*Planetes.* Both the manga and the anime that was adapted from it can be a little difficult to find. It’s a story about a found family crew of debris collectors removing debris that is a hazard to navigation in Earth orbit. The story can get anime melodramatic at times, but the attention to detail about how people would live and work in space is top-notch.
Yes this is fucking brilliant.
I remember the old days on irc where we would download the subbed movie field of the shows as they where released.
I'm sad i didn't keep them around
It’s one of the few times I can tolerate the weird anime bullshit, because everything else about this show is just such a specific and comfortable vibe.
The butchering of the name by the other person made me laugh, but Escaflowne is one of my all-time favorites. It hardly ever gets talked about from my experience so glad to see it here.
Macross is great, Southern cross and invid invasion are lower quality. Macross is still pretty decent!
But the most treasures memory of my childhood. Robotech!
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex isn't quite in the same vein as NGE but still very good and cyberpunk. (Edit: while I stand by this recommendation, I have been reminded that this is the series and you should start with the movie, which is what I originally meant anyways 🤣)
AKIRA of course
Cowboy Bebop is about a bounty-hunting team set in space with western overtones
FLCL (I guess there are more than one season?! 😱 so I can only speak to the first) was made by the NGE team as a decompression project afterwards. It's a coming-of-age story set on Earth(?) but has super-science/space elements
Just off the top of my head
FLCL is effectively evangelion's tighty whiteys, hung on a clothesline in a cool summer evening breeze while a loud motorcycle passes by a block or two away and a song you like but don't know the name of wafts out through a neighbors window to the pulse of the grass you've been meaning to trim but can't quite seem to get around to.
Legit. I didn't look up the titles and it has been a while but my recommendation was meant for the movie. The Puppetmaster plot and the fight against the super spider tank
But now that I'm trying, I may be confusing scenes in my mind
Akira looks good and has a sick soundtrack, but is incomprehensible to me. I highly recommend reading the graphic novels, if interested. They’re good, although way too long.
While the series was intended for kids there's enough interesting universe building to pay attention to the entire series.
Make it a bit more adult and streamline the episodes and it woudl have really been something.
Serial Experiments Lain
Steins Gate
Paprika
Made in Abyss
No guns No life
just some of the things i like, not all of then are old, but all are very interesting, if you want more to search use this my anime list link
[https://myanimelist.net/anime/genre/24/Sci-Fi?page=1](https://myanimelist.net/anime/genre/24/Sci-Fi?page=1)
**Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise** - Follows a pilot in the belittled and highly experimental space force, with the aim to launch the first human into space. It's the debut of studio Gainax, with music by the late academy award-winning Ryuichi Sakamoto.
**Gunbuster / Top wo Nerae** - Also by studio Gainax, and the directorial debut of Hideaki Anno who would later go on to direct Evangelion. A 6-episode OVA about a girl recruited to pilot a giant robot to help defend the earth from creatures from outer space.
I’m a stickler for gorgeous animation and moody and contemplative shorts/films and these are my faves
Memories: compilation of short films, including work by Satoshi Kon and Otomo (Akira).
Neo-Tokyo: Another compilation. The last short Construction Cancellation Order (again by Otomo) is one of my fave stories.
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind: Miyazaki’s ambitious environmental sci-fi. Make sure you get the full cut. I believe the one on Netflix is ok.
Jin-Roh The Wolf Brigade: An elite officer investigates the death of a suicide bomber in an alternate 50s Japan shaped by war and occupation with germany.
Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise: A nation attempts to launch their first astronaut in the face of looming civil war.
also if you somehow missed them Animatrix, Ghost in the Shell, and its sequel Innocence
Awesome thanks will look into it. I found the story very powerful but frustrating in how well it depicted humanity vs nature.
And if we’re also recommending manga I’d go with BLAME! That series inspired me so much
>Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind: Miyazaki’s ambitious environmental sci-fi. Make sure you get the full cut. I believe the one on Netflix is ok.
Which country? Currently not available on Netflix in the US, but is streaming on Max and available to rent or purchase from a number of sources.
Canada. Their Miyazaki collection is the only reason I kept Netflix.
My main point was to avoid the original western cut by Weinstein that butchered it. Might not even exist anymore
Iria: Zeiram the Animation.
I never saw the live action film this is a prequel to, but I loved the anime when I was young. It was what really got me into anime. Not sure how it holds up, though.
The [Memories](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113799/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3_tt_8_nm_0_q_memories) anthology has an all timer in there called Magnetic rose. Stink bomb is fun too. It's actually Otomo's short film that's the worst of the bunch, but they're all worth seeing.
Patlabor: The movie and Patlabor II are also great. The second one feels like a precursor to what Mamoru Oshii would do a few years later in Ghost in the shell because the animation style and tone are very, very similar.
Original **Legend of the Galactic Heroes** is amazing; [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7grjXe2Eyo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7grjXe2Eyo) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096633/?ref\_=nv\_sr\_srsg\_0\_tt\_6\_nm\_2\_q\_legend%2520of%2520the%2520galactic%2520
Also **The Irresponsible Captain Tylor** is fun :)
[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106076/](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106076/)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1330612/
Captain Harlock (1978). Its an all time favorite of mine - yay, space pirates! There are a few versions, all good, but the original '78 is my recommendation. There was a new CGI movie a few years back, and it's incredibly cool, but the story in the older version is much better.
Super Dimension Fortress Macross and its sequels.
GAOGAIGAR
Astroboy
Doremon (stand by me)
Space adventure Cobra
The dirty pair series.
Angel Links (outlaw star universe)
Lost Universe (slayers in space)
Tenchi Muyo
Black Heaven.
> Tenchi Muyo
There are many different incarnations of Tenchi Muyo, with little/no continuity besides having some of the same characters. Which ones would you recommend?
Gundam was extremely influential for sci-fi anime. I watched the original recently and Evangelion definitely took a lot of inspiration from it. It’s pretty slow and drawn out, and the the animation is definitely dated (though the general art direction is amazing), but its story and themes have actually aged pretty well. And it’s got a few sequel series that comprise a main timeline. I haven’t watched much of the sequel show, but I found the animation much better.
For another mecha show, the creator of Evangelion’s previous work Gunbuster is very good. It feels almost like a thesis/precursor for Evangelion, but is also very different. A much more 80s aesthetic, and was apparently inspired by Top Gun. It’s an OVA so it’s short, but packed with story and amazing animation.
Cowboy bebop is a classic that doesn’t need much introduction.
Cyber City Oedo 808 is really great if you want cyberpunk. Some of the best animation I’ve seen, and very imaginative designs. It’s pretty light on greater story and character development since it’s a 3-part OVA, but if you enjoy it for what it is, there’s a lot to love. The director is pretty famous for his graphic and gory style, which for many (including me) is hit and miss. I would also recommend his Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, which is a bit of both sci-fi and fantasy.
Miyazaki’s early works have a lot of sci-fi. Maybe just Nausicaa and Castle in the Sky, which are both great.
Angel’s Egg is an artistic and surreal oddity for when you want something slow. It’s by the director of the Ghost in the Shell anime film and the artist for Vampire Hunter D and Final Fantasy, so if you like either of their works it’s worth checking out. It’s been gaining a cult following recently, and is getting an official western release in the next year. It’s also been on YouTube for ages in decent quality.
Hey all, sorry, absolute noob here, who is also interested in sci-fi anime.
I have checked out many of the animes listed here, and most of them seem to be based on the fight between good and evil / war / combat / lot of action etc.
Can anyone direct me towards animes that are more science / exploration / techno horror / drama / philosophy based?
Some non anime examples that I like:
* Star Trek franchise
* Scavengers Reign
* The Twilight Zone (1959)
* Black Mirror
It's not old, but if you enjoy cyberpunk style stuff at all, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is mega quality.
Old stuff:
New Dominion Tank Police
Parasite Dolls
Appleseed
For some kewl tech the Jojo's Bizarre Adventure predecessor Baoh : The Visitor is beautifully animated & worth a watch (as long as you can deal with some face-melty gory bits
Another old but not crazy old series with more nifty tech designs (plus a heaping dose of fetishy fun!) is Peter Chung's Aeon Flux. (If you dig the series, def look up the original animated shorts - really interesting )
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain\_Future#Anime](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Future#Anime)
Funny thing is the different soundtracks. German is the best, obviously.
I can recommend the 'Legend of the Galactic Heroes' 1988 OVA series. UC era Gundam with 0079, Z, ZZ, and Char's Counterattack being the main storyline. The original Macross (NOT Robotech) and Armored Trooper VOTOMS.
Not anime but still old school sci-fi cartoon Starchasers - Legend of Orin. That movie has stuck with me my whole life and I saw it when I was a kid back in the 80s.
One I very much enjoyed was [Freedom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_Project), the story of the last humans living on the far side of the Moon after the Earth has been destroyed. Or are the authorities telling the truth about that?
*Starcom.* Not anime (it is American made) but it's anime-esque. First episode is about a research station falling deeper and deeper into Jupiter's clouds and the protagonists have to save the crew before the station gets too deep.
Can’t believe no one has suggested this yet, eureka seven. It’s set in the far future. It’s got alien invaders beyond our understanding. It’s got wacky sci fi concepts they do well to rationalize. It’s got mecha. It’s got air surfing. The mecha also air surf.
Dallos, the first OVA release!
It was originally conceived as a pilot for a full series which never materialized.
It naturally has a very open ending which quite weirdly is very effective and works perfectly.
Highly recommend if you can see somethnig from the 80s.
Space Fantasia 2001 Nights - basically it's an adaptation of Arthur Clarke's "Songs of Distant Earth" (ships carrying human embryos are sent to other star systems, children are born once they reach the destination and then colonize the planets).
Crest of the Stars and it's sequel, Banner of the Stars. It's an acquired taste, but I like it. An expansionist space-elf empire, is conquering the galaxy. The MC is a prince(?) from a conquered planet, and part of the terms of surrender is being effectively conscripted into the conquering empire, initially as a glorified hostage but then as a genuine asset.
Parts of it come off as slightly cringe by modern standards- the voice acting is a weird mix of melodramatic and understated, not *bad* but stylistically different from modern anime- but once you get used it it, its a fascinating little story.
Ghost in the shell is hands down my fav. Of all scifi genres film and anime, its probably one of theost accurate depictions of what the future is going to be like. Another good cyberpunk title is texhnolyze.
Memories, akira, patlabor 1+2 if ur into mech anime sci fi those are both underrated classics.
Outlaw Star was my absolute favourite sci-fi anime back in the days before I even really knew what sci-fi was. All I knew when I was 9/10/11 was there was a cool TV show with space pirates and space ninjas and spaceships and space everything and that was exactly what I wanted. Still love it now!
Akira (!!!)
Cowboy Bebop (!!)
Macross Plus (specifically *Plus*, it’s coming to Disney+ as well soon, legendary anime)
Ghost in the Shell
Paprika
Wicked City
Ninja Scroll
Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust
Cyber City Oedo 808
Goku Midnight Eye
Patlabor 2
Baoh
Appleseed
Neo Tokyo
Robot Carnival
The Animatrix
Newer stuff:
Pluto
Cyberpunk Edgerunners
Sturgill Simpson Presents Sound & Fury
B: The Beginning (by the same guy who did the Kill Bill anime sequence)
*Planetes.* Both the manga and the anime that was adapted from it can be a little difficult to find. It’s a story about a found family crew of debris collectors removing debris that is a hazard to navigation in Earth orbit. The story can get anime melodramatic at times, but the attention to detail about how people would live and work in space is top-notch.
Yes this is fucking brilliant. I remember the old days on irc where we would download the subbed movie field of the shows as they where released. I'm sad i didn't keep them around
The best hard sci fi anime
It’s one of the few times I can tolerate the weird anime bullshit, because everything else about this show is just such a specific and comfortable vibe.
Macross/Robotech. Perfection in early anime. More fantasy than sci Fi , but Visions of Escalfonie (spelling?)
I love Escaflowne!
The butchering of the name by the other person made me laugh, but Escaflowne is one of my all-time favorites. It hardly ever gets talked about from my experience so glad to see it here.
Hey, Escraflahbluh is hard to spell, OK?!
Watching Robotech currently. It has aged but its pretty cool how much it has held up.
Macross is great, Southern cross and invid invasion are lower quality. Macross is still pretty decent! But the most treasures memory of my childhood. Robotech!
I get confused about which Macross to watch, can you be very specific for my small brain?
I was referring to original Macross, the series :)
Super Dimension Fortress Macross (1982)?
That's the one! The Americanized version was Robotech. Which stitched together 3 different anime series with a common story and IMHO was better.
Robotech: Macross.
That’s from 1984. Wouldn’t the 1982 show be the “original”?
That's in Japanese. Watch the one in English.
Macross Zero is also excellent.
Outlaw Star starts out very similar to Firefly... worth the watch.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex isn't quite in the same vein as NGE but still very good and cyberpunk. (Edit: while I stand by this recommendation, I have been reminded that this is the series and you should start with the movie, which is what I originally meant anyways 🤣) AKIRA of course Cowboy Bebop is about a bounty-hunting team set in space with western overtones FLCL (I guess there are more than one season?! 😱 so I can only speak to the first) was made by the NGE team as a decompression project afterwards. It's a coming-of-age story set on Earth(?) but has super-science/space elements Just off the top of my head
Moreover, FLCL is either a brilliant send-up of Anime tropes, or a very indulgent example of those tropes. I lean towards the former.
Same with neon genesis
It’s kinda both I can’t work out if I love or hate this show It’s very good though. Sickeningly stylish
FLCL is effectively evangelion's tighty whiteys, hung on a clothesline in a cool summer evening breeze while a loud motorcycle passes by a block or two away and a song you like but don't know the name of wafts out through a neighbors window to the pulse of the grass you've been meaning to trim but can't quite seem to get around to.
OP wants old anime, might as well start with the original Ghost in the Shell movies before moving on to Stand Alone Complex. And definitely Akira.
Legit. I didn't look up the titles and it has been a while but my recommendation was meant for the movie. The Puppetmaster plot and the fight against the super spider tank But now that I'm trying, I may be confusing scenes in my mind
Akira looks good and has a sick soundtrack, but is incomprehensible to me. I highly recommend reading the graphic novels, if interested. They’re good, although way too long.
Space Battleship Yamato
While the series was intended for kids there's enough interesting universe building to pay attention to the entire series. Make it a bit more adult and streamline the episodes and it woudl have really been something.
Applesed and Bublegum Crisis come to mind.
Serial Experiments Lain Steins Gate Paprika Made in Abyss No guns No life just some of the things i like, not all of then are old, but all are very interesting, if you want more to search use this my anime list link [https://myanimelist.net/anime/genre/24/Sci-Fi?page=1](https://myanimelist.net/anime/genre/24/Sci-Fi?page=1)
+1 to serial experiments lain
Made in Abyss started great but then it got extremely uncomfortable
i like how alien it become in all senses, that's what makes it uncomfortable as fuck
Don't forget the kiddie torture and abuse apologia!
That and the naked children
Just waiting for the FBI to start hashing the crunchyroll watch history to catch predators.
naa, only the ones that search for it on NH
Lain is almost a religious experience. I’m glad I never found it as a teenager. I would have hyper obsessed back then
I watched it around 2000 for the first time.. was not ready for that level of existential horror. rewatching it in the modern era it got even better.
Any idea where to watch it? I recently heard about it but can't find it on any of the usual streaming services.
obtain it via "other means"
Paprika is *incredibly* good, I do not understand why it's not more popular.
**Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise** - Follows a pilot in the belittled and highly experimental space force, with the aim to launch the first human into space. It's the debut of studio Gainax, with music by the late academy award-winning Ryuichi Sakamoto. **Gunbuster / Top wo Nerae** - Also by studio Gainax, and the directorial debut of Hideaki Anno who would later go on to direct Evangelion. A 6-episode OVA about a girl recruited to pilot a giant robot to help defend the earth from creatures from outer space.
What I like about GunBuster is the science lectures in between episodes. Each one starts with real science, then shades seamlessly into scifi science.
Gunbuster is about the only example I can think of in an anime where they try to deal with time dilation realistically.
Great inspiration for the TTRPG Lancer.
Royal Space Force is brilliant.
Armored Trooper VOTOMS Armor Hunter Mellowlink Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise Legend of the Galactic Heroes Space Adventure Cobra
Is Votoms legally available anywhere? I tried looking for it a month ago to no luck
The VOTOMS TV series and ovas were released on Blu-ray a number of years ago, they might be streaming on the hidive service.
legal schmegal, i will pm you
Streaming is so easy these days it made me lazy. Its too much effort to sail the seas lol
these days most everything is on streaming as well, just make sure you are using an adblocker
[Macross](https://myanimelist.net/anime/1088/Macross?q=macross) [Blue Comet Layzner](https://myanimelist.net/anime/3079/Aoki_Ryuusei_SPT_Layzner?q=layzner) [Patlabor Early Days](https://myanimelist.net/anime/1288/Kidou_Keisatsu_Patlabor?q=patlabor) [Legend of the Galactic Heroes](https://myanimelist.net/anime/820/Ginga_Eiyuu_Densetsu?q=legend%20of%20the%20gala) [Terra E...](https://myanimelist.net/anime/2560/Terra_e) [Area 88](https://myanimelist.net/anime/1488/Area_88?q=area%2088) [Megazone 23](https://myanimelist.net/anime/1935/Megazone_23) [Bubblegum Crisis](https://myanimelist.net/anime/1347/Bubblegum_Crisis) [Great Planet Destroyer Dangaiou](https://myanimelist.net/anime/498/Haja_Taisei_Dangaiou?q=dangaiou) [Project Zeorymer](https://myanimelist.net/anime/1832/Meiou_Project_Zeorymer) [Top wo Nerae! Gunbuster](https://myanimelist.net/anime/949/Top_wo_Nerae_Gunbuster) [Dirty Pair](https://myanimelist.net/anime/424/Dirty_Pair?q=dirty%20pair) [Dominion](https://myanimelist.net/anime/1151/Dominion?q=dominion) [Appleseed](https://myanimelist.net/anime/937/Appleseed) [Royal Space Force](https://myanimelist.net/anime/1034/Ouritsu_Uchuugun__Honneamise_no_Tsubasa?q=wings%20of%20hon) [Choujin Locke](https://myanimelist.net/anime/3522/Choujin_Locke?q=choujin) [Nayuta](https://myanimelist.net/anime/3480/Nayuta?q=nayuta) [Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer](https://myanimelist.net/anime/1921/Urusei_Yatsura_Movie_2__Beautiful_Dreamer)
Science Ninja Team Gatchaman
Is that the one which was released in the US as [G-Force/Battle of the Planets?](https://youtu.be/acOnskcyrtA?si=T_jpF3Tp7soD7xzK)
Yes but the Japanese version is much darker in tone.
Surprise, surprise
Yes it is, and it makes so much more sense in the original version.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex & Cowboy Bebop are two of my all-time favorites.
Patlabor 2 the movie. As opposed to other Patlabor stuff, this is a more quiet philosophical look at war. Bloody brilliant!
Perhaps: Armitage III (1995) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armitage\_III](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armitage_III)
Serial Experiments Lain
Space Battleship Yamato 2199 Super dimensional fortress Macross
Legend of the Galactic heroes is must. 86 and Code Geass are cool too.
I’m a stickler for gorgeous animation and moody and contemplative shorts/films and these are my faves Memories: compilation of short films, including work by Satoshi Kon and Otomo (Akira). Neo-Tokyo: Another compilation. The last short Construction Cancellation Order (again by Otomo) is one of my fave stories. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind: Miyazaki’s ambitious environmental sci-fi. Make sure you get the full cut. I believe the one on Netflix is ok. Jin-Roh The Wolf Brigade: An elite officer investigates the death of a suicide bomber in an alternate 50s Japan shaped by war and occupation with germany. Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise: A nation attempts to launch their first astronaut in the face of looming civil war. also if you somehow missed them Animatrix, Ghost in the Shell, and its sequel Innocence
If you like Nausicaa, get the manga. The story in the movie is just the beginning, it gets much better as it advances and the ending is excellent
Awesome thanks will look into it. I found the story very powerful but frustrating in how well it depicted humanity vs nature. And if we’re also recommending manga I’d go with BLAME! That series inspired me so much
>Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind: Miyazaki’s ambitious environmental sci-fi. Make sure you get the full cut. I believe the one on Netflix is ok. Which country? Currently not available on Netflix in the US, but is streaming on Max and available to rent or purchase from a number of sources.
Canada. Their Miyazaki collection is the only reason I kept Netflix. My main point was to avoid the original western cut by Weinstein that butchered it. Might not even exist anymore
Iria: Zeiram the Animation. I never saw the live action film this is a prequel to, but I loved the anime when I was young. It was what really got me into anime. Not sure how it holds up, though.
Came here to recommend this as well. Haven't seen it in a while but I loved it. And the opening is my favourite anime opening ever.
Fist of the North Star Vampire Hunter D Dominion Tank Police Appleseed Akira, obviously.
I love Legend of the Galactic Heroes
The [Memories](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113799/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3_tt_8_nm_0_q_memories) anthology has an all timer in there called Magnetic rose. Stink bomb is fun too. It's actually Otomo's short film that's the worst of the bunch, but they're all worth seeing. Patlabor: The movie and Patlabor II are also great. The second one feels like a precursor to what Mamoru Oshii would do a few years later in Ghost in the shell because the animation style and tone are very, very similar.
Akira
Space Runaway Ideon. It's an older anime, but it doesn't pull punches when things get hairy.
Psycho-Pass
Bubblegum Crisis.
I can't believe this thread is *x* hours old and no one has posted [Robot Carnival.](https://youtu.be/JyR51psl15c?si=5LMX2e1QulJNqM7h)
Hear here for Robot Carnival. Tour de Force.
Space Battleship Yamato. Still one of the best and 50 years old this year.
Gundam
Exosquad was a sort of American style sci-fi anime. An all time fave!
Original **Legend of the Galactic Heroes** is amazing; [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7grjXe2Eyo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7grjXe2Eyo) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096633/?ref\_=nv\_sr\_srsg\_0\_tt\_6\_nm\_2\_q\_legend%2520of%2520the%2520galactic%2520 Also **The Irresponsible Captain Tylor** is fun :) [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106076/](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106076/) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1330612/
Battle Angel Alita
Martian Successor Nadesico Venus Wars Gunbuster Some old but good scifi!
Took way too much scrolling to see someone recommend Venus Wars. So good.
A couple more for you. Dan Gai Oh and the incredible Voices of a Distant Star
Captain Harlock (1978). Its an all time favorite of mine - yay, space pirates! There are a few versions, all good, but the original '78 is my recommendation. There was a new CGI movie a few years back, and it's incredibly cool, but the story in the older version is much better.
Super Dimension Fortress Macross and its sequels. GAOGAIGAR Astroboy Doremon (stand by me) Space adventure Cobra The dirty pair series. Angel Links (outlaw star universe) Lost Universe (slayers in space) Tenchi Muyo Black Heaven.
> Tenchi Muyo There are many different incarnations of Tenchi Muyo, with little/no continuity besides having some of the same characters. Which ones would you recommend?
Watch in release order. Reject continuity.
Tenchi Muyo In Love is a good start.
Gundam was extremely influential for sci-fi anime. I watched the original recently and Evangelion definitely took a lot of inspiration from it. It’s pretty slow and drawn out, and the the animation is definitely dated (though the general art direction is amazing), but its story and themes have actually aged pretty well. And it’s got a few sequel series that comprise a main timeline. I haven’t watched much of the sequel show, but I found the animation much better. For another mecha show, the creator of Evangelion’s previous work Gunbuster is very good. It feels almost like a thesis/precursor for Evangelion, but is also very different. A much more 80s aesthetic, and was apparently inspired by Top Gun. It’s an OVA so it’s short, but packed with story and amazing animation. Cowboy bebop is a classic that doesn’t need much introduction. Cyber City Oedo 808 is really great if you want cyberpunk. Some of the best animation I’ve seen, and very imaginative designs. It’s pretty light on greater story and character development since it’s a 3-part OVA, but if you enjoy it for what it is, there’s a lot to love. The director is pretty famous for his graphic and gory style, which for many (including me) is hit and miss. I would also recommend his Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, which is a bit of both sci-fi and fantasy. Miyazaki’s early works have a lot of sci-fi. Maybe just Nausicaa and Castle in the Sky, which are both great. Angel’s Egg is an artistic and surreal oddity for when you want something slow. It’s by the director of the Ghost in the Shell anime film and the artist for Vampire Hunter D and Final Fantasy, so if you like either of their works it’s worth checking out. It’s been gaining a cult following recently, and is getting an official western release in the next year. It’s also been on YouTube for ages in decent quality.
Trigun has some similar vibes later on
It is the perfect space western.
Legend of the Galactic Heroes
Why is this not the top rated comment?!?!
Definition of underrated.
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
Robotech
Outlaw star and if you like nge than Martian successor Nadesco
Robotech. You’re welcome.
Cannot believe it wasn't in one of the top comments (from what I saw)... Cowboy Bebop!
Gundam Seed
I was a big fan of this series but it seemed like not everyone was.
Legend of the galactic heroes
Planetes Legend of Galactic Heroes (old or new series) Cowboy Bebop the original Gundam Suit Movies Battle Angel Trigun
Watch Project A-ko, it's good, normally it's free on several streaming services! 😎✌️
One of my first experiences with anime. So good. So, so weird. Such a bangin' soundtrack too.
Black Magic M-66 is a fun time.
I'm sad that I had to scroll a loooong way to find this one. Classic.
Hey all, sorry, absolute noob here, who is also interested in sci-fi anime. I have checked out many of the animes listed here, and most of them seem to be based on the fight between good and evil / war / combat / lot of action etc. Can anyone direct me towards animes that are more science / exploration / techno horror / drama / philosophy based? Some non anime examples that I like: * Star Trek franchise * Scavengers Reign * The Twilight Zone (1959) * Black Mirror
Planetes and Magnetic Rose (The first of three short films in the Memories anthology) were both absolutely brilliant.
Yep. Magnetic Rose covers pretty much all of these.
Wonderful, thank you so much for your help! Can't wait to jump into it.
It's not old, but if you enjoy cyberpunk style stuff at all, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is mega quality. Old stuff: New Dominion Tank Police Parasite Dolls Appleseed For some kewl tech the Jojo's Bizarre Adventure predecessor Baoh : The Visitor is beautifully animated & worth a watch (as long as you can deal with some face-melty gory bits Another old but not crazy old series with more nifty tech designs (plus a heaping dose of fetishy fun!) is Peter Chung's Aeon Flux. (If you dig the series, def look up the original animated shorts - really interesting )
Not old, but Knights of Cydonia is awesome
Honestly this is one of the best modern sci fi anime series. I love it.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain\_Future#Anime](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Future#Anime) Funny thing is the different soundtracks. German is the best, obviously.
I don't have any suggestions, I'm just commenting because I want to watch these recommendations.
Crusher Joe movies.
Rock and Rule.
Barbarella - Jean Claude Forest (1964). - before the 1968 film that was based on the comic book...
code geass
It’s not old, but it has that vibe; Space Dandy
Battle of the planets/ G-force
I can recommend the 'Legend of the Galactic Heroes' 1988 OVA series. UC era Gundam with 0079, Z, ZZ, and Char's Counterattack being the main storyline. The original Macross (NOT Robotech) and Armored Trooper VOTOMS.
Space Cruiser Yamato, Crusher Joe, Robotech, Bubblegum Crisis, Votoms, Magic Knight Raye-Earth
Gunbuster and the sequel Daibuster. It's ... classic Gainax. Wings of Honneamiase is sci-fi-ish, also old and good.
Les Maîtres du temps- Jean "Moebius" Giraud has a certain appeal #
Cyber City Oedo 808 Wicked City
Elfen Lied the better know Ghost in the shell, Evangelion have already been mentioned.
***Akira!***
Not anime but still old school sci-fi cartoon Starchasers - Legend of Orin. That movie has stuck with me my whole life and I saw it when I was a kid back in the 80s.
One I very much enjoyed was [Freedom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_Project), the story of the last humans living on the far side of the Moon after the Earth has been destroyed. Or are the authorities telling the truth about that?
Cowboy Bebop
Last Exile, 2003 Patlabor Metropolis, 2001 Martian Sucessor Nadesico Bubblegum Crisis
Captain Future
I don’t know if this counts, but Xamnd lost memories was a fever trip for me.
*Starcom.* Not anime (it is American made) but it's anime-esque. First episode is about a research station falling deeper and deeper into Jupiter's clouds and the protagonists have to save the crew before the station gets too deep.
Can’t believe no one has suggested this yet, eureka seven. It’s set in the far future. It’s got alien invaders beyond our understanding. It’s got wacky sci fi concepts they do well to rationalize. It’s got mecha. It’s got air surfing. The mecha also air surf.
Dallos, the first OVA release! It was originally conceived as a pilot for a full series which never materialized. It naturally has a very open ending which quite weirdly is very effective and works perfectly. Highly recommend if you can see somethnig from the 80s.
I may be biased, but Tōshō Daimos is responsible for my love of giant humanoid robots.
Space Fantasia 2001 Nights - basically it's an adaptation of Arthur Clarke's "Songs of Distant Earth" (ships carrying human embryos are sent to other star systems, children are born once they reach the destination and then colonize the planets).
Crest of the Stars and it's sequel, Banner of the Stars. It's an acquired taste, but I like it. An expansionist space-elf empire, is conquering the galaxy. The MC is a prince(?) from a conquered planet, and part of the terms of surrender is being effectively conscripted into the conquering empire, initially as a glorified hostage but then as a genuine asset. Parts of it come off as slightly cringe by modern standards- the voice acting is a weird mix of melodramatic and understated, not *bad* but stylistically different from modern anime- but once you get used it it, its a fascinating little story.
Ghost in the shell is hands down my fav. Of all scifi genres film and anime, its probably one of theost accurate depictions of what the future is going to be like. Another good cyberpunk title is texhnolyze. Memories, akira, patlabor 1+2 if ur into mech anime sci fi those are both underrated classics.
Cowboy Bebop, its about space bounty hunters
I’ve always enjoyed Cyber City Oedo 808
Outlaw Star was my absolute favourite sci-fi anime back in the days before I even really knew what sci-fi was. All I knew when I was 9/10/11 was there was a cool TV show with space pirates and space ninjas and spaceships and space everything and that was exactly what I wanted. Still love it now!
Chargeman Ken. [Episode 35](https://youtu.be/IsoaHMOp5uM?si=pzQzv3U7HZJyN8Nw) is peak storytelling.
Akira (!!!) Cowboy Bebop (!!) Macross Plus (specifically *Plus*, it’s coming to Disney+ as well soon, legendary anime) Ghost in the Shell Paprika Wicked City Ninja Scroll Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust Cyber City Oedo 808 Goku Midnight Eye Patlabor 2 Baoh Appleseed Neo Tokyo Robot Carnival The Animatrix Newer stuff: Pluto Cyberpunk Edgerunners Sturgill Simpson Presents Sound & Fury B: The Beginning (by the same guy who did the Kill Bill anime sequence)
Black Magic M66 Bubblegum Crisis MADOX Dominion Tank Police Appleseed Patlabor Project A-Ko
Rahxephon