Anime Shorts and Short Series that Are Worth Your Time
Anime
Sometimes I get in the mood to watch a short or short series, but have found (much to my dismay) that there are so few good ones and so many truly horrifying ones! This is a list of shorts and short series that I've watched and enjoyed and recommend to those that are looking for something like these to watch.
(the shorts are listed first and then the short series)
(the shorts are listed first and then the short series)

Music, 2014,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:8
Starts off with a man and a little girl. And ends full circle with a man and a little girl. This was only like 5 minutes long, but it was so good! This is one of my absolute favorite shorts of all time!
Fumiko no Kokuhaku
Fumiko's Confession

ONA, 2009,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:7
This is a short film with only 2 minutes of content, but it was an easy watch and made me laugh so definitely recommend this one!
Paulette no Isu
Paulette's Chair

ONA, 2014,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:6
So... if you're a fan of the noitaminA anime then you know the little opening segment of each and every one of these anime and the little girl who goes flying across the screen on... a chair. This is a little anime short film about 3 minutes long which commemorates 10 years of noitaminA. The short film is based around that little girl that we see in every opening segment. It's a cute little short and definitely worth a watch.

ONA, 2017,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:6
A little lamp falls off a table in the middle of the night and can't get up so it wonders around the house in the dark with only its own light to light the way. It's really cute and only about 4 minutes long.

Movie, 2012,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:7
A 10 minute short film based on a toy that got separated from his owner who was a little girl and his journey traveling around the world trying to find her. It was rather cute as you watch his journey all the while you see the little girl growing up still thinking about her lost toy.

Music, 2013,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:7
A 2 minute short about a little ghost girl and a pair of tap shoes dancing to a song from singing in the rain.

TV Special, 2012,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:6
This was a very cute 24 minute episode short about a little girl who wants to go to the ocean with her father, but her father keeps having to work and he's also afraid of the ocean. I really don't want to spoil it, but it's cute and very much worth the watch!

ONA, 2013,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:6
A very magical little 4 minute short with animation that reminds me of Studio Ghibli. Also, not word said lol. I watched it on youtube for those looking for where to find it.
Dareka no Manazashi
Someone's Gaze

Movie, 2013,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:6
A 6 minute short film about a girl, her father, and her elderly cat.
Furiko
Pendulum

Special, 2012,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:6
I'm actually really impressed by this short, which was basically done in what looked like ink drawing in black and white. A pendulum swings and shows the life of a man who rescues a girl from bullies and she falls in love with him and wins him over and it shows their life together and struggles and... well, I can't say anymore because that would spoil it. Just watch it! It's only about 5 minutes long.

Movie, 2012,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:6
I quite liked this one surprisingly. This short is based around two brothers. The elder brother wakes up with his head as a tomato and... well, just watch it. It's only 5 minutes long.

Movie, 2021,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:6
A very cute 8 minute short that was made to promote the Tokyo Olympics. The animation style was very reminiscent of Studio Ghibli. It was very well done.
Rebecca
The Chronicles of Rebecca

ONA, 2020,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:6
This was a really cute 20-ish minute short film about a young girl who is taken in by her spinster aunts and trying to adjust to their expectations of her and her new life with them. It's especially hard since one of her aunts (Miranda) is wayyy too harsh on her.
Baa-cha no Kingyo
A Grandma's Goldfish

Movie, 2012,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:5
And I thought I had strange dreams, but damn, this old lady's dreams were weird as hell! A bizarre, yet really interesting 8 minute short.

ONA, 2014,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:5
A wedding gone wrong. This is a 4 minute short about a woman's wedding day and how things keep going wrong. It's really not a wedding day that you'd want to remember lol.

OVA, 2011,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:6
This five minute short was a little confusing at first because I was like 'why is she upside down?' But it's a short with a message. It's about 5 minutes long.
Golden Time (Movie)
Golden Time

Movie, 2013,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:6
This is a cute 20-odd minute short film about a discarded TV in a junkyard.

TV Special, 2021,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:6
This was a 14 minute short about three high school girls playing a game of golf... two experienced players and a newbie. It was actually pretty cute and I wouldn't have minded a bit had this been a series instead of just a short.
Shashinkan
The Portrait Studio

Movie, 2013,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:5
A 16 minute short film with no dialogue put to piano music. It's about a young woman as she grows up from a baby who goes to the portrait studio to have her picture taken and the man taking the picture tries sooooo many things to get her to smile and she never smiles for her pictures. It's just the slightest bit depressing but still worth the watch.
Anklet to Aoi Umi
Memory of Blue

Movie, 2018,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:5
This is a short about a girl on a boat whose anklet drops into the ocean and it's discovered by a boy who returns it to her and she notices that he has a fish hook in his leg so she bandages his leg and then a storm breaks out. It's about 7 minutes long.
Hashire!
RUN!

ONA, 2003,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:5
While, I'm not a fan of the animation... it was 30 seconds and it was pretty damn good. They did a good job with this short. It shows this mans life from birth to death and it's basically him running a marathon through his life.
Futari-bun no Shoumei
Proof of Two

ONA, 2022,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:5
I actually really enjoyed this short based around to childhood friends who compete against each other on tests over their long friendship.
Bai Niao Gu
Valley of White Birds

Movie, 2017,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:5
I still have absolutely no idea what this was about lol, but it was a fascinating watch for a 15 minute Chinese donghua short film. If you have 15 minutes go give it watch!
Konohakaseki no Natsu
Summer of Fossil Leaves

Movie, 2014,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:5
About a young boy who accidentally breaks one of his dads fossils and tries to find him another one to replace it. He then meets another young boy who shows him a good place to look for them. Around 10-11 minutes long.
Toki wa Meguru: Tokyo Station
Passage of Time: Tokyo Station

ONA, 2014,
1 ep
Me:-
Author:5
A young woman who lost her father when she was a teenager inherited the pocket watch he used to use and wanders around the Tokyo Station where he used to work thinking about him and trying to see glimpses of him as she's getting married the next day and wants a piece of her father to be with her on her wedding day.

TV, 2005,
26 eps
Me:-
Author:7
This is a 26 episode short series with the episodes containing approximately 3.5 minutes of content after the OP. The series is centered around a 'useless' wolf named Uruno who wonders into the forest starved and attempts to 'hunt' Usuhara, a rabbit who prompty kicks his ass. He then meets several other animals in the forest, including a cheetah named Chiiko who he immediately falls in love with. The series Mains are essentially Uruno, Usuhara, and Yunihiko. Yunihiko is a unicorn who seems to get his fun by messing with others, especially Uruno who is incredibly gullible.
The series was quick and funny and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The series was quick and funny and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Wakaba*Girl
Wakaba Girl

TV, 2015,
13 eps
Me:-
Author:6
Alright, so this is a short moe slice of life series with 13 episodes consisting of about 6-6.5 minutes of content once you minus the OP (which is catchy as hell so you might watch it and consider it a 7-8 minute episode series). The series is centered around three new high school girls who meet on their first day and form a friendship. It focuses a lot on Wakaba who is the innocent rich girl in the group who hilariously keeps trying to pay her friends and others because that's just the way she was raised. The stuff that's normal to her new friends are completely unique to her and it just really made me smile and I enjoyed watching this series despite being so short.

TV, 2013,
15 eps
Me:-
Author:7
I knew that this was a 15 episode short series going into this (the episodes are about 4 mins. each). I expected something cute, sweet, and short. But, I got something entirely different! This series is centered around a girl named Wakaba who is haunted by various spirits. Or rather, she can see the various spirits around her and many of them take notice and thus choose to haunt her. She is believed by her classmates to be cursed so she's something of a loner until a transfer student named Azuma Reiko who has a fascination with all things occult transfers to Wakaba's school and befriends her. Wakaba also comes across a curious pink creature she names Po-chan who has many unique abilities that help Wakaba whenever she stumbles upon a dangerous spirit. Eventually she meets another like herself, a young boy in the same school as herself named Yuuki. Yuuki, Wakaba, and Azuma all go in search of finding out more about Po-chan as well as the two spiritually 'gifted' youngsters. But what they found... was not at all what I expected!
For such a short series this anime had some depth and I'm just sad that it wasn't longer.
For such a short series this anime had some depth and I'm just sad that it wasn't longer.
Kanojo to Kanojo no Neko: Everything Flows
She and Her Cat: Everything Flows

TV, 2016,
4 eps
Me:-
Author:8
This is a short little 4 episode series with only 7 or 8 minute episodes. At first glance this series doesn't seem like much but, it was fantastic! You see things from the cat's perspective, mostly. It shows you how he first became her cat, with a few glimpses of their lives together over the years. The ending was beautiful and everything came full circle. It was beautiful!

TV, 2017,
12 eps
Me:-
Author:7
This was not a series that I originally had any intention of watching, but I stumbled upon it while trying to find something to watched and am very glad that curiosity got the better of me because it's a very fun short series. Each episode is about three minutes long and is focused around the hilarious sibling relationship of the Shi siblings Fen and Mao! xD It has five seasons! Also, while only available in Japanese dub with English subs... it's actually a Chinese donghua.
Inu to Neko Docchi mo Katteru to Mainichi Tanoshii
With a Dog AND a Cat, Every Day is Fun

TV, 2020,
24 eps
Me:-
Author:6
This is a 24 episode short series with each episode being between 1-1.5 minutes long. It's actually pretty damn entertaining and I enjoyed watching this one and would like to see another season some day. It's short and sweet!
Yama no Susume
Encouragement of Climb

TV, 2013,
12 eps
Me:-
Author:6
This is the 1st season of a 4 season series (so far) and this first bit was a short series with 12 episodes that were a mere 3 minutes long. The length of the 2nd and 3rd seasons have 11-12 minute episodes and it's better put together imo than the 3 minute length. Again my opinion. The 4th season has regular length 20-ish minute episodes. Personally, I really enjoy this series and if you enjoy things like Yuru Camp then you'll like this as well as this is about girls and mountain climbing (while Yuru Camp is camping).

TV, 2016,
10 eps
Me:-
Author:7
A 10 episode short series with each episode being only two minutes long. Despite the length this series is very much worth watching. It shows little snippets into the everyday life of several different couples. It was very cute and I enjoyed it very much!
Hanhua Riji
God Troubles Me

ONA, 2019,
12 eps
Me:-
Author:5
Chinese Donghua series. Each episode is around 10-12 minutes each. There are 3 seasons and 12 episodes per season. It's kind of a weird series, but oddly entertaining. Our MC finds out she's the daughter of an elf and a god, but is human herself. She's selected as the chosen one and ends up being tricked into signing a contract with the gods. Two specific gods live with her, one who has replaced her cell phone and the other who becomes her cat. Shenanigens ensue lol.
Wakako-zake
Wakakozake

TV, 2015,
12 eps
Me:-
Author:5
A short 12 episode series with episodes consisting of about 2 minutes of content per episode. The series is based around an office worker who goes out to eat after work and drinks. It's about relaxing and enjoying the various dishes she eats and the alcohol she drinks with her meals. It was relaxing. Pshuuu! x'D

TV, 2013,
12 eps
Me:-
Author:5
A 12 episode short series with each episode consisting of about 2 1/2 minutes of content when you subtract the OP and ED. It's based around three new high school students, two of which attended middle school together, and their budding friendship. It's a slice of life short series so maybe it's not for everyone, but it was short and sweet and I'm glad I picked it up! I had a smile on my face throughout this!

TV, 2017,
12 eps
Me:-
Author:6
Nyanko Days is a 12 episode short series consisting of episodes with about 1 minute and 40 seconds of content. It's a cute series so if you want something short and adorable to watch this may fill that space.

TV, 2020,
13 eps
Me:-
Author:6
That old man is smooth as f*ck! It's a cute and sweet short series about an elderly couple with episodes that are each about a minute long.
Yoru wa Neko to Issho
Nights with a Cat

TV, 2022,
30 eps
Me:-
Author:5
Cute shorts about a guy and his sisters cat. It's adorable and only about a minute or so of content per ep so it's basically around 30 minutes of watch time.
Orenchi no Furo Jijou
Merman in my Tub

TV, 2014,
13 eps
Me:-
Author:5
This isn't marked as shounen-ai, but holy hell, it SHOULD be! I mean, I'm a fujoshi so that's definitely not a bad thing, but for people who don't enjoy watching shounen-ai you may not want to watch this one.
I, personally, enjoyed this short series though. Kinda wish there was more, actually.
I, personally, enjoyed this short series though. Kinda wish there was more, actually.

TV, 2018,
12 eps
Me:-
Author:5
A very cute 12 episode short series about two kittens who are adopted by a family of 5 people and their daily lives. Each episode was about 3 minutes long.

TV, 2011,
12 eps
Me:-
Author:5
Adorable shorts about a vampire cat her samurai cat buddy and her fallen angel buddy as well as her adopted cat brother and the antics they get up to.