Top 15 Longest Anime Series

2. Ojarumaru (2037+ episodes)

Ojarumaru, known as Prince Mackaroo in English, is a Japanese anime created by Rin Inumaru, produced by NHK Enterprises, and animated by Gallop. The series has been airing on NHK E-Tele since October 1998, becoming the second longest anime on NHK after Nintama Rantaro and the third longest anime series to date.

The story of Ojarumaru revolves around a 5-year-old Heian prince named Ojarumaru Sakanoue, who accidentally time-travels to modern-day Japan and has adventures while evading three demons trying to retrieve the royal scepter he stole from Great King Enma.

This is NHK's first anime produced using digital ink and paint process. The series received an 'Outstanding Award' for animation at the Japan Media Arts Festival in 1999. As of December 6, 2023, the series has aired 2037 episodes and is still in production.

3. Nintama Rantaro (2321+ episodes)

Nintama Rantaro, also known in Vietnam as Ninja Loạn Thị, is an anime series adapted from the manga Rakudai Ninja Rantaro, airing on NHK since 1993. Nintama Rantaro is a household name for many children in Japan and around the world.

The series is set in the late Muromachi period, a time of warring lords. Following his father's wish, Rantaro enrolls in the Ninja Academy with the goal of becoming a talented ninja. However, from the moment he enters school and befriends Kirimaru and Shinbee, everything he does leads to unintended and humorously unfavorable outcomes. Although set in a real historical period, the events in the story are infused with modern elements and incredibly amusing antics.

The anime series currently has over 2300 episodes, each lasting 10 minutes, and is still in production. Geneon Entertainment has licensed part of the English version of this anime in North America, while Hi-Yu International distributes it in Taiwan.

4. Doraemon (1979) (1787 episodes)

Doraemon (1979) is a children's anime television series created by Fujiko F. Fujio based on the manga of the same name. A sequel to the 1973 series, Doraemon is produced by Shin-Ei Animation and aired from April 2, 1979, to March 18, 2005, on TV Asahi. This version of the Doraemon anime is sometimes referred to as the Ōyama version in Asia, named after Ōyama Nobuyo, the female voice actor for Doraemon in the series.

The series follows the life of a young boy named Nobita and his robotic cat from the future, Doraemon, who comes to help improve Nobita's life. Stories in Doraemon often revolve around a common theme, which is the troubles encountered by Nobita, a fifth-grade student, the secondary main character of the series. Doraemon has a magical pocket on his belly containing all sorts of futuristic gadgets.

The most common plotline involves Nobita returning home crying over troubles he faces at school or with his friends. After being begged or pushed by the boy, Doraemon provides a gadget to help Nobita solve his problems, or to seek revenge or show off to his friends. Nobita often overuses Doraemon's gadgets, sometimes getting into even bigger trouble than before.

5. Oyako Club (1818 episodes)

The anime series Oyako Club aired on Fuji TV from October 3, 1994, to March 30, 2013, totaling 1818 episodes.

The storyline of Oyako Club revolves around the Hanasaki family and two alien father-son pairs trying to adapt to human life. Audiences witness many heartwarming and humorous moments among the characters despite each episode being only 5 minutes long. This series has been a part of Japanese television viewers' lives for nearly 20 years, so it's no surprise that it has become a childhood memory for many people in the country.

Kirin no Monoshiri Yakata is an anime part of the Kirin Monoshiri Series aired on MBS TV and TBS TV from January 1, 1975, to December 31, 1979, totaling 1565 episodes.

The storyline of Kirin no Monoshiri Yakata follows a cat named Cathy and a mouse, two characters constantly bickering, often with the mouse outsmarting the cat. The series provides light-hearted, humorous content while cleverly imparting historical knowledge to children. Unfortunately, all the data of the Kirin Monoshiri Yakata series has been lost, leaving only 2 episodes remaining.

The anime series Soreike! Anpanman is adapted from the manga Anpanman by author Takashi Yanase, and it's one of the most beloved anime by children in Japan. Produced by TMS Entertainment, it has been airing since October 3, 1988, with the number of episodes reaching 1572 and still ongoing.

The storyline revolves around the adventures of Anpanman, a superhero with a head made of anpan (a Japanese sweet bun), who protects the world from a villain named Baikinman. In each episode, Anpanman battles Baikinman and saves people. He patrols around the neighborhood of Uncle Jam every day. He is a symbol of justice, fighting for goodness every day.

Anpanman has a long history, and new characters frequently appear, keeping the series fresh. In 2009, Anpanman was confirmed as the Guinness World Record holder for the most characters in an animated series, with a total of 1,768 characters appearing in the first 980 episodes of the TV series and 20 films.

Japanese Folklore Manga is a Japanese anime anthology based on fairy tales and classic stories, produced by Dax International and animated by Madhouse. The series aired in Japan from January 7, 1975, to January 2, 1995, with a total of 1494 episodes.

Japanese Folklore Manga is directed by the legendary figure in the anime world - Gisaburo Sugii. What's special about this series is that each episode is drawn by different artists, aiming to keep the show fresh and avoid monotony due to its long duration.

Kirin Tomorrow's Calendar marks the final installment of the 6-part Kirin Monoshiri Series, produced by Mainichi Broadcasting System and aired from January 1, 1980, to December 30, 1984, totaling 1498 episodes.

Similar to other parts in the series, each episode of Kirin Tomorrow's Calendar carries highly educational content, featuring programs that discuss events from the past on the broadcast day (or the next day) and the history of famous world figures. Keiko Yokozawa and Yutaka Mizushima serve as storytellers, portraying a shy young man and a lively office lady replacing the roles of cat and mouse.

Chibi Maruko-chan (Vietnamese: Maruko the Kid) is a TV anime adapted from the manga of the same name by female author Sakura Momoko, produced by Nippon Animation, airing on Fuji TV from January 8, 1995, to date with a total of 1418 episodes and still in production.

The series Chibi Maruko-chan depicts the simple, everyday life of a girl named Maruko and her family in suburban Japan in the 1970s. The story is set in the city of Shimizu, now part of Shizuoka City, also the hometown of the manga author. In Vietnam, the series was broadcast on VTV3 in 2007.

Hoka Hoka Family is a Japanese anime television series aired on Fuji TV Network in Japan from October 1, 1976, to March 31, 1982, with a total of 1428 episodes.

Hoka Hoka Family was sponsored by the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations and the Office of the Prime Minister of Japan. The series has no specific storyline; instead, it focuses on everyday life stories with an educational aspect, providing insights into modern life in Japan.

Anime Shin - The Pencil Boy is an adaptation of the Japanese manga of the same name by author Usui Yoshito, produced by Shin-Ei Animation studio, and broadcasted in Japan since April 13, 1992. Originally, the anime was intended to end in 1994 and be replaced by a remake of the Umeboshi Denka anime. However, due to its popularity in Japan, TV Asahi decided not to replace it. As of now, the anime has aired over 1215 episodes and shows no signs of stopping.

The main storyline revolves around the boy Shin and his everyday life adventures with his parents, younger sister, Whitey the dog, friends, neighbors, relatives, and other characters.

In Vietnam, the complete 54-episode series from 1992 to 1993 in Japan was first dubbed and aired on HTV7 in 2002. The full 104-episode series from 2002 to 2005 in Japan was first broadcasted in Vietnam from March 19, 2015, to mid-2016 on HTV2 at 6:30 PM from Thursday to Saturday weekly.

Doraemon (2005) is the latest anime series based on the manga of the same name by Fujiko F. Fujio. Produced by Shin-Ei Animation and Asatsu-DK, the series began airing on TV Asahi on April 15, 2005, and has aired 1363 episodes to date, with ongoing production and broadcast. It is also broadcasted in over 50 other countries worldwide. This series is sometimes referred to as the Mizuta Version in Asia, named after Mizuta Wasabi, the female voice actress for Doraemon in this series.

In Vietnam, the series began airing on HTV3 on December 3, 2015, and was also released on YouTube by POPS Kids in 2017. TV Asahi currently holds the distribution and licensing rights for Doraemon.

Although the series closely follows the original manga, some changes have been made. Many storylines adapted from the manga chapters have been extended for a better conclusion and increased educational value. Additionally, some elements from the manga have been toned down. For example, all of Doraemon's gadgets, which were originally in the form of pills, have been changed to tools and devices for use; Nobita's father (who frequently smokes in the manga) rarely smokes on the show.

Produced by Toei Animation, the anime One Piece is adapted from the manga series of the same name by author Oda Eiichiro. It premiered in Japan on Fuji TV on October 20, 1999, and continues to air. To date, over 1000 episodes have been broadcast.

One Piece tells the journey of Monkey D. Luffy - the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates and his crew. Luffy searches for the mysterious sea area where the world's greatest treasure, One Piece, is hidden, with the dream of becoming the Pirate King.

In Vietnam, One Piece has been dubbed in Vietnamese and aired on HTV3 since 2015, but only with the first 312 episodes. Since 2017, POPS Worldwide has been re-airing these episodes on digital platforms, while also dubbing additional episodes up to the present.

The anime Detective Conan is adapted from the long-running detective manga series by author Aoyama Gōshō, produced by TMS Entertainment and Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation, directed by Kodama Kenji and Yamamoto Yasuichiro. The first episode aired on Nippon Television Network System on January 9, 1996. To date, over 1000 episodes have been aired, making it one of the longest-running anime series in Japan.

The story revolves around a high school detective named Kudo Shinichi who, while investigating a mysterious organization known as the Black Organization, is forced to ingest a poison that can be deadly. Fortunately, he survives but his body shrinks to that of a 6-7-year-old child. Since then, to avoid revealing his true identity, Shinichi adopts the name Edogawa Conan and moves in with his childhood friend Mori Ran and her father, private detective Mori Kogoro, hoping one day he can defeat the Black Organization and regain his original form.

In Vietnam, the Detective Conan anime series has been airing on HTV3 since December 2009 with Vietnamese dubbing. Currently, new episodes of this series can be watched on YouTube, on the website, and on the Pops Anime app.