Over the past decade or so, the days ofanimerunning for years at a time have slowly been coming to an end. While there are still some that will run for years at a time, nowadays, most studios opt for short seasons before taking a break, which not only helps maintain quality, but also helps keep fans and animators alike from getting burnt out from an overload of content.
The current model for anime is a great one, but that doesn’t mean long-runners have lost all their value. Not only do many of them have plenty to offer in terms of both visuals and storytelling, especially the ones that are still going on, but plenty of people like the idea of having something big to occupy their time for months at a time, possibly even years.There are plenty of long-running animewith great enough quality that they’re worth committing an extreme amount of time to, and the best of the bunch are especially worth highlighting.
Bleach
Studio Pierrot’sBleachstars Ichigo Kurosaki, a boy whose strange ability to see ghosts leads to him learning about Soul Reapers, the guardians of the afterlife, and the bloodthirsty monsters they protect people from called Hollows. When a Hollow puts his family in danger, Ichigo is forced to become a substitute Soul Reaper to protect them, and that begins a constant series of battles to protect Ichigo’s loved ones old and new, in addition to the entire world.
Even withoutBleach’s filler arcs, there are still over 200 episodes and four movies to watch, so it’s hardly something a person can get through in a short amount of time. Not only that, butBleach’s writing and fight scenes are among the best inshonenanime, withBleach: Thousand-Year Blood Wartaking that to incredible new heights, so it’s perfect for anyone looking for something long to occupy their time.
Kinnikuman, very appropriately,stars Kinnikuman, the bumbling superhero of Japan who rarely ever saves the day without embarrassing himself. As the series shifts from a superhero parody into a wrestling epic, however, Kinnikuman gradually becomes more heroic, and much of his growth is sparked by the constant wrestling matches he and his friends have to protect the universe from the forces of evil.
WhileKinnikumanisn’t that popular outside of Japan,Kinnikuman’s great action and perfect blend of comedy and heartfelt character writing have it more than earn its reputation as one of the biggestshonenstories of all time. The original series and its sequel,Ultimate Muscleare both plenty lengthy on their own, and with the new series,Kinnikuman: Perfect Origin Arc, still ongoing with no signs of stopping, there’s plenty to keep someone entertained for years to come.
Digimon
Toei Animation’sDigimonis an anthology series based on the massive media franchise of the same name. Every series in theDigimonfranchise has a different story, with most being set in different universes, but they all have the basic premise of children befriending mysterious creatures called Digimon and needing to work with them to protect Earth and the Digital World from destruction at the hands of evil.
EveryDigimonseries, especially the later ones, does a great job of putting a unique spin on the “Mon” genre with great action and varying themes, and with nine different anime and 17 different movies, there’s plenty to keep a person occupied.Digimonis one of the most iconic anime to come out of the ’90s, and it more than earns that reputation and the longevity behind it all.
OLM, Inc.’sPokémonis the long-running adaptation of the video games of the same name. For most of its run, the series focused on the adventures of Ash Ketchum, a young boy looking to become a Pokémon Master with his trusty Pikachu by his side, although inPokémon’s latest installment,Pokémon Horizons, the focus shifts to a new protagonist named Liko and her quest to uncover the mysteries of her ancestor, Lucius the Ancient Adventurer.
Between the original series andPokémon Horizons,Pokémonis one of the longest anime around with over 1300 episodes, and fortunately,the timeless nature ofPokémonwriting, combined with its ever-evolving visual style, always makes it fun to watch. Whether someone wants to start from the very beginning or useHorizonsas a starting point, it’s easy to say thatPokémonis as worth committing to now as it was back in the ’90s.
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
David Production’sJoJo’s Bizarre Adventureis a generational epic chronicling the adventures of the members of the Joestar family, all of whom have names that can create the nickname “JoJo.” As the title would imply, the Joestars repeatedly deal with increasingly bizarre threats to the world, many of which involve supernatural powers called Stands, and their repeated battles span not only centuries, but multiple timelines, as well.
TheJoJo’s Bizarre Adventuremanga is one of the longest ongoing manga in history, and sure enough, the anime is appropriately lengthy with 190 episodes spread across six different parts, with even more to come ifrumors of aSteel Ball Runanimeare true. More than that, of course,JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’s anime always does a great job of adapting the manga with its incredible animation and overall direction, and there are few modern anime that are better worth committing to.
Naruto
Studio Pierrot’sNarutostars Naruto Uzumaki, an aspiring ninja who’s spent his entire life ostracized by his peers for being the vessel to the ferocious Nine-Tailed Demon Fox. Naruto seeks to become the next Hokage, the leader of his ninja village, and earn everyone’s respect, and his quest to do so puts him at the center of one major conflict after another until it falls on him to save the entire world.
While almost half ofNaruto’s anime is filler, not only are there hundreds of episodes and 11 movies to watch, butNaruto’s well-rounded cast of heroes and villains, engaging storytelling, and gorgeous fight scenes make it plenty worth watching, despite its length. The sequel series,Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, is looking to run for just as long, if not longer, so anyone who commits toNarutois set to have plenty of great content for years to come.
TMS Entertainment’sCase Closed, better known asDetective Conan, stars Shinichi Kudo, a teen detective prodigy turned into a child by an experimental drug of the mysterious Black Organization. Now living as Conan Edogawa, Shinichi has to do what he can to uncover the truth of the Black Organization to both take them down and get his body back to normal, all while solving the multitude of other crimes he runs into along the way.
With over 1000 episodes, 28 films, and dozens of spinoffs and specials,Detective Conanis one of the few anime to rivalOne Piecein length, and sure enough,Detective Conanmore than justifies its incredible length with an engaging cast and one clever mystery story after another, with its central mystery always justifying the slow burn in its development. Few anime require a bigger commitment thanDetective Conan, and overall, it’s more than deserved.
Dragon Ball
Toei Animation’sDragon Balltells the story of Son Goku, an odd young boy with a monkey tail and inhuman strength, as he goes on adventures with his friends, often in search of the titular wish-granting Dragon Balls. The series started as a martial arts comedy that drew inspiration fromJourney to the West, but it eventually shifts gears into a sci-fi epic with over-the-top battles and feats of strength constantly being scaled against the entire universe.
In addition to 21 films,Dragon Ballhas amassed hundreds of episodes across five different anime, and even with filler content and one series,Dragon Ball GT, not being canon,Dragon Ballalmost always delivers great writing and incredible action that can more than hold up for decades after the fact. Even with Akira Toriyama’s passing,Dragon Ballshows no signs of stopping, so there’s always a good time to get into it.
2The Nasuverse
Anime Franchise Created By Kinoko Nasu & Type-Moon
The Nasuverse is the name ascribed to the works of Kinoko Nasu and the video game company Type-Moon. The works of the Nasuverse encompass a wide array of stories centered around the supernatural, with some taking place in wholly separate continuities from each other, although they all tend to involve themes of humanity and heroism to varying degrees.
With the multitude of anime adaptations for theFatefranchise,Tsukihime,The Garden of Sinners, and even the upcomingWitch on the Holy Nightfilm,there are dozens of different movies and TV shows in the Nasuverse for a person to watch, each with their own histories and lore to keep track of that ensures every story will be a wholly unique experience. The Nasuverse has a reputation for being confusing, but anyone who sticks with it is bound to find at least one gem of a series to get attached to.
In Toei Animation’sOne Piece, the world has entered a Great Age of Piracy following the death of Gold Roger and the hunt for his legendary treasure, the One Piece. Among the people searching for it is Monkey D. Luffy, and despite the oddity of him having a body made of rubber, Luffy will gather a crew to travel through the Grand Line, find the One Piece, and become King of the Pirates.
With over 1000 episodes, 15 films, and a live-action Netflix series,One Pieceis easily one of the biggest anime franchises of all time, and fortunately,One Piecemore than earns its incredible length through its charming cast, amazing fight scenes, and its intricate worldbuilding that becomes more engrossing with every arc.One Piecehas more than earned its stellar reputation, and as such, it easily stands as thebest long-running anime for a person to watch.
