Best Sci-Fi Anime of 1999

Shuuzou "Shuu" Matsutani leads a typical, peaceful life. He has friends, a crush on a girl, and a dedication to kendo. After feeling down about losing to his kendo rival, Shuu climbs a smokestack to watch the sunset and meets Lala-Ru, a quiet girl with blue hair who wears an unusual pendant. Shuu tries to befriend her, even though she gives only uninterested, bland replies. His hopes are dashed when a woman, accompanied by two serpentine machines, appears out of thin air with the sole purpose of capturing Lala-Ru. Stubborn as he is, Shuu attempts to rescue his new acquaintance from her kidnappers and is transported to a desert world unlike anything he has ever known. Despite the circumstances, Shuu focuses only on saving Lala-Ru until he is severely beaten by soldiers. He soon learns that Lala-Ru can control water, and her pendant is the source of this ability—a precious resource in his new, arid surroundings. But now the pendant is missing, and Shuu is the main suspect. Ima, Soko ni Iru Boku is a haunting tale of a dystopian world, following Shuu as he endures torture, hunger, and the horrors of war to save the lonely girl he found sitting on a smokestack.

The mysterious Il Palazzo, leader of the ACROSS organization, understands that global domination is no simple task—so he decides to start small by taking over Fukuoka. He assigns two young officers, Excel and her partner Hyatt, to carry out this plan. However, their efforts are constantly thwarted by the City Security workers: three fairly ordinary men, one stern girl, and a handful of robots. No matter how straightforward the mission, Excel and Hyatt always find a way to fail, usually resulting in death and massive destruction. Heppoko Jikken Animation Excel♥Saga follows the endless, chaotic troubles the ACROSS agents stumble into, as Excel and Hyatt never manage to perform their duties correctly.

Paradigm City is a place defined by amnesia and a sense of belonging, its population living among forgotten pasts and the remnants of their achievements following the catastrophe that struck 40 years ago. Enveloped in a fog of mystery, the city relies on individuals like Roger Smith to cast light through the haze. Operating as a professional negotiator and a smooth agent, Roger is a self-styled ladies' man whose only true affection is for funeral black attire. Yet, as he becomes more entwined in his clients' affairs, what starts as a simple negotiation often escalates into Roger saving Paradigm from crime and danger. Along the way, Roger delves further into the city's hidden layers. As a rule, things are rarely what they seem. Serving as a gray knight in a gray world, Roger does not lack allies. At his side are Norman, a loyal butler with a vast range of skills, and Dorothy, a human-like android known for her deadpan snark. Together with the relic known as Big O—a jet-black mecha of immense size and weight—they help Roger deliver iron justice to Paradigm's lurking villains while he uncovers the truth behind the events of 40 years ago.

Yuuji Kaidou, suffering from an incurable disease, chooses to enter cryogenic sleep in hopes of being cured in the future. When he wakes up, however, he finds himself in a world overrun by monstrous creatures that feed on humans. He is rescued at the last moment by a squad of soldiers piloting massive mecha to fight these beasts. Marlene Angel, the team's leader, explains that Earth was invaded decades ago by an alien race called BLUE, driving humanity to the edge of extinction. Overwhelmed by this horrifying reality, Yuuji decides to join the fight against the BLUE. But to make any real impact in the struggle for humanity's survival, he will need far more than sheer willpower.

Medabots are advanced robots equipped with artificial intelligence via unique medals, primarily serving their owners in Robbatling, a popular fighting sport where these machines duel each other. At the professional level, Medafighters compete using their Medabots to earn spots in the World Tournament, battling top-tier rivals for the championship title. Ikki Tenryou, an elementary school student, receives his first Medabot, Metabee, an obsolete model lacking a medal. Ikki soon finds a medal in a nearby river and inserts it into Metabee’s head, causing the robot to act erratically. Metabee proves short-tempered and rebellious, refusing to follow Ikki’s commands. Despite these challenges, Ikki and Metabee must learn to cooperate if they hope to advance through the ranks and reach the World Tournament.

In a far-off age, humanity faces aggression from the Abh Empire, a species of highly evolved human-like beings with far superior technology. As numerous planets succumb to the Abh, mankind forms the Four Nations Alliance, a coalition comprising the United Mankind, the Republic of Greater Alcont, the Federation of Hania, and the People's Sovereign of Union Planets. Seikai no Monshou follows Jinto Linn. As a child, his father—the president of Martine—traded their planet for a prestigious role within the empire. Now a youthful count, Jinto must adapt to the customs of Abh nobility and reside among those who conquered his homeworld. Assisting him is Lafiel Abriel, a stern Abh princess who becomes his fast friend. En route to Jinto's new academy in the Abh homeland, their vessel becomes trapped in a fierce space clash between Alliance and Abh fleets. Jinto and Abriel are thrown into the turmoil, unaware that this battle signals the onset of a full-scale war between the Abh Empire and humanity.

In the Correct Century, two thousand years have passed since a cataclysmic war shattered the world. Earth remains largely uninhabitable, forcing a remnant of humanity to reside on the Moon while the planet and its few remaining survivors slowly recover. For years, the Moonrace has periodically assessed whether Earth is suitable for resettlement. A young man named Loran Cehack is dispatched to Earth for a reconnaissance mission alongside two companions. Loran spends a year on the planet working for the Heim Family, aristocrats living in a society reminiscent of the Victorian era. Like other wealthy families, the Heims celebrate their coming-of-age with a ceremony centered around a massive stone statue called the White Doll. To Loran’s shock, the Moonrace descends upon Earth with intentions of seizing control. During the assault, the White Doll is destroyed, unveiling a mobile suit known as the Turn A Gundam within. Piloted by Loran, the Turn A creates a tense standoff between Earth and Moon forces. The young pilot, alongside people from both factions, must strive to maintain peace and prevent another devastating, all-out war.

On a remote desert of Planet Zi, a boy named Van stumbles upon an abandoned, decaying facility. Inside, he discovers a mysterious opaque cocoon that cracks open by itself, revealing a dinosaur-like robot called an "Organoid." Van names the creature Zeke and claims it as his own, but soon a gang of bandits pursues him to seize the Organoid. These bandits are armed with "Zoids," beast-shaped mechanical units designed for combat. Van manages to fight them off by reviving and merging with an old Zoid known as the "Shield Liger." Van returns to the facility with Zeke and finds another cocoon. Excited at the prospect of a second Organoid, he watches as the cocoon breaks open—but instead of a robot, a girl emerges. She has no memory of her past, only knowing her name is Fiona and that she must find an object called the "Zoid Eve." Determined to uncover the truth behind her existence, Fiona sets out with Van and Zeke to discover what the Zoid Eve truly is. Along their journey, the trio encounters many allies and enemies, facing various dangers and sharing moments of lightheartedness as they travel.

In the year 2225 AD, Kouji Aiba and Aoi Housen train as astronauts at Liebe Delta, situated on the edge of the Geduld Sea. During a routine dive procedure, unknown saboteurs strike, causing the station to plummet into the Geduld—a plasma field linking the planets like a nervous system that crushes any vessel straying too far within. With all adults aboard dead, the young trainees must survive the long journey home amid growing internal tensions. Meanwhile, the saboteurs' organizers watch and prepare to strike again.

Oji Tanaka lives with his wife and child, working an ordinary office job in modern Tokyo. However, his past was far from dull: fifteen years earlier, he performed as "Gabriel," the frontman of the short-lived heavy metal group Black Heaven. His life takes an unexpected turn when a mysterious blonde woman named Layla summons him to once again wield his Gibson Flying V and prove his legendary guitar prowess—unaware that his music fuels a colossal weapon used in an intergalactic conflict.

After arriving on Earth with dreams of becoming a star, Princess Di Gi Charat (Dejiko) quickly discovers that money is essential—and she has none. In a perpetual struggle to improve her financial situation, Dejiko, along with her sidekick Petit Charat (Puchiko), her guardian Gema, and her rival coworker Hikaru Usada, does everything possible to escape the crushing monotony of working in retail. Their efforts unfold through a series of surreal yet oddly relatable attempts to add excitement to their everyday lives.

Kazuki Yotsuga is an ordinary high school nerd, though not particularly intelligent. He maintains a website tied to visions that only he can see—visions of robots endlessly battling one another. One day, he is transported to a "parallel world" where those visions are real, and he joins a company to oppose the sinister RaRa, who aim to conquer the world.

Yui is a typical student living in a future where a single global network called COMNET supports all computer systems. After a mishap in the computer lab, she is approached by IR, a raccoon-like corrector program, who reveals that she is the only one who can save COMNET. Her mission is to stop the rogue AI program Grosser and his subordinate programs from seizing control of the world. Grosser was originally created to manage COMNET, but has since turned against his purpose. Initially hesitant to take on the role of a hero due to her severe lack of technical skills, Yui must overcome her reluctance. To succeed, she needs to locate and earn the trust of the other seven errant corrector programs. Additionally, they must find COMNET’s creator, Professor Inukai, to help permanently defeat Grosser.

The narrative centers on Elk, a bounty hunter navigating a peculiar futuristic world where advanced yet archaic technology coexists with primitive customs, magical creatures, and beasts—essentially blending elements of everything. An evil conspiracy capable of producing formidable monsters dubbed chimera, which can even assume human form, operates in the background. It does not take long before Elk rescues a young female beast-master and acquires some dangerous adversaries.

Keita Aono is a typical high school student who enjoys discussing military tech and the girls in his class with his friends. One day, he is surprised and happy to see a new transfer student: his childhood friend Hinoki Sai. However, when Keita tries to catch up with Hinoki after school, he accidentally stumbles into Bottom World—a defunct underground amusement park whose opening was called off due to a mysterious tragedy. While exploring the area, Keita eventually discovers Hinoki inside the cockpit of a strange robot. She is there on behalf of Akamatsu Industries, a company working under contract with the secretive international organization Mode Warp to investigate odd outbreaks of violence around the world. After joining Hinoki in the robot, the two attempt to defend themselves against the park's attractions, which have come to life and turned hostile. But they cannot escape until a man with the ability to transform—known as "Betterman"—joins their fight. Faced with an enemy he does not comprehend and an array of puzzling new technology, Keita enlists with Akamatsu Industries to battle a force they call "Algernon."

Taking place a few years prior to Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040, A.D. Police follows the stories of Mega-Tokyo's specialized police force tasked with handling rogue Boomers in the city. Officer Kenji Sasaki faces a serious problem: he has lost yet another partner to a violent Boomer. After being sent off-duty the following day, he is assigned a new partner—a German officer named Hans Kleif. The catch is that Kenji sucker-punched Hans at a bar the night before. Now, Kenji not only has to deal with the daily challenges of controlling Boomers, but also must learn to get along with his new partner.

The Magic User's Club consists of five well-intentioned oddballs who can wield actual magic, not just perform parlor tricks. Using that magic, they successfully took down a massive ship from outer space. However, their encounter left an enormous cherry blossom tree planted in the middle of the city, so large that it blocks out the sun entirely. Takeo Takakura, the club's well-meaning yet perverted president, summons an emergency Sunday meeting to deal with the tree. The task seems straightforward, but with magic in play, nothing ever goes as planned. To make matters worse, a ghostly figure lurks among the branches, observing their every move. Who is this silent specter, and what does he want?

This anime is based on the original Argentine graphic novel series with the same name. The story follows the title character, a genetically engineered super-soldier created through Dr. Von Reichter's sinister experiments. Von Reichter is actually a former Nazi who conducted horrific experiments during World War II. He escapes to South America, where he continues his work, ultimately producing the "Cybers"—among them Cybersix. Because the Cybers develop free will at a young age (an undesirable trait), Von Reichter destroys them all to prevent any rebellion. In the present, Cybersix is one of the Cybers who managed to flee and lives quietly under the alias "Adrian Seidelman." However, she discovers that her survival depends on a special substance created by Von Reichter, forcing her to hunt down the "Technos"—a newer generation of his super-soldiers—to stay alive. Unintentionally, she becomes a superhero, protecting the world from Dr. Von Reichter's creations and his evil schemes.

Li Meifon leads a complimentary protection and security firm that escorts vessels through outer space at no charge. Despite being only 16 years old, she demonstrates remarkable ability and leadership while commanding her crew aboard their ship, the Angel Links. However, disturbing recollections begin to surface, causing her to doubt her own history and purpose. Follow Li Meifon and the Angel Links crew as they journey across the Oracion star system, contending with pirates, governmental factions, and a Tao master, all while gradually revealing Meifon's concealed and shadowy origins.

Thirteen years after abruptly vanishing, the alien race known as the Heterodyne return without warning. To face them, three office employees of the 21st Century Security Corporation pilot Dai-Guard—a giant robot no longer considered a useless oversized paperweight. Unfortunately, Dai-Guard is fairly outdated and in poor condition. It's a demanding job, but even salarymen can save the world.

Kuro is an ordinary cat whose only goal is to protect his owners, an elderly couple incapable of caring for themselves. While on a date with his dog girlfriend Pooly, he is captured by a mad scientist and transformed into a robot. Kuro manages to remove the chip controlling him and discovers that his new metallic appearance frightens people, and that he can now speak like a human. He decides to disguise himself using the skin of a stuffed toy and continue living as a pet.

In the year 356 BC, Alexander the Great reaches Greece bearing the dark prophecy that he is destined to be the "destroyer of the world." After assuming the throne as king of the Macedonians, he embarks on a rapid campaign of conquest. Eventually, he faces his foreordained rival Darius the Third in a conflict against Persia, a war that transforms Alexander into the demon he was meant to be, guaranteeing ruin for everyone in his way—and perhaps for himself as well.

This anime is adapted from a PlayStation game of the same name. The story follows four travelers journeying across the barren land of Filgaea, carving out a legendary tale along the way. These adventurers are Sheyenne Rainstorm, a gunslinger wielding the legendary weapons called ARMs; Kiel Aromax, a scientist who appears as if he ought to be carrying a sword; Roleta Oratorio the Crest Sorceress, a magic-user who employs cards known as Crests to cast spells; and Mirabelle Graceland, a member of the Noble Red, a family of vampiric beings living alongside humans. They are also accompanied by small, clever furry creatures from the Popepi Pipepo Tribe, named Isaac and Jerusha.

Yorn looks up at two enormous floating cities in the sky, longing to uncover their secrets. Suddenly, those secrets come after him. Edenic assassins kill his father, and Yorn becomes their next target. A nameless old man and a mysterious young girl assist Yorn in his search for his missing mother and the truth. Known as the God Hunter, Yorn races against the sinister schemes of the technological overlords.

Based on the classic Japanese novel Nanso Satomi Hakkenden by Bakin Kyokutei Takizawa (1767), an adapted version was created as an animation. Set in the future, wars occurred in heaven over the eight moons created by the savior Fuse that surrounded God's land. When the war ended, only the Oowari family remained in power, and the surviving son gained control of all the moons of heaven except one. Meiten, the moon of the pope, whose people refrained from war and thus remained outside its terms. Eight people, each from a different moon, each possessing one of the jewels—the elements that make up Earth. They are destined to become humanity's saviors. All have sacrificed for these jewels and are determined to fulfill their duty to Queen Fuse, who entrusted them. When the mad emperor Kai threatens to revive a ghost that seeks to prevent Earth's restoration, these eight must battle using the powers granted by their jewels to create Earth and defeat those who would stop them. They all gather at Kusanagi, the ship at the center of God's land. They must assemble the jewels into the key called Yatsufusa at Kusanagi's core in order to create Earth.

Consider what it means to be an average girl in every way... except for that one extraordinary talent. Eleven youthful hearts, each holding eleven unique dreams. Deep inside, every girl nurses a secret wish tinged with love and sadness. They assemble at Acropolis Tower to discover if those dreams can come true. Imagine what transpires when eleven ordinary girls, each gifted with a distinct ability, come together to improve the world!

Cacao, a student at Micro Grand Academy, wakes up one morning to discover a girl made of wood sleeping beside him. This is Hinano, a tree spirit who took over a wooden puppet after Cacao botched his magic teacher's spell. Having quickly developed a fondness for Cacao, Hinano enrolls at his school. Between Hinano, monsters, two peculiar twins and their four-eyed cat master, a demon boy, odd teachers and students, and the possibility that he might become one of the greatest magic users ever, Cacao's life has taken several turns for the worse and the bizarre.

In the year 2999, humanity is split into two factions, Terra and Ness, locked in a war fought with starships. One of the foremost pilots is the cocky teenager Yamamoto Yohko. During one of her missions, she and her crew are pulled into a temporal anomaly—reminiscent of Star Trek—that sends her back to the present day. Suffering from amnesia, she believes herself to be an ordinary high school student—until a chain of events leads her back to her ship, the TA-29, with her newfound friends fighting at her side in a war that closely resembles an arcade game, complete with 100 yen ignition costs.

Set in a devastated future Tokyo, Ken Ando enlists in the DC organization. Unbeknownst to him, his destiny and the planet's survival are tied to an alien mecha.

Doris Ruridou is a young princess who has recently enrolled at Teito Academy. She is also a Panzer, an individual possessing unique powers who battles using a weapon known as a "tool." Soon after her arrival, her older sister appears to instruct her on how to fight as a Panzer against other Panzers who issue her challenges.

Mito is no ordinary space pirate—she is a three-foot-tall alien with a childlike appearance and a courage that can rival a supernova. Known as the most dangerous pirate in the galaxy, she is a wanted criminal who habitually destroys a dozen police cruisers every morning before breakfast. Despite that, her deepest desire is to be called "Mom."

Beast Wars Neo is a Japanese television series that aired in 1999 and was created to promote the corresponding toyline. It is a direct continuation of Beast Wars II. The story centers on a team of Maximals under the command of Big Convoy, who vie against the evil Predacon leader Magmatron and his forces in a race to gather the Angolmois energy capsules, which were scattered at the conclusion of Beast Wars II.

An adventure story revolving around the "Ooparts Egg" and a massive stone statue called "Oobats," unearthed from ancient ruins dating back roughly two thousand years. Taiga journeys across the globe alongside his father, archaeologist Dr. Daino. They head to South America to examine ancient ruins uncovered by treasure hunters. There, they encounter a stone statue of a giant bird exceeding 50 meters in length. How was this statue crafted over 20,000 years ago? Who created it and for what purpose? To their astonishment, the stone bird awakens and takes flight right before their eyes. They learn that this stone bird is known as "Oobats," and when combined with the "Ooparts Egg," it transforms into a perilous weapon capable of destroying the entire universe. The stone bird from the ruins stirs and flies off in search of the Ooparts Egg! Taiga must prevent this from coming to pass...

In this sequel to B.B-DAMAN BAKUGAIDEN, SHIRO BOM and AO BOM serve as members of the B-da cops, tasked with maintaining peace in the B-da Union. One day, they witness a spaceship pursued by space pirates crash into the wilderness. Nearby lies Princess (also known as BOM), whose kingdom has been attacked, beside a shining gem called "Crysmond" that possesses mysterious powers. The enemy seeks this gem. Joined by KIIRO BOM and KURO BOM, the B-daman’s journey to safeguard the Crysmond from the Devil Veders begins.

Aoi grew up as an ordinary boy on Earth, unaware that he was the successor to Mito—a queen who became a space pirate from an alien species that determines their gender at puberty. Aoi fell for Mutsuki, the police officer pursuing Mito, and together with her, they saved the universe. The only consequence was that Aoi transformed into a lovely young woman. Now a wicked being claiming to be the true Queen of the Universe emerges, wielding enough might to annihilate entire planets. Aoi must protect her new throne, but she requires Mutsuki's assistance. Mutsuki has to confront her own emotions for Aoi so they can protect Earth and become the galaxy's first royal duo of queens.

3 kids meet 5 micro-sized superheroes from another world who enlist in their aid in fighting off alien invaders.

With Gekkou Kamen retired on the moon, his trusty motorbike heads back to Earth to search for a new hero to take up the mantle of defending the planet from alien invaders.