Best space anime
Cowboy Bebop (1998) leads the space list, with a community score of 8.2, ahead of Gintama. The 40 shows span 1986 to 2021, and 1 of them came out in the last five years. 30 of them carry the AniList tag "Space". Most are also science fiction, space, and action. 29 are series and 6 are movies; the typical series runs 13 episodes. Ranked by how plainly each story is built on space, then community score and popularity. Each entry says what it was matched on.
Cowboy Bebop
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space; synopsis mentions “galaxy”, “spaceship”
Gintama
Why it fits: synopsis mentions “space”, “outer space”
The Future Diary
Why it fits: synopsis mentions “space”
Redline
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space
Gurren Lagann The Movie: The Lights in the Sky are Stars
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space
Aldnoah.Zero
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space
Space Dandy
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space; synopsis mentions “galaxy”
Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space; synopsis mentions “space”, “interstellar”
Legend of the Galactic Heroes
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space; synopsis mentions “galaxy”, “spaceship”, “interstellar”
Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space
Planetes
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space; synopsis mentions “space”, “spaceship”, “outer space”
Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space
Space Brothers
Why it fits: AniList tags: Space, Astronomy; synopsis mentions “astronaut”
Mobile Suit Gundam 00
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space
Knights of Sidonia
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space; synopsis mentions “galaxy”
ASTRA LOST IN SPACE
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space; synopsis mentions “space”
Aria The Animation
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space
To LOVE Ru Darkness 2
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space
Outlaw Star
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space
Kaiba
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space
Valvrave the Liberator
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space; synopsis mentions “space”
Macross Frontier
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space; synopsis mentions “galaxy”
Gunbuster
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space; synopsis mentions “space”, “galaxy”
Nyaruko: Crawling With Love! Second Season
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space
Space Patrol Luluco
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space; synopsis mentions “space”, “intergalactic”
Voices of a Distant Star
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space; synopsis mentions “space”
Space Battleship Yamato 2199
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space; synopsis mentions “space”
Sailor Moon R
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space
Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere
Why it fits: synopsis mentions “space”, “outer space”
Invaders of the Rokujyoma!?
Why it fits: synopsis mentions “space”, “outer space”
Terraformars
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space
A Certain Magical Index the Movie: The Miracle of Endymion
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space; synopsis mentions “space”
Memories
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal
Why it fits: AniList tag: Space
Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac
Why it fits: AniList tag: Astronomy
Gonna be the Twin-Tail!!
Why it fits: synopsis mentions “space”, “outer space”
Birdy the Mighty: Decode
Why it fits: synopsis mentions “space”
Questions about space anime
What is the best space anime?
By AniVids' ranking, Cowboy Bebop comes first, followed by Gintama and The Future Diary.
What are the newest and oldest space anime on this list?
The newest is Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time (2021) and the oldest is Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac (1986).
How many space anime are there?
AniVids has 256 space titles that match (counting each season, movie and special), and 209 separate franchises where it is plainly central. This page lists the best 40.