Top 10 Anime You Can Watch in A Day | Articles on WatchMojo.com (2024)

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#10: “Problem Children Are Coming from Another World, Aren't They?” (2013)

Shounen fight-fests are a dime a dozen these days, but more often than not all that combat leads to an extensive episode run time filled with training montages, an ever-expanding cast and too many rematches to count. In this instance, Izayoi and company have got you covered. Condensed to a manageable ten episodes, the Gift Games are an excellent outlet if you want to see one smug teen beat the ever-loving crap of gods and monsters while protecting his playboy bunny girl of choice. Might sound basic, but it's the best kind of basic.

#9: “Blood Lad” (2013)

Now this is one we’re actually sad didn’t get the full treatment, since the potential to turn it into a household name was right there. You’ve got vampires, werewolves and all other kinds of gothic creatures strutting around and ripping each other to shreds, all the while the bustiest ghost you’ve ever seen tries to reclaim her human form. Since bloodsuckers have been done to death, both in their traditional form as well as the brooding bed-breakers of the modern era, Staz is a breath of fresh air. Not only can he kick a serious amount of ass, but the slapstick doesn’t hurt either.

#8: “Magical Sempai” (2019)

She’ll likely never make it as a professional magician, but that doesn’t do anything to diminish our adoration of her. Mainly due to the fact she’s the sweetest screw up we’ve ever seen. Desperate to make it as a performer despite her crippling stage fright and lack of talent for slight of hand, Sempai’s antics can range from cringe to hilarious, and yes, some of her tricks do land her in some rather unfortunate erotic situations. Thankfully, it never pushes the envelope too far, with the true magic stemming from her unwavering commitment to her dream, all contained in bite-sized segments. Someone marry her!

#7: “Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal” (1999)

Ever wanted to know what turned the infamous Manslayer away from the path of bloodshed and set him on the road to atonement? Then get ready for four episodes of pure heartbreak, ones that chronicle Kenshin’s days as an assassin, all the way to his encounter with the beautiful Tomoe, whom he soon finds himself falling for. Shame that his killing antics unknowingly entrap the two in a web of deception, all of which concludes with a whole lot of anguish and the origin of the iconic cross-shaped scar.

#6: “Golden Boy” (1995-96)

It’s the gold standard for OVAS that bravely choose to tackle the turbulent seas that is the erotic comedy genre. While the hilarious antics of our main man Kentaro remain just as timeless today, trust us, you’ll be thankful for the shorter episode run, less of a chance you’re going to get caught when each of the lovely ladies in Kentaro’s life inexplicably end up in an x-rated position. You don’t want to have someone walk in just as that motorbike scene happens, cause when these gals confess their love, they go all out!

#5: “Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket” (1989)

Gundam, as a franchise, is likely never going to end, with many of its flagship series having beastly runtimes due to having to establish new continuities, new Mobile Suits and a whole other generation of pilots. While it exists within the confines of the Universal Century, this small-scale tragic conflict between the Zeon and Earth Federation factions is it’s own self-contained narrative, perfectly capturing the futility and loss caused by war, as seen through the actions of our two leads – a pair of charismatic and ultimately good people, who are unknowingly pitted against each other due to military allegiance.

#4: “Recovery of an MMO Junkie” (2017)

You might think it impossible for a great love story to be developed in a short amount of time, one that organically develops its characters and reaches a satisfying conclusion. Ha, clearly you haven’t been introduced to the master of unemployed, single, mid-life crises that is Moriko. Quitting her job and dedicating all her time to playing an MMRPG, she finds herself building a strong friendship with another player. As their in-game avatars continue to interact, the stage is set for their real-life personas to meet. It’s witty, it's beautiful, and illustrates just how hard it can be to be an adult!

#3: “FLCL” (2000-01)

The series that doesn’t know the meaning of subtlety, and one more than content to pack all its bombastic content into a mere six episodes. After getting his head bashed in by guitar-wielding galactic enforcer on a scooter, Naota’s ordinary life is thrown into chaos, namely due to the newfound presence of the wildly enchanting Haruka. That, and the robots that start to slip through his head which has now been turned into an interdimensional gateway. From there, things only get crazier, with Haruka leading the charge every step of the way. While we wholeheartedly endorse this fun and frantic viewing experience, stay clear of FLCL Alternative and Progressive.

#2: “Gunbuster” (1988-89)

It’s the mecha series you didn’t know about but need to check out ASAP. Focusing on a group of young pilots as they use giant machines known as Gunbusters to fend off alien hordes, this retro OVA has all the troupes you could want from an 80s anime. Spunky female leads with outfits that make no practical sense, and yet are still able to blast away space-fairing insectoid giants, all the while blending the pulpy fun of a typical sci-fi with some surprisingly potent narrative twists. And they accomplished this all in only six episodes!

#1: “Devilman Crybaby” (2018)