Anime fans often watch the medium as a form of escapism. Animation lends itself well to telling more fantastical and creative stories that aren't held back by the flaws that people can often spot in special effects for live-action films. That's why when anime get creative and come up with incredible fictional technology, it's easy to buy into.

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Some gadgets are useful items that would make everyday life far more convenient, whereas others are wonderous futuristic tools that let characters change aspects of themselves or the world around them. Whatever their purpose, the coolest pieces of technology in anime are always captivating to watch.

10 The Omni-Directional Mobility Gear Lets Its Trained Users Take To The Skies (Attack On Titan)

Eren on his ODM gear

Most people will never get to feel like Spider-Man as he swings through the rooftops of New York City, but that isn't the case for the inhabitants of Paradis Island. The Omni-Directional Mobility Gear used by the Survey Corp is a gas-propelled form of transportation.

By shooting out high-powered grapple hooks from an equipped harness, the technology lets its trained users take to the skies. Those skilled with ODM Gear can reel themselves towards any surface, use their momentum to alter their path, and even change directions mid-flight.

9 NerveGear & AmuSphere Transport Humans To A Whole New World (Sword Art Online)

Sword Art Online NerveGear

Virtual reality technology has come a long way in real life but it's still a far cry from what is seen in Sword Art Online. The infamous NerveGear trapped its players in the virtual world of Aincrad and was later replaced by the second generation AmuSphere.

Both VR consoles provided stunning immersion, making users feel as if they are truly transported to a virtual fantasy world to play out the VRMMO fantasies they've always dreamed of.

8 Gear Is The Future Of Sports (Megalobox)

Megalobox Gear

Boxing is already a dangerous sport, but in the dystopian setting of Megalobox, the Gears makes it exponentially more so. Either strapped onto the arms or infused into them, the Gears act as a mechanical enhancement to the speed, power, and reflexes of athletes that step into a boxing ring.

They turn up the intensity on an already violent sport, and beyond the ring, the Gears are even powerful enough to be used for construction or other strength-based activities.

7 Duel Disks Made Duel Monsters Portable (Yu-Gi-Oh!)

yugi jaden YU GI OH

Holograms in Yu-Gi-Oh! do an incredible job of bringing the creatures of the Duel Monsters card game to life. This technology reaches its peak when KaibaCorp manages to make the dueling arenas portable thanks to the creation of the Duel Disk.

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Strapped to the duellist's arm, the Duel Disk can unfold itself in an instant to prepare for a match, fire out small camera devices to project the holograms, and even contains every function necessary such as slots for card zones and an auto shuffle feature.

6 Nami's Clima-Tact Is The Ultimate Weather-Controlling Device (One Piece)

Nami thunder tempo

Weather is something people often wish they could control, rather than being at the mercy of nature. Yet, for Nami of the Straw Hat Pirates, that's a reality. With her trusty Clima-Tact, Nami can instantly create fog barriers, rain, and even produce small cyclones or mirages to help her pirate teammates in a pinch.

Outside of combat, the wand is also handy for clearing the skies and helping with ship navigation, as well as for any recreational off time the pirates want to have.

5 Hoi-Poi Capsules Are Impossibly Convenient (Dragon Ball)

Goku holding Dragon Ball's Capsules 2

Shrinking almost any physical object nearby and ready to materialize into its full size sounds like a dream come true, but Dragon Ball's story, it's a reality. Made by Capsule Corporation, the Hoi-Poi capsules are able to miniaturize and store objects of much larger sizes, such as entire sofas, fridges, or even a house.

Depending on the user, the utility of these capsules can differ wildly too. Some may use them to transport tanks or other military vehicles.

4 The Time Travel Microwave Makes Tampering With The Past A Reality (Steins;Gate)

Microwave in Steins;Gate's

Everyone has wanted to travel back in time at least once. Fictional media involving time travel stories often demonstrate how powerful that ability could be, but it is also fraught with danger. In Steins;Gate, the ability to time travel comes in various forms, but the microwave is the most iconic.

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Set up by the lab members of Rintaro Okabe's inner circle, the fascinating experimental microwave gives the characters a method of traveling between world lines to go back to the past, simply by heating up some bananas inside of it.

3 Automail Is The Best Prosthetic Humans Could Ask For (Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood)

Edward Elric wearing a prosthetic metal arm in Fullmetal Alchemist

Artificial prosthetics are something that is, unfortunately, required for more and more people in the real world. But, what if reality had Automail? The fictional Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood's technology allows people to create metallic armored prostheses to replace body parts for amputees.

More versatile than a regular prosthetic, Automail is linked to a user's nervous system and provides greater control and flexibility as a result. It's even advanced enough to be capable of modifications for combat.

2 The Dominator Is More Advanced Than The Officers That Use It (Psycho-Pass)

psychopass akane dominator

Weapons in anime rarely become as iconic and lethal as the Dominator Portable Psychological Diagnosis and Suppression System. The transforming sidearm is used by the inspectors of the Public Safety Bureau and constantly reads the Crime Coefficient of its targets before deciding whether its human can pull the trigger.

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It's this criterion that makes it especially unique. Once the AI Sibyl system deems a person to be a criminal, the impressively slick Dominator can transform into "lethal eliminator" mode and literally blow the would-be villain to smithereens.

1 Poké Balls Are An Irreplaceable Part Of Pokémon's World (Pokémon)

Ash Holding a Pokeball

There are few gadgets in anime as well-known as the Poké Ball. The small device can capture and house any wild Pokémon that a trainer may come across. It can then be thrown to release said Pokémon.

They can be used to take part in Pokémon battles, but can also be a convenient way of keeping the friendly creatures close by at all times. Poké Balls come in numerous varieties depending on the region and the specific Pokémon types they are tailored to catch. Pokémon as a series wouldn't be the same without them.

NEXT: 10 Anime Characters Who Rely Too Much On Technology