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Not every anime needs multiple seasons and hundreds of episodes to tell a good story. Some of the most interesting series wrap up their central conflicts in just a handful of instalments. Whether you have a free weekend or simply don’t want to commit to another lengthy shonen anime, these three shows are worth considering. All three have 11 episodes or fewer in their original television or OVA runs.
1. FLCL
Six episodes are allFLCLneeds to introduce one of the strangest coming-of-age stories in anime. The protagonist is Naota Nandaba, a 12-year-old boy whose relatively ordinary life gets interrupted by Haruko Haruhara, an eccentric woman who arrives on a Vespa and hits him with a guitar.
Things become stranger when giant robots begin emerging from Naota’s head. Haruko, an alien, appears to have her own reasons for getting involved with him, while a mysterious corporation called Medical Mechanica has plans involving the planet.
Originally released as a six-episode OVA in 2000 and 2001,FLCLwas produced by Gainax and Production I.G. Kazuya Tsurumaki directed the original series. It mixes absurd comedy, science fiction, action, and teenage confusion into a short watch that rarely behaves like a conventional anime.
2. Ping Pong the Animation
Don’t let the sport put you off.Ping Pong the Animationfollows two childhood friends, Peco and Smile, who play competitive table tennis for their school. Peco is confident and naturally talented, while Smile has considerable ability but struggles to find the motivation to compete.
Their differences become more apparent as they encounter players with their own ambitions and personal problems. The series spends time exploring what winning means to each character and how much of their identity depends on being good at the sport.
Masaaki Yuasa directed the 11-episode adaptation of Taiyo Matsumoto’s manga. Tatsunoko Production animated the series, which aired in 2014.
3. Terror in Resonance
Two teenage boys begin threatening Tokyo with terrorist attacks, leaving police investigators to solve a series of riddles before further destruction takes place. That’s the setup forTerror in Resonance, a thriller about Nine and Twelve, who operate under the name Sphinx.
Their actions eventually connect to a secret experiment involving children, while a lonely schoolgirl named Lisa becomes caught up in their plans. The series runs for 11 episodes and was created and directed by Shinichirō Watanabe. MAPPA produced the anime, with music by Yoko Kanno, which aired in 2014.
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