Best Sci-Fi Anime of 2001

A strange environmental event 22 years ago in the Kanazawa prefecture caused the land to split and rise upward to unprecedented heights, creating an isolated area known as the Lost Ground. Kazuma is a young mercenary living in the Lost Ground, taking any work he can find to survive in the harsh environment. He is one of the few people gifted with the Alter ability, which allows him to coat his right arm and torso with a metallic alloy. When this mercenary encounters HOLY, an organization whose mission is to suppress and capture what they call Native Alter Users, and one of HOLY's elite members, Ryuho, an epic rivalry begins.

Mahoro Andou is a formidable combat android created by Vesper, a clandestine group dedicated to shielding the world from extraterrestrial threats. Her operational lifespan is critically limited; engaging in battle will cause her systems to fail within approximately one month. Conversely, abstaining from combat allows her to exist freely for more than a year. Suguru Misato, a high school student residing alone in his deceased parents' spacious home, struggles with domestic duties and seeks a maid to help manage the household. His search ends unexpectedly when a beautiful girl in a maid uniform rescues him from bus hijackers. This rescuer is Mahoro, who has decided to spend her remaining days serving as Suguru's maid. As Mahoro cherishes her final time, she forms deep connections with Suguru and his friends through their lively daily lives. Yet, she conceals her true motives for becoming his maid, and their histories appear far more connected than Suguru suspects.

Twelve-year-old Misaki Suzuhara has recently become entangled in Angelic Layer, a combat game featuring electronic dolls known as angels. Despite being a beginner, Misaki demonstrates impressive prowess as she befriends new allies and competes in Angelic Layer tournaments to face the country's top Angelic Layer champions.

After defeating a super-large Earth battleship at the end of the first stage, Hibiki and his crew discover five more battleships heading toward Mejeiru and Tarahk. The crew of the NIRVANA learns that their home planets are facing the crisis of Karitori (reaping). They accelerate their journey home to warn of the danger. Along the way, a girl named Misty, who joins their travels, brings current intelligence about Earth that is worse than they could imagine. Hibiki and the crew realize the true battle lies ahead. As the enemy's attacks grow more violent, the VANDREAD finally evolves into its final system. Can they save their home? And what will become of the relationship between Hibiki and Dita?

Years earlier, an interdimensional gateway opened, unleashing two monsters into the skies above the Sea of Japan, visible to every nation along the coast. After destroying the naval fleet sent to investigate, the two creatures turned on each other. Watching the battle from Japan, researchers Joe and Marie Hayakawa were pulled into the portal. When they returned to Earth, they compiled and published their journey's findings in a legendary book titled "Day of Succession." Twelve years later, they attempted a second expedition into that other dimension—and never came back. Twins Ai and Yu Hayakawa decide to set out in search of their parents and the mysterious Wonderland they studied. At the ruins of an abandoned subway station, they wait for a train that will take them to the other world. Onboard, they meet Lisa Pacifist, who quickly resolves to help them find their missing family. Can the three of them succeed in locating Joe and Marie?

Juna Ariyoshi is a typical Japanese schoolgirl known for her youthful curiosity and deep reverence for the natural world. Her life takes a tragic turn when she dies in a motorcycle crash during an outing with her boyfriend, Tokio Oshima. Fortunately, a man named Chris Hawken intervenes, offering her a second chance at life. He grants her the abilities of the avatar of time, on the condition that she battles raaja, malevolent entities spawned by the toxic pollution humans have inflicted upon the planet. Mastering these new powers proves difficult, and Juna must also grapple with profound questions regarding how science and technology have severed humanity’s instinctive bond with nature. Supported by Chris, his assistant Cindy Klein, and the influential international organization SEED, Juna must conquer her fears and find a way to halt the raaja before they annihilate everyone and everything she holds dear.

Skull, the malevolent head of the terrorist group Black Ghost, commands nine formidable cyborgs. However, Dr. Isaac Gilmore, the organization’s cybernetics expert, chooses to betray his employers. He aids the cyborgs in rising up against Skull and his nefarious syndicate. Black Ghost aims to ignite a new global conflict by saturating the market with weapons of mass destruction. With the organization resolute in its mission to eliminate the nine cyborgs, the heroes face a daunting challenge in stopping the impending war.

The Angel Brigade, an elite unit within the Transbaal Empire's military, is tasked with locating Lost Technology—enigmatic artifacts from bygone eras that possess mysterious abilities. Under the command of Colonel Volcott O' Huey, who is nearing retirement, the Brigade journeys across various planets aboard their custom-built Emblem Frame ships in pursuit of these artifacts. However, their missions often go awry, leading them into a variety of bizarre and problematic predicaments.

Zoids—powerful animal-shaped combat mechs—are no longer used for warfare but instead have become the centerpiece of organized sporting competitions. The Blitz Team, a group of pilots trying to make a name for themselves in the Zoid battling leagues, gets a lucky break when a wandering junk dealer named Bit Cloud stumbles into their midst. He proves capable of piloting the temperamental Liger Zero, a Zoid that refuses to let anyone else into its cockpit. With Bit and the Liger leading the charge, the Blitz Team steadily climbs the ranks—but along the way, they catch the unwanted attention of the Backdraft Group, an organization of Zoid pilots operating outside the rules set by the Zoid Battle Commission. The Backdraft want powerful Zoids to strengthen their forces, and they have their sights set on the Liger Zero.

Since the rapidly expanding fleet of the Bebaus brothers leaves few ambassadors for newly subjugated worlds, Lafiel is appointed Territorial Ambassador of the planet Lobnas II. Upon arriving, Jinto and Lafiel discover that United Mankind used the world as a prison planet; its only inhabited island now holds a million inmates. The prisoners are separated into three sectors: the western block houses women, the eastern block houses men, and the central block is mixed, with all inhabitants sterilized. The women of the western sector want to emigrate out of fear of the men, and when they begin to leave, the men in the east rebel, overthrow the guards, and capture Jinto to halt the women's departure. At the same time, an enemy fleet heads toward the system, compelling Lafiel to abandon Jinto.

Najica Hiiragi, a perfumer and secret agent, undertakes multiple recovery missions to capture rogue humaritts—androids with combat capabilities. Najica is given a humaritt partner named Lila, whom Najica must train as an agent and receive help from during missions. As Najica gradually comes to trust Lila, each new assignment uncovers more about the skills and hidden past of the humaritts.

By the 21st century, humanity stood on the edge of ruin. Through genetic engineering, they eliminated emotions like love and ambition for power. Because women are naturally less aggressive than men, the population ratio was set to nine women for every one man. Now individuals are designed with skills deemed necessary by others. A massive ring orbits Earth, transmitting data back to the alien race that sent it. A team of five women sets out to eliminate this alien menace.

Tsubasa Shiina, a ten-year-old girl, has just moved to Hokkaido to live with her father. At school, she is withdrawn and keeps to herself. One night, she sees a UFO crash in the woods near her home. Rushing to the scene, she discovers the pilot, codenamed "D.D.," in critical condition. Also present is a Maguar, a grotesque alien that hatched aboard D.D.'s ship. As the Maguar is about to kill Tsubasa, an alien lifeform merges with her body, creating the Riberus battle armor Figure 17, which swiftly destroys the alien. The lifeform takes the name Hikaru and becomes Tsubasa's identical twin. Over time, Tsubasa grows more outgoing thanks to her new sister. However, with Maguar eggs scattered across Hokkaido, they must continue to form Figure 17 to eliminate any hatched Maguars until backup from D.D.'s home planet arrives.

Claude C. Kenni serves as a crew member aboard the spaceship Calnus and is the son of the vessel's commander. He gets transported to Expel, a primitive planet where swords and magic are the norm. There, he joins forces with Rena Lanford, who believes him to be the legendary Warrior of Light, along with other allies, to look into the Sorcery Globe—a meteorite that has been creating trouble across the world.

49-year-old James Lynx once served as an officer and LEV pilot in the United Nations global army. One day, he received word that his wife—a Martian scientist—had been killed in a lab experiment. Filled with hatred and resentment for allowing her to go, his children blamed him and pushed him away. Depressed and without hope, James left the military and began working as a transporter between Earth and Mars, clinging to a faint belief that his wife might still be alive and hoping to find her by being out in space. After a few years, he seemed to have abandoned all hope and turned to alcohol, until one day he receives an orbital frame named "Dolores," sent by his supposedly dead wife. Once again daring to hope, he embarks on a wild and chaotic adventure to uncover the truth and bring his family back together.

Seventy-five years after the original series, Steel Angel Kurumi 2 follows the Steel Angels on another chaotic adventure. At home, high school student and aspiring cellist Nako Kagura accidentally discovers Kurumi Mk. II and kisses her, making herself Kurumi's master. However, trouble arises when Nako's best friend Uruka becomes jealous and resorts to any means—including her father's secret army of mecha—to destroy Kurumi and win Nako back. The situation spirals further when Uruka awakens Saki Mk. II, and Karinka Mk. II joins the fray, attempting to steal Nako away from Kurumi.

Hajime Murata's world is about to be completely shaken up. First, a bizarre alien vessel appears above Tokyo, and then a mysterious new transfer student named Muryou shows up at his school wearing an outdated uniform. From the moment Muryou arrives, everything starts to change. Students abruptly begin exhibiting remarkable psychic abilities, a colossal white guardian repeatedly appears in the sky above the city to battle gigantic alien creatures, and shadowy figures armed with threatening weapons lurk around the school grounds. Surrounded by all these inexplicable events, Hajime becomes resolved to uncover the truth behind a reality he thought he understood. This is his story: a saga of aliens and humans, starships and spies, and friends who are frequently much more than they seem. Follow Hajime as he unravels the enigma of Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars!

Tsubaki Sadamitsu, a teenage delinquent heading the Corpse Gang, gets his life turned around after a chance meeting with an alien robot. He is then forced to take on the job of capturing intergalactic criminals known as Exiled Ones. His mission becomes even more difficult with the emergence of the Vulture, a last-resort measure intended to keep the Exiled Ones in check.

The protracted conflict between Earth and the machine men has concluded, but the resulting peace tilts heavily in favor of the machine men rather than humanity. Warrius Zero lost his family to the machine men during the war, yet he remains part of the Earth fleet, now forced to cooperate with its former enemies. His vessel, crewed by both humans and machine men, is assigned an almost impossible mission: to apprehend the space pirate Captain Harlock. As Zero struggles to fulfill this duty, clues emerge suggesting that the peace between machine men and Earth may be hiding a darker truth.

Comet, a twelve-year-old princess from the Harmonica Star kingdom, is supposed to attend a ball where the prince of the Tambourine Star country will choose his bride. However, the prince never shows up, so Comet is dispatched to Earth to locate him. He can be identified by the starlight gleaming in his eyes. Upon arriving on Earth, Comet quickly grows fond of the people she encounters. Meanwhile, Princess Meteor from the Castanet Star kingdom also journeys to Earth in pursuit of the same prince. Comet is accompanied by a small puppy named Rubba Ball, who has a star at the tip of his tail. Comet is not the first from her world to visit and fall in love with Earth; a previous visitor did so and got married. That visitor's pet—a white cat with bunny-like ears and a tiny heart on her tail named Bunny—continued to live as a sort of fairy in the forest. Comet draws her power from the stars of her homeland and channels it through a baton. She also wears a special pendant from which Rubba Ball emerges, and which she uses to sense and locate the prince.

In the year 2040, Japanese robotics have advanced significantly, enabling machines to comprehend human speech and even experience emotions. Set in New Musashino City, a suburban community on the outskirts of Tokyo where humans and androids coexist peacefully, the narrative follows Ichiro and his human and robotic companions who enjoy harmonious relations. Their tranquility is threatened by the villainous Professor K, a deranged scientist intent on world domination. Teamwork between Ichiro, his robotic partner Kombock, and their friends is essential to thwart the mad scientist's evil plans and safeguard the peaceful coexistence of both species. The tale of their enduring friendship and battle for justice is about to unfold.

Kouichi, a young student, discovers his life is far from ordinary when he learns he is the reincarnation of an alien protector. Tasked with the mantle of Earth's defender, he joins forces with three super-powered alien companions to fight the dark forces led by an evil cult leader. This struggle to save humanity transports Babel from the deserts of southern Asia and the Upper East Side of Manhattan to a final confrontation with "the master" in a hidden Swiss Alps base. The action is intense and lethal, as the world's fate depends on this brave youth mastering his latent psychic abilities to vanquish the enemies of mankind.

A strange explosion on Futagami Island ushers in a new era for the Dangaioh legend. Under the command of the wicked Professor Katou, a faction of fighters known as the "Tartarus Knights" launches an assault on the world from a modest research facility located on the island. Katou appears poised for success until he confronts a powerful fortress protecting the land. From this stronghold, three humanoid mechs are deployed—Dangaioh!

In the year 2100, a global computer network connects the world. Children become Web Divers by converting their consciousness into data, and they enjoy playing together in the cyber park known as Magical Gate. Then a mysterious computer virus emerges and starts to destroy Magical Gate from within. In cyberspace, programs called Web Knights were created to safeguard the children, but the virus has turned all of them against the kids. The sole Web Knight that avoided this "brainwashing" is Gladion. Gladion then turns to Kaito Yuki, a fourth-grade Web Diver, for assistance.

The Daichis are a family on the verge of collapse. Dissatisfied and obsessed with money, mother Seiko has handed divorce papers to her meek, otaku father Mamoru. Daughter Nozomi, who has always been burdened with all the household chores, feels pained by everyone taking advantage of her. The youngest member, Dai, despite being the most foul-mouthed, is forced to watch as everything falls apart. But when the Galaxy Federation recruits the Daichis to fight alien threats to Earth's safety, it becomes a chance for the family to save the world—and possibly themselves.

In the year 2050 A.D., roughly one-tenth of Japan is submerged due to global warming, including Tokyo. The nation's economy is crippled by this disaster, and the government, desperate for revival, establishes JESAS—a military foundation with hidden sinister ambitions to control Japan's future. JESAS oversees the dumping of nuclear waste into outer space. To safeguard against other nations, JESAS develops R.B. (Robotic Weaponry), controlled by pilots possessing A.I. (Accurate Intuition). On the opposing side stands Green Frontier, a united protection agency formed by countries sharing the same ideals, dedicated to saving the Earth. Featuring JESAS pilots Kanna and Kazuto, as well as Green Frontier's Doota Kang and Mira Yu, these four youths will decide the Earth's fate through love, friendship, and their unwavering commitment to duty.

At the close of the 21st century, a meteor strike brought Earth to an apocalyptic state, forcing the survivors to split into two distinct paths: the aristocratic Dobias fled into space, while the earthy Shioru retreated underground. Centuries later, both groups have resurfaced and are now locked in a struggle for planetary dominance—when they aren't battling a new breed of predators called Creatures. Amid this turmoil, an elite squad of five soldiers known as Geisters shields humanity from both the Creatures and each other. Though aligned with the Dobias, the Geisters have recently admitted a soldier of Shioru origin, and her assertive demeanor leaves the rest of the team questioning her loyalty and value. As political friction between Dobias and Shioru intensifies, Creatures run wild, and a dangerous new weapon is secretly developed, the Geisters must preserve harmony within their ranks and across society.

In the year 2097, the city of Xenon is the setting for an ultimate cyber game where players battle as bio-mechanical cyber robots. However, something is wrong: the game's cyberspace and the real world are linked, so damage occurring in the game causes destruction in Xenon. This all began when players heard a painful scream, saw a ghostly face, and were overcome by a powerful scent of lemon. To investigate this mystery, the game's creator assembles a "Dream Team" composed of the top three gamers in Xenon. The team consists of rebellious and arrogant teens who must overcome their own attitudes and fears to uncover answers that are far bigger than just the game itself.