Ranking of the Longest Anime in History: Is One Piece Really the Longest?

It is a frequent question in the anime community: How many episodes does One Piece have? Is it the longest?

The short answer is: No, One Piece is not the longest anime in history.

Although the Luffy anime has surpassed 1100 episodes, the throne of the most extensive anime belongs to a category of short-format Japanese series with near-daily broadcasts that have been on the air continuously for decades.

Below, we present the true ranking of the giants of Japanese animation, based on the total episode count.

I. The Longest Anime in History (The Short-Format Titans)

These are the true giants, most of which are designed with a short sketch format, but which have surpassed the limits of longevity.

1. Sazae-san (The World Record)

• Debut: 1969

• Episodes (Approx.): Over 7,900

• Note: Holds the Guinness World Record as the longest-running animated television series in the world. The plot focuses on the daily life of a Japanese family and is broadcast weekly, but each episode usually contains three short segments, which drives up the total count.

2. Nintama Rantarō

• Debut: 1993

• Episodes (Approx.): Over 2,400

• Note: Children's comedy series that chronicles the adventures of an aspiring ninja. Much of its longevity is due to its short-duration format that continues to be broadcast almost daily.

3. Ojarumaru

• Debut: 1998

• Episodes (Approx.): Over 2,000

• Note: Produced by NHK, it tells the story of a prince from the Heian Era who travels through time. It is one of the longest-running children's hits on Japanese television.

4. Doraemon (1979 Series)

• Debut: 1979 - 2005

• Episodes (Approx.): 1,787 (This series only)

• Note: The iconic robot cat franchise has been adapted multiple times, but its second and most extensive adaptation lasted 26 years.

5. Chibi Maruko-chan

• Debut: 1995

• Episodes (Approx.): Over 1,400

• Note: One of the most-watched series in Japan, with a focus on everyday life and family.

II. The Shonen King: Where Does One Piece Stand?

In the standard-format action anime subgenre (24-minute episodes), One Piece is undoubtedly a titan, but it still competes with other greats.

• One Piece

  • Debut: 1999

  • Episodes (Approx.): Over 1,100

  • Actual Position: It is not the longest anime overall, but it is one of the longest in continuous broadcast and traditional weekly format.

• Detective Conan (Case Closed)

  • Debut: 1996

  • Episodes (Approx.): Over 1,150

  • Actual Position: Slightly more extensive than One Piece and Pokémon in its 24-minute chapter format, and it is still running.

• Pokémon (Entire Franchise)

  • Debut: 1997

  • Episodes (Approx.): Over 1,200 (Counting all sagas and reboots)

  • Actual Position: Its length is comparable to One Piece, but distributed across multiple series following the protagonist.

Conclusion

The status of One Piece is that of the longest Shonen series in continuous, traditional format (alongside Detective Conan). However, if we count absolute longevity and total episode count, the short-format family comedy series, led by Sazae-san, remain the undisputed champions of anime history.