Keenan McCall
Chainsaw Man
Easily the most promising debut show of the season, Chainsaw Man has the potential to be the next big thing in anime. Set in a world where humans’ fears take the forms of ultra-destructive Devils, the series follows Denji, an orphan forced to hunt said Devils to pay off his father’s debt. After losing his life during a hunt gone wrong, he is saved by his pet Pochita and becomes the Chainsaw Devil as a result. This puts him in the crosshairs of Special Division 4, who give him an ultimatum: Join them and defeat Devils that threaten humanity or die as an enemy of all mankind. While it might seem generic on its surface, this Shonen has a little something for everyone. There are grotesque monstrosities that will tickle the fancy of horror fans; enough buckets of blood to make the Stanley Hotel elevator blush; and enough Sakuga to leave even the most discerning animation critic impressed with studio MAPPA‘s hard work. Toss in the fact that it has a complete storyline to work with, and this show is already set to be a must-see classic.
My Hero Academia Season 6
Five seasons of story arcs and character development for the cast of My Hero Academia have all led to this. The heroes we’ve all come to know and love have gathered for a vital operation. They’ve deciphered the plot laid out by the Paranormal Liberation Front, and now the fate of the world rests on the outcome of their fated clash with the biggest Villain operation in Japan. The Villains, meanwhile, are in the same boat. After months and even years of plotting, scheming and clawing their way toward their goal, they’re inches away from destroying the world and recreating it into the form that will allow them to live without restriction. It’s a clash of ideals with an exceptional amount of story behind it, and there’s little doubt that the anime’s world won’t be the same when the dust settles. It’s a much-needed shot in the arm for the popular series too, with this cour serving as the most action-packed one the show has seen in years. It also serves as a great motivator to finally dive into the series, whether that means watching the previous seasons or checking out its movies and OVAs.
Spy X Family Part 2
It really says something when a show taking three months between cours feels like an eternity, and that’s exactly what happened with Spy X Family. After taking the world by storm, the show enjoyed a brief break so that the animators over at Wit Studio and CloverWorks could polish up the next portion of the series. And polish they did: The series is looking as gorgeous as ever, with Lloyd, Anya and Yor all up to their usual antics in stunning yet warm and cozy animated splendor. As for what the next section of episodes will cover, it’s some pretty exciting stuff. There are more spy-related hijinks that the family will be dragged into, along with harrowing moments of action and danger as well as the introduction of a new member to the family. Honestly though, this series’ family could do the most mundane of tasks and it’d still probably be a blast to watch. Those looking for a fun, feel-good anime won’t have to look anywhere else but here.
Mob Psycho 100 Season 3
A contender for both the best Shonen of the season and the best animated show of this season’s promising crop, Mob Psycho 100 Season 3 is set to be a wild ride. In addition to providing fans with another cour of its story, this new season also has a lot going for it story-wise. Mob is forced to face his biggest challenge yet; not in the form of a powerful new psychic, but through the difficult dilemma of deciding his path in life once he graduates high school. This is while he’s also juggling the stresses of maintaining his personal relationships, fighting off ill-intentioned individuals, and trying not to be sucked into a cult that worships him like a god. It’s all more than a regular teenaged boy would normally have to deal with, and it’s only a matter of time before Mob blows his physically amplified top once again. Fortunately, his friends are in the picture, and they’ll do everything they can to help him arrive at the best outcome possible. There’s little doubt this season will be just as good as the last, and will almost certainly deliver on the continually impressive conceit of the wider series. Likewise, it looks to be a cour anyone could dive into, with all the characters being just as enjoyable to watch, whether you’re seeing them for the first time or the hundredth.
Urusei Yatsura
We could paint this up as something else, but we’ll be frank: The remake of Urusei Yatsura is set to be the most entertaining trashy Harem show of October 2022. This isn’t a bad thing by any means, and if it had to be any show, one could do far worse than this one. A classic filled with misunderstandings, perversion-fueled hijinks and a surprising amount of heart, the series is held in high regard among older anime fans for good reason. Each storyline is solid, and you get exactly what you signed up for from beginning to end. There’s also the benefit of the series having finished on a satisfying note decades ago. This means the show will receive plenty of tender love and care throughout its 46-episode run sans any filler-related tangents, with the modern animation style and sensibilities only bolstering the strengths it’ll carry over from its source material. As such, it’s a no-brainer to dive into the show as it’s starting, and to keep said brain turned off for maximum enjoyment of this quality garbage food of a classic.
Bleach: The Thousand Year Blood War
After more than a decade without a new episode, the Bleach anime is finally returning to adapt its final season. Fortunately for fans, the wait looks to have been well worth it. Picking up shortly after the events of the previous season, the story finds Ichigo and his friends faced with a new threat. Some unknown faction has obliterated the Arancar, and Hueco Mundo has fallen to them in the blink of an eye. Now, this faction has its eyes set on the Soul Society and the realm of the living, with the Soul Reapers and the ever-angsty Strawberry standing as the only ones who can oppose them. Raising the bar in every regard from the story pacing to the animation and fight choreography, the show is an easy pick for one of the best anime of October 2022. Not only that, but it still maintains the soul and spirit of the original source material and anime. The characters and the way they interact with one another still feels like watching good friends reunite after years apart, immediately falling into the same old mannerisms as if they’d never stopped hanging out together. It’s everything fans of the series could want, and even if one goes into it as a newcomer, they’ll be privy to the best possible view of the series as it makes its way toward a proper finale.
Golden Kamuy Season 4
There is no good way to describe Golden Kamuy even as it enters its fourth cour. Sometimes, it’s a sweeping treasure hunt epic that could put its contemporaries to shame. Each new wrinkle in the plot adds depth to the mystery of where its untold riches really lie, and who will finally track it down. Other times, it’s a heartwarming tale of found family, with Sugimoto and Asirpa weathering whatever challenges the world throws at them because they have each other. Then there’s every other moment from the show. One minute the characters will be waxing poetic on the value of home-cooked meals. The next, they’re boxing a madman in the dead of winter after sharing a highly intimate venting session in a remote sauna. And that’s just if the show is in the mood to keep things generally on the level. It’s a fever-dream of an oddity, but that’s also part of its charm. Even if it doesn’t have the animation or story that other shows do, this wild card is sure to stick in one’s memory as one of the weirdest yet best anime of October 2022.
Bocchi The Rock!
If someone were to look at Bocchi The Rock! from a purely aesthetic standpoint, they wouldn’t be blamed for thinking it’s a modern ripoff of K-ON! It has everything a proper imitator of the classic show would need. There are cute girls playing instruments for unique musical numbers, chill vibes to go with the warm color palette, and a heaping helping of character quirks that are meant to tug at one’s heartstrings regularly. But that’s all just the surface level of the show. Right below the fluff is a series with real depth and heart, centered around protagonist Hitori Gotou discovering herself through music. Each breakthrough she makes with playing her instrument and performing with her friends feels uplifting, and one can’t help but want to see what happens next as she fights to come out of her shell even more. It may not be the most action-packed series of the season, and it’s a darn good way to kick back and unwind with something positive after a long day. For now, that’s more than enough to earn it a spot on our list of the best anime of October 2022.
Yowamushi Pedal: Limit Break
It’s been a little while since fans last saw the Yowamushi Pedal boys doing competitive bicycling well, but the series doesn’t look to have lost its step. Dropping viewers right back into the thick of the 42nd Inter-High, every part of the series is going at full-blast. The races still feels as intense as ever, and the stakes continue to weigh heavy on the Sohoku High team following their Senpais’ graduation. The art still has its distinct look too, ensuring the show will stand out even in the more stylized Sports anime genre. Most important of all, however, is that the characters are still as lovable as ever. From the Sohoku team to Hakone and Fushimi High, there’s no shortage of Best Boys to choose from. This gives the show that much-needed “It” factor that’ll keep anyone watching, no matter how many episodes they stretch out a 10-second streak of cycling into. There’s just so much to love about this show, and anyone looking for a good Sports anime this season should look no further than this returning gem.
Berserk: The Golden Age Arc – Memorial Edition
It’s an odd feeling putting a Berserk anime on our list of the best anime of October 2022, but there’s a good reason Berserk: The Golden Age Arc – Memorial Edition makes the list. For starters, the show is a fairly direct readaptation of the Golden Age film series. The material has already been proven to be decent, and while its 3D animation may not be perfect in places, it’s still leagues better than the 2016 and 2017 shows. Bolstering this is new and remastered footage, improving the rougher bits while also expanding on the story where content was cut for necessity to make the films more palatable. Likewise, the story has a clear narrative throughline, covering everything from the Golden Age arc in an entertaining and accurate manner. It may not tie every plot point up into a perfect bow, but this guarantees the show will stick to canon material and only canon material for however long it runs. Past all of that, it’s Berserk in the best animated form possible. One can’t find many better told tales in all of anime or manga, and if they haven’t read the manga by the late Kentaro Miura yet, this is about the best introduction they could get to the series.
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