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One of the reasons that anime has achieved the status of such a universal medium of entertainment is because it engages in unique storytelling. However, series are hundreds of episodes long and often impossibly inaccessible. Fortunately, they’re not always the norm, and there are just as many programs that skew towards shorter stories that are condensed down to a dozen episodes or less.
These shorter anime series make frequent rewatches much more manageable, but there are still lots of subpar shows that don’t hold up well under multiple viewings. Fortunately, there are also some true gems out there that are just as satisfying to watch on the fifth viewing as they are on the first.
10 Inuyashiki’s Gripping Drama Is All Killer And No Filler
A serious perk of anime series that have a limited number of episodes is that they’re often able to function as enlightening character dramas. Inuyashiki is a staggering 11-episode series that under different circumstances would be heralded as one of the best superhero and villain stories of the decade. A disaffected teenager and a lonely elderly man both undergo cybernetic transformations. The former uses this newfound strength to terrorize the nation, and the latter steps into the reluctant role of hero. Inuyashiki doesn’t shy away from dark storytelling, and it crafts such a moving narrative in its brief time.
9 Death Parade Is An Emotional Spin On Anthology Storytelling
Death Parade finds that glorious sweet spot between anthology and serialized storytelling, which gives it freedom and versatility. Death Parade is a 12-episode anime that centers around mundane recreational games that two strangers are forced to compete in to determine the eternal fate of their souls. Death Parade is a glowing character drama that examines many different types of individuals, but the way in which it balances heavy stakes with playfulness is masterful. It’s easy to binge through and immediately start over from the beginning all over again.
8 Terror In Resonance Forges An Unnerving Criminal Conspiracy That Wastes No Time
Shinichiro Watanabe has become one of the most prolific names in the anime industry thanks to moving and diverse masterpieces like Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Space Dandy, and Carole & Tuesday. Terror in Resonance is arguably Watanabe’s most atypical project, and it presents a deeply nihilistic outlook on the world as cryptic terrorists keep a nation frozen in terror.
Terror in Resonance is only 11 episodes, and it doesn’t waste a single minute with its increasingly tense cat and mouse game. The suspense and motivations are so satisfying that Terror in Resonance hits even harder on a rewatch.
7 Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! Is A Love Letter To The Creative Process
Masaaki Yuasa is another true visionary in the anime industry when it comes to both his feature films and television offerings. Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! is a series that looks at a trio of girls who are determined to create the next great anime. It’s incredibly difficult to not fall in love with the anime’s characters across its 12 episodes, but Yuasa’s use of contrasting art styles maximizes the anime’s message about creativity, self-expression, and thinking outside of the box. It’s an anime that’s all about the joy and magic of the medium itself.
6 Kaiba Has A Lot To Say And See In 12 Busy Episodes
Kaiba immerses itself in many of the themes and ideas that regularly fascinate anime auteur Masaaki Yuasa, such as the perception of memory, identity, and the importance of genuine friendship. Kaiba is filtered through a cute aesthetic across its 12 episodes, but it has deep moments of morose reflection as its characters reckon with loss. The thoughtful, esoteric nature of Kaiba sneaks up on the audience, but it makes it a series that demands to be rewatched. Whether it’s the show’s deep themes or limitless visuals, there’s much to appreciate in Kaiba.
5 Elfen Lied Unleashes A Vengeful Monster In A Tight Timeframe
There are some exceptional sci-fi and horror anime series that exist, but a major problem in the genres is that a compelling premise gets diluted across too many episodes. Accordingly, some of the strongest genre series are the short ones that don’t get the opportunity to stray far from their initial premise.
Elfen Lied is a bleak look at a genetic science experiment gone awry that fluctuates between fragile and viscerally violent. Modern sci-fi/horror hybrids like Stranger Things owe more than a little to Elfen Lied, which holds up on a rewatch.
4 Another’s Light Narrative Compliments Its Horror And Mysteries
The mystery genre can be deeply fulfilling when it lays its foundation and properly foreshadows its big reveals. Another is a powerful mix of horror and mystery that’s told across 12 episodes and an OVA installment. New transfer student Koichi becomes obsessed with the dark history that surrounds his new school as well as the foreboding specter that he continues to see. Another‘s horror and mystery are able to connect their dots because they don’t overstay their welcome or attempt to extend the narrative in an unnatural manner.
3 Baccano! Is An Epic Crime Caper That’s Full Of Supernatural Surprises
Anime can often throw a ton of disparate elements together into a blender, only for it all to coalesce into something truly special. Baccano! is a bewildering mix of crime, action, the supernatural, and historical storytelling. It creates a fantastical free-for-all that’s set in the 1700s and delves into the subject of immortality. Baccano! is an anime that could easily be hundreds of episodes long, but its restraint turns it into a truly special 16-episode series. History, crime, and fantasy fans will all find something to appreciate in Baccano!.
2 Ping Pong The Animation Is A Staggering Accomplishment In Animation
There’s an anime series for every sort of recreational activity imaginable, whether it’s synchronized diving, skateboarding, the game Go, or in the case of Ping Pong the Animation, table tennis. Ping Pong the Animation is an 11-episode burst of adrenaline that’s proof that anime can make any activity feel like a life and death duel through the power of animation. On its surface, Ping Pong the Animation is just a competition between table tennis players, but the animation is out of control in every single frame.
1 Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto Is The Perfect Exercise In Extremes
The recurring trope of an oblivious wunderkind who can do no wrong is a thin premise that can quickly wear out its welcome, so it’s truly surprising to see the hilarious mileage that Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto gets out of the premise. The 12-episode gag anime looks at a strange student who excels in every area that he approaches, often to a ridiculous extreme. The anime maintains a satisfying level of absurdity that knows when to indulge in stereotypes and when to subvert them. The jokes are still just as funny on the second or third rewatch.
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