pretty confident would have picked it up because BOY THIS SERIES IS SO GOOD!!!!!! I’m so stoked for the second half, and Bones has been doing a phenomenal job! But after just watching it, I do wonder if this is the kind of show I’d rather just soak in all its glory by watching than covering…. Nevertheless, I’m still putting my name down because it is still among some of the top shows I am eyeing to cover this season! LET’S FREAKING GOOOOO~

Berry: I’m kind of in the same boat as Shadow. I did enjoy this show and it was fun to watch, but it did feel weird. I like the characters and all but I think it was the story I’m not super into as much because to me it felt like it was going a little everywhere and I’m not sure what the grand plot is supposed to be. This show to me is definitely more a watch rather than write type, as it doesn’t click with my brain, but I’ll definitely be watching this season.

Shadow: To be honest, while I did enjoy the first season, this series felt weird to me. It was a lot of fun to watch, but I didn’t get really attached to most of the main characters or the plot. Maybe it was the pacing? I dunno, something was weird and I guess I’m more or less on board for the ride without being particularly attached aside from well… ship reasons cough. I’ve actually already went ahead and read the manga or I guess to be more accurate, skipped around in the manga searching for specific scenes… >_> So I know what’s going to happen and I am excited to see it in animated form because yeah…. ahahaha…

Possible Blogger: Eva

Moderate: The Eye-Catchers

Delicious Party♡Precure
デリシャスパーティ♡プリキュア

Source: Original
Animation Company: Toei Animation
Website: toei-anim.co.jp/tv/delicious-party_precure
Premiere: February 6, 2022 (JST)
Genre: Mahou Shoujo
Trailer: PV 1 | PV 2 | PV 3
Synopsis:

Cookingdom is a delicious happy world run by cooking. One day, the Recipebbons, the treasured power with which they cook with, are taken by the phantom thief Capture Gang! Next, they’re after the cooking fairies, Recipeppis…!!

The Energy Fairies arrive at Oishiina Town in search of the Recipebbons and by chance, three ordinary girls become Pretty Cure! They’ll get back the recipebbons, protect everyone’s smiles, and defeat the Capture Gang!

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Eva: Oh Precure how I missed you so! Seriously, I’m starving for more magical girl series and Tokyo Mew Mew New~♡ can’t start soon enough to add more to the magical pack. I sincerely hope this one will appeal to me because sadly, Tropical-Rouge! Precure did not click with me whatsoever. We shall see~!

Berry: I recently finished watching Go! Princess Precure with Eva not too long ago and man that was great, greater than I thought it would be. So I’m pretty excited for the next Precure. Healin’Good had its issues but I still enjoyed that one as well and I’d like more cute magical girls. I wonder how this one will be, considering the last Precure that was food-related I just did not like the designs AT ALL. I wonder if this one will also be more comedic and I’m not sure I’d particularly be into that but we’ll see.

Possible Blogger: Eva

My Dress-Up Darling
Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru | その着せ替え人形（ビスク・ドール）は恋をする

Source: Manga
Animation Company: CloverWorks 
Website: bisquedoll-anime.com
Premiere: January 8, 2022 (JST)
Genre: Comedy, Ecchi, Romance, Slice of Life
Trailer: PV 1 | PV 2 | PV 3
Synopsis:

Traumatized by a childhood incident with a friend who took exception to his love of traditional dolls, doll-artisan hopeful Gojou Wakana passes his days as a loner, finding solace in the home ec room at his high school. To Wakana, people like beautiful Kitagawa Marin, a trendy girl who’s always surrounded by a throng of friends, is practically an alien from another world. But when cheerful Marin–never one to be shy–spots Wakana sewing away one day after school, she barges in with the aim of roping her quiet classmate into her secret hobby: cosplay! Will Wakana’s wounded heart be able to handle the invasion from this sexy alien?!

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Eva: Oh man I am so excited for this one! I’ve read the manga and I am super happy that it has been brought over too (by Square Enix if you weren’t aware). Those who aren’t fans of ecchi in general may be put off by some of the “angles” we’re probably going to see, but I really encourage giving this one a shot because the relationship between Wakana’s and Marin is very wholesome and endearing! UGH I LOVE THESE TWO SO MUCH!

Berry: I wasn’t too into this at first but looking into the PV it looks like it could be nice. I hope it’s more wholesome than anything.

Shadow: Hmmm, the premise does seem rather interesting so I may give it a look. Though the animation and movement does feel a little more on the uncanny side for me. But maybe I can overlook it if it turns out to be pretty good.

Possible Blogger: Eva, Shadow

Requiem of the Rose King
Baraou no Souretsu | 薔薇王の葬列

Source: Manga
Animation Company: J.C. Staff
Website: baraou-anime.com
Premiere: January 9, 2022 (JST)
Genre: Action, Drama, Supernatural
Trailer: PV 1 | PV 2 | PV 3
Synopsis:

Richard, the ambitious third son of the House of York, believes he is cursed, damned from birth to eternal darkness. But is it truly fate that sets him on the path to personal destruction? Or his own tormented longings? Based on an early draft of Shakespeare’s Richard III, Aya Kanno’s dark fantasy finds the man who could be king standing between worlds, between classes, between good and evil.

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Eva: Longgggg ago I’ve read a tiny bit of this series, and truth to be told, I can’t remember exactly how I felt about it. At best, I think this one was a bit of a mixed bag for me in terms of preference, though I vaguely remember there were times I was confused… but it also been ages since I’ve last checked it out. So naturally, I plan on watching a bit to see if it’ll reel me in this time.

Berry: Now, I don’t remember if I read Richard III. I probably read a bit of it in my college’s Shakespeare class but it’s cool that we’re getting an anime adaptation of a (early draft) Shakespeare play. This would be the second I know of (RomeoxJuliet being the other) so I hope this will be a good one. I do agree the art style is bland so that worries me.

Shadow: Honestly the only thing about this series that caught my attention on first glance was that the main character had a side bang that covered his eye… My aesthetic oops. But other than that, not a big fan of the art style since it feels kind of bland and stiff at times. But who knows, maybe it will be interesting. Though I’ll most likely wait for a consensus on whether or not it’s good or not before viewing.

Wild Picks: A Shot in the Dark

Love of Kill
Koroshi Ai | 殺し愛

Source: Manga
Animation Company: Platinum Vision 
Website: love-of-kill.com
Premiere: January 12, 2022 (JST)
Genre: Action, Psychological, Romance
Trailer: PV 1 | PV 2 | PV 3
Synopsis:

Two assassins face off. The cool bounty hunter Chateau and the mysterious and powerful Ryang-ha. Chateau and Ryang-ha become enemies after this fight—at least, they should have, but for some reason Ryang-ha takes a liking to Chateau and begins following her around.

Little by little, Chateau develops a cooperative partnership with Ryang-ha, which gets her caught up in the struggle against the organizations hunting him down. Furthermore, that battle is related to her past as well. Two mismatched assassins weave together a twisted “Assassin X Assassin” thriller. The strange gears of fate begin to move.

The first episode had an early premiere at AnimeNYC 2021

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Eva: Oh man I don’t know if I’ll actually be able to watch the adaption because it is pretty bloody and gruesome (as expected of an assassin story-line), but I have been reading the manga and enjoyed enough to be keep going! I fell a bit behind though because I did catch at one point and for most part, I like to binge-read stuff, but this is a wild ride alright.

Berry: This should be something I would be super into normally, but there’s something that isn’t really clicking with me and I’m not sure what it is. Still, I’ll give this a look.

Ryman’s Club
リーマンズクラブ

Source: Original
Animation Company: LIDENFILMS 
Website: rymansclub.com
Premiere: January 30, 2022 (JST)
Genre: Sports
Trailer: *PV 1 | PV 2 | PV 3
Synopsis:

The story centers on Mikoto Shiratori, a childhood prodigy at badminton, but who never recovered from a major loss during a high school competition. Now, he works in the sales department of the Sunlight Beverage company, playing badminton on the side.

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Eva: ALRIGHT Badminton is back! LET’S HOPE AND PRAY TO GODS OF BADMINTON THAT THIS ONE WILL BE GOOD! Seriously, I was so disappointed in Hanebado, I quickly dropped it. There is another one coming out in the spring (a novel adaption of: Love all Play), so let’s get this trend rolling! So far this one has my attention because it’s not an adaption but an original, and it has a mature cast! The PV is looking spicy, so I’m looking forward to it!

Shadow: I’m really picky about sports anime so I’m always hesitant going into new ones. Especially since I like the more fun and hopeful sports anime rather than the overly angsty and serious ones. However the animation looks SLICK and may just make me curious enough to give it a look.

Possible Blogger: Eva, Shadow

Sasaki to Miyano
佐々木と宮野

Source: Manga
Animation Company: Studio DEEN
Website: sasamiya.com
Premiere: January 10, 2022 (JST)
Genre: Comedy, Romance, Slice of Life
Trailer: PV 1 | PV 2 | PV 3
Synopsis:

Miyano spends his days peacefully reading Boys’ Love comics and worrying about how girly his face is-until a chance encounter leads to a scuffle with his senior Sasaki. Intrigued by his feisty junior Miyano, delinquent Sasaki uses every opportunity he can to get closer…

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Eva: I’ve heard wonderful things about how wholesome this series is so I’m excited to give it a go because you can never have enough of the sort. I did read chapter 1 to take a quick peek and was smitten by the cuteness, so if that counts for anything it’s a promising start! X3

Berry: Well this looks adorable and something I want right now. Right now I just need something slow, cute, and sweet. I’m excited for this one.

Possible Blogger: Eva, Berry

Futsal Boys!!!!!
フットサルボーイズ!!!!!

Source: Original
Animation Company: diomedéa
Website: futsalboys.com
Premiere: January 9, 2022 (JST)
Genre: Sports
Trailer: PV 1 | PV 2 | PV 3
Synopsis:

The franchise’s story is set in a world over a decade after futsal has skyrocketed in global popularity. Protagonist Haru Yamato watches the championship of the U-18 world cup and is inspired by a Japanese player named Tokinari Tenouji. He joins the Koyo Academy High School’s futsal team with the goal of becoming a player like Tenouji. There, he finds friends, and together they face their rivals.

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Eva: I am a simple person, if it’s sports I’m going to give it a whirl. Here’s to hoping this soccer one will be nice to watch. Feels like it’s been a while since I last enjoyed one.

Tokyo 24th Ward
Tokyo 24-ku | 東京24区

Source: Original
Animation Company: CloverWorks
Website: tokyo24project.com
Premiere: January 6, 2022 (JST)
Genre: N/A
Trailer: PV 1 | PV 2 | PV 3
Synopsis:

Enter the 24th Ward, a man-made island inside Tokyo Bay. Three of its inhabitants: Shuuta, Ran, and Kouki, have been best friends since childhood, but after a deadly incident, everything changed. A year later, reunited for the first time, they receive a mysterious phone call. On the other line is a familiar voice—from a friend who’s supposed to be dead. Together, they’ll have to save their home.

Note: The first episode is a 1-hour special.

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Eva: I’m not entirely sure what to think this of this one yet, but it has me curious enough to check out the first episode.

Overall Thoughts

Eva: Oof, I have to say, this is probably one of the most uninspiring lineup I’ve seen in a long time, which is why this preview is so painfully short. But that isn’t to say there aren’t any great titles of interests! At the very least, having already read the some of them at some point or another, so I already know they will be good. Among them there are four shows I am REALLY excited for, which are Delicious Party Precure, My Dress-Up Darling, The Case Study of Vanitas, Ryman’s Club, and Sasaki to Miyano and Tokyo 24th Ward. That said, I have no idea which ones and how many I will be covering yet this season because when it comes to the schedule, almost of the shows I’m interested in potentially covering come out the same day as each other…. Ahahahaha… This is a problem. How am I supposed to choose between them like this?! Well, we have to see which one clicks with me best!

Berry: This has to be the most boring-looking season I’ve seen in a really long time. I had looked over the season and quickly picked apart the shows and sequels I didn’t care about and only had such a tiny list. Thankfully I have Demon Slayer and Stone Ocean to keep me busy, but wow what a disappointing start to the year. There’s still some great ones to look forward to like Attack on Titan and Vanitas. But the one show that truly caught my attention was Sasaki and Miyano, that one seems to be the wholesomeness I desperately need at the moment. Hopefully there will be more stand outs this season but it’s hard to say when hardly anything caught my attention.

Shadow: This season feels SUPER underwhelming with literally nothing but the sequels really catching my attention. Because dang, the sequels this season are HYPE and will probably carry this season on their own. For sure I’ll be continuing my coverage on Attack on TItan and will most likely be loving it every episode despite me falling into despair. I’m not sure what the second title I’ll be picking up but I am willing to give My Dress-Up Darling and Ryman’s Club a try and see if any of them will catch my fancy. Though I’m definitely looking forward to continuing watching Demon Slayer and Vanitas for viewing pleasure. It’s rather slim pickings this season so we’ll see what happens.