The best Cyberpunk-themed anime masterfully champions the science fiction subgenre set in a dystopian futuristic world. Modern innovation and cybernetic breakthroughs are juxtaposed with the declining quality of human life.
Cyberpunk is one of the more popular themes in anime that has exploded in notoriety in recent years. Shows like Cyberpunk: Edgerunners have spearheaded the recent surge in interest, with the 2022 series captivating even those unfamiliar with the game.
So, if you are looking for some of the best Cyberpunk-themed anime to binge right now, below is a list you should not be sleeping on.
10 best Cyberpunk anime that you should be watching right now
10) Akudama Drive
Akudama Drive is a cyberpunk anime that you should really be watching right now. But you may ask about what sets it apart from other cyberpunk anime on this list? Well, its not much the plot which we will talk about soon. But Akudama Drive is a supercollab project with some nice star power behind it.
The whole idea behind Akudama Drive was conceptualized by Kazutaka Kodaka, who is well known for the Danganronpa game series. Director Tomohisa Taguchi, who is known for directing anime such as Persona 4 The Animation and Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War was inspired by Danganronpa and wanted to work with Kodaka.
The two decided to collaborate and thus Akudama Drive was born, inspired from movies such as Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs.
Akudama Drive’s plot is set in a dystopian future world, where a woman is forced to live life as a swindler in fear of being killed by the criminal group, Akudama. They are exceptionally skilled criminals who are hired for bounty hunts and other criminal activities.
9) Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song
Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song is an anime created by Wit Studio and follows an AI character as a protagonist. In the near future, humanity will have perfected the ideology behind AI. If the machines are given a singular task that they can dedicate themselves to, then that would be for the best.
This is a story which follows the world’s first AI songstress, who was created to make humanity happy through her songs. But her world is soon turned upside down after the arrival of a rival autonomous AI named Matsumoto.
This new AI has arrived from 1000 years in the future, where AI has dedicated itself to the process of erasing humanity. Matsumoto wants Diva to join the cause, but will she? We are not going to answer that because Vivy is one of the best cyberpunk anime you can watch right now to find the answers.
8) Bubblegum Crisis
Before Sailor Moon popularized the whole female superhero genre in anime all over the world, there was Bubblegum Crisis. Set in a dystopian cyberpunk future world, this anime followed a cast of powerful female characters who would put on powered armors to fight against rogue AI.
Bubblegum Crisis is set in the year 2032, and a great earthquake has split the country of Japan into two pieces. This led to the United States voluntarily taking control of the country and stopping it from falling into anarchy.
In this new future, cybernetic robots, known as boomers who are designed to serve humanity. But sometimes these robots go rogue, and that’s when the Advanced Police come in. If all fails, the Knight Sabers come in to take care of the situation.
7) Dimension W
Dimension W takes place in the future here humans have discovered the fourth dimension. This space in reality is what they are calling Dimension W and is said to be a source of infinite energy. humans have devised a way to harness this energy into coils giving rise to the New Telsa Energy Corporation.
As a good cyberpunk anime setting would have it, the corporation began to monopolize the sale of the energy while simultaneously having control over the lives of the citizens.
The story follows a former soldier Kyouma Mabuchi who is skeptical of this new energy and still rides his old gas-powered automobile. Even in the wake of the new energy, there is still a lot of respect for older technology in the anime.
Where the average cyberpunk anime is about embracing the new technology and facing the dystopian consequences of it, Dimension W is more about resisting it and championing the old ways.
6) Psycho-Pass
Psycho-Pass follows the role of law enforcement in a dystopian future where the Sibyl System determines how big of a threat an individual is to society. The narrative takes place in the 22nd century when the justice system has completely changed.
The Sibyl System determines criminal intent amongst the citizens by examining their mental state. This is known as the Psycho-Pass. So once an individual is determined to have criminal intent, law enforcers are then deployed to bring them in.
The narrative revolves around Akane Tsunemori and Shinya Kougami as they venture into the deep and dark underbelly of this cyberpunk society. There are a lot of psychological elements and philosophical undertones in the story which is often shadowed with an impending sense of violence.
5) Neon Genesis Evangelion
Neon Genesis Evangelion masterfully blends the two anime subgenres of Cyberpunk and Mecha. The series is set in a post-apocalyptic world in Tokyo-3, where humans have to constantly fight off powerful beings called Angels.
It’s one of the earliest anime that revolves around the “kaiju fighting” theme. However, Neon Genesis Evangelion has a layer of complexity and depth that goes beyond simple mech battles.
The series is a highly philosophical work by Hideaki Anno which delves deep into the psychosis of protagonist, Shinji Ikari. The sexual malaise and mental anguish that Shinji goes through keep adding layers of complexities, justifying it being recommended only for mature audiences.
The twists and turns in the plot will often leave you on the edge of your seat. Neon Genesis Evangelion is regarded by fans as a masterpiece that re-invented the Mech genre.
It’s one of the best Cyberpunk-themed anime to date along with its movies (even the reboot), the show is a must-watch.
4) Ghost in the Shell
Ghost in the Shell series and the original movie shaped the idea of a dystopian future in anime. The manga by Masamune Shirow and the film by Mamoru Oshii paints a bleak picture of the future stuck in a constant state of moral decay.
Ghost in the Shell is one of the forerunners of the Cyberpunk subgenre in anime. The narrative takes place in 2019 .n Technology has transcended to a point where almost anyone can keep switching between cybernetic enhancements at will.
The human consciousness, including a person’s memory and mannerisms, is completely transferable between bodies. This consciousness is called the “ghost” and much of the philosophical discourses in the anime revolve around it. The nuance lies in how the narrative deals with the concept of what it means to be human.
You will be following the story of Major Motoko Kusanagi as they deal with cybernetic crime and come face to face with the dark underbelly of a dystopian futuristic world.
3) Akira
Many in the community consider Akira to be the work that birthed the cyberpunk genre in manga and anime. The story takes place in Neo-Tokyo, 30 years after the world has been devastated by World War III.
Katsuhiro Otomo paints a rather unique picture of the dystopian post-war future. The Tokyo government is conducting a secret experiment, creating biologically enhanced children as weapons of mass destruction.
In the story, you will follow Kaneda, a bike gang leader, on a mission to save his friend Tetsu. Having been part of the government experiment, the latter’s powers eventually manifest, leading to a final showdown.
Kaneda will have to fight his way through corruption, anti-government activists, and law enforcement to try and reach his friend. However, Akira’s ending is quite tragic. The narrative is considered to be a quintessential work in the genre alongside Blade Runner.
Akira is indeed one of the best Cyberpunk-themed anime that you should not be sleeping on.
2) Cowboy Bebop
Often considered to be the Pulp Fiction of anime, Cowboy Bebop is one of the best entry-level anime in the genre. Much like Ghost in the Shell, the series has a lot of neo-noir traits. However, unlike Masamune Shirow’s work, Cowboy Bebop takes place in space.
The narrative follows Spike and Jet, who are two bounty hunters traveling on their spaceship named Bebop. They travel through the galaxy looking for criminals, attempting to take them down to cash in on their bounty.
Cowboy Bebop has some of the best character developments in the genre. The show eventually deals with the backstory of every single character on the ship, including Faye and Edward. The ending is also quite bitter-sweet and it’s something that will linger in the hearts of every spectator.
If you are looking to get into the Cyberpunk genre of anime, then Cowboy Bebop will be one of the best options.
1) Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is an anime adaptation of CD Projekt Red’s game Cyberpunk 2077. The series takes place right before the events of the game. It features an art style and narrative that is very unique to the genre and leaves a lasting impression.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners has a very melancholic ending that will play on your heartstrings. The show follows David Martinez in a dystopia overrun by crime with excessive cybernetic implants leading to cyberpsychosis.
After a drive-by shooting leads to his mother’s death, David chooses to live as an outlaw, or as the world calls it, an “edgerunner”. He becomes a black-market mercenary and soon climbs up the ranks in the syndicate.
However, he is not alone in the pursuit as he is joined by the Netrunner Lucy. The duo’s journey shows the darker side of cybernetic enhancements and the consequences one faces when one constantly lives on the other side of the law.
This concludes our list of the Best Cyberpunk-themed anime of all time. For a similar list of some of the best anime out there, here are a few related topics you can check out:
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