Instead of rewatching Death Note for the 17th time this weekend or starting a months-long catch-up on all of the Hunter x Hunter episodes you’ve missed, why not try a short anime series on Netflix?
So, what are the options for anime fans looking for a quick Sunday night binge?
I’ve put together a list of the 5 best Netflix short anime series that you can watch in a single sitting without feeling like you’ve wasted your day, life, mind, and soul.
Yes, One Piece, I’m looking at you and your 966 episodes.
BEST SHORT ANIME SERIES ON NETFLIX
5. DEVILMAN CRYBABY
Netflix
MyAnimeList: 7,8
Seasons: 1 | Episodes: 10 | Runtime: 24–27 mins
Watch on Netflix
The Ichiroo Ookouchi written horror anime is a one-of-kind experience, but only if you can stomach the gore and frenetic imagery.
The story centers around a timid teenager, Akira Fudo, who learns from his best friend, Ryo Asuka, that an ancient race of demons has returned to take over the world.
Believing that the only way to defeat the demons is to incorporate their powers, Ryo suggests to Akira that he unites with a demon. Akira then succeeds in transforming into Devilman, who possesses both the powers of a demon and the soul of a human.
The battle between demons and humans ensues, and Devilman is resolved to clean the world from demons alongside the enigmatic Ryo.
The show’s pacing is WAY too quick, but it works with the chaotic world the show takes place in. And the opening sequence, accompanied by the song “Man Human”, depicts the feeling the Devilman Crybaby gives you way too well.
Netflix’s first Japanese-produced anime is absolutely not for kids.
With a hard R rating, Devilman Crybaby is NOT squeamish about body horror, violence and bare flesh, which you should keep in mind if you decide to watch it.
4. HI SCORE GIRL
Netflix
MyAnimeList: 7,8
Seasons: 2 | Episodes: 21 + 3 OVAs | Runtime: 23-25 mins
Watch on Netflix
Hi Score Girl is – aside from being the reason this article missed the deadline because I was busy watching it – a great romantic comedy set in the early ’90s when arcades were all the rage in Japan.
Although at the beginning it might seem generic, don’t give up on it, because it gets VERY good VERY fast.
It is a story of a chronic gamer, Yaguchi Haruo, abysmally inept in academics and sports who finally meets his match at his usual shady arcade – and it’s his rich classmate, Ōno Akira, who harbors a mean gaming skill.
The show is very sweet, and reminds me a lot of Toradora. So, if you enjoyed Toradora, or just want a nice romantic comedy to watch – well it’s your lucky day.
You’re in for a wholesome show and a love letter to the 90s gaming culture. Another treat is the soundtrack from Yoko Shimomura, a legendary game composer, best known for popular shows like Kingdom Hearts and Radiant Historia.
3. AGGRETSUKO
Netflix
MyAnimeList: 7,6
Seasons: 3 | Episodes: 30 + special | Runtime: 15–23 mins
Watch on Netflix
Ok, I feel like I’ve cheated a bit with Aggretsuko. While 30 episodes is not exactly the quickest binge, they’re short, it includes three seasons and it’s fantastic, so fight me.
It is an oddly relatable, slice-of-life comedy about an accountant red panda called Retsuko, who deals with the dread of her job by singing death-metal karaoke.
Sounds fun? Because it is!
Aggretsuko is a joint project of Netflix and Sanrio, the creators of Hello Kitty. But our girl Retsuko is the total opposite of Sanrio’s typical mascots.
She is neurotic and angry, hates her job and dreams of hitting her superior with a bolt of lightning. Oh, did I mention she’s a death-metal karaoke enthusiast?
“Underneath the smile, I’m metal ‘til I die!” she screams. It’s a kawaii rebellion like you’ve never seen before.
Both in the first and second season, Retsuko continues to rage against the machine and struggle with the problems of adulthood.
It’s a perfect binge; not only it’s funny, but it also manages to fit in a remarkable amount of truth bombs and insight about society within 15-minute episodes.
2. RILAKKUMA AND KAORU
Netflix
MyAnimeList: 7,6
Seasons: 1 | Episodes: 13 | Runtime: 12 mins
Watch on Netflix
Produced by a Japanese stationery company San-X, Rilakkuma and Kaoru is a delightful show centered around the company’s much beloved character, lazy bear Rilakkuma.
The project is brought to life in a gorgeous stop motion style, one of the rarest forms of anime.
The story starts with Kaoru, a typical twenty-something Japanese office worker. But what sets her apart are her roommates, whimsical creatures named Rilakkuma, Korilakkuma, and Kiiroitori.
Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma are both living and breathing toy bears, while Kiiroitori is a bird.
While the anthropomorphic animals make it seem like the show is directed to children, this is a josei anime since Kaoru is dealing with real issues that most stressed-out millennials can relate to.
The show plays out as a magical slice of life with an emotional impact, rather than crazy drama. With that said, Railakkuma and Kaoru is one of the best short anime series on Netflix, as well as one of the best iyashikei anime ever.
For those of you unfamiliar with the term, iyashikei (Japanese for “healing”) is a show designed to have a relaxing, cathartic effect on the viewer.
So, there you go – your perfect bedtime viewing. It’s guaranteed to turn your frown upside down, and calm you down better than scrolling through your social media feed.
1. CASTLEVANIA
Netflix
IMDb: 8.3
Seasons: 4 | Episodes: 32 | Runtime: 22–31 mins
Watch on Netflix
Hollywood has a terrible track record when it comes to adapting popular video game franchises to film and TV (think Assassin’s Creed).
Then Castlevania came along in 2017, and showed us there may be hope for the future after all.
Two seasons later, Castlevania sits on a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and stands as the highest rated video game adaptation of all time.
Based on Konami’s video game series, the medieval fantasy follows Trevor Belmont, the last of the bloodline of legendary vampire hunters.
He joins forces with wandering sorceress, Sypha, and Dracula’s own son, Alucard, to kick some ass and put an end to the vampire war on humanity – all while attempting to tolerate being in one another’s company. LOL.
It goes without saying that the best short anime series on Netflix is NOT a kid-friendly show. Wildly stylized, dark and bloody, “the animated Game of Thrones” successfully captured the gore and the feel of the Konami series.
The show expanded on the original lore, added dimension to the characters, and wasn’t afraid to add some grit to the action scenes. And, that is how you adapt a video game, Hollywood directors.
All of these awesome (and short!) anime series are just waiting for you to devour them on Netflix as we speak.
So why are you still here?
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