10 TV Shows Like Cyberpunk: Edgerunners You Should Watch Next
Following the dramatic conclusion of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners way back in 2022, the show has returned with a new season set in the megalopolis of Night City, featuring a standalone story and a new cast of characters (as needed).
While cyberpunk’s aesthetics and themes originate in American science fiction of the 1970s and ’80s, anime and manga of the ’90s and subsequent decades embraced the genre and took it to a whole new level—so much so that a Japanese-Polish co-production based on a Polish designer’s video game draws inspiration from the brilliant anime and intelligent science fiction of the past two decades. In other words, if you’re looking for more challenging sci-fi series, these 10 are a good place to start.
Cowboy Bebop (1998–1999)
Cowboy Bebop is a cult classic, a stunningly cool series, one of the undisputed masterpieces of anime of all time, combining elements of Western, film noir, and crime, the resulting blend accompanied by a stunning old-school jazz soundtrack (which serves the same purpose as the energetic electronic rhythms of Cyberpunk ). The “cowboys” of the title are bounty hunters in a near-future where humans have been forced to colonize the solar system after Earth has become uninhabitable. While the settings are different, both series feature ragtag teams with precarious destinies. Former assassin Spike Spiegel leads his team from one near-disastrous mission to the next, all of their independent adventures culminating in an unforgettable climax. Watch Cowboy Bebop on Crunchyroll or buy it on Prime Video .
Psycho-Pass (2012–2019)
Set in 22nd-century Japan, this film is Blade Runner -style and has a Minority Report-like premise. Here, technology exists to measure intentions , allowing crimes to be prevented before they happen, after which “criminals” are sent for psychological treatment (like in A Clockwork Orange ) or summarily executed because their potential threat is too high. This ability to predict behavior extends to all aspects of life: careers and even relationships are largely determined by the same systems that detect criminal intent. Apparently, all of this is perfectly normal, with no room for abuse or error… although there are a couple of red flags. The first concerns a new “Executor” who becomes a potential killer himself when he misjudges a criminal’s potential danger, and, more importantly, the existence of a criminal mastermind who is somehow invisible to technology, even as his criminal actions become increasingly sophisticated. Watch Psycho-Pass on Prime Video and Crunchyroll .
Love, Death & Robots (2019–2025)
This animated anthology series, created by Tim Miller and executive produced by director David Fincher, is a collection of incredibly diverse stories: each episode is produced by a different international studio, and the only connection between them is one of the three words in the series title. One episode focuses on robot gladiatorial combat in a dystopian London, another finds us under threat from sentient yogurt, and a third follows an ambitious cat learning to use the family’s robot assistant. The series’ format doesn’t allow for repeated storylines, but it shares with Cyberpunk a bold style and stories set in an apocalyptic future, albeit with a dark sense of humor—four seasons offer a mix of technology, sex, violence, and gorgeous animation.Watch Love, Death & Robots on Netflix .
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2002–2005)
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is one of several completely standalone spinoffs of the incredibly influential 1995 film (which itself is based on a beloved manga), and no prior knowledge of the story is required to watch. The series’ main appeal is its style, as it’s set in the fictional city of Nihama, a future Japan where cybernetic beings directly hack the internet. Our sympathies lie with the authorities—in this case, the 9th Public Security Section, a police unit dedicated to combating cybercrime and terrorism—rather than the cybercriminals, but the series explores some of the same themes as Edgerunners with a truly punk edge. Watch Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex on Tubi and The Criterion Channel .
Altered Carbon (2018–2020)
In this adaptation of Richard K. Morgan’s classic cyberpunk novel of the same name, Joel Kinnaman and Anthony Mackie (yes, both) play Takeshi “Tak” Kovacs. In this future metropolis, human consciousness can be transferred between bodies. The technology is widely available, but only the wealthy can afford the backups and protection that make it a form of virtual immortality. Kovacs is a former soldier turned mercenary, resurrected from a backup 200 years later by Laurens Bancroft (James Purefoy), one of the richest men in the world. His motives for bringing him back are shrouded in mystery, but he offers Tak a chance to solve a very old case: his own murder.Watch Altered Carbon on Netflix .
Secret Magic (2021–2024)
Another popular (and Emmy-winning) game adaptation, Arcane is based on League of Legends, a top-down action game where online opponents shoot lasers across a map. It doesn’t sound like much for such an impressive series, but there it is. The League of Legends lore serves as the backdrop, but the real charm lies in the story, which follows two sisters caught in the escalating conflict between a utopian city and the oppressed underclass without which it could not exist. The hand-drawn animation style is truly distinctive—not comparable to Cyberpunk , but both series significantly exceed expectations, creating striking visual worlds.Watch Arcane on Netflix .
Trigun (1998)
Vashu Stampedu is a hunted outcast with a dark past that is gradually revealed throughout the series. He’s known as “Human Destroyer,” wreaking havoc wherever he goes, seemingly for fun—but in reality, he has far more respect for life than his pursuers. Yet, cities are evacuated at the mere thought of him, and a hefty bounty is placed on his head (never mind that the bounty hunters cause far more harm than Vashu). He and his friends—actually a pair of insurance agents—find themselves in a series of misadventures on Planet Gunsmoke, leading to the final showdown that concludes the series. Visually, it’s arguably one of the defining shonen action series of the ’90s, with elegantly choreographed shootouts that never get old. Trigun also shares its tone with Cyberpunk 2, featuring the work of legendary composer Tsuneo Imahori, whose music is crucial to both series. Watch Trigun on Crunchyroll or buy it on Prime Video .
Darling in the Franxx (2018)
Another film from animation studio Trigger, Darling in the Franxx falls heavily into the mecha subgenre. Set in a post-apocalyptic world where children are raised and indoctrinated to rule the massive Franxx that gives the film its title and protect the remnants of humanity, the adults are practically immortal, leaving the children with no other use. Two of these teenagers begin to develop romantic feelings for each other, potentially complicating their usefulness to society and leading to an explosive, bittersweet ending. Watch Darling in the Franxx on Crunchyroll or buy it on Prime Video .
Killjoys (2015–2019)
What begins as a relatively straightforward action thriller about space bounty hunters (the title reads “Killjoys”) develops surprising depth over the course of five seasons. Officially recognized as Killjoys, the trio at the center of the story (Hannah John-Kamen, Aaron Ashmore, and Luke MacFarlane) are obliged to maintain political neutrality at all costs. Initially, this serves as a way to immediately draw them into the thick of things, but as they develop friendships and family ties within an exploited community, they begin to understand the high price of unbridled wealth and greed, and how neutrality always benefits the oppressors. The show’s creators make excellent use of its limited budget and offer impressive LGBTQ representation, a rarity in popular science fiction. Watch “Killjoys” on Tubi or buy it on Prime Video and Apple TV .
Akudama Drive (2020)
Another brilliant cyberpunk metropolis: Kansai, an increasingly lawless city ruled by elite criminals known as Akudama. An ordinary girl accidentally finds herself caught up in a major heist and is forced to forge documents, posing as a master swindler, to survive. Like Cyberpunk , the series explores anti-authoritarian themes among a diverse group of outcasts. Watch Akudama Drive on Canchorchroll or buy it on Prime Video .