Heyy! Are you looking for the best anime with 12 episodes to watch that can give you a break from your boring schedule? Then you have come to the correct place.
You want some light and best anime with 12 episodes or less to watch, with no feelings hurt, and no strings attached to the characters.
Here, we present a list of the 10 best anime series with 12 episodes to watch in a day or a few hours. The list is mixed of all genres so you can find yours according to your preference.
By short anime series we mean, a single season, 12-13 episodes or less. Also, we are not counting OVAs.
1. Terror in resonance
- Genre: Mystery, Suspense,
- Episodes: 11
- MAL Rating: 8.10
- Available on Crunchyroll, Funimation, Netflix
The first best anime series with 11 episodes is Zankyou no Terror (Terror in Resonance) a series produced by MAPPA studio. It’s the story of 2 mysterious teenage boys, named Nine & Twelve. They make an association of masked figures of Sphinx, skilfully planning mastermind attacks on Tokyo. Before their horrific attack, they leave a video of a riddle challenging the entire police dept to catch them. The chase between the teenagers & Detective Kenjirou Shibazaki will stick you with your screen. By the end, you will fall in love with the characters of the series. Looking for the best short anime with less than 12 episodes of suspense & mystery, catch this one.
2. Devilman Crybaby
- Genre: Action, Horror, Supernatural
- Episodes: 10
- MAL Rating: 7.76
- Available on Netflix
An R+-rated short anime with 10 episodes is available on Netflix, Devilman Crybaby, based on Go Nagai’s manga released in 2018. Akira Fudo got to know from his best friend Ryo Asuka that demons will attack humanity all over the world. Ryo tells him that the only way to stop them & save the world is to combine his supernatural powers and unite with a demon itself. Akira agrees with him and becomes a demon named Devilman but with human emotions. While the world is being taken over by demons, they both come into a battle with each other. It is a great short anime to watch with less than 12 episodes to stream on Netflix.
3. Paranoia Agent
- Genre: Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Supernatural
- Episodes: 13
- MAL Rating: 7.67
- Available on Netflix
The next top short anime with 13 episodes is Mousou Dairinin (Paranoia Agent) an R+ – set in the Musashino city of Tokyo. Residents of the city are terrified of Shounen Bat, who attacks with his golden baseball bat and runs on his roller skates. Tsukiko Sagi, an introverted character is the first victim of the attacker. The plot shows how Tsukiko along with her popular pink dog Maromi and the attacker affects the life of various characters along with their past stories. Despite being old, it lands in the list of top short anime with only 13 episodes in 2022.
4. Hoirmiya
- Genre: Romance, Comedy
- Episodes: 13
- MAL Rating: 8.20
- Available on Netflix, Crunchyroll, Funimation
Horimiya (Hori-san & Miyamura Kun) is a beautiful short romance anime with 13 episodes produced by Cloverworks Studio. The story involves high school students Kyouko Hori and Izumi Miyamura, two opposites personalities falling for each other. Hori, living alone with his brother, often hides his personality from the outside world and does household work, not socializing with the world. While Miyamura wears glasses and shows himself as an Otaku. He also has nine piercings in his ears hiding in his hair & a tattoo on his back & shoulder. Coincidently, they both meet and their friendship starts by sharing their real personalities. For romcom anime fans, this series is a great short romance anime with 12-13 episodes.
5. Daily Lives of High School Boys
- Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life
- Episodes: 12
- MAL Rating: 8.24
- Available on Netflix, Crunchyroll
Daily lives of High School Boys is a funny and good short anime with 12 episodes based on manga illustrated by Yasunobu Yamauchi. The anime revolves around Tadakuni, Hidenori, and Yoshitake, of Sanada North Boys High School, and the unique situations that they deal with. This anime will relate to many boys out there and they can relate to the characters. It is fun to watch series having various funny situations in a 20 min episode. It is fun to watch the best short anime series with only 12 episodes, especially for boys out there.
6. Baccano
- Genre: Action, Comedy, Mystery, Supernatural
- Episodes: 12
- MAL Rating: 8.38
- Available on Netflix, Crunchyroll
One of the best short anime series with 12 episodes based on award-winning light novels having the same title. The story is set in the 1930s in Chicago, mysterious train “The Flying Pussyfoot” is set on a journey again after a huge gap. While in New York, scientist Szilard and his partner Ennis are looking for an immortality Elixir. In addition, the war is getting worse between the gangster. The whole story involves different stories both in time and place. And, connecting every part you will get a series of mafias, and gangsters with fun elements of Isaac and Miria, two characters connecting every part of the story. If you love gangster vibes just like godfather, then this can be the best short anime series for you.
7. Hellsing Ultimate
- Genre: Action, Horror, Supernatural
- Episodes: 12
- MAL Rating: 8.36
- Available on Netflix, Crunchyroll, Hulu
A short horror anime with 12 episodes set in a world of darkness where human-devouring vampires still exist. Hellsing is an organization destroying supernatural forces that attack humanity. Its head, Sir Integra Fairbook Wingates Hellsing spends her entire life fighting for humanity with her great army. But the most powerful weapon of her army is Alucard, the strongest vampire swearing loyalty to the safety of Hellsing Organization and its leader. Along with his new vampire servant, Seras Victoria, Alucard must have to fight not only with monsters but all those who stand against Hellsing. Love vampires and blood with gruesome scenes, then this series is a good short horror anime with 12 episodes only for you.
8. Tomodachi Game
- Genre: Psychological Thriller, Strategy
- Episodes: 12
- MAL Rating: 7.71
- Available on Crunchyroll, Disney+ Hotstar
This anime series is one of the best short anime with only 12 episodes released in 2022. Yuichi Katagiri is a young high school student who values friendship with his 4 best friends, Yutori Kokorogi, Shiho Sawaragi, Makoto Shibe, and Tenji Mikasa, more than anything else. Along with them, their whole class raised funds for their class trip. That’s when the matter gets worse. One of their classmates stole the amount of 2 Million Yen raised for the trip. Soon after, they all get knocked up in a debt repayment game called Friends’ game. This game will test their friendship while passing through various levels of betrayal, hate secrets, and many more. If you want to test your friendship checkout this best short anime series.
9. Deadman Wonderland
- Genre: Action, Horror, Sci-fi, Supernatural
- Episodes: 12
- MAL Rating: 7.16
- Available on Funimation, Crunchyroll
This anime series is a good short anime to watch. The story revolves around Ganta Igarashi when his normal day in school turns into his darkest day. A mysterious red man slaughters his whole class leaving him alive and embedding a red crystal in Ganta’s chest. Following this massacre, Ganta gets imprisonment in Deadman Wonderland, a prison where convicts fight with their life on the line for the audience. While searching for the mysterious Redman in the prison, Ganta gains mysterious powers while using the red crystal. He must have to survive to prove his innocence. It is a good short anime with great fights and animation.
10. Drifters
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, History
- Episodes: 12
- MAL Rating: 7.90
- Available on Netflix
This series is a historical-based short action anime with 12 episodes animated by Hoods Drifters Studio and released in 2016. Toyohisa Shimazu, a great real-life samurai who fought in the battle of Sekigahara. In his last moments, he finds himself transferred to a magical world along with different warriors throughout history. These warriors are regarded as Drifters. As he gets along with them, he learns about the mysterious world’s politics. Furthermore, drifters work alongside different semi-human species to fight against the “Ends” who created Orte Empire to wipe out them. They must have to fight and defeat the Ends to claim and protect their lands. Want an action anime then this is the best short action anime with 12 episodes for you.
If you are beginning to watch anime, check out our post for Anime for Beginners.
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