It’s difficult to compile a list of the best short anime series because most animes aren’t usually complete within one season of their run. While all of the animes below aren’t necessarily complete compared to their source materials, they still manage to tell a compelling and complete story within 13 episodes or less. So read on and enjoy our personal list of the top 10 best short anime series of all time.
No Game No Life
No Game No Life continues to be one of the best happy-go-lucky, mind-bending animes with over-the-top genius protagonists and the best part is that it is an isekai. The worst part of it however is also what lands it in this list of best short anime series and that is it has no sequels. The anime is incomplete and yet within one season, the Blanks were enough to steal our hearts and win the isekai genre game.
Somali and the Forest Spirit
Are you looking to adopt a child? Do you think you’d be an unworthy and incompetent parent? Then this is the anime for you as it explores both of those questions alongside themes of family, father-daughter bond, and childhood- all in a breathtaking fantasy setting. Bring your tissues for this one but don’t worry- you’ll be only crying happy tears- most of the time. Somali and The Forest Spirit is underrated but it is one the best short anime series in the drama and fantasy category.
Death Parade
Death Parade is from the same author and director who gave us Mob Psycho 100– Yuzuru Tachikawa. There is a bar that hosts individuals who have died together- sort of like an after-death experience. They play simple bar games and the winners and losers are decided by the bartender. The winner gets to go back into the cycle of reincarnation while the loser ends up losing their soul forever- never to be born again. This psychological and philosophical thriller gets dark but it makes some very good statements about human nature and society.
Baccano!
If pure action thriller is your craving then Baccano! is your calling. This is the kind of story that blends multiple characters, plotlines, and motivations into one narrative seamlessly by the end. In the beginning, everything seems in disarray and it’s as if we’re following multiple protagonists and factions but they all come together in a brilliant climax that’s sure to keep you guessing till the end, making it one of the best short anime series.
A Place Further Than The Universe
A Place Further Than the Universe is, to this day, one of the best if not the best slice-of-life anime of all time. The story follows five high school girls who dream big and visit Antarctica on a voyage. The whole anime tells of this journey and the adventure of a lifetime we as viewers all dreamt of at some point in our lives. It’s a funny, wholesome, heart-touching story that’s sure to leave you in tears and wonder by the end.
Kino’s Journey: The Beautiful World- The Animated Series (2017)
Kino’s Journey is an anime about a young adult girl named Kino and her talking bike who both travel together to various countries but only stay in each for only 3 days if they can help it. It’s a thought-provoking adventure that makes you think and feel things you never usually paid attention to and since every 2 episodes they shift locations, you can just tune in and watch them in your downtime.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
There’s a reason everyone who’s seen Cyberpunk: Edgerunners came out crying and traumatized for weeks. Nobody imagined that this anime that’s based on a video game could hit so hard emotionally and mentally. Not only is it the best short action sci-fi anime of all time, it’s also perhaps as gut-wrenching as the remaining animes on this best short anime series list.
Terror In Resonance
Terror in Resonance is a heavy story about two teenagers who were trained to be geniuses and then abandoned by society. This is not a revenge story but one where they assert their existence and make sure the world remembers that they lived. It’s a psychological thriller drama that’s critically acclaimed across the board by all who have seen it.
Violet Evergarden
Are you a romantic and a student of literature? Then this anime is all you’ve dreamed of in a story. Violet Evergarden is not only one of the most beautiful-looking animes of all time, it’s also one of the best romances. It delves into human emotions and the way we communicate them and explores the gap between our words, feelings, and actions. The protagonist Violet works as a letter writer for people in a post-war setting so it is a literary treasure.
Barakamon
Barakamon is objectively one of the best slice-of-life animes out there but as a bonus, it’s also one of the funniest. It’s childish, simple, and wholesome but also profound, deep, and full of life lessons. If you’re going through a creative block, come forth- as the protagonist here is also going through the same. If you ever felt as if you were drowning in mediocrity or repetitive actions, then this anime is for you. The reason it’s one of the best short anime series is because it’s deeply relatable but also has a solution for your struggles. You need only watch and listen.
- Also Read: Top 5 Best Fantasy Anime Of All Time
All of the above animes can be considered the best short anime series- that’s why we haven’t ranked them as their position on this list is subjective to the individual taste of our readers. That said, since they are in this list of best short anime series, we highly recommend you give all of them a watch sometime. It won’t take long. We promise.