Akira is the goat of anime
These recommendations cover a range of subgenres within sci-fi, from cyberpunk to mecha to space opera.
Be sure to explore these series and find the ones that align with your personal preferences for sci-fi storytelling.
Reddit and other anime communities are valuable resources for discovering new and lesser-known series as well.
Here’s a brief description of the storyline for each of the top 25 sci-fi anime series recommended by Reddit users:
- “Cowboy Bebop“: Set in a futuristic world, it follows the adventures of a group of bounty hunters as they navigate the galaxy while dealing with their pasts.
- “Neon Genesis Evangelion”: This mecha series delves into complex themes as a group of teenagers pilots giant robots to protect Earth from mysterious beings called Angels.
- “Steins;Gate”: A group of friends discovers a way to send messages to the past, leading to a time-traveling adventure filled with unintended consequences.
- “Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex”: In a cybernetic future, a special police unit investigates high-tech crimes, exploring the blurred lines between humanity and technology.
- “Serial Experiments Lain”: The story follows a teenage girl who becomes obsessed with the virtual world and slowly blurs the boundaries between reality and the digital realm.
- “Ergo Proxy”: In a post-apocalyptic world, an investigator and her sentient android companion uncover dark secrets and a mysterious virus.
- “Psycho-Pass”: In a dystopian society, a law enforcement team uses a system to gauge citizens’ mental states, leading to thought-provoking ethical dilemmas.
- “Trigun”: This space western centers around Vash the Stampede, a gunslinger with a mysterious past, and his adventures on a desert planet.
- “Knights of Sidonia”: Humanity battles for survival against alien creatures in massive space-faring vessels known as Sidonia.
- “Space Dandy”: This colorful series follows an alien hunter’s misadventures in space as he searches for undiscovered species.
- “Akira”: A cyberpunk classic set in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo, following a young man who gains mysterious psychic powers.
- “Legend of the Galactic Heroes”: A space opera epic that explores the war between the Galactic Empire and the Free Planets Alliance, with intricate political and military strategy.
- “Planetes”: This series delves into the lives of space debris collectors in a future where humanity is colonizing space.
- “Gurren Lagann”: A mecha anime featuring a group of rebels who fight against oppressive forces, with an over-the-top and inspirational storyline.
- “Aldnoah.Zero”: In an alternate future, Earth faces conflict with the technologically advanced Martian Vers Empire.
- “No. 6”: The story follows a boy who escapes from a dystopian city known as No. 6, only to return years later to uncover its dark secrets.
- “Texhnolyze”: Set in a subterranean city, it tells the story of a man who becomes involved in power struggles and gang warfare.
- “Log Horizon”: Gamers find themselves trapped in the virtual world of an MMORPG and must adapt to their new reality.
- “Kino’s Journey”: A traveler and her talking motorcycle explore various countries, each with its own unique culture and moral dilemmas.
- “Last Exile”: The story revolves around two young pilots in a world filled with aerial battles and sky pirates.
- “Voices of a Distant Star”: A poignant short film about a young girl’s relationship with her childhood friend, who is sent to fight an alien menace in space.
- “Ajin: Demi-Human”: A thriller where a boy discovers he’s an Ajin, an immortal being, and becomes the target of government experiments.
- “Knights of Sidonia”: Humanity battles for survival against alien creatures in massive space-faring vessels known as Sidonia.
- “Space Battleship Yamato 2199”: A remake of the classic space opera, following the crew of the Yamato on a quest to save Earth from an alien threat.
- “Planetarian: Chiisana Hoshi no Yume”: In a post-apocalyptic world, a survivor encounters a robot who maintains a planetarium and seeks to fulfill a long-lost dream.
