This list breaks down the best Sci-fi Romance anime out there, ranking them based on their MyAnimeList scores.
What would love look like in a time of androids, aliens, and cybernetics? Speculative fiction genres like science fiction allow people to safely explore complex subjects in a futuristic setting, and that includes romance. Sci-fi romances, especially in a medium like anime, go beyond just placing a love story in between spaceships and laser battles, and instead delve deeply into issues like sentience, the nature of the soul (if one exists), and the essence of human connection.
In a sci-fi setting, love can be a powerful force that transcends boundaries and enriches the human (or post-human) experience. While these anime are undoubtedly entertaining, they also provide a sneak peek into how romance might evolve with technology. 10 Date A Live
One of many harem series with a quirky premise, Date A Live follows a seemingly ordinary high-school student named Shido Itsuka, who discovers that the destructive ‘Spacequakes’ plaguing the world are actually caused by ‘Spirits’ — powerful beings from another dimension. To save the world, Shido must seal the Spirits’ powers by making them fall in love with him.
Date a Live began as a light novel series and has since been expanded into several media, including five manga adaptations, an animated film, four video games, and a free-to-play mobile game. 9 Voices Of A Distant Star
Release Date: February 2, 2002
Creator: Makoto Shinkai
Studio: CoMix Wave Films
Runtime: 25 minutes
Genre(s): Sci-Fi, Romance, Drama
Anime fans may know Voices of a Distant Star as not just Makoto Shinkai’s first film, but a film made entirely by himself on his personal Mac Computer. It follows the growing relationship between Mikako Nagamine, a middle schooler who enlists in the UN Space Army to fight an alien war, and Noboru Terao, her close friend who remains on Earth, who keep in touch via text messages.
Several reviewers have noted the breathtaking animation as the best part of the OVA, which is especially impressive considering that the entire film was animated by one person. Voices of a Distant Star has received several accolades, including the Special Prize at 6th Japan Media Arts Festival. 8 Chobits
Release Date: April 2, 2002
Creator: CLAMP
Studio: Madhouse
No. of Episodes: 26
Genre(s): Sci-Fi, Romance, Comedy
Chobits revolves around human-like computers known as ‘persocoms.’ A college student named Hideki Motosuwa discovers a particularly advanced persocom abandoned in the trash.
