Highlights
- Sci-fi romance manga combines futuristic settings with human emotions for an expansive and captivating reading experience.
- Urusei Yatsura, Orange, and WorldEnd are examples of sci-fi romance manga that successfully blend sci-fi elements with compelling romantic subplots.
- These manga explore themes of love, time travel, survival, and the human experience, making them worth reading for fans of both genres.
The romance genre is known for its versatility, as this malleable niche can incorporate all sorts of narratives and storylines. Romantic elements can be found in almost any narrative, either serving as a backdrop to the main storyline or becoming a prominent subplot. Sci-fi manga tend to utilize this aspect of romance quite often, balancing out the futurism with a touch of human emotions.
Be it love blossoming in a dystopian world or sentient androids discovering human emotions, the world of sci-fi romance is expansive and never-ending. Several manga have taken up these novel narratives, presenting a storyline that stays in touch with humanistic sentiments while exploring the endless possibilities of technological advancements.
7 Urusei Yatsura
Anime-Planet Rating: 3.9/5
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Release Date |
Aug 30, 1978 |
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Creator |
Takahashi, Rumiko |
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No. Of Volumes |
34 |
Urusei Yatsura is a classic sci-fi romance from the 80s, featuring a storyline that was way ahead of its time. A beautiful extraterrestrial woman named Lum decides to move in with Ataru, turning his life upside down with her alien antics and clingy love affairs.
Despite a comedic premise, Urusei Yatsura features an equally moving romantic subplot, coupled with a ton of sci-fi elements. The result is a classic sci-fi romance manga that is worth reading even almost four decades since its release.
6 Orange
Anime-Planet Rating: 4.2/5
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Release Date |
Mar 13, 2012 |
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Creator |
Ichigo Takano |
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No. Of Volumes |
7 |
Orange is a renowned romance manga known for its intense emotional journey and nuanced storyline. While many remember the manga as a mere romance story, Orange leans towards the sci-fi side with its time-traveling letters, a phenomenon that future Naho describes as a scientific miracle.
The entire narrative is a tear-jerking affair, as Naho navigates through her friendship with Kakeru to save his life. The ending is also rather heart-breaking, as Naho saves Kakeru from his despair, yet it also means changing the future that was destined for her.
5 WorldEnd
Anime-Planet Rating: 4/5
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Release Date |
Nov 1, 2014 |
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Creator |
Akira Kareno |
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No. Of Volumes |
5 |
After being frozen in ice for over 500 years, Willem Kmetsch wakes up from his long slumber only to find all of mankind wiped out by beasts. He now has to live on floating islands and survive with other non-human races. To survive, Willem is forced to take on odd jobs, but it is one of these jobs that leads to a chance encounter with a group of human-like leprechauns.
He befriends these leprechauns and takes on the role of a parental figure for them, though Chtholly Nota Seniorious is an exception as she forms a slightly more intimate bond with Willem. While the manga incorporates a bit of supernatural elements, sci-fi elements are quite pronounced throughout the story, qualifying the WorldEnd for this genre.
4 The Vision Of Escaflowne
Anime-Planet Rating: 3.2/5
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Release Date |
Dec 1994 |
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Creator |
Aki Katsu |
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No. Of Volumes |
8 |
The Vision of Escaflowne follows a teenager named Hitomi who finds herself transported to the war-torn world of Gaea. She is met by Van Flanel, the heir to the Kingdom of Fallenia, and this fated encounter marks the beginning of their journey to defeat the evil country of Zaibach.
While the focus primarily remains on the sci-fi action aspects of the story, Hitomi and Van’s romance starts becoming apparent as the manga progresses. Even after returning to her own world, Hitomi remains connected to Van through a telepathic link.
3 Macross Frontier
My-Anime-List Rating: 7.3/10
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Release Date |
Dec 26, 2007 |
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Creator |
Shouji Kawamori |
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No. Of Volumes |
5 |
Macross Frontier starts as a sort of space opera, with Alto, Ranka, and Sheryl on board the Macross Frontier colonization fleet. After a war against an alien race, humanity finds itself spread across various planets to ensure survival, and the Macross Frontier’s colonization fleet is one such mission in space.
With Alto on the fleet with two other women, the primary romance of the story lies in a love triangle. With both women vying for Alto’s attention, the fleet becomes a hotbed for petty altercations and romantic debacles.
2 Saishuu Heiki Kanojo
Anime-Planet Rating: 4/5
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Release Date |
Dec 27, 1999 |
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Creator |
Shin Takahashi |
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No. Of Volumes |
7 |
Saishuu Heiki Kanojo’s narrative initially seems to be a regular slice-of-life story, though the initial facade soon fades as Japan plunges into an all-out war with unknown factions. Shuji and Chise, two teenage high schoolers who have just started a relationship, are embroiled in the conflict, although for Shuji, this is merely the beginning of his life unraveling.
Chise turns out to be a cyborg engineered for mass destruction, losing her humanity in the process of being used as a tool. Shuji and Chise’s romance becomes a prominent aspect of the narrative, as he becomes the only thing keeping Chise’s humanity intact.
1 Planetes
Anime-Planet Rating: 4.1/5
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Release Date |
Jan 14, 1999 |
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Creator |
Makoto Yukimura |
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No. Of Volumes |
4 |
Planetes primarily follows the protagonist Yuri, a member of a space debris cleaning unit. While his life as a space debris cleaner may not be anything exciting, his eccentric team keeps the spirit of adventure alive in space. The story starts off slow, though the build-up to the main overarching plot is worth the wait.
The romantic subplot adds a sense of realism to the storyline, and while it may not be the focal point of Yuri’s life in space, it eventually becomes a significant aspect. It also showcases his growth as he moves on from the death of his beloved wife six years ago.
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