The wine competition anime The Drops of God is getting ready to drop its 22nd episode this week. The show, which has kept viewers hooked with its high-stakes wine battles and emotional family drama, is now moving closer to the end of its first season.
Episode 22, titled “The Gentle Fragrance of Distant Days” (遠き日の優しき香り), will arrive on Friday, September 4, 2026. With only two episodes left after this one, the series is entering its final phase, and fans can expect major developments in the race to find the legendary “Drops of God” wine.
When and Where to Watch Episode 22
The Drops of God episode 22 will first air on Japanese television on TOKYO MX and other networks at 11:30 p.m. JST on Friday, September 4.
For global streaming audiences, the episode will be available on multiple platforms starting at 12:30 a.m. JST on September 5, which is just one hour after the TV broadcast. This means viewers in different parts of the world can watch it at the following times:
- United States (East Coast): Friday, September 4 at 11:30 a.m. ET
- United States (West Coast): Friday, September 4 at 8:30 a.m. PT
- United Kingdom: Friday, September 4 at 3:30 p.m. GMT
- India: Friday, September 4 at around 9:00 p.m. IST
- Australia (East Coast): Saturday, September 5 at around 1:30 a.m. AEST
Where to Stream The Drops of God Episode 22
International viewers can catch episode 22 on Crunchyroll, which offers both English subtitles and an English dub. The episode will be available on Crunchyroll at the same time as the Japanese streaming release.
In Japan, the episode will stream on Anime Times, Hulu Japan, and Lemino starting at 12:30 a.m. JST. The show is also available on Crunchyroll through Prime Video Channels in some regions.
What Happened in Episode 21
Episode 21, which aired on August 28, 2026, saw Shizuku Kanzaki and Miyabi Shinohara traveling to Australia to find clues about the Seventh Apostle. While in Australia, they met Nadia at the Taiyo Beer Australia branch and got along well with her. However, her father Jack rejected them, saying “Japanese people are our enemies”.
Meanwhile, Issei Tomine was in California’s Napa Valley, looking through footage collected by Nakagawa, the person who first introduced American wine to Japan.
The episode ended with Shizuku losing to Issei in the Seventh Apostle battle. This defeat shook Shizuku deeply. He started to believe that his father, Yutaka Kanzaki, had set up the entire competition just to make him lose. His doubt grew so strong that he decided not to attend the opening of the Eighth Apostle’s will and stopped going to work.
What to Expect in Episode 22
Episode 22 picks up right after Shizuku’s defeat. Worried about Shizuku, Miyabi visits Robert to ask for help. Robert tells her that if Shizuku and Issei do not fight until the very end, they will never reach the “Drops of God” that stands at the top of the Twelve Apostles.
The next day, Shizuku finally returns to the office after being absent for some time. But instead of getting back to work, he announces that he is dropping out of the Apostle search competition. His colleagues at the wine division try their best to stop him, but Shizuku seems determined to give up.
Just when things look bad, Issei makes a surprise move. He posts the description of the Eighth Apostle online, basically declaring war on Shizuku. This public challenge forces Shizuku to decide whether he will walk away or step back into the competition.
With the series at episode 22 out of 24 total episodes, this episode serves as the last major setup before the final two episodes deliver the conclusion. The central mystery of Yutaka Kanzaki’s legacy and the competition between Shizuku and Issei is approaching its critical resolution.
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About The Drops of God Anime
The Drops of God is based on the manga series written by Tadashi Agi and illustrated by Shu Okimoto, which ran in Kodansha’s Morning magazine from 2004 to 2014. The manga has sold over 15 million copies worldwide.
The anime is directed by Kenji Itoso at animation studios Satelight and YANCHESTER. The main cast includes Kazuya Kamenashi as Shizuku Kanzaki, Takuya Satō as Issei Tomine, and Maaya Uchida as Miyabi Shinohara.
The story follows Shizuku Kanzaki, the biological son of world-renowned wine critic Yutaka Kanzaki. After his father’s death, the will reveals that his entire wine collection will go to whoever can correctly identify the 12 greatest wines his father selected, including the ultimate legendary bottle called the “Drops of God”. Shizuku must compete against Issei Tomine, a young wine critic who was adopted by Yutaka, to claim his inheritance.
The opening theme song “hate you? love you?” is performed by HOKUTO, and the ending theme “Kami no Shizuku” is performed by Maaya Uchida.
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