When you need a break from Earth drama, space anime delivers. These shows take you from jazz-soaked bounty hunters to hard-science debris crews and galaxy-sized mecha. They let you jump in a ship, leave orbit, and maybe have an existential crisis on the way. Here are eight of the best space anime to stream right now.
1. “Cowboy Bebop”
If you watch any space anime, start with “Cowboy Bebop.” The 1998 Sunrise series follows a broke crew of bounty hunters — Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine, hacker wunderkind Ed, and genius corgi Ein — as they drift around the solar system on their ship, the Bebop. They take whatever jobs will keep the lights on. On the surface, the show delivers cool fights, gunplay, and slick ships. Underneath, every character runs from a painful past: Spike’s ties to a crime syndicate, Jet’s corruption-ridden cop history, and Faye’s missing memories. “Cowboy Bebop” streams on Crunchyroll and Hulu in the U.S.
2. “Planetes”
If you like your sci-fi grounded, “Planetes” gives you a space story that feels almost uncomfortably real. The 26-episode Sunrise series aired on NHK from 2003 to 2004 and follows the crew of the DS-12 “Toy Box,” a small team assigned to collect dangerous space debris in Earth and lunar orbit in the year 2075. The core cast features hot-headed astronaut Hachirota “Hachimaki” Hoshino, idealistic rookie Ai Tanabe, chain-smoking pilot Fee Carmichael, and quiet veteran Yuri Mihairokov. Crunchyroll added “Planetes” to its platform, so U.S. fans can stream it there.
3. “Space Brothers”
“Space Brothers” is less about laser battles and more about the grind it takes to actually become an astronaut. Based on Chūya Koyama’s long-running manga, the 99-episode anime aired from 2012 to 2014. The story follows two brothers who saw a UFO as kids and promised they would go to space together. Years later, one brother enters astronaut selection exams with Japan’s space agency JAXA, and the series tracks his progress through intense tests, moments of doubt, and small but meaningful wins. “Space Brothers” currently streams on Crunchyroll and the Crunchyroll Amazon Channel in the U.S.
4. “Legend of the Galactic Heroes”
“Legend of the Galactic Heroes” is perfect for anime fans who want a multi-season, politics-heavy space opera. The series adapts Yoshiki Tanaka’s novel saga about a centuries-long war between two interstellar powers: the autocratic Galactic Empire and the democratic Free Planets Alliance. The story centers on two strategic geniuses on opposite sides — Reinhard von Lohengramm, an ambitious noble rising through the Empire’s ranks, and Yang Wen-li, a laid-back but brilliant Alliance officer who would rather be a historian. Sentai licenses the original “Legend of the Galactic Heroes,” but “Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These” is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
5. “Space Dandy”
If “Cowboy Bebop” feels like a stylish nostalgic road trip, “Space Dandy” plays like its chaotic, neon-colored cousin who crashes on your couch. The 2014 Bones series follows Dandy, “a dandy guy in space,” as he roams the galaxy with robot QT and cat-like alien Meow while trying — and usually failing — to register rare aliens for cash. Each episode resets Looney Tunes-style, so one week they die, the next they’re zombies, and then they’re surfing on time itself. “Space Dandy” is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
Which space anime from this list are you planning to stream? Comment below!
