15 Must-See Sci-fi and Fantasy Anime Shows

15 Must-See Sci-fi and Fantasy Anime Shows

#7- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

15 Must-See Sci-fi and Fantasy Anime Shows
15 Must-See Sci-fi and Fantasy Anime Shows

This anime takes place in Japan, far in the future. Hackers and cyber security threats are as dangerous as terrorists, and a female cyborg named Motoko Kusanagi and her team battles these threats. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is a cerebral and action-packed show, and will make you really think about the ethical implications of things like cybernetic implants and brain-hacking.

#8- Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works

15 Must-See Sci-fi and Fantasy Anime Shows
15 Must-See Sci-fi and Fantasy Anime Shows

Fate/Stay Night is about a conflict called the Holy Grail War, where mage masters and their powerful servants duke it out for possession of the prized item. There are many anime series out there that involve high school students with supernatural abilities, but this one stands out, with stunning animation and ridiculously awesome fight scenes. Fate/Stay Night is a short series, so it’s great for a light anime binge-watching session.

#9- Fairy Tail

15 Must-See Sci-fi and Fantasy Anime Shows
15 Must-See Sci-fi and Fantasy Anime Shows

In this anime, members of the famous wizard guild Fairy Tail work together to take on some of the toughest jobs around. It follows Lucy, Natsu, Grey, Ezra, and more quirky characters, who have different strengths and magical abilities.Fairy Tail can be serious at times, but is usually fun and lighthearted. You’ll find funny anime trademarks, like the thin protagonist who is hungry all the time, magic-related puns, and overdramatic character monologues. I definitely recommend this show, especially if you’re looking for a new fantasy fix.

#10- Claymore

15 Must-See Sci-fi and Fantasy Anime Shows
15 Must-See Sci-fi and Fantasy Anime Shows

People who enjoy western-style fantasy will likely enjoy Claymore, an anime where creatures called youma hunt humans in a setting similar to medieval Europe. Female human-youma hybrids called Claymores are tasked with eliminating the youma. And of course, they do so in style, with gigantic human-sized swords.The protagonist, Clare, is a low-ranking member of the organization of Claymores, but is constantly pushing her limits on dangerous missions. If you like action, a great story, and strong female characters, you’ll love Claymore!

#11- Neon Genesis Evangelion

15 Must-See Sci-fi and Fantasy Anime Shows
15 Must-See Sci-fi and Fantasy Anime Shows

In this sci-fi anime, invaders called “Angels” begin attacking humans, and the only thing that can stop them is a giant robot piloted by teenager Shinji Ikari. The series is filled to the brim with conflict, both personal and large-scale. You won’t find any annoyingly one-dimensional main characters in this series, as they are all complex and fleshed out. Since this show is widely considered to be one of the best sci-fi anime series out there, Neon Genesis Evangelion is definitely worth checking out!

#12- Planetes

15 Must-See Sci-fi and Fantasy Anime Shows
15 Must-See Sci-fi and Fantasy Anime Shows

If you’re looking for an anime with over-the-top battles and goofy characters, you won’t find it here. Instead, Planetes is a more mature and realistic hard science fiction series, about a space debris collection unit. In this anime set in the future, space travel is a daily occurrence, but creates debris that can be dangerous to spacecrafts. Definitely check this series out, because it’s an intelligent and different take on animated science fiction.

#13- Soul Eater

15 Must-See Sci-fi and Fantasy Anime Shows
15 Must-See Sci-fi and Fantasy Anime Shows

When you think of the Grim Reaper, you don’t usually envision a protector of humans with a goofy personality. That’s exactly the case though in Soul Eater, where students at Death’s academy are charged with the task of collecting tainted human souls and eliminating evil witches. These students, called meisters, pair up with shapeshifting weapons to take down bad guys. This anime has an interesting plot, tons of action, and explores psychology, with an animation style that is goofy and gothic at the same time. Go watch it!

#14- Sword Art Online

15 Must-See Sci-fi and Fantasy Anime Shows
15 Must-See Sci-fi and Fantasy Anime Shows

Sword Art Online has a great concept that will hook you right away: a virtual reality MMORPG is hacked so that players that die in the game die in real life. If you are a RPG fan, you’ll identify with many of the “game” mechanics in this anime, such as partying and dungeon exploration. But if you’re not a gamer, you’ll still appreciate the unique story and amazing artwork.The second season of this anime (aptly named Sword Art Online II) takes place in a new virtual MMO called Gun Gale Online, which switches some of the dynamics by including guns. Don’t worry though, it still includes the teamwork and coordination that makes the combat in Sword Art Online so awesome.

#15- Cowboy Bebop

15 Must-See Sci-fi and Fantasy Anime Shows
15 Must-See Sci-fi and Fantasy Anime Shows

No self-respecting sci-fi and fantasy anime list would be complete without mentioning this anime. Cowboy Bebop is the story of Spike and his small ragtag team of space bounty hunters as they try to put away bad guys in order to secure their next meal. While the concepts of space travel, warp gates, and people being born on Mars are very sci-fi, the characters have depth and personality that makes them very real.Cowboy Bebop has an awesome jazz soundtrack, engaging action sequences and dialogue, and a surprising amount of character development for a show that’s only one season long. Quite-simply, this show is a must-see for anime fans and sci-fi fans alike.

So there you have it! We’ve listed 15 sci-fi and fantasy anime series and why you should watch them. From lighthearted wizard tales to dark sci-fi content, there are enough options out there to satisfy even the pickiest of anime fans. Have another fantasy or sci-fi anime series to suggest? Let us know in the comments below!

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