10 Anime and Manga That Predicted The Future

People have predicted that the future will be rife with flying cars and robots. However, only robots have been made possible thus far (unless you consider airplanes an alternative to flying cars). With that in mind, we have come a long way with our current technological advancements, don’t you think? With smart devices, artificial intelligence, and electric cars, our lives have become a thousand times easier than in the past. 

With technology comes the rise of its literary counterpart: science fiction. Despite our progress in technological conquests, we have not yet stopped asking what the future holds for future generations. Are flying cars finally possible? Will holograms finally be invented? What ancient technologies will eventually eke out? Combine that with fiction and animation and we get a mix of predictions and conspiracy theories.

The pith of sci-fi is the suspension of disbelief, knowing that everything within the technological realm will be possible. As such, with its rise in the anime and manga industry, we find ourselves asking: what manga and anime predicted the future? 

One moment, we’re wondering if touchscreen technology is possible. Next, we’re holding them in our hands. Now, combine that with manga and anime and you get: Sci-Fi! Over the years, Sci-Fi anime and manga have grown in popularity. Looking back all those years ago, we realize the anime and manga we love have predicted the future. That is to say, it is not to the extent of their borderline speculative plot. However, some, if not most, of the technology they are using are accessible to us at present.

As such, from predicting the future to the most absurd, dystopian conspiracy theories, here are the top 10 sci-fi anime and manga of all time.

If you are looking for an anime that has already predicted the future, look no further. Serial Experiments Lain, released in 1998 by Yasuyuki Ueda, follows the story of middle-schooler Lain Iwakura. After her deceased classmate sends her a message through the Wired, Lain becomes curious and decides to explore it further.

The Wired is similar to the Internet. With the emergence of several social media platforms, it is no wonder that some of us assume an “internet” identity. Lain also depicts a different personality when she uses the Wired, echoing how users use a distinct personality online.

The first thing that comes to mind when we hear “war” would be heavy tanks, trenches, and soldiers—the whole nine yards. However, what happens when the knowledge we operate with daily becomes a war ground?

Ghost in the Shell, depicting the story of cyborg Motoko Kusanagi, offers another perspective on our cybersecurity issues: misinformation. Online echo chambers, like X and Facebook, may distort the available information. As such, one person can infect at least 30 people multiplied several times. Similarly, in Ghost in the Shell, cyborgs are susceptible to hacking and misinformation.

The anime series is certainly ahead of its time. Still, who knew human gullibility is also so easily predictable?

If you’re a gamer, you might be familiar with Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games, or MMORPGs. Although first popularized in the early 2010s, their virtual reality upgrade became accessible in 2016 through Oculus Rift.

Although we are far from hooking our life force to an online game, Sword Art Online shows how VR MMORPG works. From the basics to how a player moves their character in-game, SAO opened the avenue for people to peek into a perspective of gaming. Fingers crossed the future government does not use it to keep us hooked and controlled similar to the SAO universe.

Touching our bases for conspiracy theories, 20th Century Boys offers viewers a mix of cults and robots. It starts with the introduction of the protagonist, Kenji Endo, and his friends. Eventually, a series of events brought him to the discovery of a large cult led by “Friend”.

Cults and robots are nothing new. However, they offer a new twist to the apocalyptic events that may happen on Earth. With the masterfully written premise of 20th Century Boys, the author Naoki Urasawa brought us from Friend’s plan of world destruction to Kenji’s plan to save the world.

We have long since studied whether time-traveling could be possible. Historically, one famous “time-traveler” John Titor claimed to be from the future. However, it was debunked to be a hoax.

But have you ever asked yourself what would happen if it were possible? In Steins;Gate, this possibility is explored further. Even John Titor appears in the anime series with CERN’s fictional counterpart, SERN. Combine crime with science fiction and Steins;Gate will take you through discoveries and thrillers.

Realistically, we are far from discovering the technology for time-traveling. Despite that, we are much safer from that knowledge just by watching Steins;Gate.

We recommend this anime series if you are into another flavor of crime and science fiction. Psycho-Pass follows the premise of a dystopian Japan governed by the Sibyl System. This system constantly scans the citizens’ mental state to assess their criminal proclivity.

It is inhumanely authoritarian, although not quite impossible given the ever-changing constitutions in the government and our fast technological progress.

We often hear about robots gaining sentience and perpetuating the end of humanity. What happens when both robots and humans can peacefully co-exist?

Pluto follows the human Gesicht on his pursuit of a murderer after a slew of crimes committed on both humans and robots. With advanced technology, robots are adept at replicating the human psyche and emotions. The realistic blend of crime and societal issues such as discrimination makes Pluto a sci-fi masterpiece. Dare we say one of the best sci-fi anime on this list! 

If you’re familiar with the Neon Genesis Evangelion universe, this movie is its alternative ending. The Evangelion installment revolves around mechas protecting humanity from its enemies. Although quite far from the expected apocalyptic end of humanity, its deconstruction of the mecha genre is certainly one-of-a-kind. Consider following this series if you’re looking for a good cyberpunk sci-fi.

When we think about post-apocalyptic, we think of zombies, meteors, or aliens, right? Dr. Stone offers another twist in the post-apocalyptic genre. Present Earth experiences a sudden petrification that turns every human in sight to stone. Only when Senku Ishigami, a 16-year-old genius, awakens in the year 5738 does he discover a cure and the cause.

Although Dr. Stone is almost thematically fantastical, the series utilizes science to explain the process of Senku’s “cure” for petrification. However, it is still realistically impossible for a human body to turn to stone. For all it’s worth, Dr. Stone is a treasure trove of knowledge for basic chemistry, and educational to boot.

Set in the far future, in the year 11945, Earth is left to the mercy of aliens after humanity has abandoned it. Aliens have since weaponized machine lifeforms while humans built an android army, fighting in a centuries-long proxy war. However, with the arrival of twin YoRHa androids, 2B and 9S, they discover what is left of humanity.

NieR:Automata Ver1.1a is far from predicting humanity’s future, although we cannot possibly refute it altogether. Still, imagining how far humanity’s inventions can withstand time and extraterrestrial enemies is fascinating.

Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to be one of the Sailor Guardians for even just a day? Maybe try on their gadgets and transformations, or know a teeny scoop on what it’s like to save Earth?

We all remember the gadget Sailor Moon carried around to know her enemies’ information, right? Sailor Moon leans more toward the Fantasy genre than Sci-Fi. However, it has accurately predicted one of the major technological advancements of all time: Bluetooth and Smart Devices. 

This series has thoroughly mixed science with its magical elements. With her magical transformations and devices, Sailor Moon has once again saved Earth from the forces of evil!

The future isn’t written in the stars, but drawn in manga and brought to life by anime. The possibilities are endless in science fiction. Today, it’s just our imagination. Tomorrow, it could very well be a foreshadowed event.

Whether you’re a budding manga artist or looking to expand beyond the borders of your home country, knowing the right translation services can help you get started. CCC International has teams proficient in the translation and localization of several languages. 

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