More and more new anime series are appearing with significantly shorter episode running times – and according to Japanese media, there seems to be a targeted change within the industry behind this. We summarize below.
More and more short anime
As current reports show, Japanese production companies and television broadcasters have recently increasingly relied on so-called short anime with episode lengths of sometimes just a few minutes.
In the spring 2026 season alone, six new series with running times of a maximum of six minutes per episode will be broadcast, including “Beyond Twilight” and “Marika’s Love Meter Malfunction” – and the trend is rising rapidly.
In this way, as many different projects as possible should be able to be implemented in the future – despite the limited broadcast slots on Japanese television.
For example, TV Tokyo recently introduced the new program block “Animori,” which is designed to show several different short anime within a single 30-minute time slot. Normally only one episode of a regular anime runs in such a time window.
Changing consumer behavior
According to those responsible at the Japanese television stations, shorter anime are not only produced more quickly, but are also significantly cheaper and more flexible to implement than classic series with 24-minute episodes.
Crunchyroll had also been open to shorter anime formats in the past. The main reason for this is the changing consumer behavior of younger viewers, who increasingly prefer short content.
Despite possible advantages, such as more compact storytelling or fewer fillers, the developments are likely to be controversial within the anime community. However, there are currently many indications that the anime industry would like to pursue this course more in the future – also with a view to AI-generated anime.
More on the topic:
Via Animenomics
© Rin Komugi, Suiseisha / »Marika’s Love Meter Malfunction« Production Committee