20 Longest Anime Series, Ranked

Image via Toei Animation Updated Jul 16, 2026, 7:12 PM EDT Lucas Kloberdanz-Dyck is a writer for Collider. He grew up creating lists, stories, and worlds, which led to his love of anime and video games. He attended Sheridan College where he earned an Honours Bachelor of Game Design. Lucas and his group won 1st place for technical innovation at LevelUp Toronto 2023, and he was also an intern for the Oakville Film Festival of Arts. Sign in to your Collider account Getting into a long-running series can be pretty daunting, with the large episode count making fans wonder if it is worth the time commitment. Anime is also infamous for its long-running shows that span hundreds of episodes week after week. However, some of these shows are the most popular, with series like One Piece and Naruto being some of the most popular anime in the world. With so many series sporting hundreds or thousands of episodes, some have stood out to make the overall experience worth it, even with so many episodes. This list will contain some of the longest anime popular in and outside the West, and put them head-to-head to see which stands out compared to the others, even if fans haven't heard of some of them. 20 'Oyako Club' (1994–2013) Image via Eiken Most of the anime on this list are either battle shounen or family sitcoms, and one of the latter is Oyako Club. Two yellow aliens named Rompa and Lun come down to Earth, moving in with a Japanese family. There, they learn everyday skills, history, and other life lessons that help them adapt to the planet. Culture is an important part of any society, and that is exactly what Oyako Club aims to do: teach children about traditional Japanese customs through history, cooking, respect, and life skills. It has a specific aim that is quite interesting, as well as essential, as it is imperative that the younger generation uphold the past, as well as being an educational series. 19 'Ojarumaru' (1998–Present) Image via Gallop Another kids' show that has a ridiculous number of episodes is Ojarumaru, a historical gag anime. Set during the Heian era, it is about a five-year-old prince who steals a major scepter from the king of the underworld now traveling to modern-day Japan. He is in no rush to get back, simply enjoying his time in the future as demons try to get the scepter back. Ojarumaru isn't an anime show without flaws; it is simply a children's show like many other series on this list, but that is exactly why it is so long-running. Being the third-longest series on this list, Ojarumaru is still going, highlighting its popularity among a younger audience who enjoy the juxtaposition of an ancient character in today's society. 18 'Nintama Rantarou' (1993–Present) Image via Ajia-do and Gakken It is quite common for the longest-running anime series to be educational or for kids, such as Nintama Rantarou. This series follows a trio of ninja students, including the titular one, who go about their day at school, learning new techniques and skills. However, they are all horrible at their studies, constantly messing up and goofing off. A lot of these long-running kids' shows act as a virtual babysitter, taking time off the parents' hands while also being somewhat educational. This is one reason why Nintama Rantarou is still going, making it the second-longest anime of all time. Nintama Rantarou is an easy watch, because what child doesn't love ninja battles and silly hijinks? 17 'Sgt. Frog' (2004–2010) Image via Sunrise Fuyuki Hinata is a bright-eyed kid who dreams of an alien invasion, which coincidentally coincides with a group of alien frogs planning a takeover of Earth. While Sergeant Keroro successfully subdues the Hinata family, his squadron leaves him, abandoning him on this strange planet. Keroro must now live with the Hinata family, but his comedic attempts to take over the world are thwarted by the family and ridiculous scenarios. Sgt. Frog is a funny and entertaining anime combining its unique sci-fi approach and side-splitting comedy. The hilarious misadventures of the frogs deliver exciting new possibilities in every episode while teaching the audience life lessons as they begin to understand that humans are friends. It may not be the longest anime and is more targeted towards a younger audience, but Sgt. Frog is a hilarious anime series that all ages can enjoy. 16 'Hamtaro' (2000–2006) Image via TMS Entertainment Hamsters have an eerie string of fate that ties them to a gruesome or unexpected death in the real world. Luckily, Hamtaro doesn't follow the deaths of a bunch of hamsters but instead their adventures around the city. The titular character moves into a new house and quickly discovers a group of hamsters, and together, they explore every nook and cranny they can. Hamtaro may be a show made for children, but the cuteness overload and wholesome humor are also acceptable for an older audience, which is why it is eligible for this list. Hamtaro is pure fun with no serious elements and is dedicated to delivering an entertaining experience. With nearly 400 episodes, it will take years to finish this anime, but fans won't want it to end after experiencing the cuteness. 15 'InuYasha' and 'Yashahime' (2000–2021) Image via Sunrise Fans might be surprised at how many episodes InuYasha has, and that is because this list includes its sequel series, Yashahime, as well. After suddenly being transported to a demon world, Kagome encounters a half-demon who initially resents her. However, the two must work together and search for the fragments of a jewel if they both want to live happily. InuYasha was one of the biggest anime of the 2000s, defining the culture and anime of that era. But it was more than just important; this anime was also a thrilling adventure with a perfect blend of action, drama, comedy, and romance. InuYasha is one of the greatest Isekai anime ever, defining what the genre is today through its whimsical world and endearing characters. 14 'Sazae-san' (1969–Present) Image via Eiken This list has a range of shows from hundreds to thousands, but no series overtakes Sazae-san, the longest-running anime series of all time. This slice-of-life anime follows the titular character and her extended family as they live throughout post-war and modern Japan, simply enjoying the luxuries of everyday life. As the longest-running anime ever with nearly 3,000 episodes, Sazae-san is a cultural landmark that multiple generations grew up with. The content is typical kids' cartoon material, with wholesome fun and life lessons. What is most impressive is that it isn't just the longest anime but the longest-running animated series of all time, proving its legacy. 13 'Fairy Tail' (2009–2019) Image via A-1 Pictures The Big 3 comprises the three most popular Shōnen Jump anime during the early-mid 2000s. However, Fairy Tail rivaled these beasts in popularity, establishing itself as one of the best long-running battle shōnen anime. The anime is set in a fantasy world and follows a wizard guild as they embark on new adventures every episode. Whether they are taking on dark guilds or goofy side quests, fans know they are in for a good time. Fairy Tail is one of the best fantasy anime ever, known for its magical world, endearing characters, and emotional moments. While the original anime ended, Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest is a sequel anime with the main group taking on the dragon gods. The anime has some of the most excellent arcs in anime that deliver impactful and epic moments, creating an enjoyable anime no matter what people say. 12 'Doraemon' (1979–2005) Image via Shin-Ei Animation Japan has a lot of mascot characters, and one of the most popular is Doraemon, the iconic blue cat from the future. When Doraemon comes to Earth, he pairs himself with a naughty brat who will cause the downfall of society in the future. Doraemon teaches him life lessons, hoping he will learn his lesson and become a better person. Doraemon is one of the most iconic and legendary shows on this list. Even if it is a kids' series, this anime was part of millions of childhoods. It isn't just a fun show, either, but an important one that strives to help kids better themselves. Doraemon's legacy cannot be understated, and that is partially why it has so many episodes. 11 'Sailor Moon' (1992–1997) Image via Toei Animation With the least episodes on this list at 200, Sailor Moon only earns a spot because of its legendary reputation and importance to the anime community and magical girl genre. Usagi is a typical student, but after a mysterious encounter, she becomes a powerful magical girl who helps save the world and defeat dastardly villains. There isn't an anime fan who doesn't know of Sailor Moon; even though it isn't for everyone, it is still a ridiculously popular series. 200 episodes may not be a lot for this list, but that is still a massive number that will take months for fans to finish. Sailor Moon is an important anime series because of its influence and popularity, establishing itself as one of the greatest anime of all time. Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Personality Quiz Which Sci-Fi Hero Are You Most Like? Paul Atreides · Captain Kirk · Princess Leia · Ellen Ripley · Max Rockatansky Five iconic heroes. Five completely different ways of facing an impossible universe. One of them shares your instincts, your values, and your particular way of refusing to back down. Eight questions will tell you which one. 🏜️Paul Atreides 🖖Capt. Kirk ✊Princess Leia 🔦Ellen Ripley 🔥Max Rockatansky FIND YOUR HERO → 01 How do you lead when the stakes couldn't be higher? The way you lead under pressure is the most honest thing about you. AI absorb everything — every variable, every pattern — and move only when I know the path forward. BI read the room, make the call, and own the consequences. Hesitation costs more than mistakes. CI rally people. A cause needs a voice, and I refuse to let fear be louder than conviction. DI assess the threat, establish what needs doing, and get it done without waiting for permission. EI don't lead. I act. Others can follow or not — I'm already moving. NEXT QUESTION → 02 What is your greatest strength in a crisis? The quality that keeps you alive when everything else fails. APrescience — the ability to see further ahead than anyone else and plan accordingly. BImprovisation — I'm at my best when the plan falls apart and I have to invent a new one. CConviction — I know what I'm fighting for, and that certainty doesn't waver under fire. DComposure — I stay functional when everyone around me is falling apart. Panic is a luxury. EEndurance — I outlast things. I take the hit and keep moving long after others have stopped. NEXT QUESTION → 03 What is the thing you'd sacrifice everything else for? Your deepest motivation is your truest compass. AThe survival and dignity of my people — even if I have to become something frightening to ensure it. BThe safety of my crew — every single one of them. No one gets left behind. CFreedom — for my people, for every world still crushed under the weight of an empire. DThe truth — what actually happened, what's actually out there, whether anyone believes me or not. EThe one person — or the one memory — that still makes any of this worth surviving for. NEXT QUESTION → 04 How do you relate to the people around you? Who you are to others under pressure is who you really are. AWith intensity and distance — I care deeply, but the weight I carry makes closeness complicated. BWith warmth and irreverence — I take the mission seriously, not myself. CWith directness and trust — I say what I mean, and I expect the people I work with to rise to it. DWith professional care but clear limits — I'll protect you, but I won't pretend we're family. EWith wariness that slowly becomes loyalty — I don't trust easily, but when I do, it holds. NEXT QUESTION → 05 You're facing a threat that no one else believes is real. What do you do? How you respond when you're the only one who sees it defines everything. APrepare in silence. If they won't listen, I'll be ready when they finally have to. BKeep pushing until someone listens — and if no one does, handle it myself. CBuild the case, find the allies, and make the threat impossible to ignore. DDocument everything. The truth matters even if no one believes it yet. EStop trying to convince anyone. Survive it. That's the only argument that counts. NEXT QUESTION → 06 What has your heroism cost you personally? Every hero pays. The question is what — and whether they'd pay it again. AMy innocence — I've seen what I'm capable of, and I can't unsee it. BPeople I loved — the command chair has a view, but it's a lonely one. CA normal life — I gave up everything ordinary the moment I chose the cause. DMy sense of safety — I know exactly what's out there now, and I can't pretend otherwise. EAlmost everything — and I'm still not sure what I'm carrying it all for. But I keep going. NEXT QUESTION → 07 How do you feel about the rules of the world you're in? Every hero has a relationship with the system. What's yours? AI understand them deeply — and I know exactly which ones must be broken, and why. BI respect the spirit of them and bend the letter when the situation demands it. CThe system is the problem. I'm not here to work within it — I'm here to dismantle it. DI follow protocol until protocol stops being useful. Then I make the call myself. EThe rules collapsed a long time ago. What's left is instinct, and mine are reliable. NEXT QUESTION → 08 When everything is on the line, what keeps you going? The answer is the most honest thing about you. ADestiny — or something that feels so much like it that the difference no longer matters. BThe people on my ship — their faces, their trust, the fact that they're counting on me. CThe belief that what we're fighting for is worth every sacrifice, including this one. DSheer refusal to let it win — whatever it is. I don't stop. That's just who I am. EI'm not sure anymore. But the road is still there, and I'm still on it. REVEAL MY HERO → Your Hero Has Been Identified Your Sci-Fi Hero Is…Your answers point to the iconic sci-fi hero who shares your instincts, your values, and your particular way of facing the impossible. Paul AtreidesYou carry a weight most people would crumble under — the knowledge of what you're capable of, and the burden of what you might have to become. You see further ahead than others and you plan accordingly, even when the vision frightens you. You are driven by loyalty to your people and a sense of destiny you didn't ask for but can't escape. Paul Atreides is not simply a hero — he is someone who understands the cost of power and chooses to bear it anyway. That gravity, that willingness to carry what others won't, is exactly you. Captain KirkYou lead with instinct, warmth, and an absolute refusal to accept a no-win scenario — because you've always believed there's a third option nobody else has thought of yet. You take the mission seriously without ever taking yourself too seriously. Your crew would follow you anywhere, not because you demand it, but because you've earned it. Kirk's genius isn't tactical — it's human. He reads people, bends rules with purpose, and wills outcomes into existence through sheer conviction. That combination of warmth, audacity, and relentless optimism is unmistakably yours. Princess LeiaYou are the kind of person who holds the line when everyone else is losing faith — not because you're fearless, but because giving up simply isn't something you're capable of. You lead through conviction. Your voice carries because your belief is unshakeable. You gave up everything ordinary the moment you chose the cause, and you've never looked back. Leia is not a supporting character in her own story — she is the moral centre of the entire rebellion. That same fierce, principled, unbreakable core is what defines you. Ellen RipleyYou are not reckless, not grandiose, and not particularly interested in being anyone's hero — you just refuse to stop when it matters. You see threats clearly, you document the truth even when no one listens, and when the time comes you handle it yourself. Ripley's heroism is earned, not performed. She doesn't have a speech — she has a flamethrower and a plan. You share her composure under the worst possible pressure, and her refusal to pretend the monster isn't there. When it counts, you don't flinch. That's everything. Max RockatanskyYou have been through fire that would break most people — and what came out the other side is something the world underestimates at its peril. You don't ask for help, don't need validation, and don't wait for anyone to tell you the rules no longer apply. Your loyalty, when it finally arrives, is absolute — but it's earned in silence and tested in action, not in words. Max is not a nihilist. He is someone who lost everything and found, against his will, that he still has something worth protecting. That bruised, stubborn, ultimately human core is exactly yours. ↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ