Top 20 Anime With The Most Episodes

Ever been curious about anime with the most episodes? This list collects the shows that have been running for years, even decades! You’ll find everything from kids’ programs and everyday life stories to educational shorts and popular action adventures. For each series, we’ve included when it aired, how long each episode is, and the total number of episodes. It’s a great way to see just how diverse long-running anime can be, ranging from short five-minute clips to full hour-long shows. Share it with a friend who thinks they’ve watched everything and see how many they’ve actually completed!

‘Sazae-san’ (1969–)

This heartwarming series has been a Sunday evening tradition on Fuji TV since 1969. Each episode features three separate, complete stories, usually lasting between twenty and twenty-six minutes. Still in production today, the show is famous for being one of the longest-running programs in Japanese television history, with a remarkable total of 2,771 episodes.

‘Ninja Boy Rantaro’ (1993–)

This long-running series features ninja-in-training and has been broadcast daily on NHK for over 25 years. It’s divided into large seasons, creating a vast collection of episodes. New episodes are still being made, and the show currently has a total of 2,504 installments.

‘Prince Mackaroo’ (1998–)

This funny show features a prince from Japan’s Heian period who somehow ends up in the modern world. It’s a short, ten-minute program broadcast on NHK Educational TV and has been running for a long time, with new episodes added every year. So far, there are a total of 2,127 episodes!

‘Oyako Club’ (1994–2013)

This comedy series, which aired on Fuji TV, portrayed the humorous side of ordinary family life in short, five-minute episodes. It ran for almost twenty years, finally concluding in 2013. Because each episode was so brief, the show amassed a huge number of installments – a total of 1,818.

‘Doraemon’ (1979–2005)

This popular animated series, based on the famous manga, followed a robotic cat as he helped a boy named Nobita in each eleven-minute episode. The show ran on television for more than twenty-five years, concluding in 2005, and is still one of Japan’s most-watched children’s programs, totaling 1,787 episodes.

‘Go! Anpanman’ (1988–)

This popular kids’ show centers around a hero with a bread-shaped head who protects his friends from villains like Baikinman. New episodes are released regularly, and there’s a new movie every year. Each episode usually lasts between twenty and twenty-six minutes, and the series has a whopping 1,683 episodes!

‘Kirin no Monoshiri Yakata’ (1975–1979)

This short, educational program shared fun facts and general knowledge in brief, five-minute episodes. It ran throughout the late 1970s and created a large collection of content over several years. The show was made for quick, everyday viewing and ultimately produced a total of 1,565 episodes.

‘Kirin Ashita no Calendar’ (1980–1984)

This short, educational series shared interesting facts about calendars and the seasons. It ran throughout the early 1980s, consistently airing new episodes which built up a large collection of content – a total of 1,498 episodes. Its regular schedule made it a convenient daily watch.

‘Japanese Folklore Tales’ (1975–1995)

This collection reimagines classic Japanese folktales as animated shorts, presented in a style reminiscent of traditional storytelling. Originally broadcast in episodes lasting between twenty and twenty-six minutes, the series was produced over two decades and has become a landmark television adaptation of these timeless stories. It comprises a total of 1,494 episodes.

‘Chibi Maruko-chan’ (1990–)

Chibi Maruko-chan, a heartwarming series about a young girl and her family, has been a beloved part of Japanese television since it returned in 1995. It originally aired briefly in the early 1990s and has been running ever since, consistently adding new episodes to its impressive total of 1,468. Each episode typically lasts between twenty and twenty-six minutes, and the show is a staple of weekend TV in Japan.

‘Hoka Hoka Kazoku’ (1976–1982)

This family program, which featured short stories about daily life, aired from the late 1970s to 1982. Each episode was only five minutes long, allowing the show to create a large collection of 1,428 episodes in a short period of time.

‘Doraemon’ (2005–)

This new version of the classic cartoon follows the ongoing adventures of the beloved blue robot cat, featuring refreshed animation and production quality. Each episode runs between twenty and twenty-six minutes, and the show is still being made today. It’s a popular choice with kids and has an impressive total of 1,407 episodes.

‘Monoshiri Daigaku Ashita no Calendar’ (1966–1970)

This daily program shared interesting facts in just five minutes. It ran throughout the late 1960s, consistently delivering new content and building up a collection of 1,274 episodes. The show ended in 1970 after several years.

‘Shin Chan’ (1992–)

This long-running comedy centers around the playful Shin-chan and his family, and has been on television since the early 1990s. Each episode is about 20-26 minutes long, and new episodes are still being released. With over 1,267 episodes, the show is broadcast in many countries and continues to be popular.

‘Case Closed’ (1996–)

Since 1996, this popular mystery series – also called ‘Detective Conan’ – has consistently focused on solving cases. Each episode typically lasts between twenty and twenty-six minutes, and new ones are still being made. In addition to the regular weekly episodes, there are also special installments and full-length films. As of today, the series has a total of 1,174 episodes.

‘One Piece’ (1999–)

One Piece, the long-running anime about the Straw Hat Pirates, has been consistently broadcast weekly since 1999. Over the years, the series has told many different stories, but production has remained steady. New episodes are still being released, and the show currently has a total of 1,147 episodes.

‘Kamen Rider’ (1971–1974)

This short, five-minute travel show was popular in the early 1970s. Each episode quickly shared interesting facts and glimpses of different places around the world. After several years, the series ended, having produced a total of 1,006 episodes.

‘Kotowaza House’ (1987–1994)

This series explored Japanese proverbs and sayings in short, five-minute episodes. It ran from the late 1980s to the early 1990s, creating a large collection of 773 episodes before it ended.

‘Asadayo! Kaishain’ (2016–2019)

As a big fan of short-form content, I recently discovered this fascinating little series that originally aired on Japanese TV. It was a daily workplace comedy, and each episode was only about a minute long! It ran from 2016 to 2019, and they stuck to their schedule perfectly, completing a whopping 744 episodes. It’s incredible how much they created over those three years!

‘Shima Shima Tora no Shimajirō’ (1993–2008)

The children’s show featuring the character Shimajirō was designed for preschoolers and typically lasted between twenty and twenty-six minutes per episode. It was on TV for over ten years and helped launch the popular Shimajirō franchise. The series finished in 2008, leaving behind a large collection of 726 episodes.

I’m really curious – out of all the great marathon series out there, which one have you watched the most? And was there one that totally shocked you with just how many episodes it had? Let’s chat about it in the comments!

2025-11-01 21:18