A lot of us probably have more free time at home than we know what to do with these days. If you’re an anime fan looking for some new shows to check out, look no further. Here are some of the best short anime that you should binge ASAP.
The Promised Neverland (12 Episodes)
I’d love to give a proper synopsis of this show, but the less you know about it, the better. Trust me. The Promised Neverland is one of the best new short anime out right now.
The story focuses on the lives of a number of children in an orphanage in the year 2045. The orphanage is managed by a single woman who acts as a mother to the kids there.
The setting feels and looks as serene as can be, but the children soon make a discovery that sets them down a path of no return. Season 2 of the anime is already confirmed, so binge this soon to be ready for when it arrives.
Erased (12 Episodes)
Erased is a mystery thriller with time travel thrown into the mix. It follows a 29-year-old man named Satoru Fujinuma. The time travel aspect comes in the form of Satoru’s “revival” ability that involuntarily sends him back in time to prevent potential tragic events from happening.
There are a few major life-threatening incidents that drive this plot forward, and Satoru is suddenly sent 18 years into the past to find out how he can prevent them from ever taking place while in the body of his 11-year-old self.
Future Diary (26 Episodes)
Future Diary is another anime that deals with time, but in a much different way than Erased. The show’s protagonist, Yukiteru Amano, spends most of his time keeping a diary in his phone.
What starts out as an ordinary school life, suddenly becomes a violent and dangerous situation when Yukiteru is given a “Random Diary” by the aptly named god of space and time, Deus Ex Machina.
The diary provides detailed descriptions of future events, and with that power, he’s forced into a deadly game against 11 other diary owners to see who can become the next god of this anime’s world.
Michiko and Hatchin (22 Episodes)
Michiko and Hatchin is all about the adventure. It’s another anime from Shinichiro Watanabe, the creator of Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo. Michiko Malandro is an escaped convict that rescues her former lover’s daughter, Hatchin, from an abusive situation.
The two have almost nothing in common, save for that man. The anime follows the pair as they find out a lot about each other as well as themselves while they journey together in the fictional South American country of Diamandra. It’s a tale of betrayal, hardships, self-realization, and more.
This show can be a welcome breath of fresh air, especially if you’ve watched a bunch of anime with more “traditional” settings and character types.
Death Parade (12 Episodes)
Death Parade is a psychological drama in which the dead participate in Death Games with their souls on the line. The recently deceased don’t go to either heaven or hell in this world. They go to the bar. Yes, you read that correctly. The Quindecim bar is the stage, and the dead are the players.
The bartender, Decim, challenges his dead patrons to games that can result in either reincarnation or eternal damnation for the players. The games reveal the intriguing memories and true natures of these lost souls as they are judged by Decim.
Demon Slayer (26 Episodes)
Demon Slayer is probably the most popular anime on this list right now, so many may have already seen it. So popular, in fact, that there’s a game being made for it as we speak. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s worth the watch.
Demon Slayer follows the story of Tanjiro Kamado, a young boy who is thrust into action after a tragedy befalls his family and causes his sister Nezuko to become a bloodthirsty demon.
It’s a pretty standard shonen genre story, but the quality of the visuals, music, and action set it apart as Tanjiro becomes a demon slayer while searching for a way to revert his sister’s transformation.
Steins;Gate (24 Episodes)
Steins;Gate is another one of the more well-known anime on here, but its plot isn’t exactly on the simple side. It’s also another show involving some odd time travel, to say the least. It even has recent games of its own.
“Mad scientist” Rintarou Okabe enjoys creating gadgets with other lab members in a room that he’s rented out in an old building. None of his gadgets are more interesting than the Phone Microwave, which doesn’t seem to do anything particularly useful at first.
Without revealing too much, the lab members soon find out that they can use the microwave to send emails back in time, thus changing the present and future. That sounds strange because it is. With that said, the anime will keep you engaged, and maybe a bit confused, from beginning to end.
AnoHana (11 Episodes)
After all that action and science-fiction, it’s time for a little feels trip. Simply put, AnoHana is a short anime about loss.
Jinta Yadomi and his friend group are the main characters of this story. However, they’ve all grown apart, and he’s become somewhat of a hermit after the death of one of the group members.
Anime can be pretty over the top at times, but this show can hit home in its depiction of grief and the conquering of that grief by finding ways to accept and move past it.
Your Lie in April (22 Episodes)
The second and final stop on the feels trip is Your Lie in April. It’s a slice of life drama that focuses on a pianist prodigy named Kousei Arima.
Kousei is known by many for his musical talent, but his life as a musician ends after the death of his mother. He no longer feels that passion he once felt, until he meets the upbeat and cheerful violinist, Kaori Miyazono.
It’s another story about loss that’s told in a completely different, yet equally beautiful way. Prepare yourself, because the story of these young musicians might just tug at your heartstrings.
The Devil is a Part-Timer (13 Episodes)
Let’s end this list off on a happier note than the last two entries. The Devil is a Part-Timer is a comedy with a pretty self-explanatory title.
The Demon Lord himself is forced to start working at a fast-food restaurant in the human world after losing a war in another dimension. He needs money just like the rest of us. Essentially, he ends up enjoying his job while becoming a better person along the way.
Watching the Devil try his best to climb the corporate ladder is pretty great, especially when noble characters try to get in his way after discovering his true identity.
There are an uncountable number of anime out there to watch. These 10 really deserve to be binged ASAP, but if you’ve got any other recommendations, let us know below!
