The winter season of anime is over for 2022, so once again time for me to look back and share some of my favourite stuff from them.
The shows I watched:
– Akebi’s Sailor Uniform
– Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2
– BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! PICO Fever
– BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS
– CUE!
– Delicious Party PreCure
– Girls’ Frontline
– In the Land of Leadale
– Miss KUROITSU from the Monster Development Department
– One Piece
– Police in a Pod
– Princess Connect! Re: Dive Season 2
– Slow Loop
– Waccha PriMagi!
As usual, potential spoilers for the shows listed above. Also, not every show has finished airing at the time of writing, but I’ve seen enough to determine how I feel about this season in general. Now let’s dive right in.
Best Opening Theme
“Special Force” by AXXX1S
The opening theme from Miss KUROITSU from the Monster Development Department is just a fun, high energy song. Definitely the theme song that stuck in my head most for this season.
Runners-up: “BAD CANDY” by yukaDD(;´∀`) (Girls’ Frontline); “The Rumbling” by SiM (Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2)
Best Plot
Every day life of a girl who loves sailor uniforms
Sometimes the best plot is no plot at all; just the every day interactions of a girl who is determined to wear a sailor uniform to her new school. Still, every single episode draws you in with beautiful presentation, and this is definitely the show that had me most invested every week.
Runners-up: Aspiring voice actresses (CUE!); Police officers at work (Police in a Pod)
Best Protagonist
Komichi Akebi
Out of all the characters from this season, Komichi is the stand out star. She is always full of energy and curiosity, and is the type that inspires others around her. I have so much adoration for the star of Akebi’s Sailor Uniform.
Runners-up: Pecorine (Princess Connect! Re: Dive Season 2); Cayna (In the Land of Leadale)
Best Antagonist
Megistus
He may not be the very pinnacle of Agastia, but I’d say it is Megistus who keeps the secret society running smoothly. Perhaps the least antagonistic antagonist out there, but he is part of an evil organisation. The chief of staff from Miss KUROITSU from the Monster Development Department ensures that this subordinates have a safe workplace. Also surprisingly good at writing idol songs.
Runners-up: Eren Jaeger (Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2); Kaiser Insight (Princess Connect! Re: Dive Season 2)
Best Female Character
Erika Kizaki
Pretty much the first friend that Komichi makes in Akebi’s Sailor Uniform, and she leaves quite the first impression when she clips her toenails and smells the clippers afterwards. Komichi may make many friends over the course of the show, but none of them get quite as close to her as Erika does.
Runners-up: Karyl (Princess Connect! Re: Dive Season 2); Seiko Fuji (Police in a Pod)
Best Male Character
Megistus
The best “antagonist” of the season also happens to be the best boss. Besides being a good boss and a surprisingly adept idol producer, he is also able to hold his own in combat. Of course that’s what you’d expect from Agastia’s chief of staff.
Runners-up: Armin Arlert (Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2); Kartatz (In the Land of Leadale)
Best Cast of Characters
Students of Roubai Girls’ Academy
I’ve already highlighted how great Komichi and Erika are from Akebi’s Sailor Uniform, but it is not just those two who contribute to making that show so good. It has a spectacular cast of characters, all of which Komichi seems to befriend in some way.
Runners-up: Agastia staff (Miss KUROITSU from the Monster Development Department); Machiyama police officers (Police in a Pod)
Cutest Character
Kao Akebi
Komichi’s little sister is adorable. She is pretty much a miniature version of Komichi, and her love of her older sister is so wholesome.
Runners-up: Lytt (In the Land of Leadale); Futaba Fukumoto (Slow Loop)
Most Badass Character
Mikasa Ackerman
There’s plenty of badass characters, but I feel like its always worth mentioning Mikasa whenever she is present in a season. As the world’s outlook becomes more and more dire in Attack on Titan, Mikasa is even willing to fight former allies. Only out of necessity, but she doesn’t share the same hesitation some of her allies show.
Runners-up: Pecorine (Princess Connect! Re: Dive Season 2); M4A1 (Girls’ Frontline)
Best Couple
Komichi Akebi & Erika Kizaki
It all began with a fateful meeting involving clipping toenails in Akebi’s Sailor Uniform, and that snowballed into one of the most incredible stage performances I’ve seen in anime. Komichi has great chemistry with seemingly everyone, but nothing quite compares to the relationship she has with Erika.
Runners-up: Pecorine & Karyl (Princess Connect! Re: Dive Season 2); Hiyori Minagi & Koi Yoshinaga (Slow Loop)
Best Battle
Pecorine vs. Omniscient Kaiser
A princess fights to reclaim her throne, and a dear friend. A lot leads up to that fateful encounter, and the climax of the second season of Princess Connect Re: Dive delivers in spectacular fashion.
Runners-up: Survey Corps vs. Jaegerists (Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2); Labyrista vs. Kaiser Insight (Princess Connect! Re: Dive Season 2)
Best Soundtrack
Akebi’s Sailor Uniform
Akebi’s Sailor Uniform doesn’t just look beautiful, but it sounds beautiful too. Some lovely piano music throughout the series, and music plays a massive role in its final episode. Just beautiful stuff here.
Runners-up: Princess Connect! Re: Dive Season 2; Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2
Best Finale
Komichi and Erika On Stage
Everything about Akebi’s Sailor Uniform is just beautiful, and its final episode is no exception to that. Komichi’s dance is something that she’s been preparing for a while, and then Erika steps out on stage… what an incredible moment that was. Then the performance gets underway, and Erika has a second surprise in store, too. Such an incredible way to end a gorgeous anime.
Runners-up: A princess reclaims her kingdom (Princess Connect! Re: Dive Season 2); Cops catch criminals (Police on a Pod)
Best Ending Theme
“Akuma no Ko” by Ai Higuchi
Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2‘s end theme is good stuff. The end is nigh, and this song encapsulates that.
Runners-up: “Baton” by Manatsu Murakami (Akebi’s Sailor Uniform); “HORIZON” by TEAM SHACHI (Girls’ Frontline)
Best Anime
Akebi’s Sailor Uniform
An absolutely gorgeous anime. I absolutely adore Komichi and Erika, and the supporting cast are all incredible, too. Watching this show is such an incredible experience. So much so that I’m confident it will definitely be one of my favourite anime of 2022.
Runners-up: Princess Connect! Re: Dive Season 2; Police in a Pod
That wraps up my Winter 2022 Anime Awards, and I was pretty happy with what this season gave us. No matter how many times I see it, I never fail to be captivated by Akebi’s Sailor Uniform‘s stunning visuals. Princess Connect! Re: Dive Season 2 wasn’t slouching in the visuals department, either.
I’m happy with what this season gave us. See you again at the end of the spring season, which is looking stacked.
Rory Muses 