End of an Era for Long-Running Anime With 100+ Episodes

The Decline of Long-Running Anime Series

When considering the most iconic anime of all time, many think of series that have over 100 episodes. Titles like One Piece, Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, Naruto, and Inuyasha are prime examples of this trend. These shows have become cultural phenomena, capturing the hearts of fans for decades. However, the landscape of the anime and manga industries has changed significantly over the past ten years, and it seems that these long-running series may soon be a thing of the past.

Long anime with over 100 episodes have been popular for decades, but their time is coming to an end. One of the last major non-kids anime with over 100 episodes, My Hero Academia, will be concluding its run with its eighth and final season later this year. This marks the end of an era, as no new long-running anime are emerging in the modern era. Even the biggest hits, such as Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen, are expected to wrap up before reaching the 100-episode mark.

The End of an Era

When My Hero Academia premiered in 2016, it quickly became known as "the new face of Shonen." While this title was fitting for a few years, few could have predicted that it would become the last of its kind. Over the past decade, there have been several successful anime with high episode counts, some even more popular than My Hero Academia. However, all of them have either ended before My Hero Academia or are set to conclude their runs with under 100 episodes.

My Hero Academia Season 8 will air this fall, bringing the total number of episodes close to 200. Meanwhile, One Piece continues to thrive with over 1000 episodes, but it is currently in its Final Saga and slowly approaching its conclusion. Even if Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War were considered just another season of Bleach, it too is expected to wrap up soon.

The Future of Long-Running Anime

Once the Shonen heavy-hitters are gone, the remaining anime with over 100+ episodes will likely be comedy anime with limited popularity outside Japan, such as Sazae-san, or anime that serve as promotional material for larger franchises, like Pokémon. There are exceptions, such as Case Closed, which has been running for nearly 1200 episodes, and Kingdom, which is returning for a sixth season. However, these are rare cases.

My Hero Academia has ushered in a new era of anime, and its conclusion will signal the beginning of the end for long-running anime as a whole.

Why Are Long-Running Anime Disappearing?

On paper, it might seem natural for the best and most popular anime to have extended runs with over 100 episodes. In some ways, this is true, as most long-running anime are adapted from successful manga, and long-running manga rely on high sales. However, there are other factors at play that contribute to the decline of long-running anime.

Two of the biggest anime sensations in the past decade have been Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and Jujutsu Kaisen. Despite their immense popularity, both have ended their television runs with relatively low episode counts. Demon Slayer concluded with only 63 episodes, while Jujutsu Kaisen is expected to finish with just under 100 episodes. These low numbers are not due to a loss of popularity, but rather a shift in industry practices.

Anime-original filler content is being phased out, and manga authors are no longer pressured to continue writing successful series for as long as possible. Additionally, anime studios have realized the financial benefits of adapting manga into movies. Writers and artists now have the freedom to end their stories when they want, and animation studios are focusing more on quality over quantity. Films like Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Infinity Castle can do more justice to the manga they adapt than an anime arc ever could.

The Trend Toward Shorter Manga

Compared to older titles like Naruto and Bleach, My Hero Academia, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Demon Slayer are fairly short manga, with the longest having only 430 chapters. This trend is continuing with still-running manga, and it doesn’t look like it will change anytime soon.

Titles like Sakamoto Days and Blue Box are unlikely to reach 300 chapters, making it difficult for their animation adaptations to reach 100 episodes. Even if new manga like Kagurabachi and Ichi the Witch are successful, their best-case scenario is similar to others. The only truly long-running manga left are those that have been in publication for decades, such as Jojo's Bizarre Adventure.

A Bittersweet Farewell

Saying goodbye to long-running anime with over 100+ episodes will be difficult for many fans. These series have a unique charm and appeal that shorter, better-produced anime cannot match. However, they aren't dead yet. Fans should continue to enjoy anime like One Piece and My Hero Academia for as long as they remain available.