Science Fiction is one of the most defining genres within the anime industry. One of media's biggest innovators, anime has brought techno nerds a variety of spectacles between giant robot fights, alien adventures, cyberpunk mysteries, and high concept time travel. Several of the genre's alums, such as Akira, Ghost in the Shell, and Neon Genesis Evangelion, have all acted as standard-bearers for what the genre should be doing with both animation and storytelling.
And while there are plenty of critical gems lining any library, there are a few out there that are just duds. Whether its poor animation or lazy writing, not every science fiction anime gets to hang with the best. This list will be looking at some of the worst, as it runs down some of the worst sci-fi anime (according to MyAnimeList).
10 Ladius (5.67)
Ladius' main saving grace is the fact that it relies on so many sci-fi, action cliches of the '80s that it's hard to fault any identity or writing of its own. It just doesn't have any. The story itself follows Riot, as he searches for the hidden treasure, Rido, in a post-apocalyptic world. Rido is a powerful item said to even be able to restore life.
It is, however, also sought after by the evil Demsters who fight with Riot and his gang with a variety of mechs and martial arts combat. Lasting only about 50 minutes, Ladius is a fun way to waste time if anyone's feeling nostalgic for some classic, sci-fi fun.
9 Ninja Ryuukenden (5.67)
Ninja Gaiden is one of the most beloved NES games of the budding eras of video games. While not a standout, revolutionary classic like its contemporaries, it has developed a loyal fanbase for its interesting world and action. However, much like a variety of other anime based on video games, its eventual adaptation to the televised screen wasn't taken that well.
Its story focuses on Ryu who, along with some friends, must investigate a promising doctor who has found a cure for cancer. After some speculation that he might've been experimenting on live humans to do so, they not only find the rumors to be true but also find out that the doctor is hatching up a plan to resurrect some evil gods. While far from being the most convoluted anime plot, the story here still didn't hit well with fans, and its poor animation quality for even its era didn't do it any favors.
8 Platonic Chain (5.67)
Platonic Chain seems like an interesting idea that just wasn't given the production or time to have any real breath, with little substance in each episode hardly getting any returning viewers and poor CG animation turning away any new ones. Lasting only about 6 minutes a pop with opening and ending themes eating up a good chunk of that run time, its story focuses on a not-too-distant world where everyone is consumed by technology.
A hacker manages to connect everyone's information and streamlines it on a website entitled: "Platonic Chain." Each story focuses on what the consequences of all that personal information at once may look like in the hands of everyday people, specifically a few high school girls.
7 Shinkai No Kantai: Submarine 707 (5.67)
Submarine battles were aiming for a niche audience from the get-go. With interests on the subject being limited even between gamers and hobbyists, its mangaka Satoru Ozawa showed a unique passion that stuck out in the manga industry. That same passion would take a considerably long time to receive any anime studio's attention (about three decades); and even then, there wasn't a lot of it in this OVA.
This piece rushes to tell the story of a few submarine fighters that set out to find and destroy a mysterious threat that's been sinking other submarines. However, they find that the stakes are much higher than that, as their submarine battle turns into a battle for the world. For those interested in the niche premise, this may very well be worth a watch; but other than that, it doesn't offer much in the wider library of sci-fi.
6 UG Ultimate Girls (5.67)
Up until now, every entry on this list has had a pretty tame effect on the anime industry. They're not exactly stand out pieces, but their worst offense has been boring or even disappointing people. However, UG Ultimate Girls will be a major entryway into an anime actually doing some harm, somehow being responsible for the inevitable end of its studio, m.o.e.
This series is a parody of the Ultraman-esque style in which its hero, UFO-man, accidentally kills a few girls during his battle against evil monsters. As penance, he resurrects them with his powers but with the caveat that they must also become the world's protectors. Full of nonsensical writing and ecchi material to offend even the campiest fan, UG Ultimate Girls landed into the industry with a lot of infamy.
5 Gundam: Mission To The Rise (5.66)
There's not much to say about Mission to the Rise. It's a short 3-minute video made to commemorate Gundam's 20th anniversary. Its story, which tries to pack as much context as possible to justify its action, just focuses on a Zeon ambush of some scientists trying to use a black hole to travel faster than the speed of light.
The ambush fails and the scientists do it. Aside from about a minute of narration, this is just pure action done with decent CG for its age.
4 Hellhound Liner 0011 Transform! (5.66)
This 50-minute piece of animation is the peak of what '70s adventures and anime action were all about. Its story focuses on Tsutomu whose befriends a few dogs, only for them to be killed by an invading force of alien insects.
Fortunately enough, his father is a scientist who soon resurrects Tsutomu's lost friends as cyborg dogs, equipped with the special machinery and powers that one might expect from anyone in the '70s being resurrected as a robot. The special, Japanese exception here is that these dogs can fuse together to become the guardian robot Liner. This comes in handy when the alien insects come back to strike again, and it's up to Tsutomu and Liner to save the day!
3 Sequence (5.66)
Sequence is another OVA that falls prey to the production and time constraints of being an OVA. The story on its own is compelling enough. Toshiaki is a high school student who has suffered memory loss ever since a terrible accident happened when he was six.
However, a girl from his future comes in to tell him otherwise, that he has the ability to see into his past and future selves. Suddenly unlocking said abilities, Toshiaki takes on old and new conflicts in this interesting take on time travel.
2 Ultraman: The Adventure Begins (5.66)
Ultraman: The Adventure Begins is another interesting entry to the West's early introduction to Japanese media during the 1980s. With the action-packed, brightly colored, and poorly dubbed ranks of Transformers and Speed Racer leading the charge, this was an interesting era for the relationship between American and Japanese media.
This movie was an interesting collaboration that had the animation giant, Hannah-Barbera, come in and help produce an American version of Ultraman. In it, three stunt pilots are gifted with the powers to fuse and become Ultraman after a terrible accident. They are entrusted to protect the Earth from the incoming threat of the Sorkin Monsters as well as any other threat that may come their way.
1 Guardian Of Darkness (5.65)
Guardian of Darkness is a strange hodgepodge of a lot of different genres fighting each other instead of the actual enemy. Three dragons come out from the depths of the earth to wreak havoc and steal people's souls. Kouichi and Terumi, a shrine maiden with ties to the occult, must try to stop them.
Kouichi is the host to the thunder god, Susanowo, who gifts him a special bio-armor that looks straight out of Garo. With a generic, if not incohesive, plot and having lasted only 3 episodes, Guardian of Darkness just doesn't do much to leave a lasting impression.