21 Short Anime Series to Binge in One Day (2024)

Anime has always been equivalent to the most fascinating and tasteful category of content. Whether it is long, sprawling epics like Attack on Titan or bite-sized delights like Chainsaw Man, anime offers something for every person's liking. And not every series would demand weeks out of your routine; some stay short and still leave you surprised. These micro-stories can pack a punch with as much emotion, humor, and creativity as any standard-length show.

The entertainment industry is growing big and shining bright with its innovativeness. And just like any other genre, anime continues to advance in its heart and creativity. The art of animation is pushing boundaries, bringing fresh stories and styles, and making each new release an exciting outing and an event to look forward to. However, you don't have to set aside a life-halting amount of time to fully immerse yourself in the world of anime. Getting lost for a day in a strange new world is a reward in itself. It gives as much entertainment and thrill, with small doses and limited set pieces, and fits the bill for some of the most adorable and unforgettable characters and beautifully charted stories that stay with you.

Related: Best TV Shows That Have at Least 10 Seasons for the Ultimate Binge-Watching FestAnime's popularity is spreading constantly and exceedingly, as it brings us a wide range of stories – from science fiction to slice-of-life, from action to fantasy. Fans still adore the brief and bittersweet series that never overstay their welcome but deliver just the spectacle. Because sometimes, you only have a day or a weekend to dive into a new series, and these anime are perfect for those days. So, let's get started.

21 The Tatami Time Machine Blues

Sequel to The Tatami Galaxy, The Tatami Time Machine Blues barely spans two hours and makes for a fun watch. The story follows a sweltering summer afternoon at Kyoto University, where students discover that the air conditioner’s remote is broken. One of the students come up with a plan to use a time machine and revisit the events that caused the remote to brake and bring the environment to its natural state. Obviously, disasters occur, and so do comedic distress calls.

20 Shikimori's Not Just A Cutie

Shikimori's Not Just A Cutie is an absolutely adorable and winning anime surrounding a lovey-dovey couple Shikimori and her gawky boyfriend, Izumi. Normally, Shikimori is a very cute, sometimes athletic, and always doting girlfriend. And Izumi is the exact opposite – clumsy, blundering, and awfully unfortunate kid with two left feet and a knack for calling trouble his way. But every time Izumi is in danger, Shikimori turns into a cool heroine and saves the day, and her boyfriend. From Izumi’s mind-blown expressions to Shikimori’s jaw-dropping transformations, the series is a fun watch from start to finish.

19 She And Her Cat: Everything Flows

All cat lovers assemble! Makoto Shinkai’s five-minute short turns into a handful of episodes in this anime following Kanojo and her cat Daru. Having spent nearly all their lives together, the two share a special and inseparable bond. But now Kanojo is a junior in college, all grown up. Her roommate has left and to make ends meet, Kanojo must find a job. She And Her Cat: Everything Flows is a short series of four episodes that chronicles the everyday life of Kanojo through Daru’s perspective – a fresh change from trying to figure out what goes on in the heads of those cute, little furballs.

18 Afro Samurai

For fans of action anime, Afro Samurai is a delight. Afro grew up in a feudal Japan and saw his father getting defeated in a samurai duel, with the winner taking the Number One badge from his father. Afro’s vow for vengeance drove him toward becoming the greatest samurai, close to earning a one-on-one battle with Justice and shifting up in rank from his Number Two position. But before that, he must fight all who challenge him for his place. The fast-paced, action-packed story is backed by a great soundtrack and even better animation.

Related: The 10 Best Samurai Movies of All Time, Ranked

17 Gakuen Handsome

Yoshiki Maeda is a high school student who has just transferred to an all-boys Baramon High School. There, he meets several quirky characters – a strange and theatric homeroom teacher, a childhood friend he hadn’t seen in seven years, and more. Yoshiki is seen navigating his days while juggling the pressure of being the most handsome guy in school. While Yuu, Yoskihi’s younger sister, seems quite thrilled by it all. Characterized by grand declarations of love, opportunities to rekindle old friendships, and understanding conflict and loss, Gakuen Handsome is a show that subverts expectations and explores a trope that is greatly underappreciated.

16 No Game No Life

No Game No Life revolves around a gamer sibling duo Sora and Shiro, who are pretty cool as the top gamers on the planet. But when they’re sent in Disboard, a place where winning games decide literally everything, will they still remain at the top? In Disboard, humanity doesn’t really matter. One cannot throw fists or use burning insults to harm another. And the only way to escape the realm and go back to Earth is to battle countless enemies and enter high-stakes action to finally fight the boss. The unique concept and fascinating visuals make the series an exciting watch.

15 Gunbuster

A mecha anime that exceeds all expectations, Gunbuster is a 6-episode OVA starring the daughter of a space captain who is assigned to pilot a giant robot in the event of an alien invasion on Earth. On the surface, the story looks like just another space-themed action adventure, but the truth is, Gunbuster paved the way for Gainax’s Neon Genesis Evangelion. With its fantastic action, and a gang of powerful characters, including Noriko Takaya, the pilot, and Kazumi Amano, the charming and talented hero, the anime uses war to depict trauma-healing and making peace with one’s emotions.

14 Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san

For all those fantasy cottage-core girlies who dream of owning a bookstore one day and living an aesthetic life sipping an iced latte, Honda is here to shove a little bit of reality into your face. Honda is a skeleton bookstore owner, and from his long-standing experience, he can tell that the job of a bookseller is way more exhausting than it looks. Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san is an excellent drama as it navigates the hardships of stocking the latest book releases and owning classics, while satisfying customer needs and being multilingual, all amidst a warm and snuggly atmosphere.

13 Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Based on Cyberpunk 2077, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is a gritty neo-noir sci-fi series. It is set in a dystopian future that is brimming with cyberware. Following David Martinez, a teenager doomed in the bustling Night City, the series takes us to the prestigious Arasaka Academy, where David is pursuing his mother’s dream of seeing him rank out his profession. But after a dreadful incident leaves him ragged, David plants a cyberware prosthetic into his back, gaining superhuman speed. While aiming for revenge, he gets into trouble, is expelled, and joins forces with Lucy, a data thief, and enters the world of Edgerunners. The anime crafts a world of emotions, with each episode an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride and classic world-building, proving to be a treat for fans of the game.

Related: The 10 Best Anime Inspired by Video Games, Ranked

12 Death Parade

Death Parade introduces us to the fascinating world of Quindecim. While most people are sent to Heaven or Hell after they die, some fortunate souls are sent to the mysterious Quindecim bar. Decim is the worn-out bartender who, with his hark-haired assistant Chiyuki, evaluates souls by making them participate in life-threatening bar games that drive them to reveal their true natures. With quirky regulars and two teenagers who play a challenging ten-pin ball game, Death Parade is a highly entertaining, binge-watch-worthy anime.

11 Horimiya

Horimiya is a complete teenage-romance anime that doesn’t just take the two leads and place them in a pining-from-a-distance trope, but cuts to the chase and explores their relationship while also balancing their life as a teen. The series follows Kyouko Hori and Miyamura Hori, two teens who lead double lives. At school, Hori an academic with equal parts beautiful, while Hori Miyamura appears as a shy and stoic otaku. But in person, their lives are more strenuous and exhausting. When they open up to each other and share their interests, sparks fly. They confess their feelings and support each other in their opposite personalities. Surrounding primarily at Hori’s home, the series is a delightful slice-of-life anime about accepting yourself, loving who you are, and embracing someone who sees you for who you really are.

10 Violet Evergarden

Violet Evergarden is one of those anime that will have you hooked and emotionally invested from the very start. The anime in the continent of Telesis, in the think of the Great War ending after four years. Violet, an artificial girl with stark memory and the ability to comprehend emotions, created to annihilate the enemies. The War left her bloodied and wounded, and now that her purpose has been served, she finds solace in working as an auto Memory Doll, helping people process their emotions, memories and painful experience. The more she listens and watches people reflect on their past, the more she realizes what it means to live and love. Her desire for freedom fuels her into developing a heart and soul, making for a powerful series about empathy and self-discovery.

9 Angel Beats!

Being a real tearjerker in the course of 13 tiny episodes is no easy feat. But Angel Beats! beats even the most captivating long-running hits by introducing 15 adorable characters and inviting us in their poignant journey of finding answers, and eventually hope in the most unexpected places. The show follows our protagonist, 17-year-old Yuzuru Otonashi, who finds himself entering an odd realm after he dies. He has no memories, but a purpose. Taking place in a school, the series takes Otonashi and a group of ragtag to fight the tyrannical school officials who are in control of their life. They form an Afterlife Battlefront and make Otonashi the leader who will ultimately fight Angel. What’s more is that every character involved in the series has an emotional backstory and a string of affectionate traits, leaving us torn and teary.

Related: The Best Uses of Social Commentary In Anime Movies, Ranked

8 91 Days

91 days is a revenge-themed anime set in the United States Prohibition era. It follows Avilio Bruno, a young man driven by vengeance for the death of his family. Seven years after running away from his hometown, Lawless, Angelo Lagusa, he is nudged by a letter calling him back. He returns with his new identity of Avilio Bruno with a plan to take down the mafia family that slaughtered his own. He starts by infiltrating the Vanetti clan and befriending the boss’ son, Nero, who proves invaluable in slipping details of the sinister Underworld they inhabit and a scheme against Prohibition-era America. Their relationship develops in the course of 91 days and Avilio gets caught in a web of betrayals, corruption, and violence, all in the name of sweet revenge.

7 Terror in Resonance

The anime guides us toward a dystopian Tokyo, where, after a terrorist attack on a nuclear facility, all that’s left behind of the radicals is a signature ‘VON’. The government is torn and the police is left with no leads. Amidst the mayhem, two teenage terrorist prodigies, Nine and Twelve, reveal themselves as a pair of masked perps called the ‘Sphinx’, openly challenging the authorities and threatening to carry out symbolic attacks. But they’re not the bad guys; they don’t intend to harm the public, just to revolutionize society. The duo is ruthlessly driven in their fight against a corrupt regine. Coming from the director of Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo in its most dense and precise form, Terror in Resonance is a series that examines themes of disillusionment, deception, and above all, burying the past in hopes of a better future.

6 Elfen Lied

Elfen Lied is an interesting take on mutant humans who are victims of the most heartless experiments at the hands of the government. The protagonist Lucy is a special-bred human known as ‘Diclonius’. She has insane powers, elf-like horns, and telekinetic limbs, but she is stuck in confinement, facing unpalatable tortures and cruel experiments. So when the opportunity presents itself, she escapes the research facility. But in the process, she loses her memory and ability to fully speak while retaining her harmful, murderous intent. She meets two college students, Kouta and Yuka, and soon the three get entangled in this dark tale of madness, tragedy, and the monstrosity that leads them to do amoral things. In some ways, Elfen Lied did inspire Netflix’s Stranger Things, if you get the reference.

5 My Dress-Up Darling

My Dress-Up Darling is not everyone’s cup of tea, with its nod to cosplay culture and elements of seinen romance. The series revolves around Wakana Gojo, a high school boy who is obsessed with the art of making hina dolls. His peculiar interest has always been made fun of by his classmates, so he makes sure to pursue his hobby in secret. But one day Marin Kitagawa, a popular and extroverted classmate and approachable by all peers, learns about Goju’s hobby and excitedly reveals her own secret love for cosplay. But because Marin isn’t as deft with her sewing, she pulls Gojo in on her hobby. The anime is fun from start to finish, with Marin’s bright and adorable energy carrying the show around.

4 Yuri!!! On Ice

Yuri!!! On Ice is one of those sports anime that make you feel energized, and motivated, and leave a transformative impact on you. The series follows Yuri Katsuki, a figure skater on the verge of losing interest in the sport. But one day, he realizes that a video recreation of him following the routine of five-time world champion, Victor Nikiforov, has suddenly gone viral. In fact, Victor himself shows up at Yuri’s door and offers to mentor him. Yuri finds new resolve and trains obsessively. The series chronicles their journey, their bond, and their potential as he chases his dream and, eventually, glory.

Related: 11 Slice-of-Life Anime For When You Want a Wholesome Watch

3 Chainsaw Man

The 2022 release comprises 12 short episodes that can easily be binged in one day. Chainsaw Man focuses on Denji, a teenage boy who is killed but revived from the dead as a gory exchange. He becomes the host for the chainsaw devil, who gives him superhuman abilities and dangerous powers – all of which Denji must use to hunt and kill devils. He joins forces with the Public Safety Devil Hunters' attention with his own secret mission. Chainsaw Man is a high-octane, action-packed thriller that uses identity crises, over-the-top violence, dark comedy, and power dynamics to explain what we humans are willing to sacrifice for love.

2 Paranoia Agent

A more surreal take on a psychopath off on a killing spree, Paranoia Agent explores the subconscious fears, mistrust, and cold vulnerability lurking beneath the surface of society. The story follows Shounen Bat (Lil' Slugger), who uses a golden bat to terrorize the people of Musashino City as he violently figure-skates across the streets. The city believes it to be a by-product of anxiety, but as more and more victims spread, it becomes undeniable that there is a greater force at work here. Even detectives Keiichi Ikari and Mitsuhiro Maniwa investigate the matter, but to an unsettling end. The series is as monstrous as it is captivating, leaving a haunting impression about the human mind.