Science fiction is one of the most imaginative and ingenious genres in anime and manga. Its best exemplars range from whimsical speculative shows where advanced technology works like magic to grounded explorations of humanity’s plausible futures that pay close attention to realism and technical accuracy.
Many fans believe sci-fi anime peaked in the 20th century, when the mecha genre dominated the medium and timeless masterpieces like Neon Genesis Evangelion andCowboy Bebop were created. However, the 21st century has been far from disappointing for science fiction fans thus far. The genre continues to thrive and surprise viewers with brilliant new shows, many of which are already revered as timeless classics.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Delivers an Exceptional Sci-Fi Story Without Wasting a Single Episode
Despite premiering as recently as 2022, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is already revered as a modern classic of sci-fi anime. Its story is a unique spin on the world of CD Projekt Red’s video game Cyberpunk 2077, immersing viewers in the cruel yet alluring dystopia of Night City and the vulnerable tragedy of an up-and-coming edgerunner, David Martinez.
Produced by Studio Trigger, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is an incredibly fast-paced, high-octane anime that revels in over-the-top violence. However, despite consisting of just ten episodes, the series finds enough time for astounding emotional depth, exploring how the struggle for survival in such a brutal, lawless setting can easily lead people down a path of poor decisions and heartbreaking sacrifices.
Planetes Is a Uniquely Grounded Take on Hard Science Fiction
Sci-fi anime commonly doesn’t concern itself with logic or hard rules, with the genre famously favoring high-octane stories where advanced technology makes everything possible. Planetes, however, belongs to an entirely different kind of futuristic anime: a hard sci-fi series with a grounded premise that explores an entirely plausible future.
The protagonists of Planetes are a team of debris collectors cleaning up trash from Earth’s orbit. While their job might seem quite out there, their struggles, both interpersonal and internal, are incredibly relatable and deeply human. Planetes uses a futuristic setting to explore the vulnerability of human connection and exceptionally down-to-earth drama that, despite unfolding in the vast and mysterious reaches of space, hits close to home.
Psycho-Pass Explores a Dystopian Future Where Free Will No Longer Matters
Sci-fi and dystopian fiction are genres that have always gone hand in hand. Among the many unsettling depictions of dystopian futures in anime, Psycho-Pass is one of the most eerie and ambiguous. In the world of Psycho-Pass, almost everything is decided by the omniscient Sibyl System. Crime is kept low through the system’s ability to judge people’s Crime Coefficients, allowing Inspectors to punish potential wrongdoers in advance.
The many hidden flaws of this “peaceful utopia” are explored through the perspectives of Akane Tsunemori, a rookie Inspector, and Shinya Kogami, her Enforcer partner and a latent criminal. Psycho-Pass masterfully balances an action-packed cyberpunk thriller plot with an intelligent exploration of what it is like to live in a society that has traded personal freedom for a fragile sense of security, and what justice in this world truly means.
Code Geass Mixes Mecha & Military Sci-Fi With Supernatural Elements
A dramatic, complex, and awe-inspiringly ambitious military sci-fi drama, Code Geass follows the exploits of the exiled prince Lelouch, who, after obtaining the supernatural Power of Absolute Obedience, leads a rebellion against the Holy Britannian Empire’s tyrannical regime. Code Geass is a famously suspenseful, over-the-top anime that somehow manages to combine mecha action, high-stakes political mind games, and school slice-of-life into a single plot that remains engaging and cohesive.
Sci-fi elements in Code Geass are prominent but also coexist effortlessly with supernatural gimmicks, such as Lelouch’s Geass powers. In the mecha genre, particularly in the 21st century – which has not produced many mecha masterpieces – it nonetheless stands out for its complex character dynamics, gripping, tightly paced narration, and an iconic ending fans cannot forget.
Kaiba Uses a Sci-Fi Premise to Examine Relatable Themes of Love & Memory
Adorably cartoonish and lighthearted at first glance, Kaiba is, in fact, a remarkably mature and intelligent sci-fi anime that uses an ingenious concept to explore the inherent value of memory. In Kaiba’s futuristic world, memories can be digitally stored on chips, allowing them to be easily transferred, stolen, preserved after death, and manipulated.
The show’s protagonist, however, wakes up with no memories whatsoever, just a hole in his chest and a pendant with a photo of an unknown girl. His adventure to rediscover his identity swiftly becomes an awe-inspiring, philosophical journey that, aside from gripping mystery elements, thoughtfully examines which aspects of one’s identity are fundamental and how memory plays into one’s understanding of self.
FLCL Doesn’t Concern Itself With Rules, Logic, or Genre Constrains
An icon of the early 2000s that remains one of the most creative and boundary-pushing titles of the 21st century, FLCLcan hardly be described as just a sci-fi show. In just six episodes, it experiments with genre, tone, and art style relentlessly, weaving together a story that, while illogical and over-the-top, certainly resonates with viewers on an emotional and aesthetic level.
Giant robots spawning out of teenagers’ heads, manic alien girls beating people with a guitar, and even world-ending cosmic conspiracies – all of these imaginative concepts have a place in FLCL’s eccentric narrative. However, while mostly an absurdist comedy, FLCL has plenty of heart and tenderness hidden beneath its extravagant exterior, using much of its craziness to meaningfully comment on the process of coming of age and relatable adolescent struggles.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Is Rightfully Revered as a Fan-Favorite Entry in the Iconic Franchise
Ghost in the Shell has been a cyberpunk icon since the ‘90s, and it continues to influence sci-fi anime to this day, with the newest installment in the franchise debuting just this year. However, out of numerous Ghost in the Shell entries, the 2002 series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex remains a definitive fan favorite.
Like its precursors and successors, the series is a masterful, fast-paced sci-fi thriller that, at the same time, has a lot to say about humanity’s existential plights during an age when people have firmly merged with machinery. Moreover, Stand Alone Complex stands out due to its compelling mix of standalone stories and riveting overarching plots, offering the most in-depth look at the series’ world of any installment.
Gurren Lagann Goes Back to the Roots of Super Robot Mecha
Arguably the most beloved mecha anime of the 21st century, Gurren Lagann, instead of borrowing from the “real robot” mecha that has dominated the genre since Gundam, takes inspiration from the old guard of “super robot” shows – fun, vibrant, and unapologetically over-the-top. Gurren Lagann is an exciting, inspiring story about the indomitable human spirit that earnestly celebrates humanity’s ability to persevere and evolve.
However, to call Gurren Lagann a simple show that cares for nothing but coolness and spectacle would be a disservice to its brilliant story. While ambitious and extravagant, Gurren Lagann manages to balance its intensity with vulnerability and grounded themes. It’s an undeniably fun, uplifting series, but one that can, at the same time, explore grief, regret, and sacrifice in remarkably thought-provoking ways.
Steins;Gate Is the Best-Written Time Travel Anime of All Time
Time travel is notoriously one of the trickiest sci-fi concepts to execute well, but anime does have at least one example of such a narrative executed flawlessly: Steins;Gate. Its story revolves around a self-proclaimed mad scientist, Rintaro Okabe, who discovers that his latest eccentric invention can send text messages into the past.
Inevitably, Okabe’s attempts to mess with the rules of time swiftly spiral out of control, turning the show into a suspenseful thriller with humanity’s future on the line. Amidst the clashes of different factions and timelines, Steins;Gate remains remarkably cohesive and logical, without forgetting the emotional core of its narrative or failing to ensure that the story, while intense, remains human and heartfelt.
Gintama Is Anime’s Most Unorthodox Sci-Fi Anime That Doesn’t Play by the Rules
Gintama can hardly be called a typical science fiction show. Its premise is a peculiar mix of historical fiction and futurism: during the Edo period, Japan was taken over by technologically advanced aliens, who outlawed samurai and unauthorized sword-carrying. That, however, didn’t stop lazy samurai Sakata Gintoki from holding onto his wooden sword, which he uses both to protect Edo’s citizens and to get out of the most ridiculous situations imaginable.
Gintama is a jack-of-all-trades comedy in which anything is possible – every genre, including sci-fi, gets parodied; every topic, regardless of its gravity, can be made fun of; and the humor, somehow, manages to stay fresh for over 360 episodes. Nonetheless, most fans adore Gintama for its less obvious virtues: when the show sets the jokes aside, it always surprises viewers with the earnestness and brilliance of its dramatic writing.
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