Ten best-written sci-fi anime, led by Cowboy Bebop

Movieweb published a list of the 10 best-written sci-fi anime of all time, led by Cowboy Bebop.

The ranking places Cowboy Bebop at No. 1, praising its genre mashup, character focus, and Yoko Kanno’s jazz soundtrack. Steins;Gate (No. 2) is noted for its time‑travel premise in Akihabara and Okabe’s struggle to protect his friends. Pluto (No. 3) adapts Naoki Urasawa’s manga into a noir tale following Europol robot detective Gesicht. Other entries include Dr. Stone (No. 4), which begins with humanity petrified and follows Senku rebuilding civilization; Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (No. 5), a 10-episode tale of David Martinez and Lucy set in Night City; 86 Eighty-Six (No. 6), about the Republic’s hidden use of oppressed pilots; Space Dandy (No. 7), an episodic mix of comedy and poignant moments; Gurren Lagann (No. 8), a rising-stakes mecha epic; Code Geass (No. 9), which centers on Lelouch and his power of Geass; and Legend of the Galactic Heroes (No. 10), an expansive space opera focused on Reinhard and Yang.

The selections span decades and styles — from 1988’s Legend of the Galactic Heroes to 2023’s Pluto — and the article invites readers to say whether their favorite sci‑fi anime was included or omitted.

Key Topics

Culture, Cowboy Bebop, Yoko Kanno, Steins;gate, Naoki Urasawa, Senku Ishigami