15 Craziest Anime Crossovers Ever

Anime fans love crossovers because they bring together characters and universes we’d never expect to see together – sometimes these pairings feel like a dream come true! Studios have tried all sorts of crossover formats, from quick specials to full movies and web series, with everything from intense action to funny, self-aware stories that play on the fun of the concept. Some crossovers pair legendary characters, while others combine popular current shows, and a few even mix different types of entertainment, like virtual singers and giant robots. Here are some of the most surprising crossovers that have actually been animated, along with information about the studios that created them.

‘Lupin the 3rd vs Detective Conan’ (2009)

This TV special teams up Arsène Lupin III and Conan Edogawa for a thrilling mystery. It begins with a royal scandal and quickly escalates into a series of robberies and high-speed chases spanning two countries. Broadcast on NTV, the special blends the investigative style of ‘Detective Conan’ with the adventurous spirit of ‘Lupin the 3rd’. TMS Entertainment, the studio behind both series, produced it. The special’s success led to a follow-up movie that further developed the crossover storyline.

‘Lupin the 3rd vs Detective Conan: The Movie’ (2013)

This new movie brings back the original cast to unravel a bigger mystery, this time involving a famous pop star and a thrilling concert. It maintains the detective work fans love from Conan, while letting Lupin’s team create exciting and complex scenes. TMS Entertainment made the movie to continue the story from their 2009 special, and it even includes surprising encounters between characters from both series – something fans have always dreamed of seeing.

‘Lupin the 3rd vs. Cat’s Eye’ (2023)

This Amazon special brings together two beloved anime series to celebrate their anniversaries. It features an exciting showdown between the Cat’s Eye sisters and Lupin’s gang, who are both after the same valuable art collection. The animation, done by TMS Entertainment, beautifully updates the classic, stylish look of both shows using modern computer graphics. The special is now available through streaming, introducing this crossover to a new audience.

‘Dream 9 Toriko & One Piece & Dragon Ball Z Super Collaboration Special!!’ (2013)

This special TV event combines two episodes and brings together characters from Dragon Ball, One Piece, and Toriko. It starts with a martial arts tournament and quickly turns into a hunt for powerful monsters. The special aired on Sunday mornings and gave each series roughly equal screen time through team-based battles and funny moments. Produced by Toei Animation, it seamlessly blended the art styles of all three shows while keeping the action fast-paced. It even featured a unique opening and ending sequence that included characters from all three series.

‘Toriko x One Piece Crossover Special’ (2011)

This initial crossover brought the worlds of One Piece and Toriko together for a risky quest to find a rare ingredient, which soon turned into a fight for survival. The special was aired as part of both shows’ regular schedules, allowing fans to watch the story unfold over multiple episodes. Toei Animation produced the crossover, using staff who had worked on both series to ensure the characters felt consistent. This collaboration served as a test run for the bigger three-way crossover that came later.

‘Cyborg 009 vs Devilman’ (2015)

This special animated series brings together characters from two different shows for a complete, multi-episode story. It focuses on a clash between cyborgs and a demon hunter as they investigate strange occurrences and pursue opposing goals. The series combines the high-tech spy elements of one show with the terrifying, end-of-the-world atmosphere of the other. Animated by Bee Media and Actas, the visuals update classic character designs while staying true to their original look. Bonus content included with the home video release explains how the creators combined the unique power systems of both series.

‘Mazinger Z vs. Devilman’ (1973)

This short animated film features a battle between Go Nagai’s famous robot and his iconic villain, a clash that happened before many of today’s team-up movies. The story starts with a villain’s plan that forces the robot and villain to fight, but they eventually have to work together. Created by Toei Animation using the same team that worked on the TV series, the film kept the characters looking consistent. It was shown alongside other shorts and helped prove that these characters could share a universe.

‘Gintama x Sket Dance Crossover Episodes’ (2012)

Two connected episodes feature a cast swap between the characters of ‘Gintama’ and ‘Sket Dance,’ allowing them to playfully poke fun at each other’s styles while investigating a mystery at a school. The episodes are filled with jokes and include guest voice actors, as well as self-aware humor about storytelling and who the shows are made for. ‘Gintama’ was animated by Sunrise, while Tatsunoko Production handled the ‘Sket Dance’ portion, resulting in noticeable but fun differences in pacing and visual design. The episodes were designed to be watched back-to-back to fully appreciate all the jokes.

‘Isekai Quartet’ (2019–2022)

This funny, short-form anime brings together characters from popular series like ‘Overlord’, ‘Konosuba’, ‘Re:Zero’, and ‘Tanya the Evil’, placing them all in the same school. Each episode features self-contained comedy skits and longer story arcs that unfold throughout the season. As the series goes on, characters from other anime make guest appearances as new transfer students. Animated by Studio Puyukai, the episodes are designed to be fast-paced and full of jokes, often pairing characters in unexpected ways. Extra bonus shorts were included with the home video releases to extend the humor from the main show.

‘Carnival Phantasm’ (2011–2012)

This animated anthology series brings together characters from the popular ‘Fate’ and ‘Tsukihime’ universes, creating funny interactions between them. Each episode is styled like a different kind of show – think game show parodies, random date scenarios, and everyday neighborhood antics – all with nods to specific storylines and outcomes from the original games. Lerche studio handled the animation, giving the large cast of characters a crisp and appealing look. The series was released to celebrate important anniversaries for the franchises and also features music videos with appearances by many characters.

‘Space Patrol Luluco’ (2016)

This series follows Luluco as she travels through different dimensions, each inspired by other Studio Trigger shows like ‘Inferno Cop’, ‘Kill la Kill’, and ‘Little Witch Academia’, and even features characters from those series. The show is made up of short, fast-paced episodes that jump between worlds while still telling a story about Luluco growing up. Studio Trigger created the show, bringing in the original creators from each of the referenced series. The ending cleverly ties all the jokes and references together for a satisfying conclusion that feels like a fun celebration of everything involved.

‘Kaginado’ (2021–2022)

This animated series brings together characters from popular visual novels like ‘Clannad’, ‘Kanon’, ‘Air’, ‘Little Busters!’, and ‘Rewrite’, all set in a school environment. Each episode blends humorous recurring jokes about the different story paths with heartfelt moments that reflect the core themes of each original game. Animated by Liden Films Kyoto Studio, the series uses a cute, simplified art style to maintain a lighthearted tone. This project is the first time these stories and characters have officially been combined into a single, ongoing show.

‘Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion the Animation’ (2018–2019)

A particularly memorable episode features Hatsune Miku, a remarkably skilled driver, helping the heroes fight a giant monster. This episode included a unique mecha designed around her image and an original song. The show cleverly blended Vocaloid culture into its usual format without contradicting its established rules. The animation studio, OLM, worked with music companies to include Miku’s voice and performance. This episode proved popular and led to further references in concerts and promotional materials.

‘Pretty Cure All Stars New Stage: Friends of the Future’ (2012)

This movie brings together heroes from different seasons of ‘Pretty Cure’ to safeguard a dream world that impacts children’s emotions in the real world. The story gives experienced leaders mentoring roles and clearly introduces the newer heroes. Toei Animation created the film, making sure the transformation sequences and final attacks flowed smoothly together. These team-up movies became a yearly spring tradition for the ‘Pretty Cure’ franchise around this time.

‘Hello Kitty x Gundam’ (2019–2020)

This fun online animation series marks anniversaries by bringing together characters from ‘Mobile Suit Gundam’ and ‘Hello Kitty’ in short, funny videos. Each episode playfully jumps between the epic space battles of Gundam and the cheerful world of Hello Kitty, while also giving new viewers a quick recap of the original stories. The creators of Gundam, Sunrise, worked on the project to ensure the robots looked right, even using lighter colors to fit the Hello Kitty style. The series was promoted with special merchandise and social media polls, letting fans help shape future episodes.

Tell us about your favorite surprising anime team-up in the comments! We’d also love to hear which crossover you’d like to see happen next.

2025-10-25 04:46