Best Sci-Fi Anime of 2006

In the year 2010, the Holy Empire of Britannia continues its expansion as a dominant military power, beginning with the conquest of Japan. After its swift defeat, Japan is renamed Area 11, and its people mount significant resistance against the oppressors in a bid for independence. Lelouch Lamperouge, a Britannian student, is caught in a crossfire between Britannian forces and Area 11's rebel fighters. He escapes thanks to the timely intervention of a mysterious girl named C.C., who grants him Geass, the "Power of Kings." Realizing the immense potential of this "power of absolute obedience," Lelouch sets out on a dangerous path as the masked vigilante Zero, leading a merciless campaign against Britannia to achieve final revenge.

Edo once thrived on the spirit and ambition of samurai from all over the country. But after feudal Japan surrendered to powerful alien invaders called the "Amanto," those dreams seem out of reach. The once-influential shogunate has been rebuilt as a puppet government, and a new law quickly bans all swords in public. Enter Gintoki Sakata, a quirky silver-haired man who always carries a wooden sword and still lives as a samurai despite the ban. As the founder of Yorozuya, a small business that takes on odd jobs, Gintoki often sets out to help others—though usually in bizarre and unpredictable ways. With the help of Shinpachi Shimura, a glasses-wearing boy supposedly learning the samurai path; Kagura, a tomboyish girl with superhuman strength and a bottomless stomach; and Sadaharu, their giant pet dog who loves biting people's heads, the Yorozuya encounter everything from alien royalty to clashes with local gangs in the ever-changing world of Edo.

Most people dismiss the existence of aliens, time travelers, and espers, and ordinary high schooler Kyon is no different. His mundane perspective is shattered on the first day of school when he encounters Haruhi Suzumiya, a girl determined to overturn his reality. During class introductions, Haruhi loudly declares her disdain for mundane individuals and her desire to encounter the supernatural. Upon discovering that the school lacks a club dedicated to paranormal phenomena, she impulsively forms the Spreading Fun all Over the World with Haruhi Suzumiya Brigade, commonly referred to as the SOS Brigade. Haruhi then recruits Kyon along with three other students: the stoic bookworm Yuki Nagato, the timid senior Mikuru Asahina, and the ever-cheerful Itsuki Koizumi. Although they appear ordinary, each member harbors secrets connected to Haruhi’s eccentric nature. Drawn into her chaotic world, Kyon joins the SOS Brigade on various adventures that gradually reveal the true nature of their enigmatic leader.

Within the sealed city of Romdo exists one of the final remnants of human civilization on Earth. Millennia ago, a worldwide ecological disaster devastated the planet, making life outside these domed enclosures nearly unfeasible. To aid humanity's recovery, humanoid robots known as "AutoReivs" were developed to assist with daily tasks. Yet, these machines have started to suffer from a strange affliction called the "Cogito Virus," which bestows them with self-awareness. Re-l Mayer, the granddaughter of Romdo's ruler, is tasked with probing this occurrence alongside her AutoReiv partner, Iggy. However, what starts as a standard inquiry quickly descends into a web of intrigue as Re-l confronts humanity's most profound transgressions. In another part of Romdo, an AutoReiv expert named Vincent Law must confront his own inner turmoil as bizarre incidents unfold around him. Re-l, Iggy, Vincent, and the young AutoReiv named Pino will form an unlikely alliance as they strive to unravel Romdo's secrets and ascertain the genuine function of the legendary entities known as "Proxies."

In the woods, a girl named Eruruu discovers an injured man whose origins are entirely unknown. He has no recollection of his past or even his own name, and she brings him to her home. There, Eruruu's grandmother and younger sister Aruruu give him the name Hakuoro. While the villagers possess large ears and tails, Hakuoro lacks both—his only defining trait is a mask he cannot remove. Soon after he becomes part of the community, a rebellion against the land's tyrannical emperor begins, and the conflict reaches his new home. Hakuoro must do everything he can to protect the people and village he has grown to love, all while uncovering the mysteries that shroud his past.

Masane Amaha and her daughter Rihoko are fleeing from a government child welfare agency determined to separate Rihoko from her mother. They are apprehended, and Rihoko is taken away. At the same time, Masane is attacked by an advanced weapon capable of disguising itself as a human. Confronted with the threat, a mysterious light emanates from her wrist, transforming her into a formidable entity. She destroys the weapon and, as a result, gets drawn into a power struggle among powerful organizations, all of which have their sights set on her. This is because she wields the ultimate power: the legendary Witchblade.

Akari Mizunashi, together with her companions Aika and Alice, carries on with her path toward becoming a Prima Undine—a professional gondolier who guides tourists through the serene canals of Neo Venezia. Though the three girls belong to rival companies, they spend much of their time together, deepening their understanding of what it takes to be better guides and uncovering the hidden wonders of Neo Venezia. Through their everyday experiences, the group continues to cross paths with memorable and extraordinary individuals, drawing them closer to the mysteries that give the perpetually enchanting city of Neo Venezia its warmth and vitality. Welcome back to Neo Venezia: a place where miracles can be shaped by human hands.

After their parents are killed, 11-year-old twin brothers Thor and Rai Klein are exiled from their home planet. They wake up on the terraformed world of Chimaera, where carnivorous plants thrive and the few human inhabitants are split into four factions called "Rings." They soon encounter a young man named Zagi, who explains that only the "Jyu Oh Sei"—the one who defeats all four Rings—can leave the planet. Determined to return home and uncover the truth behind his parents' murder, Thor resolves to endure Chimaera's brutal, unforgiving environment. But he quickly discovers that this strange ecosystem holds many hidden dangers. As Thor gets drawn into the political struggles between the Rings, he unravels more about his parents' deaths and, ultimately, the fate of all humanity.

Eva has just celebrated her birthday, yet she remains without any word from her father. Disgusted by the boarding school she is forced to attend, she makes her escape on a Rocket Bike she recently finished building. Adopting the pseudonym Molly, Eva stows away with the Earth team to travel to Alwas for the Great Race, drawn by the promise that the victor may have a single wish fulfilled. However, the Earth Team is entirely unaware of the perilous threats that lie in wait for them.

The peaceful, lush nation of Simulacrum is located on the planet Daikuuriku. Its survival depends on flying vessels known as Simoun and the sacred Sibylla pilots who operate them. These ships, fueled by ancient relics, are capable of performing Ri Maajon—devastatingly powerful abilities that can rip apart the sky itself. Aaeru, a strong-willed girl, enlists with the Sibylla priestesses at Chor Tempest, hoping to one day fly a Simoun. However, not long after she joins, Simulacrum is thrust into conflict as rival nations desperately seek to seize the technology for themselves. Believing the Simoun are essential to averting catastrophe, these endangered countries view them as the only way to save their homelands from ruin. Now forced to battle their enemies and cope with personal tragedies, the young women of Chor Tempest must adapt to their circumstances if they wish to uncover the secrets at the core of their country: the Simoun and the Ri Maajon.

The moon and Earth are connected through a single point of contact known as "Mitsuru ga Sakichau Ouren Rakuniushi," where Tatsuya resides under the watch of Princess Feena Fam Earthlight of the Sphere Kingdom (Moon Kingdom), who is coming to stay at his home.

Living in poverty, detective Kurou Daijuuji is approached by Ruri Hado of the Hado Financial Group to find a specific magical tome. Although he initially declines, the promise of a substantial financial reward convinces him to take the job. During his search, Kurou encounters Al, a beautiful young woman who is secretly a potent grimoire. The two form a pact, granting Kurou access to formidable magical abilities. Shortly after, Al awakens Demonbane, a massive deus ex machina belonging to the Hado Financial Group, to fight against the mechanical forces of the Black Lodge. This confrontation marks the beginning of the conflict between the Hado Financial Group and the Black Lodge.

Ordinary high school student Kyou Sogoru is passionate about swimming and lives in scenic Maihama City. His days are filled with time with friends, swimming, and video games. But his routine is shattered when a lovely and enigmatic girl named Shizuno Misaki makes an unusual proposal—jump into the school pool with her. That pivotal jump transports Kyou to a devastated world where humans pilot humanoid fighting machines called Zegas to battle hostile aliens known as Gards-Orm. To lead this effort, humans have formed Cerebrum, a resistance group working to stop the Gards-Orm from wiping out humankind. As Kyou engages in battle missions, comes to know his fellow Zega pilots, and sees many deaths, he starts to doubt the actual nature of this reality and his own existence.

After spending 15 years confined in a research facility, brothers Naoto and Naoya Kirihara finally break free when the psychic barrier isolating them from the outside world dissolves. Their parents abandoned them out of fear over their supernatural abilities, and now the siblings hope to live ordinary lives. Yet they soon find themselves compelled to use their powers to protect others as "minus energy" spreads across the globe and psychic-related crimes become more common. Mastering their abilities and employing them for good will be difficult: Naoya is haunted by his mind-reading power, while Naoto has caused harm to those close to him due to his unstable psychokinesis. With assistance from the enigmatic Shouko Futami, who can foresee the future, the Kirihara brothers must thwart a mysterious organization apparently connected to the dangerous incidents involving gifted individuals.

In 2010 AD, simultaneous Hyper Hurricanes across the globe caused catastrophic destruction. Five billion people perished, reducing the world population to three billion. Existing economies and military forces were annihilated. Nations were buried under ice, plains submerged beneath oceans, and the world was transformed beyond recognition. Human civilization descends into an era of chaos. Poverty thrives outside designated economic zones, with slums spreading widely. The ruling class, calling themselves Logos, maintain their power through military force. They label the poor as Revenus, exiling them to live outside the special economic areas. Time moves forward. Katsuragi Jo and Tsurasawa Jin escape from Phantom—an organization established to monitor the Revenus and suppress rebellious elements among the Logos—taking with them a mysterious girl, Nobuto Sana. Many individuals pursue her, each driven by their own motives.

Eleven-year-old Sara Werec's older brother, Ralph, was deployed to the front lines of an interstellar conflict 130 light-years away, and she promised herself that one day she would stand beside him as a fellow soldier. Five years later, Sara is enrolled at the Grapera Space Armed Soldier Academy, training to become a Reasoner—the pilot of an advanced weapons platform known as a "Strain." When enemy forces launch a sudden assault on the academy, Sara engages in combat against another Strain that swiftly overwhelms her. After disabling her craft, the pilot reveals himself to be her brother Ralph. He slaughters all the other students and destroys the school before disappearing, leaving Sara to doubt everything she once believed. Soukou no Strain follows Sara as she resumes her training under a different identity, now resolved to confront her brother and understand the reasons behind his actions.

Mylene Hoffman, a beautiful cyborg spy operating under the codename 009-1, inhabits an alternate reality where the Cold War never concluded and has persisted for 140 years. The world is divided into two factions: the West block and the East block. A masquerade of peace between them gradually erodes as conflicts emerge. Through political maneuvering, the two sides compete for dominance in technology and nuclear threats. Mylene, alongside three other agents, finds herself embroiled in deception, chaos, and rivalry while executing missions assigned by her superiors.

Ryota Aizawa is a third-year student at the preparatory division of the Central Military Academy. In the year 2045 AD, he travels to the Aries space station for training alongside classmates Nagase Saka and Kazuhiko Nittak. Their mission is abruptly interrupted when the station comes under attack by the terrorist organization Hallarax, forcing the group to devise a plan to return to Earth.

Centuries of interplanetary warfare have left civilizations in ruins, reducing the human population to just one-fifth of its former size. Following this devastation, a unique group known as The Third emerged. True to their name, these individuals possess a third eye, manifesting as oval-shaped red pupils called space eyes above their natural pair. This ability allows them to manipulate computer systems and other technology, granting them dominance over the world. Honoka is a young woman working as a versatile sellsword who takes on any contract except those involving murder. Her life changes when she discovers and saves a young man named Ikus in the desert. By entering his sphere of influence and accepting a mission from him, Honoka and Ikus embark on a new adventure.

Mister, a space-faring outlaw referred to as a "coyote," has spent the past year incarcerated for a traffic violation. Ten days before his scheduled release, he orchestrates a breakout with the assistance of his old comrades Bishop and Katana. He then finds Franka, who was left in his custody by her late father, and takes her on a voyage to discover her father's treasure. Hot on their trail are federal investigators Angelica and Chelsea, as well as the android assassins of the Criminal Guild—Madame Marciano's Twelve Sisters.

With enough money, anything can be bought, so there's no need to wait for a needed organ to become available. Ray was raised to be a donor and had already lost her eyes before being saved by the rogue surgeon Black Jack. A decade later, she has become a surgeon herself. Thanks to the unique artificial eyes she received as replacements, she is renowned for performing incredible medical operations that no one else would dare attempt. However, only a select few know that her surgical work is only part of a larger mission: to uncover the fate of the other children she grew up with, and to track down the men who took the eyes she was born with, bringing them to justice.

In the year 220X, technology has evolved around radio waves, linking the entire world through the Wave Road. Subaru Hoshikawa, a fifth-grader who lost his father in a space accident, encounters War-Rock, an alien radio-wave entity from a distant FM planet. War-Rock claims knowledge of Subaru’s father, but numerous extraterrestrial beings pursue War-Rock. Joining forces, they transform into Rockman, a radio-wave human able to travel the Wave Road and fight the radio-wave viruses and FM creatures endangering Earth.

The People's Army, led by Michel, opposes Vetti's recently established empire. After witnessing the formidable strength of the Glass Battleship, Michel seeks to enlist Cleo, the ship's captain, to aid the People's Army in overthrowing Vetti's regime. Together, they battle against Vetti's empire.

A young girl named Ange is called to a Sacred Land, where she is selected as the Legendary Etoile—a role meant to rescue the newly formed Cosmos of the Holy Beast, which has recently plunged into peril. Supported by nine Guardians, each wielding the power of one of nine elements, she sets out on a quest to restore the dying land of the Holy Beast and find her own true self.

Team Satomi has been declared champions of the IG-2 lower league and now moves up to the premier IG-1 division. However, the path ahead is challenging. The young pilots Takeshi, Liz, Amy, and River must work together to achieve the top spot, but various complications arise among them. Crucially, their rivals outmatch Team Satomi in all areas, from tactics and ability to financial resources. Without doubt, this will be a difficult season for Team Satomi.

In the near future, a permanent super cyclone called the Grand Roar forms in the Western Pacific, drastically altering the climate and flooding most of the world's landmasses. As shipping and navigation become vital to global economies, ocean pirates emerge, forcing companies to hire escort cruisers to protect their cargo. System engineer Hyousuke Nagimiya is tasked with upgrading the Pascal Magi, a cruiser crewed entirely by women under the command of Captain Misaki Nanaha. The crew must work to prove to their skeptics that they are not just an "Alice Brand." However, as they carry out their missions, a larger global conspiracy begins to take shape, aiming to exploit the new world order for its own purposes.

Two centuries have passed since the dawn of the Space Era, when humanity began expanding civilization into space. At the start of the 21st century, however, two meteors struck Earth, throwing the world into turmoil. By the year 179 of the Space Era, the Earth Federal Government discovered a third meteor that had landed in the Marquesas Islands of the South Pacific, containing a secret technology known as Extra-Over Technology, or EOT. Dr. Bian Zoldark, director of the EOTI Institute (Extra-Over Technological Investigative Institute), obtained evidence that the beings who created the EOT were heading toward Earth—either to reclaim it or, worse, to invade the planet. To protect humanity from extraterrestrial threats, the government began researching and developing humanoid mecha called Personal Troopers.

Mantaro reaches the semifinal round of the Chojin Cup. His opponent is Ricardo, and their match takes place on a soccer field, with victory sending him to the final. Kevin Mask also competes in the semifinals, facing Ilioukhine on an aerial field. The outcomes of these two matches will decide the champion of the Chojin Cup.

Beast+ picks up directly where Beast left off, though it is advertised as a self-contained series. The episodes are shortened to around ten minutes each, airing in the half-hour Oha Coliseum time slot together with the Saru Getchu anime. Beast+ is composed of a series of arcs, starting with the arrival of the Professor and Zero, both from Mega Man Network Transmission.

Apricot Sakuraba and four other new recruits have been appointed as the newest Galaxy Angels. Their mission continues to be the search for Lost Technology and the preservation of peace on Planet Transbaal.

Years ago, beings from beyond the stars—called the Citizens of the Stars—descended on the planet Tokinea and brought devastation to humanity. In response, the military launched the Majin project, aiming to create hybrids by merging human and alien DNA. The goal was to harness both human obedience and the powers of the extraterrestrial threat. Majin no. 7, a young girl kept confined within a military base, is set free when the Citizens of the Stars launch another assault. Though she possesses an array of abilities that let her effortlessly destroy the enemy, she hesitates on the battlefield, plagued by uncertainty. But when a boy named Yuuri tells her she must fight to win her freedom, his courage inspires her, and she finishes off the remaining Citizens of the Stars. Together, they decide to set out on a journey, searching for their purpose in a time when humanity knows no peace.

In a futuristic setting, a young boy named Marty discovers a bionic arm that grants him superhuman abilities, thrusting him into the middle of a centuries-long conflict between good and evil. He embarks on an extensive training journey alongside his two steadfast companions: Buttons, his robotic puppy, and the courageous Ally.

D.I.C.E. (DNA Integrated Cybernetic Enterprises) is a vast organization created to handle crises throughout the Sarbylion galaxy. The unit known as DICE F-99 is the sole team composed entirely of children. Whenever a situation arises, DICE is called in to respond. When their specialized training and abilities are not enough, they turn to their Dinobreakers—machines that can switch from Vehicle Mode to Dino Mode—to accomplish the mission. Constantly on call and always ready, DICE stands prepared for action.

Second season.

In this thrilling series inspired by classic 1950s science fiction, the mysterious disappearance of groundbreaking G-Reaction engines signals the start of a terrifying end for humanity. As malevolent alien forces assemble a fleet of flying saucers for an unprecedented invasion, teenage prodigies Penny Carter and Billy Kimura team up with a covert secret organization to rescue humankind from the extraterrestrial helmet worms and their dreadful tentacles. Evading alien assaults and dodging deadly disintegration beams will prove challenging, but these brave youngsters receive aerial support from ace pilot James and his mentor Captain Clayton, who step in to combat a danger far beyond ordinary human comprehension.

This pilot film for the 009-1 television series features some original animation. It was first screened at Comic Market 70 and later included in the DVD release of the main series.