There’s no denying that Crunchyroll is one of the best sites for streaming anime, if not the best. Not only do they get more simulcasts than any other site, but with their massive library of older anime and how invested they are in the production of some shows, it’s hard to see them as anything other than a cultural juggernaut.
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It’s a given that Crunchyroll has plenty of great anime that can keep people busy for weeks, but they also have many excellent shows with relatively short episode counts that are still fun to watch. A few anime like that especially stand out, as each one is one of the best anime a person can watch, despite their short runtimes.
10) Zenshu
MAPPA’s Zenshu stars Natsuko Hirose, an antisocial animator who, after her death, awakens in the world of her favorite movie, A Tale of Perishing. There, Natsuko discovers that she’s gained the power to bring her drawings to life, and she decides to use that to prevent A Tale of Perishing’s tragic ending and give everyone the happy ending they deserve.
Between its gorgeous visuals, emotional storytelling, and stellar meta-commentary about anime, Zenshu is one of MAPPA’s best anime for how much it succeeds on both a visual and narrative level from start to finish. That’s an especially strong feat for an original anime, and it’s no wonder why it was one of the best anime of winter 2025, by far.
9) Odd Taxi
OLM, Inc.’s Odd Taxi stars Hiroshi Odokawa, a walrus who drives a taxi and is generally antisocial. When the mysterious disappearance of a high school girl finds its way back to Odokawa and his customers, though, Odokawa has to connect with them to help solve a mystery that only gets bigger with each new reveal.
Despite how relatively unknown the team behind it was, Odd Taxi quickly won fans and critics over with its clever mystery writing and astounding character work. There are few better mystery anime a person can watch, and at only 13 episodes, getting through shouldn’t be a problem in the slightest.
8) Zom 100: Bucket List Of The Dead
In Bug Films’ Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, Akira Tendo has all but lost the will to live after spending three years in a horrible company, but when the world turns into a zombie apocalypse, Akira, instead of panicking, feels free and vows to live his new life to the fullest until he inevitably becomes a zombie.
With a combination of creative visuals and a narrative that was as funny as it was relatable, Zom 100 was an incredible anime to watch from start to finish. The series had an infamously troubled production that killed much of its momentum, but now that it’s all done, it’s a great anime to watch in a short amount of time.
7) Takopi’s Original Sin
Enishiya’s Takopi’s Original Sin stars Takopi, an octopus-like alien from Happy Planet who comes to Earth to make people happy. The first person Takopi tries to help is a troubled young girl named Shizuka, but not only are her problems deeper than Takopi understands, but his attempts to help make things hauntingly worse at every turn.
Takopi’s Original Sin used its cute visuals to mask an unflinchingly dark story about abuse and depression, and that, in turn, led to a phenomenally mature story about life and the importance of happiness, in general. It was the best anime of summer 2025, by far, and it’s already an easy contender for best anime of the year.
6) Nichijou
Kyoto Animation’s Nichijou is about the daily lives of the citizens of Tokisadame, the most prominent being the trio of Yuko Aioi, Mio Naganohara, and Mai Minakami. They and everyone else in town, however, are extremely eccentric, and most stories in the series typically revolve around everyone taking otherwise mundane situations and making them as goofy and over-the-top as possible.
Not only does Nichijou have some of the best and most creative animation of any Kyoto Animation project, but when combined with its hilarious comedy, it creates one of the most wonderfully surreal anime to watch. At over 20 episodes, Nichijou is a little on the longer side, but with how great the comedy is, it’s well worth someone’s time.
5) Kill la Kill
Studio Trigger’s Kill la Kill stars Ryuko Matoi, a troubled young girl who goes to Honnoji Academy to search for her father’s killer. Doing so means fighting her way through the chaotic student body commanded by the tyrannical student council president Satsuki Kiryuin, but Ryuko just might have a chance with her friends and her sentient school uniform named Senketsu.
Kill la Kill is another anime that’s slightly on the longer side, but between its amazingly creative visuals, fun cast, and overall engaging action and writing, that doesn’t make it any less fun to watch. Kill la Kill helped make Studio Trigger the legend it’s known for being today, and even after so many years, it’s easy to see why.
4) Bocchi The Rock!
CloverWorks’ Bocchi the Rock! stars Hitori Gotoh, a girl who learns to play the guitar in an attempt to break out of her shell and make friends. That idea ultimately fails, however, and it isn’t until years after the fact that Hitori, now nicknamed “Bocchi”, can finally make friends after her impromptu induction into the band Kessoku Band.
While Bocchi the Rock! seemed like another run-of-the-mill “cute girls doing cute things” anime, it’s one of the best slice-of-life anime around with its incredible soundtrack, gorgeously surreal animation, and surprisingly strong narrative about social anxiety. It’s easily one of the best anime of recent years, and with Bocchi the Rock! season 2 in development, there’s plenty more in store.
3) Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day
In A-1 Pictures’ Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day, five years after a group of friends was broken up by the death of one of their own, Menma, one of those friends, Jinta, suddenly finds himself encountering Menma’s ghost, and it now falls on him to get his friends back together so he can help Menma pass on.
Not only does Anohana boast gorgeous visuals paired with an equally gorgeous soundtrack, but with its emotionally resonant storytelling and bittersweet finale, it’s an overall stunning drama from start to finish. Anime is a medium that’s perfect for telling emotional stories, and it’s amazing that Anohana succeeds at that in such a short amount of time.
2) Puella Magi Madoka Magica
In Shaft’s Puella Magi Madoka Magica, after accidentally learning about magic, Madoka Kaname is given the chance to become a magical girl and fight evil Witches, but as she debates taking up the offer, Madoka discovers that being a magical girl is nowhere near as glamorous as she was led to believe in the worst way possible.
It’s one thing for Madoka Magica to have such stunning artwork and animation, but with its strong characters and wonderfully deconstructive narrative, it’s easily one of the best anime of the past decade both visually and narratively. There’s never been an anime quite like Madoka Magica, and with its final movie coming out soon, it’s only going to get better.
1) Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
In Studio Trigger’s Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, humanity has spent ages living underground in fear of the Spiral King and his army of Beastmen, but when Simon the Digger uncovers a mysterious robot called a Gunmen, he’ll slowly but surely lead the charge in freeing humanity and the entire universe from those who would keep them down.
Between its great storytelling and how wonderfully over-the-top the writing and animation gets, Gurren Lagann is an incredible anime from start to finish and easily one of the best mecha anime around. Almost 20 years later, it’s easy to see why Gurren Lagann remains so beloved, and overall, it’s easily the best short anime a person can watch on Crunchyroll.
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Image courtesy of Focus Features.
