Sci-fi anime is where directors throw big ideas at you -- time loops, AI, alternate timelines -- and expect you to just keep up. *Steins;Gate* is the go-to benchmark, mixing otaku humor with surprisingly tight time-travel writing. A lot of it is character drama wrapped in wild concepts, not just mecha and technobabble.
Prefer manga? Best Sci-Fi manga
Eccentric scientist Rintarou Okabe has a never-ending thirst for scientific exploration. Together with his ditzy but well-meaning friend Mayuri Shiina and his roommate Itaru Hashida, Okabe founds the Future Gadget Laboratory in the hopes of creating technological innovations...
Gintoki, Shinpachi, and Kagura return as the fun-loving but broke members of the Yorozuya team! Living in an alternate-reality Edo, where swords are prohibited and alien overlords have conquered Japan, they try to thrive on doing whatever work they can get their hands on....
The 150-year-long stalemate between the two interstellar superpowers, the Galactic Empire and the Free Planets Alliance, comes to an end when a new generation of leaders arises: the idealistic military genius Reinhard von Lohengramm, and the FPA's reserved historian, Yang Wenli....
One year has passed since the Black Rebellion, a failed uprising against the Holy Britannian Empire led by the masked vigilante Zero, who is now missing. At a loss without their revolutionary leader, Area 11's resistance group—the Black Knights—find themselves too powerless to...
Crime is timeless. By the year 2071, humanity has expanded across the galaxy, filling the surface of other planets with settlements like those on Earth. These new societies are plagued by murder, drug use, and theft, and intergalactic outlaws are hunted by a growing number of...
A squid-like creature, known as a Happian, leaves his home planet with the desire to spread happiness across the universe. He lands on Earth, but quickly finds himself in danger of captivity by its inhabitants. Fortunately, he is found by an unsmiling little girl named Shizuka...
The disappearance of the Spearhead Squadron beyond the horizon does little to hide the intensity of the Republic of San Magnolia's endless propaganda. Vladilena Milizé continues to operate as "Handler One," the commander of yet another dehumanized 86th faction's squadron in the...
Simon and Kamina were born and raised in a deep, underground village, hidden from the fabled surface. Kamina is a free-spirited loose cannon bent on making a name for himself, while Simon is a timid young boy with no real aspirations. One day while excavating the earth, Simon...
The Abyss—a gaping chasm stretching down into the depths of the earth, filled with mysterious creatures and relics from a time long past. How did it come to be? What lies at the bottom? Countless brave individuals, known as Divers, have sought to solve these mysteries of the...
On a cold December day, Kyon arrives at school prepared for another outing with his fellow SOS Brigade members. However, much to his surprise, he discovers that almost everything has changed completely: Haruhi Suzumiya and Itsuki Koizumi are nowhere to be found; Mikuru Asahina...
Following NERV's failed attempt to retrieve the Spears of Longinus and carry out the Human Instrumentality Project, the destruction caused by the Fourth Impact has been largely averted. In a state of disarray, Shinji Ikari, Asuka Langley Shikinami, and Rei Ayanami travel to...
Humans once lived like Earth was the center of the universe. Some people embraced religion and believed that God would deliver them from suffering. After humanity was enslaved by aliens, no one spoke of God any longer. Now the grim truth is that humans are mere property of...
Following the closure of the "Laughing Man" case, Section 9 is re-established by Japan's newly elected Prime Minister, Youko Kayabuki, to combat the persistent threat of cyber-terrorism. A group calling themselves "The Individual Eleven" has begun committing acts of terror...
In the 24th century on the planet Aqua, three girls—Akari Mizunashi, Alice Carroll, and Aika S. Granzchesta—continue to work hard toward achieving their goal of becoming Prima Undines: professional tour guide gondoliers. Luckily, the girls have the guidance of the three best...
Gesicht, an android police detective of Europol, is tasked with finding the murderer of Montblanc, a retired war hero robot. Although it appears that only a robot could have committed this crime, the murder of a renowned robot rights activist casts doubts on the criminal's...
Fifteen years after a cataclysmic event known as the Second Impact, the world faces a new threat: monstrous celestial beings called Angels invade Tokyo-3 one by one. Mankind is unable to defend themselves against the Angels despite utilizing their most advanced munitions and...
When highly evolved AIs set out to eradicate mankind, the carnage that ensues fills the air with the stench of fresh blood and burning bodies. In a desperate bid to prevent the calamity from ever occurring, a scientist bets everything on a remnant from the past. Turning the...
In this thrilling continuation, former Wilderness Hunter Commander Marc has transformed into a blood-stained monster who destroys lighthouses. Guided by the enigmatic Bai Yuekui, he embarks on a new mission. The arrival of survivors on the ground reveals that the lighthouse...
Third season of Tunshi Xingkong.
Justice, and the enforcement of it, has changed. In the 22nd century, Japan enforces the Sibyl System, an objective means of determining the threat level of each citizen by examining their mental state for signs of criminal intent, known as their Psycho-Pass. Inspectors uphold...
Earth's once green hills and rich blue oceans have been converted into a desolate wasteland by the relentless onslaught of planet bombs from the expansionist Gamilas Empire. By the year 2199, humankind has retreated to the depths of underground cities to escape the radiation. ...
All of a sudden, they arrived: parasitic aliens that descended upon Earth and quickly infiltrated humanity by burrowing into the brains of vulnerable targets. These insatiable beings acquire full control of their host and are able to morph into a variety of forms in order to...
Day 2539: Rin wakes up alone again with blurred memories and still no contact from any other human. She is not bored, however, because in her arms lies a tablet capable of creating any world her heart desires. Day after day, Rin crafts a wonderful reality—one utopia at a time—to...
In order to find his cherished partner, Wu Liuqi returns to Xuanwu Country and faces those forgotten fragments of memory. The dusty truth brings pain and anger, but now he is no longer alone. What is the purpose of having power? This time, Wu Liuqi has to make a new choice for...
Second season of Space Dandy. Space Dandy is a dandy guy, in space! This dreamy adventurer with a to-die-for pompadour travels across the galaxy in search of aliens no one has ever laid eyes on. Each new species he discovers earns him a hefty reward, but this dandy has to be...
Right now, Steins;Gate holds the #1 spot with a 9.07 on MAL. Eccentric scientist Rintarou Okabe has a never-ending thirst for scientific exploration.
MyAnimePulse tracks over 3,589 sci-fi anime — from 90s classics to shows airing this season. This list focuses on the 25 highest-rated.
If you've never watched sci-fi anime before, Steins;Gate, Gintama Season 4, and Legend of the Galactic Heroes are all safe bets. They're highly rated for a reason — any of them will hook you.
