Alluring futuristic worlds, scientific speculations, and reality-bending scenarios โ all of these enticing concepts make sci-fi anime the mediumโs most acclaimed and fascinating genre. Science fiction in anime is prolific and varied, the genreโs exemplars making up some of the best, most celebrated titles of all time. However, like with any other genre, finding a sci-fi anime that is immaculate from start to finish is no easy task.
While high-concept sci-fi series with enticing premises arenโt hard to come by, titles that maintain the initial excitement throughout โ or even exceed fansโ expectations โ are rare gems that embody the genreโs most outstanding merits. These sci-fi anime series donโt feature a single dull moment, keeping the viewers engrossed in their worlds from the first episode to the moment the credits roll.
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10FLCL Is 6 Episodes of Non-Stop Exhilaration
Stream FLCL on Adult Swim
A kinetic coming-of-age story that hides profound thematic depth beneath its funky, surrealist exterior, FLCL is rightfully regarded as a sci-fi cult classic. Just like the seriesโ protagonist, ordinary 12-year-old Naota Nandaba, the viewers are launched head-first into a whirlpool of chaotic shenanigans once the mysterious alien Haruko Haruhara crashes into Naotaโs life โ and that excitement doesnโt let up until the very last episode.
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Beyond the fast-paced comedy and sci-fi madness, FLCL hides many thematic and narrative layers, and uncovering them all urges fans to revisit the series multiple times. Yet, FLCL never fails to entice and captivate the viewers regardless of how many times they watch it โ being just six episodes, the OVA packs a punch in every scene without overstaying its welcome.
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FLCL
TV-14
Action
Comedy
10/10Release Date2000 – 2023
Cast
Jun MizukiNaota Nandaba- Mayumi ShintaniHaruko Haruhara
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9Steins;Gateโs Slow Start Only Makes the Sci-Fi Anime Series Better
Stream Steins;Gate on Crunchyroll
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Steins;Gate is one of animeโs most well-known and highly acclaimed science fiction titles. A refreshingly spirited take on the classic time travel premise, Steins;Gate follows the unpredictable, suspenseful adventure of Rintarou Okabe, a self-proclaimed mad scientist who discovers a way to send text messages to the past.
While many find the opening episodes of Steins;Gate to be a bit of a slog, those who stick around learn to appreciate the seriesโ introduction for the excellent world-building and character establishment it provides. And, with the rest of Steins;Gate being an exhilarating ride of psychological thriller twists, dramatic developments, and mind-blowing sci-fi conspiracies, the entire narrative shapes into a flawless masterpiece.
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Steins;Gate
TV-14
Mystery
Comedy
DramaAnimeFantasyScience Fiction
8/10Release Date2011 – 2011NetworkSun TV, Teletama
Cast
- Asami ImaiKurisu Makise (voice)
- Mamoru MiyanoRintaro Okabe (voice)
8Aria the Animation Uses a Sci-Fi Setting for Grounded & Intimate Storytelling
Stream Aria the Animation on Crunchyroll
While most associate science fiction with ambitious, high-octane narratives, the genre is just as capable of scaling things down and telling unexpectedly human and grounded stories. For being set on planet Aqua, formerly known as Mars, Aria the Animation is a surprisingly down-to-earth iyashikei series following the leisurely adventures of Akari Mizunashi, a novice tour guide introducing visitors to the wonders of Aqua via gondola tours.
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In place of high-stakes futuristic plots, Aria the Animation offers the viewers an opportunity to relax, immerse themselves in a cozy fantasy, and potentially learn to appreciate lifeโs simplest miracles. With every episode being a perfect slice-of-life wonder, Aria the Animation subverts the conventions of its genre with its wholesome yet thought-provoking vignettes about life in a utopian future.
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Aria: The Animation
TV-G
Sci-Fi
10/10Release Date2005 – 2014NetworkTV Tokyo
Cast
- Erino HazukiAkari Mizunashi
- Chiwa SaitoAika S. Granzchesta
7Pluto Brings to Life a Masterful Sci-Fi Classic
Stream Pluto on Netflix
Initially written in 2003 by the legendary manga author Naoki Urasawa (Monster, 20th Century Boys), Pluto had to wait far longer than most to be adapted to anime. However, the end result was certainly worth the excessive wait.
A thrilling, unpredictable detective story, Pluto is a timeless science fiction masterwork that explores a classic theme โ the conflict between humans and robots โ through the lens of a gripping investigation into a serial murder case targeting the worldโs most advanced androids. What aided Plutoโs narrative as an adaptation the most is not abiding by the conventions of anime broadcasting. Instead of a usual one- or two-cour season, Pluto is an eight-episode mini-series that has the time and resources to craft its story into a faultless, admirably manga-accurate sequence.
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Pluto
TV-14
Action
DramaRelease DateOctober 26, 2023
Cast
- Rachel Slotky
- Laura Megan Stahl
- Jason Vande Brake
- Kirk Thornton
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6Link Click Remains Engrossing by Challenging Its Own Status Quo
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Initially, the donghua series Link Click became a modern cult hit through its uniquely intimate and heartfelt reimagining of the time travel theme. Using the premise of traveling back in time through photos, Link Click focuses not on changing the past but on capturing both the beauty and tragedy of unchangeable memories.
Its episodic first season is a collection of such precious moments relived by the protagonists on their quests to meaningfully affect the present without altering history. However, what prevented Lick Click from growing repetitive is its willingness to play with form and tone by using a mystery thriller plot to connect the touching standalone episodes together. Each of Link Clickโs installments creatively expands the overarching narrative while staying true to the earnest, emotionally driven core of the series.
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Link Click
TV-14
Mystery
10/10Release DateApril 30, 2021Networkbilibili
Cast
- Su ShangqingCheng Xiaoshi (voice)
- Yang TianxiangLu Guang (voice)
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5Gintama Maintains Excellence for Over 300 Episodes
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Maintaining a consistently high bar of quality through a single season of anime is no easy task โ yet Gintama is a rare anime series that manages to remain near-perfect for over 360 episodes. As to be expected from a long-running shonen anime series, not all Gintama episodes are equally impeccable. Yet, even a subpar episode of Gintama outshines the vast majority of anime comedies.
Gintamaโs genius lies in the seriesโ stellar comedic writing and affinity to experimentation. A sci-fi series with an โanything can happenโ attitude at heart, Gintama exists outside of genre restrictions. Its plots vary from hilarious exploits to heartfelt dramatic vignettes to massive, action-packed overarching sagas featuring alien invaders, turf wars, clashes on faraway planets, samurai duels, and every concept the audience can possibly think of.
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Gintama
Action
Comedy
Sci-Fi
10/10Release DateApril 4, 2006
Cast
- Susumu Chiba
- Satsuki Yukino
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4The First Season of Psycho-Pass Is a Perfect Self-Contained Story
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A popular subgenre of science fiction, futuristic dystopias comment on themes of societal dysfunction, oppression, and the conflict between societal and individualistic โ all of which are excellently explored in Psycho-Pass, one of animeโs best dystopian titles. Set in a world where every personโs mind can be evaluated for traces of criminal intent, the series follows Akane Tsunemori, a rookie Inspector tasked with suppressing โpotential criminalsโ who fall through the systemโs cracks.
An exciting yet thought-provoking sci-fi mystery, Psycho-Pass executes its narrative immaculately, and its cathartic finale leaves the viewers with a lot of food for thought. However, the decision to resurrect the franchise in multiple less-than-stellar sequels makes the first season the only faultless installment of Psycho-Pass.
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Psycho-Pass
TV-MA
Action
Crime
ThrillerRelease Date2012 – 2018
Cast
- Kana HanazawaAkane Tsunemori
- Miyuki SawashiroShion Karanomori
- Noriko HidakaDonimator
- Shizuka ItouYayoi Kunizuka
3Astra Lost in Space Is a Character-Driven Space Adventure Without a Single Dull Moment
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Exploring the enticing vastness of space has always been one of science fictionโs most alluring fantasies. However, for the teen heroes of Astra Lost in Space, the dream of visiting alien worlds becomes unexpectedly perilous. Stranded thousands of light years away from home, Astraโs crew must navigate the cosmos with limited resources on their lengthy and danger-filled return journey.
Compelling, concise, and outstandingly exciting on a moment-to-moment basis, Astra Lost in Space combines the best elements of space adventuring and character-driven survival fiction, fantastically developing each hero and location despite its short runtime. And, being a completed adaptation with just 12 episodes, it manages to pull off an unexpected yet gratifying ending without dragging the narrative out.
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Astra: Lost in Space
TV-14
Mystery
Comedy
Action
AnimeScience FictionRelease Date2019 – 2018NetworkAT-X, Tokyo MX, Sun TV, TV Aichi, KBS Kyoto, BS11
Cast
- Naoki TatsutaBeego (voice)
- Saori HayamiYunhua Lu (voice)
- Tomoyo KurosawaQuitterie Raffaeli (voice)
- Inori MinaseAries Spring (voice)
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2Planetes Makes the Space-Faring Future Look Heartwarmingly Relatable
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Search for personal purpose, struggle to connect with others, and challenges of reconciling with oneโs desires – all of these are universal strifes humans face across history and will likely continue conquering in the far future. Despite being set in the age of space-faring, Planetes centers on the grounded, relatable problems of its protagonists โ workers of a large space corporationโs Debris Section tasked with cleaning space of junk.
From its meticulous and technical approach to science fiction world-building to the even more realistic character development, Planetes is a rare space-themed anime that doesnโt require the viewers to suspend their disbelief. The resulting narrative remains immersive throughout despite not featuring the kinetic action or high-concept thrills most sci-fi anime is known for.
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Planetes
TV-14
Sci-FiRelease Date2003 – 2003
Cast
- Kazunari TanakaHachirouta Hoshino
- Satsuki YukinoAi Tanabe
- Takehito KoyasuYuri Mihailokov
- Ai OrikasaFee Carmichael
1Cowboy Bebop Doesnโt Waste a Single Episode
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Rightfully regarded as one of the best titles not just within the sci-fi genre but in anime as a whole, Cowboy Bebop is a renowned cult classic with a completely unique take on futuristic storytelling. Following Spike Spiegel and Bebopโs crew of eccentric bounty hunters on their unpredictable space adventures, Cowboy Bebop refuses to fall into just one category or genre.
Its episodic plots are kept fresh by jumping between space Western, neo-noir horror, comedy, and intimate, thought-provoking character drama. From standalone narratives to the subtle yet poignant overarching plot, Cowboy Bebop uses its runtime with intent, telling a completed, self-contained story over the span of 26 episodes that leaves the viewers changed by the time the credits roll.
