While the fundamental aesthetics and themes of cyberpunk find their historical roots in American science fiction literature of the 1970s and 1980s, the anime and manga mediums of the 1990s and beyond embraced the genre and propelled it into entirely new artistic territories. Today, cross-cultural collaborations—such as a Japanese and Polish co-production adapting a video game originally conceptualized by a Polish design team—draw heavily upon decades of cerebral, visually arresting anime and science fiction traditions. For viewers searching for similarly heady, high-concept sci-fi storytelling that captures that distinct propulsive energy, exploring foundational genre classics and modern masterworks provides an ideal path forward.
Cowboy Bebop (1998–1999)
An iconic and effortlessly cool genre classic, Cowboy Bebop remains one of the undisputed heavyweights of animated television. The series brilliantly fuses elements of westerns, neo-noir, and crime dramas, setting the resulting narrative mashup against a legendary, driving jazz soundtrack that serves much the same atmospheric purpose as the heavy electronic grooves found in Cyberpunk.
The title’s "cowboys" are bounty hunters operating in a near-future setting where humanity has been forced to colonize the solar system after Earth was rendered entirely uninhabitable. While the specific planetary settings differ, both shows deal in ragtag crews facing highly dubious and dangerous fates. Former hitman Spike Spiegel leads his eclectic crew on one nearly disastrous mission after another, with their standalone episodic adventures gradually building toward a thoroughly memorable and poignant climax. Viewers can stream Cowboy Bebop on Crunchyroll or purchase it via digital platforms like Prime Video.
Psycho-Pass (2012–2019)
Set in a slick, 22nd-century Japan, Psycho-Pass pairs a visually striking Blade Runner-esque aesthetic with a psychological premise reminiscent of Minority Report. In this future society, advanced technology continuously measures citizens’ mental states and underlying intentions, allowing authorities to detect and neutralize crimes before they are ever committed. Individuals flagged as potential threats are subjected to psychological treatment or summary execution if their danger index is deemed too high.
This pervasive behavioral prediction extends into every facet of daily life, dictating careers and personal relationships through automated systems designed to root out deviance. Predictably, the system is not without its flaws. The narrative kicks into high gear with the introduction of a new Enforcer who struggles with his own capacity for violence, alongside a mysterious criminal mastermind who remains entirely invisible to the technological apparatus even as his elaborate plots escalate. Psycho-Pass is available to stream on Prime Video and Crunchyroll.
Love, Death & Robots (2019–2025)
Created by Tim Miller and executive produced by acclaimed director David Fincher, this animated anthology series offers a wildly diverse collection of standalone stories. Each episode is produced by a distinct international animation studio, with the overarching thematic link anchored to the three words in the show’s title.
From robotic gladiator combat in a dystopian London to an imminent global threat posed by sentient yogurt, or an ambitious cat learning to operate household robotics, no two episodes share the same premise. However, the anthology shares an edgy sensibility and a penchant for apocalyptic futures with Cyberpunk, blending dark humor, high technology, adult themes, and cutting-edge animation across its multiple seasons. Love, Death & Robots streams exclusively on Netflix.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2002–2005)
Operating as one of several standalone television spinoffs inspired by the wildly influential 1995 feature film and the beloved manga series that preceded it, Stand Alone Complex requires no prior familiarity with the broader franchise lore. The series draws much of its strength from its meticulous style, luxuriating in the fictional expanse of Nihama City—a futuristic Japanese metropolis where cybernetically enhanced citizens hack directly into the global digital network.
Rather than focusing on underworld outlaws, the narrative centers on Public Security Section 9, a specialized cybercrime and counter-terrorism police unit. While aligning more closely with the authorities, the series approaches many of the same anti-establishment themes and gritty underworld aesthetics seen in Edgerunners. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is available to stream on platforms including Tubi and The Criterion Channel.
Altered Carbon (2018–2020)
Adapting Richard K. Morgan’s acclaimed cyberpunk novel of the same name, Altered Carbon stars Joel Kinnaman and Anthony Mackie as Takeshi "Tak" Kovacs across different iterations of the character. In this sprawling future megacity, human consciousness can be digitally stored and transferred between physical bodies, known as sleeves. While the technology is technically widespread, true digital backups and quality-of-service protections remain the exclusive domain of the ultra-wealthy, effectively granting them a form of virtual immortality.
Kovacs, a former elite soldier turned mercenary, is forcibly revived from a centuries-long digital storage by Laurens Bancroft, one of the richest men alive. Bancroft tasks Kovacs with solving a seemingly impossible cold case: the mystery of Bancroft’s own murder. Altered Carbon is available for streaming on Netflix.
Arcane (2021–2024)
As another critically acclaimed video game adaptation, the Emmy-winning series Arcane draws its inspiration from League of Legends, a multiplayer online battle arena game. Despite its origins, the series builds a profound narrative framework around two sisters caught in the intensifying geopolitical conflict between a pristine utopian city and the oppressed industrial underclass that sustains it.
The striking painted animation style sets the series apart visually, creating a distinct aesthetic world that matches the ambitious world-building found in top-tier science fiction television. Arcane is available to stream on Netflix.
Trigun (1998)
Vash the Stampede is a hunted outcast carrying a dark, mysterious history that slowly unravels over the course of the narrative. Reputed to be a human cataclysm who brings destruction in his wake wherever he travels, Vash actually maintains a deep reverence for human life that far surpasses that of his relentless pursuers. Entire cities routinely evacuate at the mere rumor of his approach, driven by the massive bounty resting on his head—ignoring the reality that the bounty hunters themselves frequently cause far more collateral damage than Vash ever does.
Accompanied by a pair of insurance agents thrust into his chaotic orbit, Vash navigates a series of perilous misadventures across the harsh planet of Gunsmoke. Visually defining the shonen action style of the late 1990s with its impeccably choreographed gunplay, the series also shares a musical connection with the broader cyberpunk ethos through the work of legendary composer Tsuneo Imahori. Trigun can be streamed on Crunchyroll or purchased via Prime Video.
Darling in the Franxx (2018)
Produced by animation studio Trigger, Darling in the Franxx dives deep into the mecha science fiction subgenre. Set within a bleak post-apocalyptic future, the narrative follows genetically bred children who are systematically indoctrinated to pilot massive combat units known as Franxx in order to defend the fragile remnants of human civilization. With the adult population having achieved functional immortality, the younger generation serves a strictly utilitarian purpose.
The emotional core of the series centers on two teenagers whose developing romantic feelings begin to complicate their societal utility, building toward an explosive and bittersweet resolution. Darling in the Franxx is available to stream on Crunchyroll and is available for purchase on Prime Video.
Killjoys (2015–2019)
Beginning as a straightforward action-adventure series centered on interstellar bounty hunters—known locally as "Killjoys"—the narrative develops surprising thematic depth across its five-season run. As officially sanctioned operatives bound by strict neutrality codes, the central trio played by Hannah John-Kamen, Aaron Ashmore, and Luke Macfarlane find themselves thrust into complex political conflicts.
As the characters forge deep bonds of friendship and family within exploited working-class communities, they confront the devastating human toll of unchecked corporate wealth and systemic greed, ultimately recognizing how institutional neutrality invariably protects oppressors. The series makes effective use of its production budget while offering notable representation within mainstream science fiction television. Killjoys is available on Tubi, Prime Video, and Apple TV.
Akudama Drive (2020)
Set within another vibrant, dangerous cyberpunk metropolis known as Kansai, Akudama Drive depicts a lawless urban center dominated by elite criminals referred to as Akudama. The plot is set into motion when an ordinary young woman inadvertently becomes entangled in a major planned heist, forcing her to adopt a false persona as a master swindler simply to survive. Much like the core thematic thrust of Edgerunners, the series examines anti-authoritarian struggle through the lens of a diverse collective of societal outsiders. Akudama Drive is available to stream on Crunchyroll and for purchase on Prime Video.
