I’ll admit that I’m rather picky when it comes to anime, because it’s not really a medium I enjoy on a regular basis. Not that it’s inherently bad, by any means, but I find it difficult to stay engaged with the stories that anime tends to gravitate toward. Which is precisely why I go for anime that has a bit of a shorter lifespan than your typical One Piece-like show.
This strategy has worked out pretty well, too, as I’ve discovered some truly outstanding, high-concept anime that surprised me in ways I didn’t think possible. I doubt that would be the case for something that runs for hundreds of episodes, and I’m thankful that shorter anime exists for people like me.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Watch Cyberpunk: Edgerunners on Netflix
I’m a huge fan of Cyberpunk 2077, so it was only natural for me to check this devastating little anime out when it dropped. I felt like I needed to book a therapy session after that final episode. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is a prequel to the game, although it is only tenuously connected to it. The setting remains the same, but the characters are completely different.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is one of those short anime that’s perfect for a weekend binge, though make sure you prepare yourself mentally. Protagonist David Martinez’ tragic journey through the criminal elements of Night City is a story arc worth taking, but it’s not one I’m keen to revisit anytime soon. Also, the soundtrack alone is worth the price of streaming admission.
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Watch Neon Genesis Evangelion on Netflix
What’s more high-concept than mechas versus horrifying monsters? Well, not much, to be completely honest. I’d always heard that Neon Genesis Evangelion was a classic of the mecha genre, but I did not expect something so artistically stunning and strange. Sometimes it feels like the satire or deconstruction of the mecha genre that it purports itself to be, and other times it feels like a David Lynch horror film.
The controversial finale, which I absolutely loved, is a prime example of the latter. There’s no cohesive wrap-up here; instead, it’s just more questions and a strange, dream-like quality. Maybe it’s because I adore the works of Lynch, but I found it to be a bold way to end the show. Of course, there would eventually be a different ending, but I prefer the original.
Cowboy Bebop
Watch Cowboy Bebop on Crunchyroll
A combination of science fiction and western with a little dash of noir sprinkled over the top of the whole thing, Cowboy Bebop is basically the perfect anime for me. It’s also the perfect anime if you’re looking to get your friends into the medium, or so I’ve been told. Focusing on a ragtag group of bounty hunters just looking to exist and survive in a lawless space adventure, Cowboy Bebop gave me big Firefly vibes.
It’s only 26 episodes, too, though it flies by with some great pacing that I did not expect. Ten episodes of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners felt much longer. I realize this has become a classic choice and, by no means, an original selection, but cowboy bounty hunters in space is such a fun high-concept approach to the genre that I almost wish the live-action series was actually good (it’s not).
Steins;Gate
Watch Steins;Gate on Crunchyroll
An exploration of grief and trauma told through the lens of a trippy time travel story, Steins;Gate surprised me with its level of detail and the depth of care it shows for its brilliantly layered characters. It’s by no means an easy watch; however, like many great science fiction films, it is rewarding if you stick with it. At 24 episodes, it doesn’t overstay its welcome either.
Steins;Gate focuses on a group of people who can send text messages to the past, thereby altering the present. But things just get bigger and scarier from there, and the main characters have to make hard choices in order to prevent an agency from acquiring their technology while also trying to stop a global war from breaking out. Heavy stuff, but Steins;Gate handles the material well.
91 Days
Watch 91 Days on Crunchyroll
I love shows with a time limit gimmick, and 91 Days does it pretty well. A revenge tale set during the latter part of Prohibition, 91 Days sets its main character, Angelo Lagusa, on a collision course with the gangsters who murdered his family. But there’s a lot more than meets the eye with this 12-episode thriller of an anime, as the consequences of revenge come back to haunt Angelo throughout.
91 Days reminded me of Monster (one of the best anime I’ve ever watched) in the way it plays with morality and expectations, but in a much shorter time span. There are numerous mature themes to explore here, and 91 Days doesn’t let any of its setup for difficult answers go to waste.
High-concept anime works better when it’s shorter
While there are many longer anime series with great, high-concept premises, I usually find that they lack sufficient fuel to sustain their length. Enter short anime like those on this list that can get in, tell their story, and then end things before the cracks start to show. I’ll probably be sticking to short bursts of anime like this for now. But hey, if you’re looking for more to watch, these four anime series are worth the cost of Crunchyroll alone.
