10 amazing anime you can finish in one night

Gen Z is always running short on time, but there’s no compromising with entertainment. Though, we do compromise on sleep sometimes. Here are the most jaw-dropping anime for your next all-nighter.

Before you look down on these short-lived masterpieces, remember it’s easy to leave a mark on the audience and rise to the top of the charts if there are thousands of episodes of an anime (no dig on One Piece). But real brilliance is when they can do it in 10-13 episodes. Thankfully, the anime industry has done its part, and we have too. Now all you need is to lose your sleep on the weekend night and dive into these amazing anime.

10. Grand Blue (2018)

Episodes: 12
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

A.k.a. Grand Blue Dreaming, the series combines Zero-G’s stunning animation with a thrilling supernatural narrative by Kenji Inoue. It revolves around Iori Kitahara, who joins a diving club full of eccentric and boisterous people after moving to a beach town on the Izu Peninsula for college.

As Iori discovers the joys of diving into the ocean and sea, the series tracks the group’s entertaining and frequently ridiculous adventures above and below the water. The consistent humor and vibrant characters will ensure a lighthearted and fun binge experience​.

9. Yuri!!! On Ice (2016)

Episodes: 12
Where to watch: Crunchyroll and Funimation

Yuri!!! On Ice has been on the news lately, albeit for a film that never happened. But regardless, we have a masterful anime series by MAPPA to binge on. It tells the tale of Yuri Katsuki (read in Naruto voice for emphasis), a professional figure skater, who struggles with his career until his idol Viktor Nikiforov becomes his coach.

The series explores the duo’s path through the elite figure skating world. The emotional depth and exquisitely choreographed skating scenes will make you search for more sports anime immediately after the end of the 12th episode.

8. 91 Days (2016)

Episodes: 12
Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, and VRV

If you’re used to staying up late watching true crime and criminal dramas, this one by Shuka Studio will give you a similar feeling. 91 Days is set during the Prohibition era in 1932, following a young man named Angelo Lagus after his family was murdered in a Mafia dispute.

It tells the story of his infiltration into the formidable Vanetti mafia family responsible for the murder, to bring them down and exact revenge. The series is a high-octane, fast-paced 91-day story with dramatic outcomes. Dark and gripping are the right words to put it in short.

7. Beyond the Boundary (2013)

Episodes: 12
Where to watch: Crunchyroll, HIDIVE, and VRV

Combining the best of dark fantasy and romance, Beyond the Boundary is one of Kyoto Animation’s relatively unknown but superior works. It centers on Akihito Kanbara, a second-year high school student and an immortal half-spirit. After Akihito saves his classmate Mirai Kuriyama from committing suicide, he learns that she is a spirit world warrior, and their lives become intertwined.

The show chronicles their exploits as they investigate their enigmatic pasts and battle evil spirits. This series promises to be visually and emotionally satisfying with its unique blend of stunning animation, captivating fight scenes, and poignant character arcs. So, you’ll have no regrets about losing sleep over this.

6. Inuyashiki (2017)

Episodes: 11
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

If you’re looking for something more unusual, what could be more unconventional than a middle-aged anime protagonist? Inuyashiki is a sci-fi body horror anime by MAPPA, led by Inuyashiki Ichiro, an old friendless man suddenly transformed into a cyborg possessing incredible powers after an extraterrestrial explosion.

Though he decides to be a superhero using his powers, He is soon met with a teenager named Shishigami Hiro, who underwent the same transformation but uses his powers for evil. The two main protagonists’ divergent trajectories thus create a compelling and provocative story. The action is short and fast-paced, with fascinating ethical concerns that make it ideal for a one-night watch.

5. ID: Invaded (2020)

Episodes: 13
Where to watch: Hulu and Funimation

Another one for the Whodunit enthusiasts, ID: Invaded uses sci-fi to propagate a thrilling murder mystery that follows the investigations of Akihito Narihisago. Though a renowned detective, he ends up in prison for the murder of the serial killer who killed his daughter. In the series, investigators can tap into a killer’s unconscious called “id well” and see fragmented parts of their psyche.

The story unfolds as Narihisago, operating under the name Sakaido, is tasked with diving into the id wells of various serial killers. The mind-bending mysteries keep you on the edge of your seat and can only be fully appreciated in one sitting.

4. Death Parade (2015)

Episodes: 12
Where to watch: Hulu, Funimation, and Crunchyroll

This 12-episode Madhouse psychological thriller is an exhilarating take on after-death experience. In Death Parade‘s world, people are sent to one of many mysterious bars after death, run by arbiters who judge their souls through various games. Upon completing the games, they are either sent for reincarnation or banished into the void. 

Decim, the only bartender at the Quindecim bar leads the show. Decim’s supervisor Nona permits him to pursue his curiosity about human emotions as a risky experiment, and soon after, he starts to doubt the morality and equity of his decisions. The series raises important philosophical issues, making it difficult to put down.

3. Terror in Resonance (2014)

Episodes: 11
Where to watch: Hulu, Funimation, and Crunchyroll

Created by the famed Shinichirō Watanabe, Terror in Resonance is widely noted for its masterful suspense and profound psychological drama. It centers on two adolescent boys, Nine and Twelve, who carry out a string of terrorist strikes in an alternative iteration of the present Tokyo while leaving behind cryptic clues.

However, the two boys are not ordinary children but survivors of a secret experiment by the Rising Peace Academy to develop orphaned children with savant syndrome into human weapons. The series is jam-packed with emotional depth and suspense that’s best enjoyed in a single sitting.

2. Cyberpunk: Edgerunner (2022)

Episodes: 10
Where to watch: Netflix

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is based on the video game Cyberpunk 2077, but serves as a prequel to the game and takes place about a year before its events. If you’re already familiar with the Cyberpunk universe created by Mike Pondsmith, this one should be on your must-watch list on Netflix.

The show occurs in a dystopian society with rampant cybernetic implants, crime, and corruption. It centers on David Martinez, a gifted but impetuous street youth who, after losing everything in a drive-by shooting, decides to live on the wrong side of the law as an “edgerunner” as he deals with the psychological impact of his cybernetic augmentations. We shouldn’t need to convince you on this one now.

1. Erased (2016)

Episodes: 12
Where to watch: Netflix, Hulu, Funimation, and Crunchyroll

The story and characters of Erased (especially the villain) will remain etched into your mind for weeks. This adaptation of the manga by A-1 Pictures is a critically acclaimed thriller with equally brilliant mystery and heartfelt moments. It centers on Satoru Fujinuma, a poor manga artist who can “revive”—go back in time a few minutes to avert fatal situations.

However, after his mother is killed, he is transported back in time to his elementary school years to unravel the mystery and stop a string of kidnappings that occurred when he was a young boy. The gripping suspense and emotionally charged storyline will keep you on the screen till morning.