It is a common misconception that anime with shorter episode lengths compromise on the story and plot. If you ask anime fanatics for some recommendations, they will probably suggest names like One Piece, Naruto, Monogatari, etc. While these anime are some of the most iconic anime, they have tens of seasons and hundreds of episodes, which may be too burdensome for someone just starting in the anime-watching community. Not everyone has the time and patience to sit through hours and hours of anime. If you want to get all the feels of anime without investing too much time into it, then this list is perfect for you!
1. Katanagatari
Set in Japan’s Edo period, Katanagatari is adapted from the light novel series of the same name penned by Nisio Isin. It tells the story of a skilled swordsman, Shichika Yasuri, who practices the ancient and elusive art of Kyotouryuu. The bare-handed fighting style utilizes the wielder’s body as the blade. Shichika leads a quiet life with his younger sister, which is disturbed when a strategist named Togame enters his life. Togame involves Shichuka in searching for the ancient artifact called “deviant swords.” Through 12 episodes, the anime series chronologies the events depicted in each volume of the original manga.
2. Bloom Into You
Centering on self-discovery, Bloom Into You is a Yuri romance anime consisting of 13 episodes. The narrative follows a high school student named Yuu Koito, who is coming to terms with the concept of love. Though Yuu is a fan of love stories, she doesn’t find the “spark” when a boy proposes to her and rejects him. A confused Yuu forms a close bond with student council member Touko Nanami, who is in the same predicament as her. While trying to revive their school’s student council play, the two girls explore love and self-discovery. Bloom Into You concludes the story in just 12 episodes without rushing it.
3. Odd Taxi
The cutesy animation style of the series might trick you into believing it’s a fluffy children’s series, but that is far from the truth. Odd Taxi has plenty of mystery elements with corrupt cops and yakuza. Hominid Walrus Hiroshi Odokawa lives a pretty everyday life. He makes a living as a taxi driver, ferrying passengers across Tokyo. His monotonous life is freshened up by his eccentric passengers’ stories, which is why Hiroshi finds himself in the thick of a missing person case. Odd Taxi is a delightful show perfect for weekend binge-watching. Fans lauded this series for its character portrayals being surprisingly mature and relatable. The total episode count of this series is 13.
4. The Yakuza’s Guide To Babysitting
There’s something hilarious and satisfying about watching powerful characters trip on their own feet trying to accomplish the simplest of tasks. This is the case of Tooru Kirishima, who works as an enforcer in the Sakuragi Family branch of the Japanese yakuza. His reputation has earned him the title of “The Demon of Sakuragi.” After a mission goes haywire, Kirishima’s boss entrusts him with the care of his daughter to teach him to be responsible. Initially, the two don’t even see eye-to-eye, but as time goes on, the duo develops an understanding and realizes the meaning of family. Throughout the 12 episodes, comedic and dramatic events occur as Kirishima tries to rein in a seven-year-old.
5. Violet Evergarden
Violet Evergarden is a beautifully crafted anime, excellently portraying the fluctuating emotions of the protagonist with brilliant storytelling. Years after being caught up in the Great War, Violet works as a transcriptionist. Plagued by horrible PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) because of her role as a killer in the war, she tries hard to reintegrate back into the society that has become alien to her. Violet Evergarden is undoubtedly one of the best anime ever, featuring stunning animation style and poignant emotional development. This 13-episode anime encloses an excellent romance plot as well.
6. Gunbuster And Diebuster
The 1988 film Gunbuster is one of the earliest works from the animation company Studio Gainax. The film has established itself as a cult classic owing to its exaggerated training montages and war stories in space travel. The synopsis of the series is as follows: years into the future, humankind has found a race of insectoid aliens called “Space Monsters” while fulfilling their quest of exploring all ends of the universe. These monsters aim to wipe out humanity, and it’s up to teenager Nono to prevent the horrendous fate that awaits her kind. Gunbuster has a sequel series that was released in 2004 titled Diebuster. Both Gunbuster and Diebuster have 6 episodes each.
7. FLCL
FLCL is another creative and cleverly crafted original video animation (OVA) by Studio Gainax. This anime is a standout one among its genre, featuring a combination of ethereal music score, superb animation, and notable compositional style. The plot follows Noata Nandaba, a sixth grader living an ordinary life. An encounter with a pink-haired vespa-riding psychopath turns Noata’s mundane life upside down. More challenges await him as he unwillingly gets dragged into a war, meaning to dominate Earth and the universe. FLCL is well known for its zany artistic choices. This single-season anime consists of six episodes.
8. Devilman Crybaby
In the universe of Devilman Crybaby, entities Devilman are formed when an individual possessed by a devil absorbs the devil’s power into them by sheer will. While uncovering the hidden world of devils, friends Akira Fudo and Ryo Asuka find much more than they bargained for. Circumstances force Akira to become a Devilman, but the consequence of this action can lead to disaster. The anime remains faithful to its source material, the manga series Devilman by Go Nagai. However, the setting was changed to the 21st century for the adaptation as it enhanced and clarified Nagai’s intended message in the manga. Devilman Crybaby has ten episodes.
9. Kaiba
In a technology-driven world, human memories are stored like data in memory chips. This process ensures that the memories live even after the human body dies, thus preserving souls. The society in Kaiba is split into two, the wealthy (who reside in heaven) and the poor (who live in the grimy underworld), with “electrical storms” separating the two. The poor’s souls are bargaining chips for the wealthy who often utilize the memory chips to ensure their life’s longevity. Centering around themes of acceptance and self-discovery, the anime tells the protagonist’s story as he wakes up in a strange room with no memories of his own. He finds a hole in the stomach, and a locket containing a girl’s picture. After escaping with the help of an unknown ally, he goes on a journey to discover his identity and the strange girl in the locket.
10. Death Parade
Death Parade weaves a story about the afterlife and its eccentric characters. The protagonist, Desim, handles a bar named Quindecim. Except, Quindecim isn’t a regular bar. It’s a place where dead people go, specifically those people who died at the same time. To determine their fate, whether they will be reincarnated or their souls will be lost in the void forever, the bar guests compete in a series of games. Desim’s organized life is disturbed after the arrival of a black-haired gentleman at the bar. The storyline is surreal and sometimes openly horrifying.
