A Sad Good Bye to 2022!

The year is finally coming to a close. It’s time to say good bye to all the wacky weirdness that this year brought, and ring in the new year with all the hopes, dreams, and goals for something even better. But the year 2022 isn’t the only thing we have to say good bye to, there are also a lot of anime that are wishing us a fond fair well at the closing of the year. Over the years I honestly haven’t really been paying attention to the exact end dates of anime seasons, but this is the first time I’ve noticed so many anime finales match up so neatly with the end of the year. Though it does make the year wrap up quite nicely, it also makes the end of the year filled with sad good byes! From pink haired girls with amazing talents to heart warming spies to princesses that just want to be left alone so they can read, there are so many great anime that are coming to a close near the end of this December. Though there are certainly plenty of anime that will continue on into the new year and their finales are still a few weeks away, here are some of the anime that are drifting off into the great Valhalla of anime history and that I’m rather sad to say good bye to.

Spy X Family

If you haven’t watched Spy X Family yet (and you really should watch this!) it’s a light and heart warming spy action adventure/family comedy. It might not sound like those two elements go together very well, but the combination is pretty amazing! And the finale was no less wholesome and spy-tastic. In this fair well episode, the international top spy Twilight at last is going to make first contact with his target. But not surprisingly, things don’t go quite as planned. Though Anya does get to help with the mission in her own little way, it’s Twilight that really steals the show. In this final flourish of the season, Twilight shows the viewers why he is the top spy while also being a number one MVP dad too!

Raven of the Inner Palace

The anime Raven of the Inner Palace was a series that really didn’t get nearly enough attention! Though there certainly were a lot of great anime that came out in the Fall season, this anime was more than unique enough to stand out from the pack. It really is a shame more people didn’t follow this series! If you haven’t seen it, this is a paranormal mystery series set in the royal court of ancient China. The story centers around the Raven Consort. Though she’s called a consort, she doesn’t actually have any kind of romantic relationship with the Emperor. Her job is to guard a bird goddess and be the goddess’s avatar at times. The Raven Consort is also supposed to solve paranormal problems at the palace with her magical powers! In the multi episode end to the season, the Raven Consort along with the Emperor and all the friends she’s made along the way, finally confront the evil, manipulative, murderous magician “Owl” (he’s the bad guy!). Though he does shed light on a lot of mysteries that had been hovering over the Raven Consort, he also left a lot of questions unanswered. Not to mention that there’s the question of if this evil magician is even a reliable source of information? Considering all the mysteries in this series that have yet to be solved, hopefully we get a second season soon!

Bibliophile Princess

Though this wasn’t exactly a great series compared to other anime that came out in the Fall season, it was one of the few classic historic romance shojo that’s been released in years. And much like what would be expected for such a classic style anime, the series came to a close in a charming little wrap up with a holiday flourish! The miscommunication between the prince and Elianna is cleared up, the little princess Sharon is properly scolded for harassing Elianna, the evil Matilda is sent packing, and Elianna is even praised by the queen! And with the sharing of one final smooch before the end credits role, it’s clear that the bibliophile princess Elianna and the prince with live happily ever after!

I’m the Villainess, So I’m Taming the Final Boss

This anime is a wonderful spin on the standard isekai. Instead of the main character being transported to another world and turning into the most powerful, unstoppable, perfect hero ever, she is in the role of the villainess Aileen. And unlike the anime My Next Life as a Villainess, Aileen doesn’t change the story so everyone loves her. In fact, instead of trying to win over prince charming to get a happy ending, Aileen plans to marry the demon lord! Of all the anime of this post, the last episode of I’m the Villainess, So I’m Taming the Final Boss probably has the most charming ending. After winning a magical sword fight, Aileen defeats the “hero”, saves the demon lord, protects the demons, and has her happily ever after wedding too! It’s all very cute.

And with a final fair well to 2022, I’m looking forward to 2023 and the coming Winter anime season! The Fall season of the 2022 anime year was spectacular, I’m hoping that 2023 can live up to everyone’s expectations! I also hope that everyone has a Happy New Year! See you in 2023!