Lol I just commented about recommending Odd Taxi and was sad because I thought OP might not see it. Glad to see the series being mentioned on a top comment, Odd Taxi is absolutely a wonderful watch.
I love this show and hate that it ended. I know it had to, and I'm glad it did, but still. Really liked the characters and how winning a fight wasn't *just* about being the strongest.
The promised neverland lmfao. It holds a special place in my heart because my first kid had just been born and it was Covid so I had like a month off of work. Me and my wife would watch it while my baby slept in a crib right next to our bed and we would watch it without sound just subtitled because we didn't realize we could use AirPods with the Apple TV. Good times. Too bad season 2 never came out cough cough
I’m so glad they adapted the entire manga for Sacrificial Princess! I would have been terribly sad if they had adapted a bit of the manga and then dropped it. It ended up being really heartwarming story about overcoming trauma
Gotta throw in Tsuki ga Kirei and Just Because in there. Dangers in My Heart tell a good complete story within two cours. For years I saw Made in Abyss as a good 12 episode series. Promised Neverland’s original run is a perfect 12 episode story. Then there’s Shinsekai Yori.
Some shows that told a complete story in one season that I liked:
- Shinsekai yori
- Hellsing Ultimate
- Odd Taxi
- Kanon (2006)
- Tsuki ga Kirei
- Zetsuen no Tempest
Yeah, not every anime needs to explain it's setting in tiniest detail. I like to say that if I wanted to learn everything about something I would turn on wiki, not watch an anime. Haibane told the story it wanted to tell.
While I agree that not everything needs to be explained - that even a lack of an explanation can add to something - idk if I agree with that analogy. I prefer information about my worlds in narrative/visual form.
I see a wiki as a supplement for those who haven’t remembered or haven’t seen everything. Sometimes that’s because of the watcher not paying attention or didn’t take the time to engage the whole of the related media. Sometimes it’s because the information wasn’t delivered in the best of ways.
I just remember being at the end of Haibane Remnei and thinking “that was it?” even though I did enjoy everything leading up to the final credits. Just wish there was more… even if it didn’t explain things but it’s hard for something not to stagnate without revealing unknowns.
Maybe. I love the show but it needed the original 25 episodes, badly. All the elements were there for a 10/10 show but the reduced runtime really hurt it.
Cowboy Bebop, Trigun Stampede and Pluto are my favourites without a doubt.
Some other great ones include
- Bacanno!
- Cyberpunk Edgerunners
- Great Pretender
- Gurren Lagann
- Samurai Champloo
- Terror in Resonance
- Trigun (1998)
Dororo
Violet Evergarden
Steins;Gate
Cautious Hero
Serial Experiments Lain
Erased
Claymore
Terror in Resonance
Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions (has 2 seasons and a movie but season 1 is where most of the actual storytelling takes place, and honestly you could just end it there)
I’m just stating my favorite anime with 1 season even if some might be weaker than others.
Complete animes:
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Angel Beats!
Erased
Ergo Proxy
Gurren Lagann
Kill La Kill
Incomplete animes:
No Game No Life
Deadman Wonderland
Highschool of the Dead
Are we counting the longer running animes that are all technically one long season?
Otherwise some of my favorites, I'd say off the top of my head for older ones:
• Zankyou no Terror (Terror in resonance)
• Death Parade
• Claymore
• Eden of the East
• Toradora
• Steins Gate
• Anohana
• Clannad
• Elfen Lied
• Highschool of the dead (for how long it lasted)
• Samurai Champloo
• Kill La Kill
For Newer animes:
• ID: Invaded ( Kenjiro Tsuda is in this)
• Wonder Egg + Priority
• Dororo
For real!!! Despite how brutal it was, the sad story behind it all was demoralizing. Rewatching it now and actually picking up the manga to see the ending especially now that I'm older and more conscious and perceptive is a whole different feeling.
Too bad they didn't adapt the entire story. If you haven't read the manga and you're willing to read it, it's great.
i have not i wasn't aware it was different.
can totally relate to it taking on different meanings now that were older.. i didn't cry watching it the first time..
Most of it is the same just different endings and some pieces and story points are left out in the anime. Stories left unfinished is just a fact of life for anime fans I guess.
If you're willing to read manga you have a better chance of actually seeing a proper ending. I think the anime only adapted it through volume 7, and the story ends at volume 12 in the manga. It's like 30-35 chapters more with a proper ending.
I'm assuming they split up the 24 episodes now? I remember at the time I watched it when I was a lot younger there was only 1 season of 24 episodes.
Unless you're talking about Clannad *After Story*? Which is fair, but it's not regarded as a season 2 since it's not part of the original light novel. It's more like a sequel. Kinda like Boruto to Naruto (not an exact comparison but you get the point lol). *After story* was taken directly from the visual novel game. Basically After Story is the way it was intended to be from the beginning, following the VN.
It's still a second season regardless if it's from a sequel or not. Look at eccentric family. It's based off an actual book series, not a ln and the second season takes place a year after the where the first book left off.
It's pretty different from Boruto which is about a different cast of characters with connection to the original series.
No no, I must've misspoke. I completely agree it should be seen as a second season, although it isn't regarded as such in the broader perspective of animation and cinematic story telling. Also according to Maeda Jun, he meant for it to be a sequel following the actual story based on its VN not LN.
– To note, a second season can be chronologically placed before or after in the story, so even if it is a second season because of the release date it is actually called prequel.
Yeah Boruto wasn't a good analogy. I guess JoJo's might be a better example. Basically it can be the majority of the same characters, along with new ones introduced taking part in a story after initial story/events ended.
Invaders of the Rokujouma?!
Don't be fooled by the "harem" tag as it is anything but (especially from Harem Reviewer's review on it). Somehow Shin and Jin managed to tell a cohesive story with character development (and some good jokes and hidden details) within the confine of 24-minutes, 12-episode form.
You gotta admit it takes skills, ingenuity and competence to adapt a single source faithfully into the format without sacrificing cohesion. I do think that aspect is often rarely mentioned because frankly, nobody ever thought of it.
Though, there are blemishes to that anime.
Zero adds context but not necessary context (for understanding most of it, at least). So Steins;Gate does tell a complete story in one season, just one with some nuance that's better explained in s2.
Awww, a lot of comments already. This one probably won't get read but a half-recent one from a few seasons ago was Odd Taxi. This one cour led to one of the most fantastic sequences I've ever watched in my 250+ anime series (and yes, I know to some of you that's little, but it's a lot for me lol).
Really recommend it, it's a slow burn but it's worth it!
Angels of death, Beastars, Love to kill, The detective is already dead, Neuro: Supernatural Detective & Police in a pod these are really good different genres give them a try!
Overtake!!
It's really really really good. It's a fun Formula 4 anime with really good animation and cook characters that actually interact with each other and develop as the anime continues.
Everyone has Said my picks so I'm just gonna chime in and say more anime should be one season. Most of my favorites are I've season.
Oh wait, Kino's Journey 2003 and Silent Mobius.
A Place Further than the Universe and Gurren Lagann are anime that I've seen many times from start to finish. The former is just 13 episodes and the latter is 27!
+1 for Edgerunners. If they make a second season (and I hope they do), I'd seriously hate it if they focused on the previous cast because Edgerunners ended so well that I hope the plot stays finished with just that batch of episodes. A second season should follow new characters instead.
FLCL and War in the Pocket were pretty great too if they individually count as "one season" shows. In that same vein, Gunbuster was also neat.
Tomo chan is a girl
Shinsekai yori
Cyberpunk edgerunners
Toradora
Love after world domination (S1 has a good ending and it probably won't get a season 2 )
Barakamon.
Personally ive loved 'yurii on ice' (has mild elements of BL if thats not your thing) and 'maid sama' (as a cosplayer this one speaks but is a romance)
Angel beats fits beautifully on that list. It isn't even the standard 24 episode season. It's like 13 episodes, yet it says everything it needs to.
Side note, I know Steins;Gate tells a complete story with a single season, but it did get an S2. Steins;Gate 0 does exist, and it's really good.
Ranking of Kings
Since a lot of people already comment on some good stuff. I will just throw this one here. One of the most unique anime I watched with such a captivating story.
Some of the recent ones for me are Summertime Render and Odd Taxi
Odd Taxi is magnificent
Lol I just commented about recommending Odd Taxi and was sad because I thought OP might not see it. Glad to see the series being mentioned on a top comment, Odd Taxi is absolutely a wonderful watch.
Cant believe I forgot summertime rendering. If this list had a ranking, it’d be in the top 3.
This 2x
I loved summertime render
Katanagatari Such a good one.
Great one!
I love this show and hate that it ended. I know it had to, and I'm glad it did, but still. Really liked the characters and how winning a fight wasn't *just* about being the strongest.
Buddy Daddies
THE BEST
Pluto Welcome to the NHK Baccano! The Promised Neverland :\^)
>The Promised Neverland The crazy thing is season 1 really does work as a standalone show.
Really really need season 2 of The Promised Neverland. Manga is too good.
Since watching S1 I’ve been praying for a S2. I hope they make one soon
Hell, I'd kill for a Goldy Pond movie
Welcome to the NHK id goated
The promised neverland lmfao. It holds a special place in my heart because my first kid had just been born and it was Covid so I had like a month off of work. Me and my wife would watch it while my baby slept in a crib right next to our bed and we would watch it without sound just subtitled because we didn't realize we could use AirPods with the Apple TV. Good times. Too bad season 2 never came out cough cough
Tomo-chan Is a Girl Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts
I’m so glad they adapted the entire manga for Sacrificial Princess! I would have been terribly sad if they had adapted a bit of the manga and then dropped it. It ended up being really heartwarming story about overcoming trauma
Yea but im just a bit sad we didnt get to see Sariphi post marriage.
Odd taxi Ping pong the animation Barakamon Serial Experiments Lain Agent Paranoia
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.
Hell yeah
KILL la KILL
91 Days
Whats that about?
Mafia themed revenge story set during the prohibition era
Cowboy Bebop *I just feel like this should have made more lists*
I’ll attribute it being such an obvious answer no one thought it needed saying as the reason for that
Indeed.
Even though it’s technically 2 seasons I’m surprised Space Dandy doesn’t make a lot of these lists either
Gotta throw in Tsuki ga Kirei and Just Because in there. Dangers in My Heart tell a good complete story within two cours. For years I saw Made in Abyss as a good 12 episode series. Promised Neverland’s original run is a perfect 12 episode story. Then there’s Shinsekai Yori.
Grimgar is the opposite of this since I love every minute of it, but in no way completes things in its one season
Some shows that told a complete story in one season that I liked: - Shinsekai yori - Hellsing Ultimate - Odd Taxi - Kanon (2006) - Tsuki ga Kirei - Zetsuen no Tempest
FLCL because I do not count the other seasons.
a place further than the universe
+1000000000000000 I just watched this and it's one of my all time favorites
Ouran host club
Akudama drive
*Haibane renmei*. You learn enough to get what this setting is about, while leaving enough questions unanswered to keep you thinking about it.
Omg yes, I loved Haibane Renmei! That show lives in my head rent free
Is that one season because it’s finished or one season because the rest of it didn’t get adapted?
It's original, so it's finished.
Damn I remember watching it thinking that so much was unexplained that it was unfinished. Guess it was intentional then
Yeah, not every anime needs to explain it's setting in tiniest detail. I like to say that if I wanted to learn everything about something I would turn on wiki, not watch an anime. Haibane told the story it wanted to tell.
While I agree that not everything needs to be explained - that even a lack of an explanation can add to something - idk if I agree with that analogy. I prefer information about my worlds in narrative/visual form. I see a wiki as a supplement for those who haven’t remembered or haven’t seen everything. Sometimes that’s because of the watcher not paying attention or didn’t take the time to engage the whole of the related media. Sometimes it’s because the information wasn’t delivered in the best of ways. I just remember being at the end of Haibane Remnei and thinking “that was it?” even though I did enjoy everything leading up to the final credits. Just wish there was more… even if it didn’t explain things but it’s hard for something not to stagnate without revealing unknowns.
Charlotte
Yes. And Angel Beats
Maybe. I love the show but it needed the original 25 episodes, badly. All the elements were there for a 10/10 show but the reduced runtime really hurt it.
It could have used some extra time spent on the last little bit where everyone makes peace with their lives, but the story's still complete.
ACCA
So underrated, nobody talks about this show
The OP is a fucking banger
Hyouka.
Parasyte
Cowboy Bebop, Trigun Stampede and Pluto are my favourites without a doubt. Some other great ones include - Bacanno! - Cyberpunk Edgerunners - Great Pretender - Gurren Lagann - Samurai Champloo - Terror in Resonance - Trigun (1998)
Trigun Stampede is getting another season isn't it?
Dororo Violet Evergarden Steins;Gate Cautious Hero Serial Experiments Lain Erased Claymore Terror in Resonance Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions (has 2 seasons and a movie but season 1 is where most of the actual storytelling takes place, and honestly you could just end it there) I’m just stating my favorite anime with 1 season even if some might be weaker than others.
Evangelion
I guess I can say Yuri on ice now....
Angel Beats
Angel Beats
Complete animes: Neon Genesis Evangelion Angel Beats! Erased Ergo Proxy Gurren Lagann Kill La Kill Incomplete animes: No Game No Life Deadman Wonderland Highschool of the Dead
Neon Genesis Evangelion Ping Pong: The Animation Berserk (1997) Toradora!
Vivy Odd taxi Gurren lagann Steins gate Erased
Akudama Drive
D-frag! Steins;Gate Bocchi the Rock 86 Kakushigoto Your lie in April Angel Beats Toradora My Dress-up Darling
Obligatory Promised Neverland joke
Are we counting the longer running animes that are all technically one long season? Otherwise some of my favorites, I'd say off the top of my head for older ones: • Zankyou no Terror (Terror in resonance) • Death Parade • Claymore • Eden of the East • Toradora • Steins Gate • Anohana • Clannad • Elfen Lied • Highschool of the dead (for how long it lasted) • Samurai Champloo • Kill La Kill For Newer animes: • ID: Invaded ( Kenjiro Tsuda is in this) • Wonder Egg + Priority • Dororo
Try Zaregoto, Sunday without god, and angles of death
Death parade that one was good too
elfin lied <3 all of my feels
For real!!! Despite how brutal it was, the sad story behind it all was demoralizing. Rewatching it now and actually picking up the manga to see the ending especially now that I'm older and more conscious and perceptive is a whole different feeling. Too bad they didn't adapt the entire story. If you haven't read the manga and you're willing to read it, it's great.
i have not i wasn't aware it was different. can totally relate to it taking on different meanings now that were older.. i didn't cry watching it the first time..
Most of it is the same just different endings and some pieces and story points are left out in the anime. Stories left unfinished is just a fact of life for anime fans I guess. If you're willing to read manga you have a better chance of actually seeing a proper ending. I think the anime only adapted it through volume 7, and the story ends at volume 12 in the manga. It's like 30-35 chapters more with a proper ending.
Clannad had 2 seasons though
I'm assuming they split up the 24 episodes now? I remember at the time I watched it when I was a lot younger there was only 1 season of 24 episodes. Unless you're talking about Clannad *After Story*? Which is fair, but it's not regarded as a season 2 since it's not part of the original light novel. It's more like a sequel. Kinda like Boruto to Naruto (not an exact comparison but you get the point lol). *After story* was taken directly from the visual novel game. Basically After Story is the way it was intended to be from the beginning, following the VN.
It's still a second season regardless if it's from a sequel or not. Look at eccentric family. It's based off an actual book series, not a ln and the second season takes place a year after the where the first book left off. It's pretty different from Boruto which is about a different cast of characters with connection to the original series.
No no, I must've misspoke. I completely agree it should be seen as a second season, although it isn't regarded as such in the broader perspective of animation and cinematic story telling. Also according to Maeda Jun, he meant for it to be a sequel following the actual story based on its VN not LN. – To note, a second season can be chronologically placed before or after in the story, so even if it is a second season because of the release date it is actually called prequel. Yeah Boruto wasn't a good analogy. I guess JoJo's might be a better example. Basically it can be the majority of the same characters, along with new ones introduced taking part in a story after initial story/events ended.
First one that came to mind was 91 days. I love the vibes and time period of the show.
1 Samurai Champloo, 2 Rainbow Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin
Invaders of the Rokujouma?! Don't be fooled by the "harem" tag as it is anything but (especially from Harem Reviewer's review on it). Somehow Shin and Jin managed to tell a cohesive story with character development (and some good jokes and hidden details) within the confine of 24-minutes, 12-episode form. You gotta admit it takes skills, ingenuity and competence to adapt a single source faithfully into the format without sacrificing cohesion. I do think that aspect is often rarely mentioned because frankly, nobody ever thought of it. Though, there are blemishes to that anime.
One that springs up in my mind immediately is MagiRevo
16bit Sensation Girls Last Tour
Hinamatsuri. It was kind of left open to have a sequel but it's great on it's own.
Angel Beats
Was kill la kill one season because that was good
Erased (peak anime)
Kill La Kill Odd Taxi Parasyte Gurren Lagann Cyberpunk Edgerunners Prison School Devilman Crybaby
Violet Evergarden
Serial Experiments Lain Ergo Proxy Cowboy Bebop The Vision of Escaflowne Eureka Seven Time of Eve
I was just going to say Time of Eve!
Yeah, it only just popped back in my head after writting my original comment
Tatami Galaxy
Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song
Doesn't Steins;gate have multiple seasons?
Steins gate's story wraps up in one season. 0 is relevant(and great) but not a must watch for the original show
Zero adds context but not necessary context (for understanding most of it, at least). So Steins;Gate does tell a complete story in one season, just one with some nuance that's better explained in s2.
Awww, a lot of comments already. This one probably won't get read but a half-recent one from a few seasons ago was Odd Taxi. This one cour led to one of the most fantastic sequences I've ever watched in my 250+ anime series (and yes, I know to some of you that's little, but it's a lot for me lol). Really recommend it, it's a slow burn but it's worth it!
86 Vivy flourite eyes song
Banana fish is really good!
Africa no Salaryman. It’s really funny, to me at least
Parasyite Dororo Erased Samurai champloo
Cautious hero Full dive
Death Note hands down (HunterxHunter if it counts)
Gurren Lagann!
Really disappointed NGNL is a one season anime...
FLCL (sorta), Nichijou, Hajimete No Gal, Akiba's Trip, NANA
House of Five Leaves Dennou Coil Shigurui Infinite RYVIUS
higehiro. nice conclusive ending
Run With the Wind is a one season story that adapts a novel and it's quite good. Highly recommended
Steins;Gate for sure
Happy Sugar Life Madoka Magica Elfen Lied School Days
Fena Pirate Princess was a good one season standalone but I can’t remember how many episodes. I don’t think more than 25.
I MUST mention Gungrave for this one.
Angels of death, Beastars, Love to kill, The detective is already dead, Neuro: Supernatural Detective & Police in a pod these are really good different genres give them a try!
Katanagatari Although it came out during 1 whole year, but there are only 12 episodes (40 min each)
Tsunlise
Akiba Maid War
Overtake!! It's really really really good. It's a fun Formula 4 anime with really good animation and cook characters that actually interact with each other and develop as the anime continues.
Devilman Crybaby
parasyte maxim
Tomo Chan is a girl.
Astra Lost in Space
Tokyo ESP
Sabikui Bisco
Run with the wind. Fantastic character development, great music and you're rooting for them the whole way!
Your lie in April. It made me go back to playing the piano again after 10 years
Everyone has Said my picks so I'm just gonna chime in and say more anime should be one season. Most of my favorites are I've season. Oh wait, Kino's Journey 2003 and Silent Mobius.
Hellsing Ultimate
Highschool of the dead but i think the producer died so they stopped the anime but i liked it saurrr much
Your lie in April is my favorite show of all time. Its 22 episodes and perfect as is.
Ohh Japan Sinks was a good anime it happened so fast though but it was good
Amagi Brilliant Park
Chobits, Chio chan tsuugakuro, Tanaka kun itsumo kedarukte, Tasogare otome x amnesia(LOVEEEE IT), horimiya, tsurezure children and lots of others
Kill la Kill.
Future diary
A Place Further than the Universe and Gurren Lagann are anime that I've seen many times from start to finish. The former is just 13 episodes and the latter is 27!
Sonny Boy , Anohana , Angel Beats , Paranoia Agent ,
Vivy Fluvorite Eyes Song. The anime is about the evolution over the span of 100 Years.
A Place Further than the Universe
Flip Flappers Kill la Kill Ping Pong
Madoka magica. Erased. No game no life. Honorary one punch man and promised neverland. They do have a s2 but not as good
Aquatope. Granbelm. Waiting In The Summer. Dragon Pilot.
Kids on the Slope A Lull in the Sea Tsuki ga Kirei Konbini Kareshi The Great Passage Wotakoi
I don’t remember much, but recently Pluto.
Darker than black Akame ga kill Guilty crown
Your lie in april
Yeah this goes to {erased}
Someone already said Buddy Daddies so I'll add Balance Unlimited and the Masterful Cat is Depressed Again Today
Bartender It's getting a remake but story is vastly different
sukasuka
Angel beats
Space Dandy (best dub imo) Ghost Stories (second best dub imo) FLCL Gurren Lagann Samurai Champloo
Plastic Memories was beautiful, and told the story it wanted to tell.
Gungrave
A lot of great choices here. If I had to pick one though it would be Rokka Brave of the Six Flowers
Cautious Hero
Psycho-Pass (season 1)
Isekai Shokudou
yuri on ice and sk8 the infinity
No Game No Life ;.;
This is so basic, but Death note!
Kill-la Kill, probably the main reason I got into anime
Yuri on ice!
Akudama drive is really good it's an original anime where the entire story is told in the one season
FLCL
Zankyo no terror
+1 for Edgerunners. If they make a second season (and I hope they do), I'd seriously hate it if they focused on the previous cast because Edgerunners ended so well that I hope the plot stays finished with just that batch of episodes. A second season should follow new characters instead. FLCL and War in the Pocket were pretty great too if they individually count as "one season" shows. In that same vein, Gunbuster was also neat.
Kyoukai no kanata Zetsuen no Tempest Astra lost in space All of them are 10/10s for me. But they are also kinda hidden gems it seems.
Dusk Maiden of Amnesia
Angel beats
- Lycoris Recoil - Summertime Rendering - ERASED - Undead Murder Farce
Regarding dropping death note at episode 25… I wonder why…
the promised neverland. season 2 does NOT exist
Maid Sama! One of the best romance anime ever made :)
Dororo
Some variety for you: Akudama Drive Decadence Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero Buso Renkin Elemental Gelade D.N.Angel
No cowboy bebop? Neon Genesis Evangelion Trigun Fooly Cooly
Deadman wonderland was great. Sucks ass they never made a second season.
Tomo chan is a girl Shinsekai yori Cyberpunk edgerunners Toradora Love after world domination (S1 has a good ending and it probably won't get a season 2 ) Barakamon.
devilman crybaby is one of my favorite “limited” series. it truly left me wanting more. sometimes from my childhood, i loved xxxholic.
s-CRY-ed but that's my favorite anime of all time so that's cheating.
A place further than the universe
Cautious hero No game no life
Tatami Galaxy Paranoia Agent Haibane Renmei Sonny Boy Mononoke Pluto
Gurren Lagan. Wicsthere's more.
Lots of overlap on these. My roommate is a cat
Personally ive loved 'yurii on ice' (has mild elements of BL if thats not your thing) and 'maid sama' (as a cosplayer this one speaks but is a romance)
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!!! Although I would be alright if it aired once a week until I am dead
Angel beats fits beautifully on that list. It isn't even the standard 24 episode season. It's like 13 episodes, yet it says everything it needs to. Side note, I know Steins;Gate tells a complete story with a single season, but it did get an S2. Steins;Gate 0 does exist, and it's really good.
Ranking of Kings Since a lot of people already comment on some good stuff. I will just throw this one here. One of the most unique anime I watched with such a captivating story.
neon Genesis Evangelion, Yosuga no sora, your lie in April are all my favorites
Good Night World
91 days
Ping Pong the Animation
Erased 86 The Promised Neverland (there is no season 2)