Summary
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.
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.
1Technolyze
A Dark And Twisted Dive Into The Age Of Cybernetics
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.
Most people live underground to avoid the crime and abuse.Technolyzefollows 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.
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.
3Cyborg 009: The Cyborg Soldier
Cybernetically Enhanced Humans Fight To Protect The World
Cyborg 009: The Cyborg Soldieris a reboot of a classic series created by Shotaro Ishinomori, whichdebuted 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 Soldieris a stunning revamp of the classic and serves as a great entry point for both new fans and veterans alike.
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 Girlfollows 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.
5Spriggan
A Young Cyborg Leads The Charge Of An Anti-Terrorism Squad
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.
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 upthe Spriggan unitand fend off global terrorists and shady corporations.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunnersis 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.
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 crewmust rely on each other and go out in a blaze of glory — or fade away into nothing.
A continuation of the popular animated film,Ghost In The Shell, Stand Alone Complexfollows 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 whiletrying to come to terms with her own enhancements. A gritty action-drama,Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complexis a brilliant and sometimes chilling series well worth watching.
