Best Sci-Fi Anime of 1986

In ancient times, a group of young warriors devoted themselves to safeguarding Athena, the deity of wisdom and warfare. Capable of fighting without weapons, their strength was immense; a single blow could split the heavens and crumble the earth beneath. These fighters were known as Saints and could harness the power of the Cosmos within them. In the modern era, a fresh batch of Saints emerges. Seiya, full of vigor, fights passionately to claim the Pegasus Cloth, determined to overcome any obstacle. After six years of rigorous training, his efforts bear fruit as he triumphs and joins Athena’s ranks as a Saint. However, Seiya’s trials are just beginning. Numerous threats and powerful adversaries still confront him and the other Saints. What future hurdles will the protagonists of the legendary Saint Seiya series face?

In the Universal Century 0088, the Anti-Earth Union Group (AEUG) secures a hard-won victory against the Earth Federation's Titans, but Neo-Zeon—formerly Axis Zeon—remains a grave threat under Newtype leader Haman Karn, who plans to dominate Earth and the space colonies. The AEUG flagship Argama docks at Side 1's Shangri-La colony for repairs, where fourteen-year-old scrap dealer Judau Ashta works to support his younger sister's schooling. After discovering an escape pod holding an ex-Titans pilot, Judau and his friends hatch a scheme to steal a mobile suit from the Argama for a substantial payoff. Their plan is interrupted when a Neo-Zeon vessel attacks the Argama, dragging Judau and his companions into the escalating space war against their will.

Sixteen years after a meteor destroyed the original city, Graviton City has been rebuilt as a futuristic metropolis. Superpowered high school student Eiko Magani is more focused on keeping up with her best friend Shiiko Kotobuki and making it to class on time. Her concerns grow when genius Biko Daitokuji, who also wants to befriend Shiiko, tries to take Eiko's place as Shiiko's closest companion. To accomplish this, Biko builds a mecha to challenge Eiko to a duel, hoping to defeat her and win Shiiko's favor. Their fight starts right outside the school gates, just as a massive spaceship descends from the sky, apparently searching for a relic left behind from the past.

After a devastating nuclear war, the world is on the verge of total collapse. Civilization has fractured into a corrupted society where rival gangs of predatory looters hunt down helpless, wandering refugees. For those fortunate enough to endure the relentless violence and peril, existence is grim and hopeless. The line between living and dying becomes meaningless. The sole remaining chance for humanity is to find a champion worthy of becoming the next "Fist of the North Star"—a warrior of enlightenment—who can guide the determined survivors out of this wasteland toward a fresh beginning. However, in this brutal frontier where allegiances shift and power-hungry demigods reign, such heroes are scarce.

In the far future, mankind has expanded across the stars, colonizing numerous worlds. While many planets enjoy peace, Jerra has suffered through endless warfare for decades. Geist, classified as an M.D.S. (Most Dangerous Soldier), is a genetically engineered human with unrivaled combat ability and an insatiable craving for battle. Because of his uncontrollable demeanor, he is cryogenically frozen and sealed inside a satellite. Years later, the satellite crashes, and Geist awakens from his slumber to rejoin the conflict. This time, he aids an army in stopping the planet's central computer from activating a doomsday device that would annihilate all life on Jerra. A Director's Cut version was released on March 1, 1996, featuring a new opening and closing that lead into the sequel.

In the era of peace established by the Interstellar Alliance, the renowned Cosmo Academy was founded. Known for producing highly successful graduates, its entrance exams, held every three years, attract fierce competition. Lane Tadatos, a Terran, has advanced to the final phase of these exams. Along with ten other candidates, he is sent to the Esperanza, a ship adrift in orbit. Their final challenge is to survive on the vessel for 53 days with no means of contacting the outside world, except for an emergency surrender button. However, after a headcount, the candidates discover a discrepancy: there are eleven people aboard the Esperanza, meaning one of them is an impostor.

Rumi Natsumi runs Telephone Communication Madonna, a phone sex service that occasionally sets up in-person meetings between its female staff and specific customers. As the company's director, Rumi handles the most difficult situations, such as that of a young man named Ryo Sugiura who loses all self-control when sexually excited. Confident she can manage this unusual case, Rumi decides to meet him. But when they finally come face to face, she realizes Ryo's loss of control is far more extreme than she expected—he literally turns into a massive monster.

In "Outlanders," photographer Tetsuya Wakatsuki records an alien invasion that wipes out much of humanity. Amid the chaos, he is accidentally shoved into the alien commander, knocking him unconscious. When he awakens, he finds himself aboard an alien spaceship. The commander, Princess Kahm of Saint Evascuraze, reveals she has taken a fancy to him and intends for them to wed. Though initially reluctant, Tetsuya realizes that marrying Kahm could be the key to saving the remaining humans. To end the invasion, he agrees to the union, even though it defies the wishes of her father, the emperor.

Two pairs of young lovers are drawn into a conflict between two opposing kingdoms: the primitive yet splendid Isa and the militaristic yet unruly Paro. Izu and his wife Marin work as simple farmers in the humble village of Saki, situated directly between Isa and Paro. Though Saki lacks the elegance of Isa or the war engines of Paro, the village is home to a magnificent tree called "Windaria," to which the villagers offer their prayers in exchange for "good memories." When war breaks out, Izu decides to enlist in Paro's army, lured by the promise of a fantastic motorbike given to him as a bribe. Before he leaves, the couple makes a mutual promise: he will definitely return to her, and she will wait for him until he does. The other pair consists of Jill, the prince of Paro, and Ahanas, the princess of Isa. Initially they want no part in the rapidly escalating war, but after Jill's father—the king of Paro—dies by his son's hand during an argument over the conflict, Jill has little choice but to carry out his father's final wish: the conquest of Isa. The only complication is that Jill had sworn to his beloved Ahanas that he would not get involved. Windaria is a war parable set in a fantasy land filled with unicorns and ghost ships.

Unusual occurrences start happening in Tomobiki Town... While Lum and her companions are working on filming a movie, a large cherry tree named Tarozakura gets suddenly cut down. Soon after, Lum loses both her horns and her supernatural powers. This marks the start of the most unconventional and whimsical film in the Urusei Yatsura series.

Two advanced civilizations—the Paranoids, a race of alien humanoids, and the Solenoids, who are exclusively female—have been locked in a war for centuries. As the Solenoid fleet retreats from a battle to protect an experimentally terraformed world from the Paranoids, one damaged Solenoid vessel, the Star Leaf, becomes separated from the main force. Only seven women remain alive on the ship: Eluza, the captain; Rabby, the solid and somewhat central character; Lufy, the brash pilot; Catty, the mysterious science officer; Pony, the pink-haired ditzy technician; Patty, a dependable crew member; and Remy, the cute one. After narrowly escaping the battle, the crew of the Star Leaf decides to press on with their orders and rendezvous at the planet Chaos to defend it. However, it soon becomes clear that their ship itself is part of a Paranoid experiment. In the end, the remaining crew of the Star Leaf must defend the artificial paradise of Chaos against both the Paranoid fleet and the hidden agendas of the Solenoid leadership.

Near Los Angeles, a fearless biker named Marcia and her recently met companion Noera are thrown from their motorcycles when a nearby semi-truck explodes. In the chaos that follows, Marcia snatches a briefcase that holds an unusual black sphere. The moment she touches the orb, both Marcia and Noera share a vision of Death Valley. Convinced this vision is a sign that they must bring the sphere there, the pair set off toward Death Valley, each pursuing their own idea of the American Dream while staying ahead of those desperate to reclaim the mysterious object.

This OVA loosely adapts the opening four chapters of the Guyver manga, covering the same core storyline: the origin of the Guyver, the clash with Vamore, the battle against Guyver 2, and the debut of Guyver 3. The key changes involve swapping Tetsuro out for Mizuki, and replacing Lisker with a female operative named Valcuria, which consequently makes Guyver 2 female as well. The story also explores Sho's inner turmoil as he struggles to cope with his transformation, including a harrowing scene where his friends are executed in cold blood. One night, high school student Sho Fukamachi comes across a strange metallic object. In a sudden blinding flash, he discovers he has inadvertently bonded with the Guyver, a mecha of mysterious alien design. Now, to protect his girlfriend Mizuki Segawa and the entire world, Sho must take on the role of the Guyver and battle the Chronos Corporation and their bio-engineered creatures, the Zoanoids, who are determined to conquer the globe.

In a future world, the story opens with Kei and Ai fleeing for their lives. Ai is a young girl carrying a devastating secret with the power to bring down the world as it exists. This world is inhabited by Headmeters—psychic individuals whose power levels appear on their foreheads during combat. Kei, however, was once an experimental subject, and his strength has never risen above level 5, while others surpass him effortlessly. Yet in desperate moments, whenever Ai finds herself in danger, Kei can push his abilities to infinity. The mysterious pursuer hunting Ai harbors a hidden agenda, aided by a small, dwarflike figure who lives inside a robotic suit. Eventually, Ai is captured, forcing Kei—a detective in the mold of Sherlock Holmes—along with another Headmeter who was turned to the side of good after Kei unleashed his terrifying powers through Ai, to set out on a rescue mission. Together, they must save Ai and uncover the secret she carries. What is Ai's secret? Who is she, really?

Despite being a refugee from a planet that no longer exists, having an alcoholic father and an airheaded mother, Maris's greatest challenge is her Thanatosian nature. Since Thanatosians are six times stronger than the average Earthling, it shouldn't be such a burden—especially in a galaxy filled with violence. But the accidental destruction she causes to everything she touches, even with the special alloy restraints she wears, keeps her constantly in debt. Every mission the Inter-Galactic Space Patrol assigns her ends up costing her money once all the damages are deducted from her pay. However, when she gets chosen to rescue the wealthy and attractive Kogane Maru, it feels like a dream come true. After freeing him from the terror of his ruthless kidnapper, his eternal gratitude will surely lead to marriage—and an end to all her financial troubles.

Based on the novel trilogy of the same name by Taku Mayumura. In the new Calendar Year of 392, in Neo-Tokyo, a young man named Agino Jiro steals a time synchronization system and attempts to escape to the past. The authorities give chase and damage his ship during the pursuit, forcing him to land in modern-day Tokyo. Determined, he breaks into a van and attaches the device, recklessly kidnapping Nobucho, Shinichi, Teko, and their teacher, Hokubei. Their initial resistance lands them in Tokyo on March 9th, 1945, during the US bombing campaign. Escaping again to the past, the group eventually arrives at the Warring States period. There, the future and the past collide as factions from Jiro's era seek to alter their past at a pivotal moment at Honnoji.

While exploring deep space, a research crew comes across the derelict vessel "Green Planet," which has only recently warped into their vicinity. They encounter Buzz, the ship's commander and only living crew member, but he is too exhausted to reveal what happened to his craft. Immediately after this meeting, the group discovers that they have unknowingly entered a far more dangerous predicament.

Set after the main storyline of the original Votoms series but before its epilogue, the one-shot OVA "Armored Trooper Votoms: Big Battle" follows Chirico and his former comrades as they are pulled into a final gladiatorial clash. The Gilgamesh and Balarant factions continue advancing their PS programs, pitting the group against an elite PS unit and a massive land battleship.

The nefarious Phone Pole Team is dedicated to a singular objective: world conquest. Finding global domination too difficult, the group has pivoted to a new strategy of capturing the world one prefecture at a time. Upon learning of these plans, the mayor's office of their current target recruits the entire high school baseball team—consisting of all three members—to face this threat. Throughout this one-shot OVA, our heroes must battle Faceless Minions(tm) and rampaging cyborgs, attempt desperate undercover operations, and navigate a touch of romance, all while striving to protect their neighborhood and justify the stipend provided by the city council.

Grey serves as a quiet soldier in a harsh futuristic military system where victory in combat brings generous pay and advancement, yet only three percent of troopers survive long enough to achieve the ultimate prize—citizenship and a chance to escape the squalor endured by most. Grey has repeatedly returned alive, earning the moniker Grey Death. But is the society he has defended really worth the sacrifice?

The journey of a robot prince begins! The planet Cronos is a world of super-robotic lifeforms, ruled by the wise Master Kirai. But their peaceful existence is shattered by the conquering armies of the Gandora robots. Now, machine combats machine in an epic battle for the planet. Master Kurai's son, Rom, must lead a company of transformable mecha warriors into the fray!

This OVA presents an alternate take on the events of the television series. Its first episode, "Eiji 1996," summarizes the initial portion of the TV show—episodes one through twenty-four. The second episode, "Le Caine 1999," jumps forward in time and incorporates episodes twenty-six through thirty-seven (the TV series' twenty-fifth episode, itself a recap, is omitted here). The final installment, "Seal 2000," expands upon the TV series' thirty-eighth and concluding episode, adding new animation and a lengthier epilogue.

This science fiction manga, released under Shougakukan's Flower Comics imprint, follows a young girl who awakens to psychic ESP abilities. Spanning three volumes, Sasaki Junko's series depicts her journey as she confronts the trials and adventures that come with her powers.

Getting caught in the middle of a gang brawl would ruin anyone's day. For high school student Sami Yoshino, however, things spiral from bad to worse when she is hurled across time and space into unknown worlds. Now she is embroiled in a gang war of epic proportions between the divine rulers of the cosmos and the demons bent on its destruction. As it turns out, Samy conceals immense cosmic power within herself, and the demons will go to any lengths to snuff it out. Can Samy ever break free from the conflict and go back to being an ordinary girl, or is the entire universe doomed?

In a future where human disregard for the environment has caused sea levels to rise and submerge every continent, only scattered islands remain. Elfie lives on one such island-city with her grandfather. After an accident underwater, she discovers she can breathe in the ocean. Her grandfather then reveals that she is actually one of the mythical sea-folk. Local politicians exploit the islanders' fear of outsiders to instigate a war against these hidden people, using it as a distraction from their own resource shortages, and Elfie finds herself caught in the middle of the conflict.

Toppy and Rana are staff members at a diverse space agency, where they forge a close friendship with the scientist Giraffe. The trio sets out on numerous space adventures, and they often encounter dangerous situations. However, their steadfast companionship always saves them just in time.

In Love Position: Halley Densetsu, microbiologist Subaru Marita is picked for a research mission to Vietnam to examine a newly discovered microorganism, which catches his father Robert off guard. Decades prior, during the Vietnam War, Robert encountered Lamina, a mysterious woman with healing powers, deep in the jungle. Their relationship was interrupted by the conflict, and Robert never saw her again. Holding onto faint hope, Robert gives Subaru an old harmonica, asking him to pass it to Lamina if possible. After arriving in Vietnam, Subaru initially doubts he can locate Lamina and fulfill his father’s request. Yet he is stunned not only to find her but also to see she looks exactly as she did when Robert last saw her. Drawn to her, Subaru becomes caught up in a mystery that reaches far beyond his scientific work.

This work was created as the ninth special animated entry for the 24-hour television program, with Tezuka Production overseeing the original story, screenplay, and direction. Tezuka Osamu tells a love story set during humanity's expansion into space at the close of the 21st century, using an omnibus format reminiscent of Bradbury's "The Martian Chronicles." The narrative shares similarities with "Phoenix: Nostalgia." After marrying and leaving Earth, a woman is stranded in space following her husband's sudden death from a cosmic disease. These background elements were also employed in "The Phoenix." This time, her friends on Earth journey into space to rescue the woman who was once everyone's ideal lady. In this special animation, Tezuka Osamu highlights his core beliefs that "love can save the earth" and "only love can save humans."

In the year 2119, the spaceship Green Sleeves discovered that three planets were being assaulted by X23, a sentient planet heading straight for Earth. When Earth's government ordered Captain Dr. Sugita to fight X23, he declined, arguing that peaceful coexistence was possible. Shortly thereafter, all contact with Green Sleeves ceased. Two years later, in 2121, Dr. Sugita's son Susumu is approached by mysterious individuals who guide him to Dr. Miya—one of the few remaining supporters of his father's beliefs, as society had largely branded Dr. Sugita a traitor. Dr. Miya urges Susumu to join White Pegasus, a specialized medical rescue team equipped with a Micronizer System that shrinks humans to treat illnesses from within the body. As X23 draws nearer, the alien beings called Hues target Susumu's friend first. Susumu and his White Pegasus teammates successfully defeat the Hues inside his friend's body, but Susumu then discovers that the signals transmitted by the chips inside the Hues are actually musical pieces he and his mother composed as a gift for Dr. Sugita.

The OVA's first two episodes retrace the main events of the TV series, while the third episode, titled Crest of Iron, is set in an alternate reality.

Ikkiman is a superhuman alien, though he is unaware of this fact. He was raised on a farm by an elderly couple. After his girlfriend leaves him to pursue a career as a star, Ikkiman vows to become an even greater superstar than her so they can reunite, prompting him to leave the farm for the city. There, he interrupts a match of the Battle-ball team called the Blue Planets, who are the Earth's champions in the sport, and chooses to join them using his newly discovered superhuman abilities. With the Blue Planets, Ikkiman will compete against alien opponents for the championship title and for the fate of planet Earth.

In a modest town within Tokyo, a middle-aged businessman named Suzuki leads an uneventful existence running his small enterprise, all the while dreaming of achieving fame great enough to land on the cover of a popular magazine. His life takes a strange turn when he stumbles upon a mysterious gateway leading into an alien realm. Crossing through it, he arrives in a world populated by goblins, where he fastens control devices onto the creatures, bending them to his every command. Exploiting these zombified minions, he grows increasingly bold and infamous, turning his efforts toward acts of villainy. Meanwhile, two clever students, Hajime and his girlfriend Mariko, encounter a peculiar alien detective who grants them the Doteraman garments. When they don these suits, they transform into Doteraman and Doterapink, possessing extraordinary superhuman strength. They confront the malicious ruler and succeed in freeing the downtrodden goblins. From then on, they carry on their battle for righteousness, delivering thrilling escapades packed with excitement and delight.

This anime was produced by Hudson Soft, the company behind the "Star Soldier" video game series. It includes a cameo appearance by the game's designer, Yoichi Takahashi, who also sings the theme songs. By coincidence, the film's release date coincided with that of "Super Mario Bros.," another movie adaptation of a video game. Unfortunately, it was not successful at the Japanese box office.