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Whether it's a university student prepping for your weekly tests and quizzes, or someone who is working in the office or at home on a 9 to 5 schedule during the weekdays, one thing both demographics are bound to have in common would be the constant yearning for holidays to arrive earlier. As luck would have it, everyone still has the weekends to be grateful for a short break from a hectic lifestyle. And a weekend is a perfect time period for binging these concise, yet highly memorable anime.
Anime may come in the form of a feature-length film or TV serialization, with the latter ranging from 7000+ episodes like Sazae-san to shorter run-times that tell a great immersive story within 12-24 episodes.
Paranoia Agent (2004)
13 episodes - 25 mins/ep
Satoshi Kon is a master at offering audiences mind-bending stories that would give Christopher Nolan and David Lynch a run for their money. Aside from a celebrated filmography including Perfect Blue (1997) and Tokyo Godfathers (2003), Kon's only TV anime contribution - Paranoia Agent (2004) is a suspenseful and mentally-tormenting creation equivalent to its film predecessors.
The psychological-horror anime series follows a series of victims who were allegedly attacked by a juvenile nicknamed "shounen bat" or "lil slugger'. Each victim eventually becomes the focus of the story, shedding light on their secret lives and unspoken troubles.
Ouran High School Host Club (2006)
26 episodes - 23 mins/ep
Yearning for a romantic-comedy anime series that pokes fun at stereotypes and clichés bombarding the shoujo genre? An anime that should have received a second season, Ouran High School Host Club (2006) might look all pink and dreamy on the surface, but it is one of the pioneering anime to debunk gender roles and demonstrates that not all girls are damsels in distress.
After accidentally breaking an expensive vase, the poverty-stricken high school girl Haruhi Fujioka must work for the school's infamous Host Club, where attractive boys of diverse personalities entertain female students. Often mistaken for the opposite gender, Fujioka becomes a natural at her "job" whilst coping with her male colleagues.
Banana Fish (2018)
24 episodes - 22mins/ep
Banana Fish (2018) focuses on Ash Lynx, a runaway turned teenage gang leader in New York City, and his adventures finding the mysterious "Banana Fish", the last words uttered by his older brother.
The crime adventure series is not only noteworthy for its extensive action sequences and mafia interferences, Ash's relationship with Japanese photographer Eiji Okamura does not overtly sexualize homosexuality, which has painted a more positive depiction of same-sex relationships. The series not only appeals to fans of hot-blooded action series but attracts female followers who have a penchant for "boys-love" materials.
Devilman Crybaby (2018)
10 episodes - 24-27 mins/ep
One of the best animes Netflix has created, Devilman Crybaby (2018) is not for the faint of heart with its gratuitous violent and sexual content. Undeterred by a much-debated ending and unusual animation style, the avant-garde supernatural horror anime series garnered masses of fans due to its superb storytelling, inclusive characters, and faithfulness to the manga.
Based on Go Nagai's manga, Devilman, the series takes place in the 21st century rather than its original setting of the 70s. It centers around Akira Fudou, who accidentally merges with the devil Amon and gained diabolical powers to defeat other demons, despite still possessing a crybaby's heart.
Samurai Champloo (2004)
26 episodes - 24 mins/ep
From the same creators of Cowboy Bebop (1998) and Terror In Resonance (2004), the 2004 samurai action anime series is the only anime to ever combine the idea of traditional Japanese sword-fighting with a styling hip-hop soundtrack.
Samurai Champloo oversees the journey of a trio of peculiar individuals who set on a journey to find a samurai that smells of sunflowers. Their expedition is not always smooth-sailing as the tea waitress Fuu always has to keep the wanton outlaw Mugen and taciturn ronin Jin from killing each other.
One Outs (2008)
25 episodes - 23 mins/ep
The 2008 sports anime's tagline "Nobody wins but I" perfectly sums up the series' main highlight and anti-hero Toua Tokuchi. One Outs (2008) perfectly balances baseball and sports gambling by constantly pitching prodigy Tokuchi against baseball players of various backgrounds in one-to-one showdowns called "One Outs".
Tokuchi's skills unwittingly landed him a spot on a mediocre baseball team albeit under a special contract: pitching an out will earn him five million yen whilst giving up a run will cost him fifty. Audiences will be entertained by One Outs for Tokuchi's ingenious ways to outsmart his opponents and exceed the audience's expectations.
Yuri!!! On Ice (2016)
12 episodes - 23 mins/ep
Released in late 2016, Yuri!!! On Ice (2016) becomes a runaway hit mainly for viewers' fervent reception surrounding its same-sex relationship between promising Japanese figure skater Yuri Katsuki and his Russian mentor Victor Nikiforov, albeit some critics have deemed it unrealistic.
Praised for its meticulously-executed choreography and depiction of anxiety, the anime is assuringly exceptional in providing a window for fans interested in the world of figure skating, especially in the modern setting of overt social media exposure.
Nichijou (2011)
26 episodes - 23 mins/ep
A surreal comedy anime featuring a school principal wrestling with a wild deer, a juvenile scientist with her detachable robot maid, and a talking cat as well as many other uncanny occurrences, Nichijou (2011) is one of those anime that is just perfect for anyone who has a bad week.
Also known for its English title My Ordinary Life, the life of the characters in Nichijou is anything but ordinary. The anthology series primarily focuses on three childhood friends as they experience the absurdity of hyper-normal phenomena invading their mundane high school lives.
My Roommate Is A Cat (2019)
12 episodes - 23 mins/ep
Attention all cat-lovers and introverts! Because My Roommate Is A Cat (2019) is definitely not an anime series to miss out on.
The slice-of-life anime details the budding relationship between Subaru Mikazuki, a socially-awkward mystery novel author, and a stray cat he ends up taking home called Haru. After the death of his parents from a car accident, Mikazuki becomes increasingly withdrawn from society, but having Haru in his life makes his view of the world much less intimidating.
Death Parade (2015)
12 episodes - 23 mins/ep
Death Parade (2015) questions viewers the idea of what happens after death and answers itself by emerging as one of the best death game-themed tv series. In the world of Death Parade, a few chosen ones are sent to a bar called Quindecim hosted by bartenders who will host a series of games determining who should go to Heaven or Hell.
In these games of life and death, the true nature of each participant and their background stories will slowly come to light. From dart games to air hockey, the range of games make for good entertainment whilst prompting viewers to ponder the fate of its participants.