Best Action Anime You Can Finish in a Day

If you want a blast of adrenaline without committing to a long run, these quick-hit action picks get the job done in a single sitting. You’ll find tight miniseries, short OVA sets, and feature films that deliver big set pieces and clear conclusions. Each entry notes format and length so you can plan an easy one–day watch, with a quiet nod to the studio behind the animation.

‘Cyberpunk: Edgerunners’ (2022)

This ten episode story follows a street kid who dives into Night City’s mercenary underworld after a personal tragedy. The series is self contained and builds to a definitive ending within a compact run time. It was animated by Studio Trigger with characteristic high energy cuts.

‘Devilman Crybaby’ (2018)

This reimagining tracks Akira Fudo as he merges with a demon and confronts a worldwide awakening. The arc spans ten episodes and concludes the narrative cleanly. Science SARU handled the animation with a bold digital style.

‘Akudama Drive’ (2020)

A group of criminals take on a high stakes courier job that spirals into a citywide conflict. The series ends in twelve episodes and wraps the central plot. It comes from Studio Pierrot in collaboration with Too Kyo Games.

‘Dorohedoro’ (2020)

Caiman hunts for the sorcerer who cursed him while brawling through the Hole’s grim districts. The season runs twelve episodes with additional OVAs that fit into a day’s watch. MAPPA produced the show with textured CG and gritty fight choreography.

‘FLCL’ (2000)

A mysterious woman on a Vespa shakes up a suburban kid’s life as robots erupt from his forehead. The original run is six episodes and tells a complete coming of age caper with wild battles. Gainax and Production I.G teamed up on the animation.

‘Sword of the Stranger’ (2007)

A nameless ronin protects a hunted boy as assassins close in across feudal Japan. This feature film runs under two hours and delivers a clear beginning and end. Bones animated the movie with fluid swordplay.

‘Redline’ (2009)

An outlaw racer enters an illegal interstellar grand prix that turns into a war zone. The film clocks in at around two hours and stands alone without sequels required. Madhouse created the hand drawn spectacle.

‘Ninja Scroll’ (1993)

A wandering swordsman confronts a clan of superpowered mercenaries during a political conspiracy. The story is told in a single feature length film. Madhouse produced the animation with detailed combat layouts.

‘Spriggan’ (1998)

An elite agent races to secure ancient artifacts before a rival force weaponizes them. This is a self contained movie with a brisk runtime suitable for one session. Studio 4°C handled the animation with heavy detail on tech and gear.

‘Karas’ (2005–2007)

A guardian spirit wages war against rogue yokai in a modern city caught between worlds. The OVA totals six episodes that close the storyline. Tatsunoko Production blended 2D and CG throughout the action.

‘Hellsing Ultimate’ (2006–2012)

The Hellsing Organization unleashes Alucard against a rising army of monsters and fanatics. The complete story spans ten OVAs and can be marathoned in a day with a little planning. Multiple studios contributed, with Satelight and Madhouse leading early entries and Graphinica involved later.

‘Promare’ (2019)

Firefighting mecha pilots battle a militant group of flame wielders as a larger threat emerges. This is a single feature film that lands its finale cleanly. Studio Trigger animated the project with bold shapes and rapid motion.

‘Jujutsu Kaisen 0’ (2021)

Yuta Okkotsu enrolls in a sorcerer school to control a powerful curse tied to his past. The film stands on its own while connecting to the wider series. MAPPA produced the movie with dynamic action boards.

‘Demon Slayer: Mugen Train’ (2020)

Tanjiro and his team investigate disappearances aboard a moving train and confront a major foe. The story is told in one feature length movie that fits easily into a single viewing. Ufotable handled the animation with vivid effects work.

‘Berserk: The Golden Age Arc’ (2012–2013)

Guts joins the Band of the Hawk and rises through brutal campaigns until a fateful turning point. The trilogy comprises three films that together make a full day’s binge. Studio 4°C produced the movies with a hybrid animation approach.

‘Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt’ (2016–2017)

A sniper ace and a rival pilot clash across the Thunderbolt Sector during a vicious space war. The ONAs are compiled into two movies that can be finished back to back. Sunrise delivered the high detail mecha action.

‘Expelled from Paradise’ (2014)

An agent from a space based digital society descends to Earth to track a hacker and uncovers a larger mystery. This is a single feature film with a tidy runtime. Toei Animation partnered with Graphinica on the visuals.

‘Psycho-Pass: The Movie’ (2015)

Inspector Tsunemori travels abroad to stop a dangerous export of surveillance tech. The theatrical film tells a contained mission that works without additional episodes. Production I.G produced the animation with sleek gunplay.

‘Drifters’ (2016)

Historic warriors are pulled into a fantasy world to fight in a conflict between two factions. The season runs twelve episodes and focuses on a closed arc for the assembled fighters. Hoods Drifters Studio handled the adaptation.

‘Btooom!’ (2012)

Gamers are forced into a deadly survival match where grenades are the main weapon. The series has twelve episodes and covers a full tournament style storyline for a day’s viewing. Madhouse animated the show with sharp aerial and ground skirmishes.

‘Highschool of the Dead’ (2010)

Students and staff fight through a sudden zombie outbreak while navigating collapsing society. The run is twelve episodes plus an OVA that still fits neatly into a day. Madhouse provided the animation with elaborate set piece staging.

‘Megalo Box’ (2018)

An underground fighter rises through a tournament using gear assisted boxing in a bid for the top. The first season totals thirteen episodes and reaches a clear conclusion. TMS Entertainment produced the series with a retro visual texture.

‘Blood: The Last Vampire’ (2000)

Saya hunts a shape shifting creature on a U.S. military base during a single night operation. The movie runs under an hour and tells a complete mission. Production I.G created the film with moody action beats.

‘Macross Plus’ (1994–1995)

Test pilots compete to prove rival transforming fighters while an experimental AI goes rogue. The four episode OVA can be watched in an afternoon or as the consolidated movie edition. Triangle Staff and Studio Nue led the animation with support from Production I.G.

‘Eden of the East’ (2009)

A young man with a wiped memory and a phone full of cash is drawn into a high level survival game. The TV series is eleven episodes and sets up a complete chase and resolution, with optional follow up films if you want more. Production I.G animated the run with clean urban action.

‘Blame!’ (2017)

A lone wanderer searches a vast city for the gene that can reset a hostile defense system. This is a single feature length film that tells a contained mission with a clear endpoint. Polygon Pictures produced the CG animation with heavy industrial design.

‘Gantz:O’ (2016)

Recently deceased players are pulled into a deadly hunt through Osaka against powerful creatures. The movie stands alone and resolves its objective within its runtime. Digital Frontier handled the photoreal CG action throughout the set pieces.

‘Cowboy Bebop: The Movie’ (2001)

The Bebop crew tracks a bioterror threat that surfaces on Mars before a citywide festival. This theatrical story fits neatly between episodes and works on its own. Sunrise delivered the slick choreography and urban visuals.

‘Trigun: Badlands Rumble’ (2010)

Vash returns to a frontier town where a long held grudge explodes into a heist gone wrong. The film is a complete caper that does not require prior viewing. Madhouse provided crisp gunplay and wide desert vistas.

‘Sword Art Online the Movie: Ordinal Scale’ (2017)

An augmented reality game sparks incidents across the city that draw veterans back into danger. The story is self contained and reaches a full conclusion in one sitting. A-1 Pictures produced the film with fast moving combat scenes.

‘Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress’ (2016)

A fortified train becomes a lifeline as survivors fight across a country beset by infected attackers. The first season runs twelve episodes and completes a focused arc with room for optional follow up movies. Wit Studio brought stylized effects and heavy mechanical detail.

‘Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet’ (2013)

A mecha pilot from a distant war crash lands on a water covered Earth and learns to adapt while pirates strike. The series finishes its core conflict in thirteen episodes with a tidy resolution. Production I.G handled the animation with clean mechanical motion.

‘Fena: Pirate Princess’ (2021)

An orphaned girl escapes to sea and assembles a crew while unraveling a secret tied to her past. The adventure completes its storyline in twelve episodes. Production I.G animated the series with bright naval action.

‘Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple’ (2018)

Ability users in Yokohama face a wave of mysterious suicides linked to a fog bound antagonist. The film presents a standalone case that brings the investigation to a finish within its runtime. Bones produced the dynamic battles and character effects.

‘Appleseed’ (2004)

Deunan and Briareos arrive in a utopian city and uncover a plan that threatens its balance. The CG feature tells a complete operation from discovery to showdown. Digital Frontier led the production with detailed cybernetic designs.

‘Bayonetta: Bloody Fate’ (2013)

A witch with amnesia fights angels while searching for clues to her identity in a modern city. The movie wraps its central mystery and final battle in a single view. Gonzo handled the adaptation with rapid fire choreography.

‘Black Fox’ (2019)

A trainee from a ninja family takes on a corporate conspiracy after a personal loss. This is a standalone film that covers her origin and mission cleanly. Studio 3Hz produced fluid hand to hand and gadget driven action.

‘The Boy and the Beast’ (2015)

A runaway crosses into a beast realm and trains under a gruff warrior while turmoil brews. The feature follows their bond through duels and a decisive showdown with closure. Studio Chizu delivered large scale brawls alongside warm character animation.

‘Garo: Divine Flame’ (2016)

A young Makai Knight pursues a kidnapper and joins forces with veterans from an earlier battle. The film concludes its rescue mission within its single runtime. MAPPA provided ornate armor designs and heavy sword clashes.

‘Bubble’ (2022)

A parkour team competes in a flooded Tokyo where strange physics bend the rules of movement. The movie tells a self contained story centered on a single event with a proper ending. Wit Studio animated the gravity defying chases and rooftop runs.

Tell us which quick action picks you’d add to the list in the comments.