Not every anime has to be thousands of episodes long like One Piece or Case Closed. In fact, some of the most enjoyable stories are those that are succinct and compact. So, let’s take a look at some of the shows that do that well.
RELATED: Strongest Jujutsu Kaisen Students, Ranked
These are shows that can be defined as "easily binge-able" either because of their fast pace, their close-knit narrative, or the amount of variation from episode to episode. Be it one season or two, these shows draw in viewers with interesting plotlines and lovable characters. With such a large variety of styles and genres at hand, there’s something here for everyone.
Updated July 22nd, 2021 by Jacob Buchalter: 2020 was a rough year, to say the least. Plenty of anime fans used their extra time to binge media faster and more vicariously than ever before. So, it was an amazing time to recommend shorter anime series to people in the hopes of getting them interested in the medium or just to enjoy themselves in general. When this list initially came out, there were a few shows still airing that have since finished, and so can now make the cut. The intention of this list is to give readers some show recommendations that have a format that allows for easy binging, as well as shows that don't have a ton of episodes. Because of this, Aggretsuko was removed (even though it's a fantastic show), simply because it has quite a big pile of episodes at this point. Hopefully, these new recommendations will be enough to satiate anyone who still needs new shows to watch, pronto.
13 One Punch Man
- Release Date: 2015 (Season 1) & 2019 (Season 2)
- Animation Studio: Madhouse (Season 1) & J.C. Staff (Season 2)
- Episode Count: 12 (Season 1) & 12 (Season 2) for a total of 24
- Where To Watch: Netflix & Crunchyroll (Season 1), Hulu (Season 2)
First up is One Punch Man, a series that somehow has a ton of variation in every episode as well as none at all. In every single arc, characters end up fighting against an insurmountable enemy and losing, only for Saitama, the iconic "Caped Baldy", to come and beat them in one punch right at the end.
Yet, while the structure for these arcs all share the same foundational concept, the character interactions, fight scenes, and pacing all differ widely. One Punch Man is a high octane, hilarious, and downright incredible series that is easy to burn through. Plus, OPM is on Netflix, making it more accessible as well. For those who end up loving One Punch Man, it might be worth giving the Mob Psycho 100 anime a try as well, considering it has the same creator (a man known as "ONE"), and it's equally as incredible of a fantasy series as OPM.
12 Megalo Box
- Release Date: 2018
- Animation Studio: TMS Entertainment
- Episode Count: 13
- Where To Watch: Netflix & Crunchyroll
Megalo Box took a lot of people by surprise when it was first released in 2018, and it’s surprised even more people recently with the confirmation of its upcoming second season. The anime was made as a sort of pseudo-celebration and commemoration for the 50th anniversary of Ashita no Joe, an iconic boxing anime comparable to Rocky Balboa in its style and structure.
Yet, for something that was made to celebrate another series, Megalo Box really does a good job standing on its own two legs. The world is interesting, Junk Dog, AKA "Joe" is a relatively mysterious MC that viewers want to learn more about, and his fights are pretty amazing to watch as well. And, because it follows Junk Dog’s relatively short career, there are only 13 episodes to watch in the first season.
11 Baccano
- Release Date: 2007
- Animation Studio: Brain's Base
- Episode Count: 13
- Where To Watch: N/A (read the update below)
Baccano was many people's first introduction to how anime could tell more adult stories while still including fun, fantasy, and hilarious characters. Plus, the show is very stylistically similar to the original Fullmetal Alchemist anime, which brought it a slew of new fans as well.
Baccano is a short story about prohibition, the Mafia, and an elixir of immortality. Oh, and it also has a gigantic cast of characters who all have their own motivations and time in the spotlight. Because of the character diversity and compact narrative, Baccano makes for a fantastic series for people to watch on a weekend off.
Update: So, previously, Bacanno was on a multitude of streaming services and was actually one of the more accessible Brain’s Base animated series. This ease-of-access was actually a large reason why Baccano was the “starter” anime for so many people.
But, apparently, back in 2016 the streaming and DVD home distribution rights for Funimation expired, which meant the series got ripped off of every streaming service, and no further DVDs were produced. So, unless there’s another way to watch this anime somewhere online, it’ll be a hard one to get into in this day and age. Still, for those who manage to find it out there, it’s absolutely worth a look.
10 Erased
- Release Date: 2016
- Animation Studio: A-1 Pictures
- Episode Count: 12
- Where To Watch: Netflix & Crunchyroll
Erased is one of those “go back in time to change the past” stories similar to Back to the Future, but done so incredibly well. A-1 Pictures is the animation studio behind this, known for quite a variety of anime, such as the Fairy Tail adaptation, Blue Exorcist adaptation, and the even made the absurd series known as GATE.
What Erased does differently though, is that MC Satoru Fujima is an adult that travels back in time to when he was in middle school to solve a murder mystery! So, as a child not even in high school, Satoru has to investigate very adult issues and convince people he knows what he’s talking about, all in the body of a child. That, combined with the fact that he goes back to the present a couple of times, and the impeccably well-written story between him and the girl he’s trying to save, Kayo, makes Erased the perfect thriller to binge in a day or two. Oh, and most if not all viewers will find that the opening song of Erased is stuck in their heads for weeks to come.
9 No Game No Life
- Release Date: 2014
- Animation Studio: Madhouse
- Episode Count: 12 (and a feature-length movie)
- Where To Watch: Netflix & Crunchyroll
What if arguments weren’t settled with words or with fists, but with the results of a game? That’s the concept of No Game No Life, and that would’ve been simple enough as a setting. But, the author takes it even further and throws two shut-in siblings who are atop the world's best gamers on Earth into the world of Disboard, so obviously, things get a whole lot more interesting. No Game No Life is an anime with some truly beautiful art, a great soundtrack, charming characters, and an absolutely unique concept.
RELATED: The Most Iconic Anime Poses Ever, Ranked
Sure, it relies pretty heavily on fanservice and referential humor, but at the end of the day, Sora and Shiro are some of the most memorable protags in recent memory, and it so desperately deserves a second season.
8 KonoSuba: God's Blessing On This Wonderful World!
- Release Date: 2016 (Season 1) & 2017 (Season 2)
- Animation Studio: Studio Deen
- Episode Count: 10 (Season 1) & 10 (Season 2) for a total of 20 (and a feature-length movie)
- Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World, better known as just KonoSuba, is by far the most popular comedic anime of this generation, and for good reason. Unlike other Isekai anime currently airing, the cast of characters in KonoSuba rarely decimate their opponents, even with how overpowered they are.
There’s a unique pace to the comedy in this series such as with Kazuma’s lightning-fast sarcastic retorts or Aqua’s ability to swap from an over-confident jerk to bawling mess in a microsecond. And, because of the fast-paced jokes, the episodes feel like they fly by, making it easy to get through rather quickly.
7 Devilman Crybaby
- Release Date: 2018
- Animation Studio: Science Saru
- Episode Count: 10
- Where To Watch: Netflix
Unlike a lot of other series on this list, Devilman Crybaby is not a happy-go-lucky story or a comedic masterpiece. It has some funny moments, sure, but Devilman is nihilistic to its core, as author Go Nagai intended it. But, when Masaaki Yuasa was approached with the concept of creating his own spin-off Devilman story, things somehow managed to get even darker. It's honestly a psychological sort of experiment with the gratuitous amounts of violence, gore, and other adult themes. Though, to be fair, it's not quite on the same level as some other, more nuanced, psychological anime.
But, being sad or dark isn't equivalent to being bad, as the series is incredibly well-made. The style of the show alone is memorable enough, but then the animation, rap scenes, voice acting, horror elements, and action scenes all take it over the top.
6 Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!
- Release Date: 2020
- Animation Studio: Science Saru
- Episode Count: 12
- Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken is such a uniquely charming anime. It’s popular, for sure, but this show deserves twice if not three times the amount of renown it currently has. The show follows the story of three girls, Midori, Tsubame, and Kanamori who all love art in different ways. Well, Kanamori is more in it for the money, but all three of them work incredibly hard to put together their own animations and projects. Someone could even categorize this series as a fantastical slice of life, though that category is already full to the brim right now.
RELATED: The Best Anime That Never Aired On TV
Every single episode of this show brings a brand new concept and world to life whether it's through the sound design, the characters, or the world-building. Midori's the world-builder, Tsubame is the character illustrator, and Kanamori is the no holds barred manager. Eizouken is an anime full of experimentation, passion, love for the industry, and so much more. And, it not only engrosses the audience in its story and world but also teaches them about the meticulous process of creating anime.
5 Little Witch Academia
- Release Date: 2017
- Animation Studio: Trigger
- Episode Count: 25 (and a 53-minute long movie)
- Where To Watch: Netflix
The animation studio known as Trigger is a big name in the anime community. They’re the ones behind Gurren Lagann, Kiznaiver, Brand New Animal, Kill la Kill, and of course Little Witch Academia. Their shows tend to feature iconic action scenes, fantastic character designs, and a lot of “fight the power” vibes.
And, while Little Witch Academia might be a bit more down-to-earth, oddly enough, than some of their other series, it absolutely has all these same traits. The narrative structure is a bit weak, like most Trigger anime, but this Harry Potter-esque anime is still one of the most memorable in years. And, it manages to get its entire story out in only a single season, making it exceptionally easy for anyone to watch.
4 Brand New Animal
- Release Date: 2020
- Animation Studio: Trigger
- Episode Count: 12
- Where To Watch: Netflix
Alright, let’s just say it, Brand New Animal is just Trigger Studio’s attempt at a Beastars-like anime. And, just like most other shows Trigger makes, it’s a visual spectacle but the writing isn't quite as standout as the animation.
That said, for anyone who has seen any of the previous anime Trigger has made such as Gurren Lagann (still one of the best mecha-series out there), Kill La Kill, or Little Witch Academia, this show is more of that style, just with animal-people instead of magic, sentient clothes, or giant robots. It’s not the most complex or interesting story, but it is a fun time all the way through.
3 Angel Beats
- Release Date: 2010
- Animation Studio: P.A. Works
- Episode Count: 13
- Where To Watch: Crunchyroll & Netflix
To contrast BNA, Angel Beats is an anime from 2010 with an art style that doesn’t fully hold up compared to modern style trends, but its writing still knocks most other series out of the park. What else is there to say, this show is an absolute addicting tearjerker from start to finish. P.A. Works manages to write a cast of 15+ people to their natural conclusions in just 13 episodes, and they do it fantastically.
Each character’s narrative conclusion brings forth more waterworks, the dialogue between characters is so realistically believable, and that opening song is still one of the best in the anime medium! Angel Beats is not a show for people who only like happy or action-type media, but for those who can cry, there’s not much better.
2 Death Parade
- Release Date: 2015
- Animation Studio: Madhouse
- Episode Count: 12
- Where To Watch: Hulu
Death Parade isn’t one of the most popular anime out there like Naruto, One Piece, or My Hero Academia, but it still had a pretty big following while it aired. It’s a short story with a simple concept that oozes atmosphere, style, and charm. This was an anime from 2015 that took off online because of its funky fresh opening animation and song, only to reel people in with the whole "heaven-or-hell death game" concept.
Basically, the anime takes place at a “bar” called Quindecim that functions as the stopping point between Heaven and Hell. In this bar, people are subjected to sly tests (usually in the form of bar games) that are much more complex than they first appear. Decim, the bartender, is the one who oversees and lays down judgment once the game is over, and these scenes combined with the humanizing conversations with his "assistant" and sudden amnesiac Onna is what makes Death Parade so great. It's all packed neatly into 12 episodes that people will have a blast watching.
1 Children of the Whales
- Release Date: 2017
- Animation Studio: J.C. Staff
- Episode Count: 12
- Where To Watch: Netflix
Lastly, Children of the Whales is a bit of an old hipster recommendation since the anime by J.C. Staff first aired back in 2017. But, even then, it’s a show that has still stayed memorable, and that says a lot for something that seemingly came out of nowhere. The story of this anime is complex, to say the least, and there are a lot of mystical concepts that it slowly introduces over its 12 episode run.
To name a few, there are the Mud Whales, the magic power they use called “thymia”, who the Marked are, what exactly a Lykos is, and so much more. But, those who can keep up with the relatively brisk pace this series introduces new concepts, characters, and events will suddenly find that they've been watching for a couple of hours now. It’s that type of an addicting watch.