Sci-Fi and anime have always been the perfect partners. With the fantastic settings and sometimes unrealistic scenarios that the Sci-Fi genre has, animation is the perfect media to portray them and bring them to life (somewhat).

And it’s without a doubt, that the nation of Japan itself, a country that has been associated with high-tech and scientific development, would come up with some of the more interesting Sci-Fi concepts and settings that should be brought to the silver and big screens.

Without a doubt, Sci-Fi has been a genre that has been thoroughly explored in anime, and with hundreds of anime series, movies and OVAs, you might have a bit of trouble figuring which one to check out. No problem though as here we have compiled top Sci-Fi anime you have to watch (in no particular order). Easy, peasy. So just sit back scroll down and check out just what you should binge watch for your next weekend.

1Crest of the Stars

 

What is it?

Based on the space opera novels by Hiroyuki Morioka this anime series by Sunrise Studio was first released back in 1999. The story focuses on Jinto Lynn, a young count whose world has been taken over by the Abh, a space dwelling alien race. The story picks up where Lynn meets the young Abh princess, Lafiel and follows both their exploits through military school, and their travels and experience at the beginning of a war between the Abh and Four Nations Alliance of humankind.

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Why Watch it?

What’s interesting to note about Crest of the Stars and it’s follow-up Banner of the Stars is the narrative point of view. You’re watching and experiencing the point of view of the Abh, which in most typical Sci-Fi, would be the villains. Finally something that doesn’t take the human’s or rather, the “protagonist’s” point of view.

The fact is, prior to Crest of the Stars, the Sci-Fi industry/genre in Japan was considered to be in a slump, and when the Morioka’s work came out, it was considered a breath of fresh air, revitalising the genre in Japan. What’s even more remarkable about it is, Morioka also pulled a Tolkien, creating the entire language of the Abh, Baronh and its letters, the Ath. If you were to watch the anime, the entirety of the written texts in them are using Ath lettering. Pretty remarkable.

The Sci-Fi theories and universe is pretty tight as well, as good as those you’ll see from their western counterparts like Star Trek. Morioka has managed to build a universe that is pretty much complete and transcends the Sci-Fi genre. The anime itself is well done with 35 episodes spanning four series/season. 13 for Seikai no Monsho, 13 for Seikai no Senki (Banner of the Stars), 10 for Sekai no Senki II and 2 for Sekai no Senki III. There’s also two recap movies and one special episode called Sekai no Tanjou (Birth of the Stars) that were produced.

Do take note, the English dub of the series is pretty bad, so if you are able to score a subbed version with original Japanese dialogue, it’ll be an even bigger treat to watch.

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