There’s nothing wrong with wanting to binge anime in what have proven to be massive clusters of episodes across the decades. But as the medium has embraced modern seasonal approaches, some true gems in short anime have come and gone, particularly in the past two decades for viewers. These stories have encompassed surprisingly epic science fiction, heartfelt human drama, and some truly charming romances over the years.
But it can sometimes be easy to lose sight of some of anime’s greatest short-lived gems, especially as many more additions flood the zone with each passing season. But taking stock of the best the medium has to offer yields impressive short anime with something for virtually any discerning viewer with the time and willingness to engage with the subject matter, with none of the below cases lasting more than a weekend binge, with others not even taking more than a few hours to complete. Each of these short anime are easily worth the time to watch, either binging for satisfying mysteries or revisiting for timeless vibes years or even decades later.
Odd Taxi (2021)
13 Episodes
Both a slice of life and a crime anime, Odd Taxi is pretty fascinating. It’s got anthropomorphic animals as its main characters, and the main character is a walrus who happens to drive taxis. His story cycles through a lot of eccentric passengers, but ultimately, it centers on him being connected to a missing person’s case.
Hiroshi Odokawa might be blunt and a little eccentric himself, but his life is completely turned on its head when both the police force and members of the yakuza are set on him.
More than living up to its name, Odd Taxi is a delightfully strange series with enough heart to win over any fan of crime dramas who may be put off by the series’ animal designs. Rest assured, Odd Taxi is far from family-friendly. There’s so much to enjoy in Odd Taxi, whether it’s the different passengers in the taxi, or the overall mystery, that fans might want to watch it twice.
Yuri!!! On Ice (2012)
12 Episodes
Yuri!!! on Ice focuses on a prominent figure skater who finds himself suffering after a crushing loss, as well as a world champion figure skater who offers to help him out. The two find exactly what they need in one another when they’re not sure where their paths should point them next.
Yuri!! on Ice became a massive hit thanks to its stellar animation and focus on same-sex relationships, and seven years after the original airing of the anime, fans and critics alike are still waiting in anticipation for the release of its sequel film, Yuri!!! on Ice the Movie: Ice Adolescence.
Unfortunately, if there’s one flaw with the series, it’s that the series’ central relationship is only strongly implied as opposed to being outright confirmed. Still, far from subtext, the implications are clear to anyone paying even a little bit of attention.
Violet Evergarden (2018)
13 Episodes
Inspired by a light novel (released in four volumes) originally published in 2015, Violet Evergarden is an exploration of just what love means. It’s poignant and emotional to watch a character who doesn’t understand love slowly come to realize how it affects the world – and her.
The titular character works as a transcriptionist following her time as a soldier in a war. When the last words of her mentor are “I love you”, she tries to understand them, and it takes her on a trip to which she tells other people’s stories while searching for answers.
Violet Evergarden is short at 13 episodes, but it spawned two movies in the years that followed its release as well, making it a little longer of a watch than some of the other short anime here if fans want the full picture.
Given (2019
11 Episodes
Few musical anime are as achingly romantic yet tastefully tragic like Given’s adaptation, one of the finest josei BL ever adapted. The series tells its journey primarily through its central band, the Seasons, as their lead guitarist, Ritsuke Uenoyama, took in a despondent Mafuyu Sato, whom he met on the steps at school, cradling a red Gibson ES-330 with broken strings.
As the two bond alongside the other bandmates, bassist Haruki Nakayama and drummer Akihiko Kaji. As it turns out, Mafuyu has the voice of an angel, but must overcome a major emotional block ahead of their debut performance.
Given, as it turns out, is meant to refer to Mafuyu’s guitar, left behind by his childhood friend and former partner, Yuki Yoshida, with Mafuyu’s journey in processing the grief following Yuki’s passing culminating in finding his voice both literally and figuratively. But that’s not all; Mafuyu’s performance deeply moves his bandmates, with his openness eventually sparking a romantic relationship with Ritsuka, all while Akihiko and Haruki have their own drama to work out. The result is a perfect blend of emotionally resonant BL tension and wonderfully-performed, bespoke diegetic music, and its subsequent three movies are absolute must-watch follow-up viewing.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica (2011)
12 Episodes
When recommending Puella Magi Madoka Magica, it’s best not to say much about it other than to stick with it until the fourth episode at the very least. Madoka challenges the magical girl genre in a number of interesting ways; it’s just that they don’t reveal themselves until a viewer has settled into the show a bit. The series initially follows a young girl named Madoka as she becomes involved in the world of magical girls, but the plot is truly much more complicated than that.
Although Madoka works well as a self-contained twelve-episode series, there are also a number of sequels and side stories in the form of movies and other adaptations. Madoka is even receiving another sequel movie in the near future.
Fans typically consider some of these entries to be essential viewing, so those who find themselves wanting more can continue happily after finishing the original series.
Pluto (2023)
8 Episodes
While each episode’s runtime is more similar to an OVA or even a short movie, Pluto is a powerfully concise run, adapting Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki’s eponymous manga, which itself adapts a classic Astro Boy arc. Pluto is practically mandatory viewing for those craving both a good mystery, and some truly dramatic science fiction packing a huge emotional punch. While the killer targets the great robots of the world, their human targets are just as compelling, tying back into their role amid Robot Liberation Movement efforts.
Following Gesicht, a robot detective investigating a mysterious string or murders affecting both humans and robots alike, Pluto uncovers the intrigue surrounding these murders, and the common occurrences that lead up to them including weather phenomena. The anime doesn’t treat the victims as idle targets, either, but developed fully as characters, with particular exploration of the robots and their experiences with war and discrimination. Pluto demonstrates a clear and painful understanding of the many modern wars of human history and their unfortunately timeless warnings to society, alongside the nature vs. nurture arguments to be had about the capacity for evil in AI.
Dororo (2019)
24 Episodes
Osamu Tezuka’s creations will live forever as prized anime treasures, and among his most recognizable series is Dororo, which has been adapted and reimagined since its 1967 inception. Dororo plays around with the series formula just enough for it to feel fresh for a modern anime audience, with stylish and faithful visuals reminiscent of Tezuka’s designs, exceptional fight choreography, and timeless appeal.
The result is an approachable yet future-proof retelling of the Tezuka classic as the titular Dororo joins a strange character named Hyakkimaru as he seeks to restore his body.
Much of Hyakkimaru’s original body was sacrificed at a young age, prompting him to commit questionable, potentially inhumane acts of violence, ironically, to reclaim what he feels was lost. Given the dramatic and wretched depiction of his state as an infant, it’s easy to sympathize with Hyakkimaru, who comes off as the breakout character of the story with a potentially unexpected type of character development for a popular anime.
The series is one of MAPPA’s best anime, another stellar example of the studio setting high standards for its quality while taking on beloved projects.
Devilman Crybaby (2018)
10 Episodes
Devilman is one of the most influential manga ever created, which is why it’s so incredible that the best version of Devilman might be its reboot Devilman Crybaby.
The series follows a young man named Akira Fudo who is one day transformed into the ultra-powerful Devilman. Though his Devilman persona might be powerful, his obtaining those powers kicks off a chain of events that leads to incomprehensible disaster.
This tightly-packed adaptation of the Go Nagai classic fits more action and gore into its 10 episodes than most series do in 50. The series doesn’t hesitate to go all out in its depictions of more mature themes, leaving the series downright disturbing at points, earning it a high rank among the goriest anime of all time. Though Devilman Crybaby might be short, it leaves an impact that’s nothing short of massive.
Kaiba (2008)
12 Episodes
Despite its simple and pleasing aesthetic, Kaiba is an anime that isn’t afraid to venture into the territory of the thoroughly dark and tragic. The show’s characters inhabit a world where memories can be stored in special chips, allowing eternal life for a select few. The protagonist wakes without memories, his only possession being a locket with a photo of a woman in it, and things escalate from there.
Touching on the role memory plays in the nature of identity and class divisions, Kaiba is as visually inventive as it is thematically engaging. Another anime from visionary director Masaaki Yuasa, Kaiba packs a lot into its short runtime. Whether it be a short standalone episode focusing on a poor girl whose body is eventually stolen, or pieces of the larger plot, every second of Kiaba is throwing something interesting and strange at the viewer.
Kids on the Slope (2012)
12 Episodes
One of the best anime of the previous decade, Kids on the Slope is a strong example of a concise story often being prone to a more satisfying conclusion. Unsurprisingly, Kids on the Slope had every chance to thrive as an anime with the illustrious Shinichiro Watanabe of Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, and Space Dandy fame at the director’s seat.
The series has coming-of-age, music performance, and love triangle elements that’ll draw in viewers who can relate to either or all of these elements as it follows Kaoru Nishimi in 1960s Kyushu. Like other Watanabe stories, the series incorporates multiple musical aesthetics, namely the shift from classical to jazz music.
Kids on the Slope is poised to stand the test of time as more of a niche anime for those craving a slice of life experience in a concise delivery. It’s great for a binge, and Yoko Kanno’s musical compositions for the series are a welcome addition, as always. While there are undoubtedly other more popular romance anime available, Kids on the Slope stands tall among the greats.