Movies

26 Best Sci-Fi Anime to Watch on Netflix in December 2023

26 Best Sci-Fi Anime to Watch on Netflix in December 2023
Image credit: Netflix, Toho

From cyberpunk dystopias that make your daily grind look like a walk in the park, to space operas that'll leave you starry-eyed.

It's December 2023, and outside, the winter chill is as unyielding as a robot overlord in a post-apocalyptic hellscape. But who needs to brave the cold when this month, Netflix is serving up a collection of sci-fi anime so good, it'll make you question reality itself?

1. A.I.C.O. (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 29%

In a near-future Japan, a high school girl discovers her body is artificial and part of a government project, leading her to embark on a dangerous journey to retrieve her original body and uncover hidden truths.

2. GODZILLA The Planet Eater (2018)

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Rotten Tomatoes score: 60%

The final chapter in the animated Godzilla trilogy, where humanity and their alien allies confront Godzilla in a decisive battle, with the appearance of King Ghidorah adding a catastrophic twist.

3. Kuromukuro (2016)

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When a mecha piloted by a samurai from the past appears at a research facility, a high school student and the samurai team up to fight mysterious invaders attacking Earth.

4. Revisions (2019)

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Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 50%

A group of high school students gets caught in a strange scenario involving massive mechanical monsters and a city flung into the future, where they must pilot giant machines to survive.

5. HERO MASK (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 60%

Set in London, a detective investigates a series of strange deaths involving a mysterious mask that grants unusual powers, uncovering a deep conspiracy.

6. BLAME! (2017)

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Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 59%

In a dystopian future where an endless city is controlled by a sinister network, a lone wanderer with a powerful weapon searches for a lost human settlement and a means to restore order.

7. AJIN: Demi-Human (2016)

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Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 78%

A student discovers he is an immortal Ajin and finds himself hunted by the government, leading him to other Ajins planning to fight back against human oppression.

8. GANTZ:O (2016)

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Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 68%

After dying, a man finds himself in a room with others and a black sphere called Gantz, forcing them to fight against waves of monsters in a deadly game for a chance at resurrection.

9. Transformers: War for Cybertron: Kingdom (2021)

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Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

In this chapter of the War for Cybertron trilogy, the Autobots and Decepticons encounter the Maximals and Predacons, leading to a final battle that could decide the fate of Cybertron.

10. Transformers: War for Cybertron: Earthrise (2020)

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Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%

The second installment in the trilogy finds the Autobots searching for the AllSpark to save their planet, while the Decepticons also hunt for the artifact, leading to a dramatic conflict on Earth.

11. Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%

This iconic series follows a group of teenagers drafted to pilot giant bio-mechanical robots against mysterious beings known as Angels, delving into complex themes of existential crisis, human psychology, and the nature of warfare.

12. GODZILLA Planet of the Monsters (2017)

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Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 50%

Humanity returns to Earth after 20,000 years to reclaim it from Godzilla, but they face unexpected challenges and the planet has evolved in ways they never anticipated.

13. Bubble (2022)

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Rotten Tomatoes score: 50%

Set in a Tokyo where bubbles have broken the laws of gravity, a talented young acrobat who lost his family to this phenomenon meets a mysterious girl with a strange ability, leading to a discovery that could change the world.

14. Cyborg 009: Call of Justice (2017)

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The iconic cyborg heroes come back to face a new threat from superhumans who consider themselves the new race deserving of dominating the planet, leading to a conflict that questions what it means to be human.

15. High-Rise Invasion (2021)

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Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 68%

A teenager finds herself trapped in a world of skyscrapers connected by suspension bridges and hunted by masked figures, as she seeks to find her brother and escape.

16. Cagaster of an Insect Cage (2020)

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In a post-apocalyptic world where a disease turns people into giant murderous insects, a young exterminator and a teenage girl search for her mother, uncovering dark secrets about the disease and their society.

17. GODZILLA City on the Edge of Battle (2018)

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Rotten Tomatoes score: 60%

The sequel to Planet of the Monsters, where the surviving humans regroup to mount a desperate final attack on Godzilla, discovering an indigenous tribe and new hope in their battle.

18. EDENS ZERO (2021)

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Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 86%

A young boy who can control gravity embarks on a space adventure aboard the starship Edens Zero, seeking to find the cosmic goddess known as Mother with a group of unique allies.

19. The Orbital Children (2022)

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Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 50%

Set in 2045, this series follows a group of children born on the moon and Earth who meet in space, facing extraordinary challenges and a dangerous situation that could affect the future of humanity.

20. Altered Carbon: Resleeved (2020)

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Rotten Tomatoes score: 60%

In this anime adaptation of Altered Carbon, a former soldier turned investigator must protect a tattoo artist while investigating the death of a yakuza boss alongside a no-nonsense CTAC.

21. Pacific Rim: The Black (2021)

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Rotten Tomatoes score: 71%

After kaiju ravage Australia, two siblings pilot an abandoned Jaeger across the hostile landscape, searching for their missing parents and encountering new creatures and allies.

22. Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 (2020)

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Rotten Tomatoes score: 21%

In a post-cyberpunk future, Major Kusanagi and her team face a new threat in a world where sustained war has led to the emergence of post-humans, challenging their understanding of humanity and cybernetics.

23. Ultraman (2019)

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Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 75%

This series serves as a sequel to the classic Ultraman story, focusing on the son of the original Ultraman as he inherits the role and battles new alien threats while uncovering mysteries about his father's past.

24. SPRIGGAN (2022)

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Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%

In this action-packed series, elite agents known as Spriggans work to protect ancient artifacts of unknown power from various organizations and governments, facing intense battles and uncovering ancient secrets.

25. ID-0 (2017)

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Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 60%

In a future where consciousness can be transferred to machines, a student becomes involved with a group of space pirates and uncovers a conspiracy related to her past and the true nature of her identity.

26. Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway (2021)

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Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%

Part of the Gundam series, this film follows Hathaway Noa, the son of a famous Federation commander, as he leads a rebellion against Earth's oppressive government using advanced mobile suits.