Best Anime With Only 12 Episodes

There are some anime, like One Piece, where you can spend weeks trying to catch up on all 1,000+ episodes. Sometimes, you just want a show you can binge all the way through on your day off. That’s where the 12-episode anime format comes in.

These shows either conclude their plot lines in 12 episodes, or only ever got 12 to show off their characters and world. Regardless, once your time is up, you’ll be craving a continuation. From some of the most wholesome romances of all time to time-traveling shenanigans, sometimes all you need to make an impact are those 12 episodes.

10

Bocchi The Rock!

Taking Center Stage

Having a hobby you love to share with the world while also being afraid of social interactions is one of the most relatable human experiences. Bocchi The Rock! takes the gag humor of the manga and elevates it through animation in only 12 episodes.

Luckily, she has a group of friends who see her talent on the guitar and allow her to live out all of her high school dreams, from performing in front of a live audience to coming up with t-shirt designs for the band. Bocchi the Rock! is a great way to spend four hours.

9

Skip And Loafer

A Powerful Friendship Blossoms Into Romance

Skip and Loafer only has 12 episodes, but in that short amount of time, it manages to create one of the most wholesome anime romances of all time. Mitsumi is a go-getter from the country who dreams of being a public servant. Meanwhile, Shima is a laid-back, ex-child actor who wants to leave that world behind.

Their personalities immediately pull them together as they navigate their school lives, friendships, and responsibilities. The anime also doesn’t shove both characters together but allows the relationship to progress naturally.

8

Puella Magi Madoka Magica

The Cost Of Being Magical

Magical Girl stories usually dive into the positive feelings, destroying the dark forces that cause mischief and mayhem throughout the city. However, Puella Magi Madoka Magica twists the premise by making the act of becoming a Magical Girl a true sacrifice, as well as raising the stakes of failure.

In this story, being a Magical Girl is not the happiest job in the world. While death is always a possible outcome, your wishes may also backfire on you, or you might end up living the same month over and over again.

7

Erased

Jumping Into The Past To Find A Killer

Erased is an anime with a dissatisfying ending but plenty of meat on the bones. After being accused of his mother’s murder, Satoru manages to jump back in time to his elementary school days. Here, he has a chance to fix the future.

However, a serial killer is on the loose, and he might just be the same person who kills Satoru’s mother in the future. Using his knowledge of future events, he strengthens his relationship with his friends and gets a do-over.

6

Death Parade

Resurrection Or To The Void?

Death isn’t the end. At least not in Death Parade. In this anime about the afterlife, the recently deceased must compete against each other in order to get some form of closure or have a final decision drawn as to where they will be sent afterward.

Death Parade takes place inside a bar, where the rules are laid out and secrets spill. As each game takes place, more of each soul’s past is revealed, giving viewers a clearer picture of who they were before death.

5

Yuri On Ice

Fantastic Tricks And Routines

Yuri On Ice has 12 episodes to mesmerize you with the dazzle of modern figure skating. The story follows a figure skater named Yuri who fails to win a skating competition and finds himself down on his luck.

This, however, gives him a chance to train under the wing of Victor Nikiforov, a figure skating champion. Nikiforov also promised another Yuri, Yuri Plisetsky, his time as coach. Now both Yuri must compete against each other to see who will be trained by the best.

4

No Game No Life

Life Is Just A Game

Two siblings, Sora and Shiro, are challenged by a god of another universe to a game of chess. They prove their worth using skill and intelligence, earning them a chance to be transported to another world where everything revolves around games.

In a world where no one can inflict harm on one another, conflicts must be resolved through games. This is the perfect world for the two siblings, who soon find themselves reigning supreme. This is the perfect anime to watch if you love games and competitions with stakes.

3

Saving 80,000 Gold In Another World For My Retirement

The Greatest Anime Hustle

Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirement is an isekai without the death. Mitsuha Yamaho instead finds herself being able to freely swap between two worlds. This gives her the perfect opportunity to achieve her true goal: to make a boatload of money off of the fantasy world.

She soon climbs the social ladders by pawning off cheap modern goods as luxury items throughout the land. From owning her own shop to governing her own province, Yamaho lives every anime lover’s dream.

2

School-Live!

Hiding The Truth

Is it really a zombie apocalypse if you don’t realize you’re in one? That’s the premise of School-live!. It follows the daily life of a group of high school girls who must learn to live in their school after a zombie outbreak wipes out all the other students.

However, they also try to keep the apocalypse a secret from their friend Yuki, who needs more time to process the harsh reality they are living in. This gives viewers a chance to see the world through her eyes, as survival equates to fun school activities.

1

Mieruko-Chan

A 12-Episode Scare

If you’re looking to blend horror and comedy, then you’ll end up with Mieruko-Chan. This is the story of a girl who can see ghosts all around her. While the spirits are some of the most terrifying that you will find in an anime, Miko does her best to ignore them and live a normal high school life.

However, in order to have peace, she must sometimes help the spirits around her find peace as well. This leads her through many adventures with ghosts that are both friendlier than they initially appear and not quite so cuddly.