Best Sci-Fi Anime of 2008

A year has elapsed since the failed Black Rebellion against the Holy Britannian Empire, during which the masked vigilante Zero vanished. Deprived of their revolutionary leader, Area 11’s resistance group, the Black Knights, are left too weak to withstand the intensified brutality Britannia inflicts upon the Elevens to extinguish any hope of future uprisings. Meanwhile, Lelouch Lamperouge, having lost all memories of his double life, lives peacefully as a high school student at Ashford Academy with his friends. His former partner C.C., unable to accept this change, takes it upon herself to remind him of his past purpose, hoping the mastermind Zero will rise again to finish what he started.

Situated in Japan, Academy City is thirty years ahead of the rest of the world in science and technology. Over seventy-five percent of its inhabitants are students training to develop psychic abilities as espers across various institutions. Touma Kamijou, a high school student, holds the lowest rank of zero but possesses a mysterious power known as Imagine Breaker, which can negate any supernatural force. Despite this unique gift, Touma lives a routine life until he meets Index Librorum Prohibitorum, a girl who has committed every forbidden grimoire to memory. Now, a dangerous faction is pursuing her. When magicians threaten the young girl, Touma vows to defend his new companion, pulling him into a concealed realm of the supernatural.

Rito Yuuki is a bashful sixteen-year-old boy who has secretly liked his classmate Haruna Sairenji ever since middle school but has never mustered the bravery to tell her. His life is thrown into chaos one night when a mysterious, naked girl lands in his bathtub. He discovers that this intruder is Lala Satalin Deviluke, an alien princess on the run from an arranged political marriage. Despite hailing from a vast galactic empire, Lala proposes to the ordinary Rito to avoid her forced union. To LOVE-Ru chronicles Rito’s efforts to handle the turmoil set off by Lala’s presence. His attempts to court Haruna are perpetually disrupted by an ever-growing array of attractive girls, leading to a romantic comedy filled with slapstick gags, risqué humor, and absurd, physics-defying scenarios.

In Shibuya, a string of murders known as the "New Generation Madness" has become a major topic of conversation among locals as the crimes grow in notoriety. However, these "New Gen" killings fail to interest Takumi Nishijou, a high school otaku prone to delusions who feels like he is always being watched. With no concern for the real world, Takumi spends his days playing online games and watching anime. But his mundane life is shattered when he receives a gruesome image of a man impaled on a wall from a user named Shogun. After calming down at an internet cafe, Takumi witnesses the exact murder scene from the image unfold right before his eyes, alongside a pink-haired girl covered in blood calling his name. Struggling with the nature of reality, Takumi finds it hard to decide where to place his trust as he becomes entangled in the "New Gen" murders, convinced that the killer is after him.

Immortality is something many people might wish for. But would they still desire it if they knew it would subject them to endless attacks? That is the reality for Rin Asougi, an immortal private investigator—there is no shortage of individuals who want her dead. Over the centuries, she has met countless gruesome ends, only to return to life each time as if nothing happened. In 1990, while searching for a lost cat, Rin encounters Kouki Maeno, a man who believes his memories are faulty. Agreeing to assist him, Rin soon discovers that Kouki is not what he appears to be, all while moving closer to her true enemy. This foe knows Rin and her kind all too well, and if she dies by his hand, she may stay dead forever.

Gainax announced a website for the fall 2008 theatrical adaptation of the Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann TV series. The original director and series script editor are both returning for the new project. Additionally, Gainax will host four events at that year's Tokyo International Anime Fair to commemorate the occasion, featuring voice actors from the anime.

In 1939, humanity teetered on the brink of annihilation. A mysterious alien race called the Neuroi, armed with catastrophic weaponry, launched an invasion of Earth, laying waste to nations and crushing human armies. To fight this seemingly unstoppable threat, the world’s powers united. They developed a new device, the Striker Unit, capable of countering Neuroi technology. Girls who wielded these units became known as Witches, humanity’s last line of defense. They began their battle against the Neuroi, harnessing their enhanced magical powers and wielding destructive weapons no ordinary human could handle. By 1944, Yoshika Miyafuji, a young teenage girl, decides to join the 501st Joint Fighter Wing, also called the "Strike Witches." But with no formal training, can Miyafuji learn to work alongside her fellow Strike Witches? And if she can, will she be able to save humanity from the Neuroi onslaught?

In a world where memories are stored on chips separate from the body, physical death no longer means the end of the soul. These chips can be viewed, altered, and transferred between bodies. The wealthy use them to achieve eternal life by selecting ideal vessels, while the poor often have to sell their bodies and preserve their souls in chips just to survive. A barrier of electrolytic clouds separates the heavens of the rich from the underworld of the poor, making this social divide absolute. One day, a man named Kaiba wakes up in an empty room with no memories, a mysterious hole in his chest, and a locket containing a picture of an unknown woman. After escaping an attack and arriving at a decrepit village of underworld residents, he sets out on a journey across the different planets of this strange universe to uncover the truth about his identity and the woman he once knew. Through a voyage of self-discovery and acceptance, Kaiba weaves together stories of souls and spirits, exploring the significance of memories.

In a far-off future, Earth is a barren wasteland and humanity has vanished completely. Only sentient robots remain. They were meant to be immortal—until the death of the one named Luna triggered the Ruin. Their bodies corrode, and no cure exists. Now the robots can only dwell on their own end, sustained solely by the rumor that consuming the one called Casshern grants eternal life. Casshern remembers nothing of his past, his purpose, or his very nature. Yet he must uncover these truths, or else endure the unrelenting pursuit of robots desperate to stave off death. Wherever Casshern goes, he leaves death in his wake, but he must confront that reality if he is to discover the truth about this world.

In the year 2311 AD, a world that once experienced inter-continental conflict has become unified under the Earth Sphere Federation (ESF). The ESF created a preventive military force called the A-Laws, assigned to eliminate violent terrorist organizations. As the A-Laws gain increasing legal authority, they begin twisting the law to serve their own purposes, ruling over Earth's citizens with an iron fist. In response to the fascistic actions of the A-Laws, the anti-terrorist group Celestial Being reemerges. Armed with state-of-the-art mobile suits known as Gundam, the pilots of Celestial Being launch a new war against the A-Laws, aiming to halt their tyrannical misuse of power. Setsuna F. Seiei, pilot of the Gundam Exia, spearheads the effort alongside his fellow Gundam Meisters Lockon Stratos, Allelujah Haptism, and Tieria Erde. Along the way, Setsuna uncovers a conspiratorial plot driven by a new faction, the Innovators, and must confront his own past wounds and lingering ghosts in order to save a world that despises him.

After a devastating conflict with the Zentradi, a giant warrior race, humanity fled toward the galaxy's center in a fleet of colony ships called the Macross Frontier. With the alien menace growing more distant, life on the Macross Frontier continues as normal. In 2059, Alto Saotome, a young mecha pilot in training, and his teammates prepare to perform a supporting routine for the famous singer Sheryl Nome, who is visiting Macross Frontier for a concert. During the show, a biomechanical alien species called the Vajra suddenly appears, breaches the vessel's defensive perimeter, and crash-lands near the concert site, throwing the entire city into chaos. As the audience evacuates, a young girl named Ranka Lee is left behind and becomes a target of the Vajra, but Alto saves her at the last moment. After these events, the Strategic Military Services program recognizes Alto's combat skills and recruits him to fight this new alien threat.

In the 24th century on the planet Aqua, three young women—Akari Mizunashi, Alice Carroll, and Aika S. Granzchesta—keep striving toward their shared ambition of becoming Prima Undines, professional gondolier tour guides. Fortunately, they have the mentorship of Neo-Venezia's three finest Prima Undines—Alicia Florence, Athena Glory, and Akira E. Ferrari—revered as the "Water Fairies" for their exceptional abilities. With their guidance, the apprentices train diligently and tackle whatever challenges come their way. As these three girls encounter both the joys and difficulties of life, they do their utmost to grow as tour gondoliers in Neo-Venezia, a terraformed replica of Venice.

While chasing an alien fugitive, Birdy Cephon Altera—a boisterous police officer from the Space Federation—lands on Earth. Her target, Geega, has taken on a human disguise and infiltrated the fashion world, so Birdy follows suit by joining a modeling agency under the alias "Shion Arita." By day, she poses for photo shoots as a rising model, and by night, she hunts intergalactic criminals. Meanwhile, ordinary high school student Tsutomu Senkawa explores an abandoned building with a friend, unaware that Birdy has tracked Geega to the same location. Senkawa briefly witnesses their fight before Geega takes him hostage. Birdy, not noticing, attacks Geega and accidentally kills Senkawa. Distraught, she quickly decides to save him by merging his consciousness into her own body. Now, Birdy and Senkawa must share the same body, juggling Senkawa's high school life, Shion Arita's modeling career, and Birdy's increasingly perilous duties as a Federation officer.

During the twelfth century, the swordsman Kurou flees terrifying pursuers into a dense forest with his attendant Benkei. They discover the hidden residence of the enigmatic and stunning Kuromitsu, who welcomes them but strictly forbids them from entering her private chambers. Compelled by curiosity and perhaps a doomed affection, Kurou looks inside and discovers Kuromitsu consuming the blood of deceased men. Realizing she is an immortal vampire, he vows to stay by her side, even turning into a vampire himself to remain with her forever. Yet, the secretive Red Army recruits Benkei, who betrays Kurou and decapitates him. Centuries later, Kurou awakens in a ruined, futuristic Japan and embarks on a quest to find his beloved and take vengeance on the Red Army.

In Ayanagi City, a seaside metropolis built to facilitate recovery from the "Apathy Syndrome" disaster a decade earlier, high school student Shin Kanzato and his younger brother Jun reunite with their elder brother Ryou, the chief of the Ayanagi City Police, after ten years apart. Around this time, a series of bizarre incidents plague the city: a submarine crew vanishes without a trace inside their vessel, a listless symptom resembling the Apathy Syndrome resurfaces, and a student is found gruesomely mutilated in an "inside-out corpse" case. As Ryou investigates the organization behind these events, Shin becomes entangled in the incidents and awakens his "Persona."

Modern Germany is experiencing a surge of "Amalgams." These cybernetic beings emerge from decaying flesh, seeking only to cause chaos, and they can merge with machinery to develop new capabilities. As society struggles amid the destruction, the Xenogenesis Assault Team (XAT) is established to counter the menace. In addition to its main objective of defending against Amalgam assaults, the group also investigates the recently discovered "amalgamated" humans—beings capable of rational thought and far more lethal than their mindless counterparts. Joseph Jobson is one such amalgamated human who exercises complete command over his abilities. Though effective as a solitary fighter, a fateful run-in with Gerd Frentzen, who has recently turned into an Amalgam, makes Joseph a prime target for the XAT. While evading the organization and searching for new allies, Joseph transforms into the Blassreiter—a being hailed as the most powerful Amalgam ever. Now he must fight using his newfound strengths to uncover the truth behind both his own history and the larger Amalgam conflict.

Aniplex has announced that a 10-minute Gintama short anime titled "Shiroyasha Koutan" will be released on September 30th. This special was originally screened at the Jump Super Anime Tour 2008 and had never been made available on DVD. The release serves as a trailer for an imaginary Gintama film. Additionally, the DVD includes the Gintama OVA that was shown at the Jump Anime Tour '05.

The Social Welfare Agency probes into the vanishing of one of its agents, a quest that directs their attention straight to the territory of their nemesis, the Five Republics. Triela, an assassin, sneaks into the enemy organization, yet her mission is abruptly halted when she ends up facing the muzzle of a firearm.

Kouichi Hayase, a fourteen-year-old boy, has spent his life in mediocrity and despair, frequently bullied by peers and retreating into fantasies of heroism. This routine is shattered by an incident that grants him a girl and a massive humanoid robot known as LINEBARREL. Armed with extraordinary power, Kouichi is thrust into a chaotic whirlwind of combat, political intrigue, and camaraderie. As he navigates this new reality, he matures through new friendships and farewells to old ones, ultimately shouldering significant responsibilities and facing the world head-on.

As a child, Sanpeita Kobayashi’s beloved friend was forced to relocate, but she swore they would reunite in a decade as husband and wife. Ten years later, Sanpeita remains in high school, still holding onto the emotions they shared. His sleep is shattered by a dream of their final day together, only to be interrupted by a bizarre robot girl fighting other machines in his room, who claims to be his spouse. The pilot resembles his long-lost childhood friend, raising questions about her true identity, the reason for her departure, and her connection to the Mishima Electronics Corporation.

By 2061, the Network society has existed for half a century. Initially hailed as a path to a utopian consciousness-linked existence, it soon brought issues like data breaches and misinformation. Despite these flaws, humanity remained dependent on the Network. A more secure platform called Meta Real Network, or "the Metal," emerged, integrating personal memories into protected virtual spaces known as bubble shells. Within this secure environment, individuals began to unleash their hidden instincts, causing their consciousnesses to drown in information and desire. This created a stark contrast with the regulated real world, leading to unpredictable aberrations. To investigate these anomalies deep within the Metal, experts known as cyber divers were deployed. The story follows Masamichi Haru, a cyber diver who explores the incidents occurring in the space between Reality and the Metal.

When he was young, Yuu Kusaka made a wish on a shooting star to fight for justice and protect the helpless. After one of his friends died, however, he lost the drive to honor that promise. Instead of using his mysterious ability to aid those in need, he exploits it to earn money, ignoring the suffering around him. His self-serving life continues until he is forced to fight for survival against another classmate with similar powers. He is rescued by Eimu Yoake, a mysterious girl who also possesses strange abilities. Eimu reveals that his power comes from an Ayakashi—a parasitic creature that grants the host special abilities while gradually draining their life energy. She assists him in fully awakening his own Ayakashi. Now aware of the being inside him, Yuu must live up to his childhood oath by using his Ayakashi to protect others and fight those who employ their own for evil, all while uncovering the truth behind his friend's death.

Midarezaki Ouka is no stranger to bizarre occurrences—as the chief of the Great Japanese Empire Paranormal Phenomena Bureau of Measures, he deals with them daily. However, when he apprehends a small cat girl stealing apples in the shopping district, his existence is completely reorganized to accommodate a new endeavor: Operation Cozy Family. Thousands of years ago, Enka, the God of Destruction, was slain. But with its final breath, it declared that its offspring would one day appear and annihilate humanity. In a futuristic Japan, all potential children of Enka have now been located and forced into a makeshift household. Teika the lion, Gekka the jellyfish, Yuuka the oni, Ginka the cross-dressing mafia son, and Hyouka the bioweapon—alongside their guardians Ouka and Kyouka (the sovereign of a demon underworld)—coexist under one roof in a chaotic family whirlwind.

In a future setting, a cutting-edge MRI technology can scan the brains of deceased crime victims and eyewitnesses within 48 hours of their death, extracting visual images of their memories. This advanced technique has been instrumental in solving numerous murder cases, but it has also sparked serious ethical debates, placing Section Nine—the police division responsible for these MRI investigations, led by Tsuyoshi Maki—under intense scrutiny from the media and the government. The members of Section Nine are forced to relive traumatic experiences through the eyes of both victims and killers, and they must also negotiate with the families of the deceased to obtain consent for the post-mortem MRI scans. Fresh out of the police academy, Ikkou Aoki joins Section Nine to fill the position left by Maki's best friend Katsuhiro Suzuki—a former member who died under mysterious circumstances after viewing MRI footage from an especially disturbing criminal case. As a chain of seemingly unconnected events draws closer to the truth behind Suzuki's death, Section Nine must confront its greatest challenge yet, one that threatens its very survival.

A single man challenges an entire empire! For centuries, the Empire of Valdana has kept most of human space under its iron grip through intimidation and conquest. That control has always been wielded by the Landless Lords of the ruling Tytania dynasty. However, the empire's foundation is now cracking. Rebel factions emerge, and when a punitive expedition sent against the city-state of Euriya suffers a shocking defeat, the one responsible becomes the target of a galaxy-wide manhunt. Fan Hyurlick, the mastermind behind Tytania's first major loss, finds glory turning to desperation as his own allies betray him. Now he must not only survive but somehow outmaneuver opponents with entire worlds at their command.

Rags Town serves as Japan's dumping ground, a refuge for those seeking to escape their pasts. In this place, where strict rules forbid inquiries into anyone's history or attempts to form close bonds, a small detective agency named S&A Detectives operates. The narrative centers on Ayamana, an unlikely duo of aspiring detectives, the case that Manami impulsively takes on, and the chaos that follows. During the investigation, they encounter a woman with an abnormally high body temperature, pursued by a group of armed women. After dubbing her Sara, the detectives work to uncover the truth about her situation. Meanwhile, teenage girls across the town begin spontaneously combusting and transforming into glass. The government is suppressing the incidents, but the detectives, along with a meddlesome reporter and the local police, are determined to uncover what is really going on.

The sequel to Kodai Oja Kyoryu King sees the return of the Alpha Gang and the Ancients. While the parents are engaged in conversation, they are abducted by Gunenco, a member of the Zanjark Space Aliens. This prompts the Alpha Gang and the D-Team to join forces in opposing the Zanjark Space Aliens, who are plotting to acquire the Cosmos Stones. Seth later reappears, siding with the Zanjark space aliens. Jark, the leader of the Zanjark, supplies the dinosaur cards.

Fireball takes place during the war between humans and robots. There is no real story, just individual episode skits.

044 is transformed into the government's most formidable female soldier through viral gene manipulation, gaining superior combat abilities at the cost of a shortened lifespan. Her next assignment is to eliminate the bloodthirsty Phage squad and its leader, King. During battle, she meets a Phage soldier named Luka and finds herself unable to kill him. Confused by this hesitation, she is branded a traitor by Daxus Jr., the head of the government faction. Now hunted by both Phage and the government, she flees alongside the wounded Luka.

With funding from the Kujo Group, Chinami and her friends create an organization named OZ. Its mission is to peacefully incorporate individuals with Type-E powers into society while resisting the Foundation, a group that works to capture and manipulate Type-E users for its own hidden aims.

A young boy named Akigawa Yuta is pulled into a virtual world through his mobile phone. There, he encounters three peculiar creatures who accompany him on his journey through this unfamiliar realm.

Each five-minute episode follows the exploits of three robot friends—Nejimaru, Sombrenosuke, and Drum-Kan-Be—who live together with humans in the same world. When an alien invasion known as Corporation Baddoru arrives, they are compelled to unite against the intruders.