Science fiction can be one of the most interesting anime genres. The creative ways that science is advanced and explored in some anime is fascinating, including giant mecha, artificial intelligence, or other such technology. Science fiction anime, from Ghost in the Shell to Appleseed, are some of the most inventive series out there.
Sometimes in anime, the technology is out to get the protagonists. Whether an AI program has gone awry or someone from a distant time advanced technology to new heights, technology can be a tricky source of conflict. Anime that pit heroes against technology are some of the most interesting out there.
10 Digimon Tamers Dealt With A Killer AI
Digimon Tamers is the third series in the Digimon franchise. Digimon is an established franchise in that world, but Digimon start coming to life. The Big Bad turns out to be a living AI program called the D-Reaper.
Tamers is surprisingly dark for a children's show. The kid protagonists got close to dying numerous times. They went through various other traumatic instances as well. The head writer worked on darker shows normally, so that's to be expected. Tamers is a fun series featuring cool Digimon battles and a decent English dub.
9 Utawarerumono Featured Anachronisms
Utawarerumono was an isekai from the 2000s about a mysterious masked man encountering a tribal society. The man led his village to victory in numerous battles. One arc featured an army with highly advanced weaponry, which spelled trouble for the heroes. The army in question had weapons such as tanks.
Utawarerumono featured animal people with furry ears and tails. The show featured decent combat and cute character designs. The presence of advanced technology made for an interesting twist in this fantasy series.
8 Dragonball Z's Android Saga Was Awesome
Until the Sayian arc of Dragon Ball, technology wasn't the main focus. Once Dragonball Z kicked into full gear, there were aliens and energy Scouters. The Android saga specifically was a test of the Z Warriors against a mechanical foe.
Despite some editorial meddling, the arc turned out to be compelling and featured characters who had been glossed over before, like Piccolo and Krillin. The climactic battles against Cell and the introduction of Trunks were epic. The nods to Terminator were quite welcome in a series that wasn't shy to borrow from Hollywood.
7 Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS Had Sentient AI
Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS was a spin-off of  Yu-Gi-Oh! that featured sentient AI programs trying to learn their way in the world. Some of the main conflicts in the series were the programs trying to make their own decisions and learn for themselves. There was also an aspect of prejudice toward the AI programs.
Some characters treated them not as people, but as tools and software. This was a topic of debate and discussion throughout the series. VRAINS introduced Link Summoning as well, which has since become a staple of the card game. Friend or foe, the AI programs in VRAINS proved to be valuable characters in their own right.Â
6 Arpeggio Of Blue Steel Has A Super Advanced Army
In Arpeggio of Blue Steel, the world has been pushed back by climate change as well as a phenomenon called the Fleet of Fog. The Fleet of Fog is a mysterious fleet of World War II-era ships with highly advanced weaponry. The fleet decimates any ship that tries to sail the seas.
The ships are actually personified as teenage girls, which might seem a bit odd to some. Between this and Kantai Collection, personified war artillery seemed to be a minor trend in the 2010s. At any rate, Arpeggio is an interesting take on the action genre with decent action and lovely character designs.
5 Texhnolyze: Automail's Gloomy Cousin
Texhnolyze was a series about artificial limbs created through a process called Texhnolyzation. The series itself was a dark and almost nihilistic affair. The series begins with the main character losing two of his limbs and doesn't get much cheerier from there.
Featuring turf wars, prizefighting, and a girl who can see the future, Texhnolyze was full of excitement. The series ends on a sour note, though. None of the characters make it out alive and the Texhnolyze technology stops working. Texhnolyze is a show that doesn't pull its punches and may even leave viewers feeling hollow by the end.
4 Aura Battler Dunbine Was A Tomino Classic
Aura Battler Dunbine took place in an alternate dimension where lords and kings ruled the land. Human beings from Earth were chosen to pilot giant robots that were powered by their life force, or auras. The heroes became caught up in a war they didn't know and were just expected to help the kingdom in exchange for land and riches.
Dunbine was the brainchild of Yoshiyuki Tomino, the mind behind Mobile Suit Gundam. This series aired not much longer after the original Gundam's run on television. The two shows had similar themes about the horrors of war. This time, the series had a fantastic twist, as it featured magic and fairies.
3 Serial Experiments Lain Was About The Internet
Serial Experiments Lain was an experimental sci-fi anime from around 1998. Its protagonist, Lain, became interested in the internet after she got an email from a deceased classmate. What followed were 13 strange episodes of Lain becoming one with the wired world.
Lain tackled the internet as a social issue long before anything else did. Some of the show's predictions about web interaction and becoming lost in it turned out to be right. It also tackled issues like family life and living with mental illness.
2 Escaflowne Featured A Famous Scientist
The Vision of Escaflowne was a classic isekai romance taking place on a mysterious planet in the solar system. Hitomi was caught in the middle of a war between two kingdoms who fought in giant robots. The opposing kingdom, Zaibach, held an interesting secret.
Hundreds of years prior to the beginning of the series, Issac Newton traveled to the planet of Gaia and introduced the farmer settlement of Zaibach to the technology of Earth. Eventually, Zaibach's military technology grew immensely. The technology had become a hindrance and Issac died of old age toward the end of the series.
1 Turn A Gundam Had Moon People
Turn A Gundam came out in the early 2000s and is an underrated entry in the Gundam franchise. The series involves a race of Moon people who have advanced technology, leaving the people of Earth in the dust. The protagonists uncover an ancient weaponâa mobile suit known as a Gundam.
Turn A Gundam features the usual "war is bad" commentary the franchise is known for but does things in an interesting way. The Moon technology is inventive and the conflict harkens back to Dunbine, another Tomino classic. Turn A Gundam is an often overlooked classic in the West due to its limited availability until recent years.
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