The anime of the year awards are the ones that have gone more and more global, and in fact there are many platforms that are in charge of giving their own (even we’ve been doing it for a few years now). More strikingly, I think the prices that almost the whole community usually comments on are those of Crunchyroll, Reddit and also the Anime Trending Awards. Well, while we wait for the results of the first two, the truth is that we have “Bocchi the Rock!” as the winner of the latter.
The Anime Trending Awards crown Bocchi the Rock! as the best anime of 2022
Obviously the 2022 Anime of the Year award isn’t the only thing that’s been looked at, so before I comment on anything else, I’ll leave you with all winners by the Anime Trending platform (via ANN):
- Anime of the year: Bocchi the Rock!
- Animated Film of the Year: Sword Art Online the movie -Progressive- Aria of a starless night.
- Male Character of the Year: Shinpei Ajiro, summer time rendering.
- Female Character of the Year: Marin Kitagawa, from My Dress-Up Darling.
- Couple of the Year: Miyuki Shirogane and Kaguya Shinomiya from Kaguya-sama: Love is War – Ultra Romantic-.
- Best Anime Adaptation: Bocchi the Rock!
- Best Animation: Mob Psycho 100.
- Best Character Design: Recoil of Lycoris
- Best Episode Directing: Bocchi the Rock! (especially episode 8).
- Best Original Screenplay: Cyberpunk: Edge Runners.
- Best Storylines and Aesthetics: Night call.
- Best Soundtrack: Bocchi the Rock!
- Best cast of voice actors and actresses: Bocchi the Rock!
- Large opening: Ya Boy Kongming!, with Chiki Chiki Bam Bam.
- Best ending: Call of the Night, with Yofukashi no Uta.
- Best Action/Adventure Anime: Chainsaw man.
- Best comedy of the year: Bocchi the Rock!
- Best drama of the year: Recoil of Lycoris
- Best fantasy anime of the year: Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Burning Sun.
- Best musical anime of the year: Bocchi the Rock!
- Best psychology/mystery anime: Daylight saving time rendering.
- Best romantic anime of the year: Kaguya-sama: Love is war -Ultra romantic-.
- Best Sci-Fi/Mecha Anime: Cyberpunk: Edge Runners.
- Best slice of life of the year: Bocchi the Rock!
- Best Sports Anime: Aoashi.
- Best Performance by a Male Character: Natsuki Hanae, as Shinpei in Summer Time Rendering.
- Best Performance by a Female Character: Astumi Tanezaki as Anya in Spy x Family.
If any of the awards squeak or don’t have a clear winner, I have to say the Anime Trending Awards are coming from community vote, in a community specifically in which the slice of life, the ‘vessels’ of the couples and others are the strong point and the most commented on by the participants. For other awards, like Crunchyroll’s in particular, I’d expect quite different results (especially since they don’t have a fall anime until the following year). However, one cannot be upset by all the recognition that “Bocchi the Rock!” has received.