Artificial beings capable of experiencing emotions, identities challenged by science, technology-altered bodies, automated cities steeped in inequality, and hatred as a learned legacy are all recurring themes in science fiction. These motifs also resonate deeply with the obsessions found within Japanese animation. In light of the rapid advances in artificial intelligence and the resurgence of geopolitical tensions, these narratives increasingly feel less like mere fantasy and more like prophecy.
To offer a glimpse into the future, we present a curated selection of some of the finest science fiction anime (and more) currently available on streaming platforms.
Chainsaw Man: A Trade of Soul and Body
At first glance, one might assume that this series, revolving around a young man who hunts demons for money and whose arms and head transform into chainsaws, is merely an action-packed spectacle filled with violence, sexual themes, and dark humour. However, Chainsaw Man delves far deeper, presenting a poignant commentary on precariousness and labour exploitation. Struggling with extreme poverty, the protagonist does not hesitate to sell both parts of his body and his desires. With clear allusions to transhumanism, he is reduced to a mere tool, and his newfound powers do not guarantee him freedom or dignity. The series was awarded Best New Anime at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards and was also nominated for Best TV Production at the 2023 Annecy International Animation Film Festival.
12 episodes / One season
Year: 2022
Available on Crunchyroll
Pluto: The Cost of Humanising Machines
This narrative takes the classic themes established by Isaac Asimov in science fiction literature and pushes them further. The planet’s most sophisticated robots possess memories, families, traumas, and moral dilemmas, despite their artificial nature and the looming threat of having their programming erased at any moment. Furthermore, they are being murdered, and the investigation is assigned to one of their own. Pluto enters the realm of film noir, prompting existential questions and mysteries. The series received a nomination for Best Anime Series at the 2024 Astra TV Awards.
8 episodes / One season
Year: 2023
Available on Netflix
Violet Evergarden: An Analogue Emotion
Set in a fictional world reminiscent of Europe during the Industrial Revolution, Violet was raised as a formidable weapon serving military interests, which leaves her struggling to comprehend emotions. After the war, she dedicates herself to writing letters on behalf of others. By articulating the feelings of those around her, she seeks to understand her own while exploring themes of love, memory, loss, and various forms of grief. Violet acts as a living analogue interface between experience and language. This series serves as a meditation on the nuances of communication and is essential viewing in an era dominated by AI-generated text. It garnered accolades including Best Film at the 2021 Tokyo Anime Award Festival.
13 episodes and one special (OVA) / One season
Year: 2018
Available on Netflix
Dan Da Dan: The Internet’s Overflow
Supernatural elements, urban legends, conspiracy theories, folklore, science, and digital culture converge around the adventures of two initially contrasting characters: one believes in aliens, while the other is convinced of the existence of ghosts. Ironically, in this universe, both are real. Infused with humour, the series parodies the genres it blends, including supernatural horror, alien science fiction, and teenage drama, all delivered with the exuberant energy typical of action shonen. The frenetic pace of Dan Da Dan is framed by a cinematic style employing various animation techniques, providing a unique texture.
24 episodes / Two seasons
Year: 2024
Available on Netflix and Crunchyroll
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners: The Addiction to Technology
With sequences characterised by the exaggerated angles typical of anime, this series follows a mercenary marked by familial tragedy. It immerses us in a future where the human body can be radically altered through prosthetics and implants, creating a form of upgradable hardware. Technology here is a luxury item, fostering addiction to bodily modifications—a reality that feels both familiar and concerning. In 2023, it was named Anime of the Year at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards.
10 episodes / One season
Year: 2022
Available on Netflix
Heavenly Delusion: Scientific Heaven and Hell
The shadow of transhumanism re-emerges, this time updated through two parallel narratives contrasting utopia and dystopia. One storyline follows a pair of boys navigating a post-apocalyptic Japan, beset by monstrous creatures, while the other depicts a group of children growing up in a seemingly idyllic mix of boarding school and residence. The two narratives converge when the latter environment reveals a grim underbelly akin to the wasteland traversed by the protagonists.
The series delivers chilling sequences through its abrupt violence but captivates primarily through its skillful handling of information dissemination via dialogue, objects, and symbols, all set against rich, atmospheric backdrops. Themes of biotechnology, eugenics, institutional control, and cyber-surveillance resonate, echoing the eternal human paradox of manipulating one’s environment until becoming its captive. The influences of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and George Orwell’s 1984 are palpable. The series was awarded Anime of the Year at the 2024 Anime Trending Awards.
13 episodes / One season
Year: 2023
Available on Disney Plus
Jujutsu Kaisen: The Worst Pandemic
This narrative offers multiple interpretations of a story about a boy who, after ingesting one of the most powerful curses, enters the world of sorcery to combat creatures born from humanity’s negative emotions. It may serve as a metaphor for our interconnected societies, where hatred, fear, and anxiety erupt in digital communities, amplifying through social media as if they were an emotional contagion. Here, the monsters are physical manifestations of these feelings. Amid intricately crafted action sequences, the series presents a universe where characters’ abilities adhere to complex systems, reminiscent of youth-oriented shonen productions, yet with a far more brutal and pessimistic outlook. Its second season won the Anime of the Year category at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards.
64 episodes / Three seasons
Year: 2020
Available on Prime Video, Disney Plus
Vinland Saga: The Brutality of Change
The journey of a young Viking, obsessed with avenging his father’s death, leads him to live among those responsible for the tragedy. The series provides a stark examination of violence, which has not only become normalised but also transformed into identity, economic system, and almost a profession.
Featuring wide shots, chiaroscuro effects, moments of stillness, and a muted green palette, Vinland Saga recreates natural landscapes where combat eschews stylisation in favour of epic, cinematic drama. The narrative unfolds through radical storytelling shifts that reflect the protagonist’s various phases, such as periods of battle and slavery dictated by warrior codes. These circumstances prompt a reevaluation of masculinity and lead to reflections on radicalisation and cultural construction. The first season was recognised as Anime of the Year at the 2020 Anime Trending Awards.
48 episodes / Two seasons
Year: 2023
Available on Crunchyroll, Prime Video, Netflix
Frieren: After the Journey, What We Let Go
In an era obsessed with digitally capturing every moment, this series about an elf who, after defeating a demon, parts ways with her human companions is particularly illuminating. Upon her return, she discovers that what was merely an instant for her represented decades for them, profoundly significant.
The reflection on longevity, aging, and the perception of time is both deep and satisfying, blending melancholy, action, and humour to create a bittersweet fantasy narrative that is contemplative at times. The most poignant effect arises from a narrative choice to tell the story from the journey’s end, underscoring the underlying message: while we can leave traces of our passage through life, we often fail to grasp their value until they are gone.
This production has received multiple accolades, including Best Drama Anime, Best Director, and Best Background Art at the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards.
38 episodes / Two seasons
Available on Crunchyroll, Netflix, HBO Max