Best Sci-Fi Anime of 2002

When computers begin to resemble humans, does the concept of love remain unchanged? Hideki Motosuwa is a young boy from the countryside working hard to pass his college entrance exams. Coming from a poor family, he can barely afford his everyday expenses, let alone the latest trend: Persocoms—personal computers that look exactly like human beings. One evening on his way home, he stumbles upon an abandoned Persocom. After taking her home and successfully turning her on, she appears to be faulty, able to say only one word: "Chii," which becomes her name. Unlike other Persocoms, Chii cannot download data onto her hard drive, forcing Hideki to teach her about the world the old-fashioned way while simultaneously studying for his college exams. Together with his friends, Hideki attempts to solve the mystery behind Chii, who might be a "Chobit"—an urban legend about special units capable of genuine human emotions and thoughts, along with love for their owner. But can a romance truly develop between a Persocom and a human?

In the near future, humanity has reached a point where complete body replacements from organic flesh to mechanical parts are possible. This advancement greatly enhances both physical and cybernetic abilities, blurring the line between the two realms. However, criminals also take full advantage of such technology, resulting in new and often highly dangerous forms of crime. To address these innovative threats, the Japanese government establishes Section 9, an independently operating police unit that handles such sensitive criminal cases. Led by Daisuke Aramaki and Motoko Kusanagi, Section 9 deals with these crimes across the entire social spectrum, usually achieving success. Yet, when faced with a new elite hacker nicknamed "The Laughing Man," the team is drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse, following the hacker's trail as it leaves its mark on Japan.

One day, Kei Kusanagi spots a strange glowing woman by the lake. He learns that the woman is actually an alien officer from the Galaxy Federation named Mizuho Kazami, and what's even more surprising—she's also his teacher! Despite this complication, he and his teacher gradually become closer, and a romance develops between them. However, before long, the school principal discovers their relationship. The solution? Get married! Now, the newlyweds must conceal their marriage from both Kei's high school friends and the Galaxy Federation. Onegai☆Teacher is the fragile yet comedic love story of an alien and her student.

In the year Cosmic Era 0071, the space colony Heliopolis maintains neutrality amid the vast war unfolding across the galaxy between Coordinators—humans genetically enhanced before birth—and Naturals, unmodified people who reside on Earth. The Naturals' intense animosity toward Coordinators forced these advanced beings into space, where they took refuge in man-made colonies. Kira Yamato, a Coordinator and university student on Heliopolis, sees his life upended when ZAFT, the military force of rebellious Coordinators, attacks the colony to steal five cutting-edge military mobile suits called Gundams. Although ZAFT successfully escapes with four of the mobile suits, Kira seizes control of the remaining Gundam, the Strike. After surviving the clash, Kira and his college friends board the Archangel, a vessel operated by the Earth Alliance, and the young soldiers endure the horrors of war and the grief it brings.

Ichigo Momomiya thought her date with her crush, Masaya Aoyama, would end more romantically than her passing out after seeing a vision of a cat slipping into her body. The next day, things get weirder as she starts acting like a cat, including a sudden urge for fish. When a monster attacks Masaya, she realizes she can transform into the cat-eared magical girl Mew Ichigo. After saving Masaya, two researchers named Ryou Shirogane and Keiichiro Akasaka approach her, explaining they injected her with Iriomote Cat DNA to create a magical girl capable of saving Earth from aliens. Ichigo is assigned to fight these monsters, but handling the world's rescue alone is too much for her. Luckily, she discovers four other girls like her, and Ichigo must locate them quickly before the aliens fully conquer the planet.

Ayato Kamina's peaceful life as a high school student is thrown into turmoil when futuristic fighter jets suddenly attack Tokyo. In the chaos, he meets a woman named Haruka Shitow, who claims to be from a government organization called TERRA. She reveals that Ayato has been living inside a time bubble called Tokyo Jupiter, created by the Mulians—humanoids from another dimension—to isolate and conquer Tokyo. TERRA has been trying to break through the city's barrier ever since. Overwhelmed by this revelation, Ayato panics and flees. He runs into his classmate Reika Mishima, who leads him to the Shrine of Xephon, where a large egg slumbers. She begins to sing, and an unknown power awakens within Ayato, connecting him to a being called RahXephon that breaks out of the egg. Haruka soon finds him again and urges him to join her cause of fighting the Mulians. Caught between the crosshairs of the Mulians and TERRA, Ayato begins to question his purpose, grappling with altered memories and ultimately his very identity in this chaotic new world.

Chise is an ordinary schoolgirl—small, frail, and not particularly bright. Her greatest happiness comes from her budding romance with Shuuji, her classmate and childhood friend. They both live in a small military town in Hokkaido, where high school students have few concerns beyond who is dating whom and complaining about the steep climb up "Hell Hill" each morning before school. One day, Shuuji and his friends take a trip to Sapporo to buy gifts for their girlfriends. A massive air raid on Sapporo that day kills thousands, including one of Shuuji's friends, and marks the beginning of a war. Fleeing from the carnage, Shuuji spots Chise—but now she has steel wings and a massive gun where her right arm used to be. Against her will, she has been transformed into the ultimate cyborg weapon, capable of leveling entire cities. As the war draws closer and closer to their hometown, Chise and Shuuji's relationship is strained by her transformation, and they are left to wonder whether she is even still human.

The Bladebreakers must reunite after being defeated by a mysterious group led by Oozuma, though he is not the true antagonist. The actual danger comes from a faction that employs cyber-BitBeasts to capture the original BitBeasts belonging to the Bladebreakers.

In a distant future where humanity has colonized numerous planets across the universe, the Galactic Organization of Trade and Tariffs (GOTT) is established to enforce order. This agency employs a clandestine squad of enhanced humans called the ES Unit to combat major galactic crimes. Among these agents are Éclair and Lumière, lowly C-ranked operatives. Although they occupy the lowest rungs of the hierarchy, they possess formidable abilities: Éclair can wield superhuman strength and a lipstick whip, while Lumière can hijack any computer system. Together, they tackle any assignment GOTT assigns them. However, as they complete more missions, the pair uncovers a massive conspiracy that forces them to reevaluate their understanding of themselves and the galaxy at large.

In the year 20XX, a boy named Netto Hikari starts fifth grade and receives a special present: his own customized Net Navi, Rockman! Although Rockman is small and has a much more serious personality, the two quickly become close friends. A Net Navi guides its operator from inside their Personal Terminal, known as a PET. People of all ages take part in friendly Net Battles, where they pit their Navis against each other to show their skill.

Despite looking like a young boy, Jing is a highly skilled thief whose abilities make him one of the most feared criminals globally. He roams from town to town alongside his feathered companion Kir, pilfering valuable items without regard for the security in place. When cornered, Jing relies on a secret technique: Kir merges with his right arm to unleash the lethal "Kir Royale" strike. This reputation has earned him the notorious title of "King of Bandits."

As Mahoro, Suguru, and his classmates deepen their bonds, another android girl appears and grows attached to Mahoro. Meanwhile, the days remaining before Mahoro is scheduled to shut down continue to dwindle.

Seina Yamada's streak of misfortune—wrecking his bike, tumbling into lakes—seems unbreakable. That luck shifts when he gets drafted into the Galaxy Police against his will and proceeds to arrest more pirates than any other officer on the force. Now the former unlucky Earth boy has become a name pirates dread. Yet for all his fearsome reputation, Seina remains the same accident-prone fellow. At least he has Amane Kaunaq, an ex-model, and Kiriko Masaki, his longtime friend, to help hold him together. With their support, Seina embarks on a journey toward his goal of becoming a fine Galaxy Police Officer.

Beneath Tokyo, Japan's capital, lies a vast, hidden world called Underground. Its inhabitants are Elemental Users—individuals who wield powers over forces like fire, water, lightning, magnetism, or ice. The story follows Rumina Asagi and his best friend Ginnosuke Isuzu, two ordinary high school freshmen living in Tokyo. Their lives are turned upside down when they encounter Chelsea Rorec, a Gravity User, and Ruri Sarasa, the Miko of Life, setting them on a grand adventure.

Iwaki Tomonori is an ordinary 15-year-old boy with a preference for older women. He harbors a crush on his teacher, only to discover she has just become engaged. Heartbroken, he returns home and finds a 12-year-old girl named Rizel waiting for him. He soon learns that the Japanese government has forcibly married him to her against his will. Moreover, Rizel is no ordinary girl—she is a biochemically engineered human. Her creators, referred to as her "papa"s, promise to cover several of Iwaki's parents' bills in exchange for allowing them to stay at the house. Thus, Iwaki's life with Rizel begins.

Reiji Ozora is known for giving up on everything he starts, unable to stay motivated for long. That changes when his best friend Maiko introduces him to a new virtual reality game called Dragon Drive. In this game, each player is assigned a dragon that matches their personality and strength. Reiji dreams of getting a huge, intimidating beast, but instead he receives Chibi—a cute, friendly-looking dragon even smaller than himself. He's disappointed at first, but then discovers that Chibi is actually the rarest dragon of all. For the first time, Reiji finds something that holds his interest, and he dedicates himself to training both himself and his new companion. Soon, that training proves essential, as certain individuals harbor dark plans for Dragon Drive that threaten the entire world.

The story follows a princess from outer space who accidentally crash-lands on Earth, where Kazuto is desperately trying to keep his grandfather's public bathhouse running. Due to a twist of fate, Kazuto receives a portion of Princess Walkyrie's soul, forcing her to remain there with him. That is not the only problem, however—because her soul has lost strength, the princess transforms both mentally and physically into a little child.

After his father's death, Claire Leonelli takes control of the "Vampire" Mafia group in Judoh City. To curb Claire's criminal operations and others like them, the Bureau of Urban Safety deploys Special Services Division agent Daisuke Aurora and the top-secret super android known only as "J" (whose existence remains hidden since androids are forbidden in the city). With these two on the job, crime struggles to survive in Judoh.

Set years after the original Kinnikuman, Kinnikuman II Sei follows Mantarou Kinniku, the 59th prince of Planet Kinniku and son of the legendary wrestler King Suguru. Lazy, cowardly, and immature, Mantarou seems nothing like his heroic father. When a dangerous group known as the dMP threatens Earth, only a fighter on Kinnikuman's level can stop them. With the King's whereabouts unknown, plans are made for Mantarou to take his place. Reluctant to fight super villains, Mantarou initially flees his duty and escapes to Earth, where he meets Meat, his father's old trainer. Despite Mantarou's flaws, Meat sees King Suguru in him and believes he can guide the prince onto the right path. Thus begins Mantarou's journey to improve himself and save the world.

It is the year 2041 AD. A new foe called Zeravire abruptly emerges in the solar system, destroying every military installation it encounters. However, the wealthy Klein Sandman has long been aware of this planned invasion and has secretly been preparing his forces for battle. His ultimate weapon is Gravion, a giant robot powered by gravity. Meanwhile, a young man named Eiji infiltrates Sandman's base in search of his missing sister. There he meets another young man named Toga. Together with four other individuals, these two must now fight aboard the super robot Gravion to defend against the Zeravire threat.

In the far future, humanity is confined to domed cities while the outside world recovers from prolonged environmental damage. Within the Siberian Dome-polis, professional gamer Gainer Sanga and mercenary Gain Bijou take control of an Overman and orchestrate a mass exodus from the city.

Five supernatural factions have been locked in conflict for countless centuries, always keeping the arrival of the Aquarian Age in mind. Kyouta begins having visions of mystical girls battling, and soon discovers they are real. He and his girlfriend Yoriko are drawn into the struggle, and the fate of Earth and the Aquarian Age rests in their hands.

The Gun Frontier is a harsh, barren wasteland where the weak have no right to dream. It is also a sacred territory for true men, offering a place where a man can feel most alive. Into this frontier come Sea Pirate Captain Harlock and the wandering samurai Tochiro, arriving in the United States' Old West. Accompanied by an enigmatic woman they encounter on their journey, the two friends take on sex rings, bandits, and a corrupt sheriff. Their goal is to find a vanished clan of Japanese immigrants, and they intend to scour the Gun Frontier from one end to the other until they succeed.

In the distant future, humanity expanded into space and flourished. However, a sudden Jikushin (space-time earthquake) severed all networks, resetting civilization entirely. Humanity gradually revived and entered a second age of prosperity under the Transvaal imperial country, which rose to power at the center of the galaxy. The science and technology from before the civilization reset—known as "Lost Technology"—came to be seen as the work of gods and was worshipped by priests called "Tsuki no miko." Meanwhile, a certain guard fleet was stationed on the frontier of the galaxy. Though it appeared to be a perfectly ordinary military unit, it contained a team composed entirely of women known as the "Angel Corps." They piloted the "Angel Frame," a spaceship that was a relic of Lost Technology, and their duties involved collecting and managing such lost technologies using their craft. The Angel Corps were not elite pilots; rather, they were a group of eccentrics. Among them were arms maniac Forte, costume player Mint, taciturn Vanilla, showy Ranpha, and cooking enthusiast Milfeulle. Every time, they caused major trouble on their missions.

The Galaxy Angels—Milfeulle, Forte, Ranpha, Mint, and Vanilla—are back for another round of comedy. Their official duty is to search for and recover mysterious Lost Technology, but these girls rarely follow the plan. They have sworn to safeguard the galaxy one planet at a time, yet with the newly established Twin Star Brigade as competition, they keep ending up at the heart of chaos—though usually they're the ones who started it.

Jane's mother dies giving birth to her, and her father, a wealthy English aristocrat, quickly remarries a woman who has a son named William. William despises his new stepfather and stepbrother. George and Jane grow up sharing a dream of building a flying machine. George believes that a mysterious cerulean sand hidden in the distant Asian sands holds the key to making machines fly. He embarks on an expedition to find it, but soon news arrives that he has been executed for treason. William also vanishes. After receiving an unsigned letter containing a handful of pale-blue sand that floats in the air, Jane becomes certain her brother is still alive. She sets off for the East to find him and clear his name. Along her journey, Jane and her new companions encounter many secrets waiting to be uncovered. Yet perhaps some mysteries are best left unsolved...

In the near future, advancements in technology have made video calling and constant wireless internet access commonplace for everyone. But the government's security appears to have been lax, allowing a skilled hacker to breach the national information archive. Using the data obtained, they create the Platonic Chain website, which lets people dig up details about themselves and their acquaintances. Word quickly spreads about this site that can uncover just about anything. By chance, three young girls—Hitomi, Rika, and Kanae—manage to access it.

Mao Onigawara is a cheerful eight-year-old elementary school student and the granddaughter of the Ground Defense Force Chief of Staff. Armed with a cloverleaf-shaped badge that allows her to transform (though it grants no actual special abilities), Mao and her closest friends—who are, respectively, the granddaughters of the Air Defense Force and Marine Defense Force Chiefs of Staff—must protect Japan from an invasion by "cute aliens," who are far too adorable for conventional military forces to handle.

Saint Hoshikawa School harbors a clandestine unit known as the G-On Riders, composed of students selected for their exceptional physical prowess and skills to defend Earth from extraterrestrial threats. Yet, the internal conflicts among the Riders prove just as challenging as the battles against the invaders. Meanwhile, fellow student Ichiro makes fervent attempts to confess his romantic feelings for Yuki, a member of the group.

Deep Space, diverse cultures coexist on the planet Jet. To preserve harmony, an organization called the Jetters is established. This space police force combats villains known as the "Hige hige dan," ensuring the universe's safety. The Jetters' leader, Mighty, is a powerful Bomberman admired and respected by all. His brother, Shirobon, is a lazy, crude slacker. After Mighty suddenly vanishes, Shiro finds himself thrust into a new situation. He steps up and matures into a responsible Bomberman, and with the new friends he makes among the Jetters, he might become the next leader of the team.

In a robot tournament where machines can transform into animals, young Akira Akebono strives to claim the ultimate prize, the Titan Belt. He relies on his team of robots, which combine to form Daigunder, a machine invented by his father, Professor Hajime Akebono. Partnering with Haruka, the duo competes as Team Akira. Their path is obstructed by rival competitors and Ginzan, a robot controlled by the villainous Professor Maelstrom.

In a world four years removed from the present, balance has been shattered. A massive expanse of ten thousand meters of forest has vanished, rendering the land uninhabitable for humans and allowing a desert to expand without limit. Consequently, people are forced to migrate into the realm of Meshichi, where they must coexist with the Anbots. Fate brings Sanzou and Gokyuu together. Sanzou is a mysterious young man, while Gokyuu is regarded as the most formidable and dangerous Anbot. They are joined by Tongoh, an Anbot who enjoys drinking; Jou, a skilled mechanic; Suuji, a female Anbot thief; and Mioto. Thus, their expedition commences toward the limitless East, seeking the land where the sun originated.

While covering a newly formed volcanic island, journalist Iwakura discovers a young man stranded there with no memories. News of this event reaches a mysterious individual named Rush, who locates the amnesiac and reveals the truth about his identity. The young man is called Mars, and like Rush, he is not native to Earth. Mars was sent with a single purpose: to command an immensely powerful robot named Gaia and destroy Earth once it becomes evident that humanity is trying to expand its reach into space. As a safeguard, Gaia is set to self-destruct, taking the planet with it, should Mars die. Because of Mars' memory loss, Rush grants him ten days to study Earth's history and make his decision. Mars must now choose whether to carry out his mission or fight to protect humanity.

Dr. Carlo Gorgon, a deranged scientist, engineers athletes by combining them with animal DNA so they can compete across various sports. The human athletes, serving as the story's heroes, must step up to oppose him and put an end to his scheme.