10. Astra: Lost in Space (2019)
Studio: Lerche
MyAnimeList Score: 8.1 / 10
Seasons: 1
If there is a series on this list that screams “pure sci-fi”, it’s Astra: Lost in Space. Considered one of the best anime of 2019, Astra: Lost in Space combines both mystery and sci-fi possibly better than any series. A bunch of teenagers are shot into space 5,012 light-years away and they have to find a way back home.
How and why did they end up so far from home? The crew aboard the Astra is set to find out. And trust me, you won’t correctly guess it right off the bat.
Created by the award-winning mangaka, Kenta Shinohara, Astra: Lost in Space is a series that will leave you wanting more. With a phenomenal build-up to a jaw-dropping twist, the beautiful worlds you see throughout this series will make you want your own spaceship. Astra: Lost in Space also does a great job of making it’s viewers love every single character by the end.
This series truly has no downside except for one — it’s over.
You can watch Astra: Lost in Space on Funimation and Hulu.
9. Planetes (2003)
Studio: Sunrise
MyAnimeList Score: 8.3 / 10
Seasons: 1
From the studio that brought us Cowboy Bebop, Code Geass, and Outlaw Star, Sunrise brings us another sci-fi classic in Planetes. In the year 2075, space travel and space employment has become the norm after humanity colonized the moon. But this has left dangerous amounts of space debris floating outside Earth’s atmosphere.
The series follows the two main characters, Tanabe and Hoshino, and the rest of the Debris Section they work for. Enduring life-threatening scenarios, the series gives fans a glimpse of how dangerous working in space can really be. Planetes is definitely the most unusual sci-fi series on this list. However, it does paint a realistic picture of ordinary people fulfilling their dreams of working in space.
You can definitely see the influence of Planetes on other sci-fi/slice of life series such as Plastic Memories, which is also a great series.
8. Deca-Dence (2020)
Studio: NUT
MyAnimeList Score: 7.4 / 10
Seasons: 1
Don’t let the MyAnimeList score fool you. Deca-Dence is NUT’s first big-time series and it’s an enjoyable watch from start to finish. The series has one of the most intricate plots that dive into the realities of today’s social structures. Deca-Dence also gives fans a side of sci-fi that’s a breath of fresh air, something we’ve never really seen before.
Humanity is on its last legs as alien life forms pose a dangerous threat. But Natsume, our orphaned main protagonist, sets out to join the other warriors in the fight. Despite being shunned and overlook from the start, Natsume doesn’t let it phase her. As each episode passes, she learns the haunting secrets about the world she lives in and will do whatever it takes to expose it.
Oh, and did I mention the ending was beautifully done? Just had to make sure that’s out there because it was *chef kiss* perfect.
You can watch Deca-Dence on Funimation and Hulu.
7. Akudama Drive (2020)
Studio: Pierrot / Too-Kyo Games
MyAnimeList Score: 7.6 / 10
Seasons: 1
Everyone praises series such as Demon Slayer for their animations, and rightfully so. But the original anime series, Akudama Drive, deserves a ton of praise for its animations as well. With incredible character designs and a heart-racing storyline, it manages to keep the fans on edge throughout.
If Akame Ga Kill and Suicide Squad had a cyberpunk sci-fi baby, Akudama Drive is that baby but much better. The remarkable fight choreography, constant recklessness, a poetic ending, and inspiration from hit movies such as Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and Blade Runner, make Akudama Drive one of Studio Pierrot’s best works. Too-Kyo games, the collab studio for the series, also deserve their praise as well as they helped in creating some of the most gorgeous environments in all of sci-fi anime.
You can watch Akudama Drive on Funimation and Hulu. Also, you can read Anime Corner’s exclusive interview with the series’ creator here!
6. ID: Invaded (2020)
Studio: NAZ
MyAnimeList Score: 7.8 / 10
Seasons: 1
Much like Akudama Drive, ID: Invaded is also a 2020 original sci-fi anime series. However, this series gives fans a gruesome sci-fi mystery as detective work takes a drastic leap forward in the future. A piece of technology known as The Mizuhanome System gives an agency the ability to tap into the human unconscious in order to pinpoint a serial killer’s location.
The main character, Akihito Narihisago / Sakaido, voiced by the legend Kenjiro Tsuda himself, is a former detective turned serial killer. He brings to us one of the most intriguing backstories of all recent anime. But Narihisago learns of a more sinister reality behind a string of murders. One of the best parts about ID: Invaded is the ending, which leaves a possibility for a season 2.
I will warn viewers, there are extremely brutal scenes in this anime. So if you have a weak stomach, watch the uncut version at your own risk.
You can watch ID: Invaded on Funimation and Hulu.
