10 Best Anime to Watch in Summer 2022
Summer 2022 is fully underway, and for some, that means trips to the beach and days spent poolside. However, others may be looking for something to watch while they avoid the heat. And there’s no shortage of anime to dive into this season. Crunchyroll’s summer lineup offers plenty of new content to enjoy. Of course, the new shows aren’t the only ones worth diving into. Here are some of the best anime to check out over the next few months.
‘One Piece’
Summer feels like the perfect season to dive into a story about pirates and their adventures at sea — so, why not catch up on One Piece in 2022? The long-running anime has captured hearts since its debut back in 1999. With the series recently surpassing 1,000 episodes, it’s obviously held viewers’ interest over time.
And with One Piece showing no signs of slowing down — and getting a live-action adaptation at Netflix soon — there’s no better time to start watching. Netflix has a good chunk of Monkey D. Luffy’s adventures available on its platform, and Crunchyroll is fully up to date on the series.
It might seem like an undertaking, but One Piece will certainly keep you occupied all summer long. Plus, you’ll be ready when One Piece Red comes to U.S. theaters later this year.
‘Vinland Saga’
If an action-packed adventure at sea sounds great but One Piece feels overwhelming, Vinland Saga could prove a solid alternative. One of the best — and most underrated — anime to come out in recent years, the series follows a child hellbent on getting revenge. After tragedy strikes his family, Thorfinn vows to get back at the person responsible. To do so, he falls in with a group of ruthless Vikings.
Needless to say, Vinland Saga has a fascinating lineup of characters and some great relationship dynamics. It’s also full of action, making it an all-around fun time. The series returns for season 2 in January 2023, so now’s the ideal time to check out the first outing. It also just arrived on Netflix, making it accessible to even more viewers.
‘JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure may not exude summer vibes, but the series is action-packed, upbeat, and perfectly binge-able — an ideal combination for anyone catching up on anime this summer.
Each season of JoJo’s follows a new generation of the Joestar family, all of whom possess extraordinary abilities. They also have a tendency to come up against powerful opponents, offering fans some seriously great — and colorful — fight sequences.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean Part 2 arrives this September, leaving viewers plenty of time to catch up. And with such high praise for JoJo’s Part 6, it’s well worth getting up to speed on Jolyne Cujoh’s story.
‘Bleach’
Speaking of binge-worthy shows to dive into, Bleach is considered one of the best anime of all time for a reason. And it’s coming back for its long-awaited final arc in October. That alone seems like reason enough to dive in this summer — whether it’s for the first time or because you’re long overdue for a rewatch.
The series follows Ichigo Kurosaki as he gains the powers of a Soul Reaper — and finds himself hurled headfirst into a world of supernatural monsters and the order that fights them. Ichigo’s story is compelling any time of the year, but with the Thousand-Year Blood War Arc on the horizon, interest is likely to be at an all-time high.
And those hoping to catch up ahead of the new episodes will want to start this summer. Although Bleach flies by, it’s currently more than 300 episodes long.
‘My Hero Academia’
My Hero Academia Season 6 doesn’t come out until October, but the anime boasts an upbeat and laidback feel that’s ideal for a summer marathon. Set in a world where most people have developed extraordinary powers called Quirks, the series follows Izuku Midoriya and his classmates as they train to become Pro Heroes. Their journeys are both challenging and inspirational, and they’ll leave fans wanting more.
Fortunately, with a new outing on the horizon — and two My Hero Academia OVAs planned for this summer — they’ll have new content to look forward to almost immediately. The students at U.A. High may never get a break, but they certainly make our summer vacations more interesting.
‘The Devil Is a Part-Timer’
The Devil Is a Part-Timer Season 2 premiered this July, and this long-awaited second chapter is a highlight of the summer anime season. Arriving nearly a decade after the first batch of episodes, season 2 promises to throw new obstacles at the show’s main characters — especially Satan himself, Sadao Maou, who’s still stuck working at a fast food joint.
That premise alone makes this series a lighthearted and entertaining summer watch, and its weekly releases will give viewers something to look forward to. The summer 2022 anime season isn’t quite as packed as winter and fall, but gems like this make it worthwhile.
‘Spy x Family’
Spy x Family premiered during the spring 2022 anime season, but its second cour is scheduled for this fall. That gives anyone who hasn’t kept up with the new series the entire summer to catch up. And it’s worth checking out, especially if you’re in the mood for something light, heartwarming, and hilarious.
Spy x Family follows an undercover agent named Twilight as he takes on a secret identity — and a fake family — in order to keep the peace between two neighboring nations. Little does he know that his new wife and daughter have secret identities as well.
What happens when a spy, assassin, and telepath all live under the same roof together without knowing? The answer to that question can be found in Spy x Family Season 1. And yes, it’s every bit as bananas as it sounds.
‘Odd Taxi’
One of the best — and most unique — anime to come out in 2021, Odd Taxi deserves more love. Hopefully, it will get some when its movie, Odd Taxi: In the Woods, finally comes out internationally. According to Crunchyroll’s summer lineup, that could be soon. And anyone who dives into the series beforehand won’t be disappointed.
Odd Taxi follows a walrus named Odokawa as he does his taxi-driving job in Tokyo — and gets wrapped up in a murder mystery involving his customers. Twist after twist will leave viewers flying through every episode. If you love a good summer thriller, you’d be wise to jump into this series.
‘Rent-a-Girlfriend’
Summer is the ideal time to fall into a rom-com, and Rent-a-Girlfriend is considered one of the best anime in the romance genre. Its second outing premiered at the beginning of July, and it will continue throughout the season.
Rent-a-Girlfriend kicks off with 20-year-old Kazuya renting a girlfriend online after he gets dumped. And Chizuru is everything he could hope for — except he can’t tell if her kindness is authentic or an act. Because of this, Kazuya leaves Chizuru a bad review, prompting her to confront him — and somehow get wrapped up in his grandmother’s hospitalization.
Once Kazuya’s grandmother meets Chizuru, the pair end up lying about their relationship and fake dating to maintain the lie. If you’re a fan of such rom-com tropes, you’ll no doubt find yourself enamored by this story. And you’ll have plenty of new episodes of Rent-a-Girlfriend to look forward to!
‘Dragon Ball Super’
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero is one of the most-anticipated anime movies of 2022, and the best way to prepare is by watching Dragon Ball Super. Whether you’re coming to the series for the first time or giving it another watch, the action-packed shonen will keep you engaged.
The series consists of 131 episodes in total, so there’s just enough time to power through them before Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero‘s Aug. 19 release date. Those feeling extra ambitious can try fitting in some Dragon Ball Z as well — though that’ll no doubt take much longer.
