An average human life has become too complex and hectic that spearing some time for entertainment purposes seems almost impossible. After a busy week at school or the office, there is not enough energy and time left to watch super-long anime series. But, that doesn’t mean the anime industry has nothing to offer to these individuals as luckily, there are plenty of top-notch anime with 12 episodes or less which you can binge-watch.

Short anime series come up with lots of options; while some deliver quick action-packed drama, others do it by their comedic elements. No need to worry about complete story arcs, complex characters, and beautiful animation because these shows offer everything in a small package. The greatest anime series don’t have to be long to be epic.

And, in today’s article, we’ll take a look at some of the best anime with 12 episodes or less that you can watch in a single day. So, without any further ado let’s get started.

10. My Dress-Up Darling

My Dress Up Darling was one of the biggest hits of Winter 2022. The audience loved the show for its incredible mix of comedy, romance, cosplay culture, and fanservice. The anime follows the first-year high school student, Wakana Gojo, who shares a profound interest in making Hina Dolls.

During his first semester, he encounters the most beautiful girl in his class, Marin Kitagawa. After observing Gojo’s skill in sewing, Kitagawa asks for his help to make her a cosplay dress. Despite having no experience in making a costume for humans, Gojo agrees to make one for her. This is when the chemistry between the two starts to build.

9. Wonder Egg Priority

Wonder Egg Priority is an anime original series produced by CloverWorks. The pitfall for an anime with 12 episodes is that it doesn’t work on building up the story and is generally criticized for its fast pacing. However, Wonder Egg Priority does the complete opposite of this as it lets its viewers understand the setting of the anime.

Following the suicide of her best and only friend, Koito Nagase, Ai Ohto is left grappling with her new reality. With nothing left to live for, she follows the instructions of a mysterious entity and gets roped into purchasing a peculiar “Wonder Egg”. Upon breaking the egg in a world that materializes during her sleep, Ai is tasked with saving people from the adversities that come their way.

Soon she realizes that she can bring her deceased friend back to life if she manages to save enough people in this parallel world. With this dangerous yet tempting opportunity in the palms of her hands, Ai enters a place where she must recognize the relationship between other people’s demons and her own.

8. The Devil Is A Part-Timer

Devil is a Part-Timer! is a fantasy comedy anime series based on a light novel that follows the life of Demon King Satan, who dreams of conquering the world of Ente Isla. However, after being defeated by the hero Emilia, Satan and his generals escape Ente Isla and enter into modern Tokyo city through a mysterious gate.

Being trapped in the human realm without any of his demonic powers, Satan takes over the identity of Sadao Maō and works in a fast-food restaurant along with his generals who serve as his houseman. But, one day Satan meets a girl who is actually Emilia in the form of Emi Yusa. The story then unfolds and explores the personalities of each of the characters and their moral values.

7. Classroom Of The Elite

Another great anime with 12 episodes, Classroom of the Elite follows the lives of students of the prestigious Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High Schools who are given remarkable freedom – only if they can win, barter, or save enough points to work their way up the ranks! Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, a seemingly average guy in Class D doesn’t give too much attention to his school life.

But, after meeting Suzune Horikita and Kikyō Kushida, two other students in his class, his thought of ideal normal high school life begins to get scattered. Kiyotaka tries to sustain himself from the school activities but as the competition level goes up, he unwillingly gets involved in all the chaos which results in the uncovering of his dark past life.

6. Angel Beats!

Angel Beats! is an original story from Jun Maeda, the same mind behind “Clannad” and “Charlotte” which is based on the afterlife. Considered to be one of the saddest and best 12 episodes anime of all time, the series takes place in the afterlife and focuses on Otonashi, who lost his memories of his life after dying.

There he meets a girl named Yuri who leads a mysterious organization, Afterlife Battlefront. Yuri invites Otonashi to join her team to fight against the student council president Kanade Tachibana, a girl known as Angel with supernatural powers. Waking up with no previous memories in a dimension between life and death, he discovers the unsettling truth of the afterlife.

5. Horimiya

Hori-san to Miyamaru-kun, in short Horimiya, is a shōnen web manga series written & illustrated by Hiroki Adachi. Known for its romance-comedy genre, Horimiya follows the story of two high school students, Kyoki Hori and Izumi Miyamaru who showcase completely contrasting personalities.

While Hori is a bright student, Miyamaru is a nerdy glass-wearing guy but, their after-school life seems a little fishy. After knowing about each other’s true identities, Hori and Miyamaru try to conceal their secrets from their peers. However, as time passes they get closer to each other making their relationship something special. This anime has a very big and dedicated fanbase. Curious to know other biggest anime fandoms? Click here.

4. Grand Blue

Grand Blue is arguably the most hilarious comedy anime with 12 episodes. Also, it’s the only comedy manga enlisted in the “Top 10 Manga of All Time”. The series is about the adventures and fun parts of scuba diving. It follows the story of Iori Kitahara who looks forward to starting his new college life at his uncle’s place.

After moving on, he encounters a weird local diving club partying, drinking, and striping naked. Iori attempts to distance himself from this group but he finds himself stuck between his cousins who try to show him the real wonders of diving into the ocean. Clean animation combined with its hysterically funny plot gives you enough reasons to start this amazing series right now.

3. No Game No Life

No Game No Life follows the NEET brother-sister duo of Sora and Shiro who become insanely popular in the gaming community because of their extraordinary gaming skills. They are known for being unbeatable and after getting impressed by their talent a god from another world summons them into his world, Disboard.

As soon as entering his world, Sora & Shiro realize that it is a real-life gaming world where stealing, war, and killing are forbidden, and all issues and conflicts are resolved by playing high stake games. This strange new world gives the duo a new purpose in life – to beat everybody who crosses their path and become the new Gods of this world!

2. Terror In Resonance

Studio MAPPA anime are always a treat to watch and Terror in Resonance is another spectacle from the production house. Being a psychological thriller anime it dives deeper into the problems faced by modern society and the consequences caused by a terror attack on a child.

Terror in Resonance is a story about two brothers, Nine and Twelve who are the survivors of a secret experiment that turns orphan children into human weapons. In a terror attack, they get their hands on a prototype atomic bomb. Disguising themselves as “Sphinx” they threaten to destroy Tokyo city unless a cryptic riddle can be solved.

1. Erased

The suspense thriller series, Erased is certainly the best anime with 12 episodes you can binge-watch in a day! The show is about a pizza delivery guy, Satoru Fujinama who possesses an ability called ‘Revival’, that sends him back in time moments before a tragic incident is about to occur. With this ability, he prevents many accidents that could have been severe.

But, one day being accused of his mother’s murder, Satoru’s ability triggers again and sends him 18 years back in time where he is back to his school days again. This time, he has the chance to prevent his mother’s murder besides, preventing a kidnapping case as well that took the lives of his three best friends in school days.

Which one of the following short anime with 12 episodes is your favorite? Feel free to comment down your thoughts and make sure to recommend some other anime like the ones listed above, also don’t forget to share this article with your fellow otaku friends.

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