Top 10 Anime With The Most Episodes
Script written by Jonathan Alexander
#10: “One Piece” (1999-)
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1004 Episodes (Ongoing)
Luffy’s high seas adventures have had a clear goal from the very beginning: to find the elusive treasure and become the Pirate King. You’d think taking so long to get there would drag things out, but amazingly, this series only manages to top itself again and again. It’s only missed a handful of weekly airings since it began in 1999, but still charms us to this day thanks to an ever-growing world that feels as alive as our own. The series is supposedly in its final stages, but after over twenty years on the air, we’ll believe it when we see it.
#9: “Yu-Gi-Oh” Franchise (1998-)
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1016 Episodes (Ongoing)
Giant monsters duking it out will never get old, and it seems the public agrees. Even without Yugi in the leading role, this series has spawned enough spinoffs and sequels to stay in the limelight since its debut. Each iteration brings with it stylish updates and new dueling mechanics to keep things fresh for longtime fans, all the while remaining accessible to those unable to catch up on the admittedly daunting episode count. With “Sevens” currently airing, and an infinite number of directions they could take the brand in next, “Yu-Gi-Oh!” might just be the gift that keeps on giving.
#8: “Detective Conan” (1996-)
1031 Episodes (Ongoing)
You’d think anime’s greatest detective would have solved his own body-swapping dilemma by now, but thanks to a fresh twist and good-hearted humor, Kudo’s been left in a child’s body for over twenty five years. “Detective Conan,” or “Case Closed” as it’s known in the West, follows high school sleuth Jimmy Kudo who continues cracking cases even after he’s turned into a kid. Naturally, the wacky premise lends itself to plenty of hijinks, but much of the show's longevity can be attributed to how well it strikes a balance between the lighthearted moments and darker undertones. Sure, he may always solve the mystery in the end, but after over a thousand episodes of murder and crime, we’re beginning to wonder if Kudo’s a magnet for this stuff.
#7: “Crayon Shin-chan” (1992-)
1060 Episodes (Ongoing)
Don’t let the bright colors and quirky art style deter you, this show is chalked full of clever quips, crude humor, and even the occasionally lewd joke. Following the mischievous Shin-chan and his oddball adventures, this series is a cheeky celebration of Japanese culture featuring several linguistic puns and specific allusions that would only be fully appreciated by fluent speakers. While this made it difficult to localize outside of Japan, it quickly became a megahit in its home country. Despite that, “Crayon Shin-chan” was almost pulled from airwaves after just two years, but its unprecedented success allowed it to hold onto its time slot - and since it’s still airing to this day, we’d wager that was a good move.
#6: “Pokemon” (1997-)
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1,177 Episodes (Ongoing)
Ash may not be the very best like no one ever was just yet, but this series has already proven itself one of the most enduring of its time. The wannabe Pokemon master has traversed eight regions, become league champion, and thwarted plenty of world-ending calamities, and yet there’s no sign of this franchise slowing any time soon. While it certainly doesn’t hurt to be attached to one of the biggest brands in the world, the show still has over 800 Pokemon for Ash to befriend before his journey ends. Especially since he’s still canonically ten after twenty-five years on the air, Ash and Pikachu may be exploring new regions for decades to come.
#5: Chibi Maruko-Chan (1990-)
1,203 Episodes (Ongoing)
Simplicity is the key to this quiet slice-of-life series. After a wildly successful run in the early nineties, it returned in 1995 where it has aired ever since, and for good reason. There are snarky jokes and hijinks galore, but beneath that is a gooey center and clear life-lessons that imbue each episode with a delightful blend of humor and good morals. The refreshingly low-stakes storylines are complemented by its suburban, 70s backdrop and likable, accident-prone title character to make for a series that feels timeless. It’s comfort food, through and through, more than earning its place as appointment television for the whole family.
#4: “Soreike! Anpanman, Go!” (1988-)
1,491 Episodes (Ongoing)
Superheroes may be all the rage today, but back in the 80s, they were a much riskier bet, especially when they have as dubious a concept as this. With the head of a japanese bean-jam pastry, this hero’s moveset is certainly questionable, but the success of his animated adventures are anything but. There’s been nearly 1,500 episodes, each usually containing two segments, meaning we’ve seen this jam-filled hero defeat the anthropomorphic germ Baikinman nearly 3,000 times. And yet, even after all these years, the unique action sequences and food-based gags keep audiences coming back for more.
#3: “Ojarumaru” (1998-)
1,917 Episodes (Ongoing)
It may have only begun broadcasting in the late nineties, but this time-traveling comedy has raked in more episodes than most shows that began long before it. Its premise doesn’t sound like something with this kind of lasting power, following a five year old prince from the Heian Era who accidently warps to modern day and must adjust to the culture shock. But the hilarious antics have proven so popular that the network occasionally airs new episodes every single weekday to capitalize on its persevering acclaim. It seems the prince’s lack of modern tact will never stop getting him into wacky situations, but we’re more than happy to see where it goes next.
#2: “Ninja Boy Rantaro” (1993-)
2,275 Episodes (Ongoing)
For a series focusing on the tutelage of young ninja, there’s a surprising lack of high-stakes action here. While that may seem like a death sentence, audience approval has kept this series running for an unreal two-thousand episodes and counting. It uses its framework not to set up the expected stealthy confrontation, but instead to create a charming cast of characters and unique scenarios. Even more, it finds a surprising relevancy to normal life, with the kids ending up in normal schoollike issues like homework and class rivalries. It may be named after a ninja, but there’s more laughs than shuriken here, and the series is all the better for it.
#1: “Sazae-San” (1969-)
2,778 Episodes (Ongoing)
This progressive take on a modern Japanese family quite literally takes the crown for longest-running animated series ever. No, really, the Guiness Book of World Records confirmed it and everything. Having aired near-nonstop since the late 60s, outliving its own manga artist Machiko Hasegawa, it would take you over 37 straight days to sit down and watch the entire thing from beginning to end. Did we mention it’s still airing, too? In fact, the series’ trademark Sunday night timeslot has grown so synonymous with the end of the weekend it routinely causes a sadness dubbed “Sazae-san syndrome” after its finished airing. We’d say this is one for the record books, but it's already there.
