Summary
- Cyborgs in anime are a mix of humans and machines, making for unique main characters.
- Anime like Technolyze and Inuyashiki feature engrossing stories with cyborg protagonists.
- Ghost in the Shell and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners delve into the blurred line between human and machine.
Science Fiction opens doors to strange worlds and bizarre futures that hold unspeakable miracles and nightmares. Anime is one of the few media that tackles the genre expertly and can visually portray it better and better with time. In many science fiction anime, Cyborgs are a common occurrence that pop up as unstoppable enemies or dedicated main protagonists.
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Cyborgs are the combination of human beings and synthetic or mechanical modifications. Cyborgs can be charismatic fighters with a robotic arm or fully modified war machines that barely retain any humanity. Regardless of their type, Cyborgs make interesting main characters in both appearance and development. Here are some of the best anime series featuring cyborg main characters.
1 Technolyze
A Dark And Twisted Dive Into The Age Of Cybernetics
- Number Of Episodes: 22
- Studio: Madhouse
The City of Lux is a hyper-advanced technological marvel controlled by a vicious gang that oppresses the people and restricts resources. As the sole source of special materials used for cybernetic enhancements, there is constant infighting.
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Most people live underground to avoid the crime and abuse. Technolyze follows Lux as the city begins to unravel when the gangs are manipulated from the shadows. The main character is Ichise, a former boxer whose arms have recently been modified after a powerful boss had them cut off. Ichise relishes in the City's chaos but finds that he is more part of it than he initially thought.
2 Inuyashiki
A Brutally Action-Packed Series
Inuyashiki: Last Hero
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- October 13, 2017
- Studio
- MAPPA
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Hiroya Oku
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
- MyAnimeList Score
- 7.63
Ichiro Inuyashiki is a fragile old man whose best years are behind him. He struggles in his final years as his family neglects him, and his everyday life is filled with nihilism. When diagnosed with a fatal illness, Ichiro tries to find some solace, which leads him to be murdered on the street in an attempt to save a young girl's life.
Shockingly, Ichiro awakens anew, feeling better than he's ever felt, outfitted with a highly advanced cybernetic body. But Ichiro is not the only person who has received a gift, and while Ichiro's heart is pure, the young boy who also received god-like power is his polar opposite.
3 Cyborg 009: The Cyborg Soldier
Cybernetically Enhanced Humans Fight To Protect The World
- Number Of Episodes: 50
- Studio: Japan Vistec
Cyborg 009: The Cyborg Soldier is a reboot of a classic series created by Shotaro Ishinomori, which debuted in the early 90s. This new series brings the classic story into the modern day with updated visuals.
A secret terror organization seeks to plunge the world into utter chaos. A sole scientist creates powerful cyborg weapons for Black Ghost but goes rogue and decides to allow the Cyborgs to fight for good instead. Cyborg 009: The Cyborg Soldier is a stunning revamp of the classic and serves as a great entry point for both new fans and veterans alike.
4 Gunslinger Girl
Children Turned Into Weapons Of Mass Destruction
Gunslinger Girl
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- October 9, 2003
- Studio
- Madhouse
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Yu Aida
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
- MyAnimeList Score
- 7.38 (Season 1)
Young girls left for dead or fatally injured on the streets of Italy are offered a unique opportunity by the Welfare Agency. Given a second chance, the girls are modified with highly advanced cybernetic modifications undetectable by sight.
In exchange, the young girls must act as elite assassins and take on contracts handed to them by the Organization. Gunslinger Girl follows a group of girls who struggle with their purpose and the horrors they must commit, but they persevere nonetheless in heartbreaking fashion as they either perform admirably — or malfunction and are cast aside.
5 Spriggan
A Young Cyborg Leads The Charge Of An Anti-Terrorism Squad
- Number Of Episodes: 6
- Studio: David Produciton
A highly advanced alien civilization perished thousands of years before humanity walked the Earth, and they left behind their resources. While one faction seeks to claim the technology for themselves and repeat the dire mistakes that brought the ancient civilization to an end, another seeks to seal or destroy any relics found to protect humanity's future.
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The Spriggan unit seeks out these relics to keep them out of the wrong hands and prevent a world-ending catastrophe. Yuu Ominae is a product of the COSMOS project, cybernettically enhanced to be a perfect soldier. Yuu and his comrades make up the Spriggan unit and fend off global terrorists and shady corporations.
6 Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
A Brief Introduction On How To Become A Night City Legend
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2022 - 2022
- Studio
- Trigger
- Based On
- Video Game (Cyberpunk 2077)
- Number of Episodes
- 10
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix
- MyAnimeList Score
- 8.61
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is a spin-off series based off the highly praised RPG and TTRPG of the same name. There are no happy endings in Night City, and David Martinez must learn that the hard way. After living a mundane life and trying to live up to his mother's expectations, her sudden passing drives David in the wrong direction.
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With nothing left to lose, David falls in with a rough crowd and begins to borg-out and push his body to the limit with cybernetic enhancements. Taking on all comers, from no-name thugs to Arasaka agents, David and his crew must rely on each other and go out in a blaze of glory — or fade away into nothing.
7 Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex
A Story That Blurs The Line Between Human And Machine
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2002 - 2005
- Seasons
- 2
- Studio
- Production I.G
- Japanese Title
- Koukaku Kidoutai: Stand Alone Complex
- Based On
- Manga
- Number of Episodes
- 52
- Streaming Service(s)
- Adult Swim
- MyAnimeList Score
- 8.42 (Season 1)
- Creator(s)
- Shirow Masamune
A continuation of the popular animated film, Ghost In The Shell, Stand Alone Complex follows Major Makoto Husanagi as a member of the Public Security task force, Section 9. As the city becomes under increasing threat at the hands of a cyber-terrorist, Makoto and her crew are all that stands between chaos.
Makoto must investigate a series of murders by androids and cyborgs while struggling with her own existence and while trying to come to terms with her own enhancements. A gritty action-drama, Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex is a brilliant and sometimes chilling series well worth watching.
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