There’s a good reason why, throughout the history of television, there have been few genres as popular as sci-fi. Grand tales of interplanetary exploration, highly advanced technology, and social commentary told through futuristic narratives are what populate this expansive genre, and there is no better home for it than the medium of animation. Through animation, TV shows are able to expand their imaginations in visually limitless ways — the perfect way of constructing a sci-fi world.
Throughout the years, there have been many outstanding animated sci-fi TV shows. From classic anime like Dragon Ball Z to more modern superhero spectacles like Invincible, the best animated sci-fi series are able to take the strengths of both categories and combine them in unique ways. Whether it’s for adults or kid-friendly, dark or humorous, old or modern, animated sci-fi is entertaining like few other genres can ever hope to be.
15
‘Steins;Gate’ (2011–2015)
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Image via White Fox</figure>
Based on the 2009 visual novel game of the same name, Steins;Gate is almost unambiguously one of the most universally beloved anime TV series of all time, widely regarded as one of those rare anime shows without virtually any flaws. It follows a self-proclaimed mad scientist who accidentally invents time travel using a modified microwave oven.
The result of such a high-concept premise is a show that’s not only irresistibly funny whenever it needs to be, but also full of profound emotional growth, complex character development, and an awfully effective dark sense of suspense. The early episodes can feel somewhat slow, but once Steins;Gate picks up steam, its sky-high stakes and fun sci-fi elements become immensely entertaining and tough to stop watching.
14
‘X-Men ’97’ (2024–Present)
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Image via Disney+</figure>
Back in 1992, X-Men: The Animated Series completely revolutionized superhero cartoons, proving just how well the genre could work on the animated medium. It’s still considered one of the best animated superhero shows ever, but fans never stopped craving more. Enter X-Men ’97, a revival that can already join its predecessor among the greatest superhero shows the small screen has ever seen.
X-Men ’97 is imbued with the kind of nostalgic tone that fans of the original series might expect, but it constantly finds ways to express its own voice and personality as well. Surprisingly sophisticated plotting, profound character arcs, and high stakes that lend all plot lines deep emotional power all help make this one of the best cartoons currently streaming.
13
‘Adventure Time’ (2010–2018)
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Image via Cartoon Network</figure>
Cartoon Network has produced several cartoons that have gone down in history as bona fide cult classics, but arguably none even remotely as big or pop-culturally significant as Adventure Time. Its fans would confidently call it one of those animated shows without any flaws, and regardless of how strictly true that is, one thing is certain: It’s one of the most beloved cartoons in television history.
Adventure Time is sci-fi, yes, but a huge part of its charm is how masterfully genre-bending it can be. There are also elements of fantasy, hugely effective comedic bits, post-apocalyptic adventure, and a playful sense of surrealism that makes the whole thing exquisitely bizarre much more often than not. All in all, the whole show is a ride unlike anything else its many genres have ever offered.
12
‘Future Boy Conan’ (1978)
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Image via Nippon Animation</figure>
Anybody who loves cinema should be perfectly familiar with Hayao Miyazaki, an auteur often recognized not only as one of the best Japanese filmmakers in history, but often even as the single best anime movie director that has ever lived. Even the greats have to start somewhere, however, and in Miyazaki’s case, that was the post-apocalyptic sci-fi series Future Boy Conan, which Miyazaki directed.
This adaptation of Alexander Key‘s 1970 sci-fi novel The Incredible Tide is one of those classic sci-fi shows that are still worth binge-watching today, a truly timeless anti-authoritarian tale that celebrates the many themes that have fascinated Miyazaki throughout his career. Indeed, anyone who loves anime television should watch Future Boy Conan, but even those who are exclusively familiar with anime cinema should consider it a must-see, even if just to witness where a legend of Miyazaki’s stature got his start.
11
‘Legend of the Galactic Heroes’ (1988–1997)
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Image via Kitty Films</figure>
Based on the legendary series of epic sci-fi novels by Yoshiki Tanaka, Legend of the Galactic Heroes may not be nearly as well-known today as it was in Japan back during the ’80s, but it’s still one of those forgotten anime shows that have aged like fine wine. It was the second-ever and longest-running adaptation of Tanaka’s books, and to this day, many still remember it as one of the best animated shows of the 20th century.
More than just a standard sci-fi action cartoon, Legend of the Galactic Heroes is a sweeping space epic full of deep political and historical realism, thematic complexity, and fascinating moral greyness. It’s one of those rare animated shows that treat their audience as though they were of the utmost intelligence, and that makes its patient pacing and massive scope all the more engrossing.
10
‘Scavengers Reign’ (2023)
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Image via HBO Max</figure>
One of the most underrated sci-fi TV shows of recent years, Max’s Scavengers Reign was tragically canceled after just one short-lived season, and fans still haven’t recovered. It’s a sci-fi epic following the crew of a damaged deep-space freighter after they get stranded on a beautiful but dangerous planet. With great voice performances and some of the most stunning visuals of any animated show of the 2020s, it’s a gem that viewers are pleading to see resurrected.
What really makes Scavengers Reign stand out is just how mature and creative it is. Not often do adult animated shows go as above and beyond to tell a complex, riveting story as this one. With a gripping narrative, endearing characters, and lots of thematic nuances, it’s one of Max’s greatest original shows, animated or otherwise.
9
‘Neon Genesis Evangelion’ (1995–1996)
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Image via TV Tokyo</figure>
One of the most legendary and iconic anime series in history, Neon Genesis Evangelion reigns supreme among mecha TV shows. It’s a dystopian sci-fi epic where a teenage boy finds himself recruited as a member of an elite team of pilots by his father. Dealing with complex themes of identity, philosophy, religion, and psychology, it’s one of the most nuanced shows of the ’90s.
For decades, Evangelion has been praised for how beautifully artful and profound it is. There’s plenty of show-stopping action for those craving huge set pieces, but also very meaningful story and character developments for viewers craving more thoughtful storytelling. These are all things that have led to this being considered one of the best animated series for adults, and that’s not likely to change anytime soon.
Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for.
You took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You’re a systems thinker who can’t help but notice the seams in things.
- You’re drawn to understanding how the system works before figuring out how to break it.
- You’d find the Resistance, or it would find you — your instinct for spotting constructed realities is the machines’ worst nightmare.
- You function best when you have access to information and the freedom to act on it.
- The Matrix built an airtight prison. You’d be the one probing the walls for the door.
The wasteland doesn’t reward the clever or the well-connected — it rewards those who are hard to kill and harder to break. That’s you.
- You don’t need comfort, community, or a cause larger than the next horizon.
- You need a vehicle, a clear threat, and enough fuel to outrun it — and you’re good at all three.
- You are unsentimental enough to survive that world, and decent enough — just barely — to be something more than another raider.
- In the wasteland, that distinction is everything.
You’d survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely.
- You read people accurately, keep your circle small, and ask the questions others prefer not to answer.
- In a city where humanity is a legal designation rather than a feeling, you hold onto something that keeps you functional.
- You’re not a hero. But you’re not lost, either.
- In Blade Runner’s world, that distinction is everything.
Arrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards.
- Patience, discipline, and political awareness are your core strengths — and on Arrakis, they’re survival tools.
- You understand that the long game matters more than any single victory.
- Others come to Dune and are consumed by it. You’d learn its logic and earn its respect.
- In time, you wouldn’t just survive Arrakis — you’d begin to reshape it.
The galaxy far, far away is vast, loud, and in a constant state of violent political upheaval — and you wouldn’t have it any other way.
- You find meaning in being part of something larger than yourself — a cause, a crew, a rebellion.
- You’d gravitate toward the Rebellion, or the fringes, or whatever pocket of the galaxy still believes the Empire’s grip can be broken.
- You fight — not because you have to, but because standing aside isn’t something you’re capable of.
- In Star Wars, that willingness is what makes all the difference.
8
‘Invincible’ (2021–Present)
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Image via Prime Video</figure>
Particularly in recent years, with the boom of the superhero genre at the start of the 21st century, superhero television is at the highest point it’s ever been. This is proved by series like Invincible, based on the Image Comics comic book series of the same name. It’s an adult series about the son of Earth’s most powerful superhero, as he tries to become something greater than himself.
Invincible has some enjoyably brutal action, gripping character arcs, and the tour de force voice performances of actors like Steven Yeun and J.K. Simmons, making it one of the best animated shows based on comic books. As hilarious as it is touching and as deep as it is irreverent, it has the perfect balance between comedy, family drama, and blood-filled, bone-breaking action.
7
‘Cowboy Bebop’ (1998–1999)
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Image via Sunrise</figure>
The iconic Cowboy Bebop, constantly imitated but never matched, is about the futuristic adventures and misadventures of an easygoing bounty hunter and his partners, a ragtag crew if this cyberpunk universe ever did see one. It’s one of the best sci-fi anime shows of all time, thanks to its effortlessly cool atmosphere and countless badass action sequences.
Throughout only one season with 26 episodes, Cowboy Bebop has become as iconic and legendary as sci-fi shows that have been on the air for a solid few decades. Perfectly written, it’s full of thrilling storylines populated by deeply compelling characters, which is greatly complemented by the show’s terrific action and hilarious sense of humor.
6
‘Rick and Morty’ (2013–Present)
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Image via Adult Swim</figure>
Like all sitcoms that have been running for as long as it has, Rick and Morty has obviously had its fair share of ups and downs; but it’s still one of the smartest, funniest, most entertaining sci-fi shows currently on television, and it’s hard to deny that. It follows the adventures of a nihilistic mad scientist and his anxious grandson, who get into all sorts of life-threatening situations with their dysfunctional family.
Rick and Morty themselves are one of the most iconic duos in all of animation, and every other character in the show is just as entertaining. But what sets Rick and Morty apart is the level of thought that goes into almost every episode, delivering some of the most complex characters, most intelligent stories, and cleverest humor that any animated sitcom has ever seen. Full of meta commentary and genuinely exhilarating storylines, it’s a gold mine of fun episodes that’s not likely to slow down anytime soon.
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