Crunchyroll is one of the best places to stream anime online, and that includes some of the best science fiction anime ever made. From retro classics to currently airing series, Crunchyroll's library of Sci-Fi anime contains some can't-miss series that any fan of anime or science fiction should check out.
Starting all the way back with classics like Astro Boy and Testujin 28, science fiction anime is almost as old as the medium itself. Crunchyroll's extensive library of Sci-Fi anime makes nearly the entire history of the genre easily accessible to audiences. The best examples of the genre available on Crunchyroll span decades and will give viewers a fantastic overview of the genre's history.
10 Code Geass
Set in a Japan conquered by Britannia, an alternate history version of the British Empire based out of the Americas, Code Geass sees the cunning and insightful Britannia prince Lelouch gain a power known as Geass which allows him to compel anyone he makes eye contact with to do anything he commands. Both resenting Britannia's brutal subjugation of Japan and bearing a personal grudge against the Britannian royal family after court intrigues led to his mother's death, Lelouch resolves to use his Geass powers to dismantle Britannia's rule over Japan, manipulating both the Britannian occupiers and Japanese resistance to further his goals. Lelouch's complex scheming and manipulations are fascinating to see in motion and the political and human drama aspect is complemented by some pretty cool mech fights.
9 Dr. Stone
Dr. Stone begins with, for all intents and purposes, the end of the world. In a mysterious flash of light, every human is turned to stone. By the time main characters Senku and Taiju escape from petrification almost 4000 years later, most traces of human civilization have disappeared, and the world has been largely reclaimed by nature. Senku and Taiju set out into this post-apocalyptic world to save the rest of humanity and rebuild civilization from the ground up through the powers of science. Along the way, they encounter other survivors and come into conflict with other factions opposed to their vision for the new civilization.
8 Assassination Classroom
Assassination Classroom is a fascinatingly bizarre series. The series stars a grinning octopus-like being called Koro-sensei who blew up the Moon and took over a high school classroom to give his students a year to assassinate him before he destroys the Earth. What sets Assassination Classroom apart is the utterly strange and surreal sense of humor and art style. It's always darkly comedic, but also features moments of genuine dramatic and emotional weight. It's a brilliant combination of a high school slice-of-life series and completely off-the-wall visual and storytelling elements. Considering all of this, Koro-sensei and the students develop a surprisingly strong bond despite the assassination premise.
7 Fist of the North Star
At its most basic, Fist of the North Star is "Mad Max meets Dragon Ball, by way of a Bruce Lee movie." It's also very clearly a product of the early 80s since its post-apocalyptic world is set in the distant future of the 1990s. While that specific aspect of the series hasn't really held up well, Fist of the North Star and its lead character hve gone down as 80s icons with good reason. Featuring the wandering martial artist pursuing his kidnapped fiancée and protecting innocent villagers from roving bandits, Fist of the North Star ultimately escalates to a conflict with a brutal but ambitious warlord out to conquer and remake the post-apocalyptic world. Kenshiro's fighting style involves striking his enemies' pressure points, causing them to suddenly explode several moments after the fact, giving him time to deliver his famous line "You are already dead."
6 Edens Zero
From Fairy Tail creator Hiro Mishima, Edens Zero inevitably invites comparisons to Fairy Tail due to similar character designs and archetypes, up to and including an appearance of Fairy Tail's Happy among the series' main characters. However, going into Edens Zero expecting just "Fairy Tail in space" is the wrong approach. Despite the familiarity of the characters, the plot of Edens Zero doesn't really have that much in common and Edens Zero has enough darker and more mature subject matter than it can actually make coming into the series from Fairy Tail pretty jarring. Despite superficially resembling the cast of Fary Tail, the characters of Edens Zero stand on their own merits and there are some really cool world building touches to the universe of the series.
5 Akira
In addition to being one of the highest-rated anime movies, Akira is probably one of the most well-known, especially in North America. A Cyberpunk movie set in the dystopian and decaying city of Neo-Tokyo, built after the original Tokyo was destroyed in a mysterious explosion, Akira tells a story of street gangs, resistance to oppressive government, and psychic children. It's undeniably compelling, but also inescapably dark and grim, with the film's famous transformation scenes relying on extensive use of grotesque and graphic mutation. The film's soundtrack is also worth pointing out, with a unique musical style that is instantly memorable.
4 Captain Harlock
A cult classic space opera series that began in the late 70s with a manga, Captain Harlock has had many sequels, spin-offs, and remakes in the ensuing years. The series follows its romantic and idealistic title character as he rebels against his world's decadence and malaise. Despite being set in the late 2900s, the series leans heavily into the imagery of the Golden Age of Piracy. The theme song sounds like a traditional naval song, Captain Harlock himself dresses in a style straight out of the 1600s, complete with an eye patch. Notably, Captain Harlock's ship flies the standard Skull and Crossbones pirate flag, which somehow manages to wave even though there's no air in space. It's a novel spin on the genre and is a fantastic synthesis of the spirit of classic Space Opera with classic pirate stories.
3 Cowboy Bebop
Among North American fans, Cowboy Bebop is one of the most beloved anime series and has received almost universal acclaim since first airing in English in 2001. In addition to a striking visual and musical style, the space western story about a crew of bounty hunters features an iconic cast. Spike, Jet, Faye, and Ed have all become anime icons and each of the four main remembers of the cast get at least one major moment in the spotlight. Both Cowboy Bebop's individual episodes and the overall plot arc of the series are excellently written. The animation is phenomenal and every other aspect of the production is a masterclass in good execution. Part of the reason Cowboy Bebop became so popular is because it was many viewers' first experience with anime, but it's top-to-bottom excellent, so it really earned its place as an icon through its own merits.
2 Mobile Suit Gundam
The original Mobile Suit Gundam is one of the most influential series of all time and the original RX-78-2 Gundam is one of the most iconic anime mechs ever. The original series laid much of the conceptual and thematic groundwork for later Gundam series, as well as having a clear influence on other mech franchises. Mobile Suit Gundam is a powerful and insightful war story combined with intense and impressive mech combat, as well as one of the best overall examples of the late 70s and early 80s anime style. In addition to the iconic original series, many of the later entries in the franchise are also available on Crunchyroll.
1 Dragon Ball Z
Dragon Ball is one of the most popular anime franchises of all time and Dragon Ball Z is regarded by many fans as the high point of the series. While the franchise always had Science Fiction elements like advanced technology and obviously non-human charaters, Z is where the series fully embraced science fiction. Goku was revealed to be an alien, the Saiyans appeared to try to conquer Earth, the heroes traveled to the planet Namek and fought Frieza's galactic empire, and the Androids served as the primary villains in the middle of the series.
As the scope of the series broadened, the action became more intense and impressive to match. Goku going Super Saiyan for the first time on Namek made such an impression on fans that a poll of 10 Goku's best quotes included no fewer than four of the 10 coming from Super Saiyan Goku's fight with Freiza.
Thanks to Crunchyroll, it's never been easier to watch anime. So many anime are waiting at viewers' fingertips and Crunchyroll has an extensive library of classic science fiction series. Fans of the genre have the perfect opportunity to get familiar with the best sci-fi anime on Crunchyroll.