This package of titles will tickle the fancies of sci-fi aficionados. The bundle spans a variety of styles and settings, with a mix of newer titles and classics. From robots to starships, futuristic space stations to gritty cities, there’s bound to be something for anybody looking to answer the call of the final frontier.

Armitage III: Poly Matrix & Dual Matrix
Price: $6.99
Found At: Right Stuf
What is it?
Armitage III: Poly-Matrix is a science fiction epic set in the gritty Martian city of St. Lowell. In the future, the planet is populated by humans and “second-types”: robots created to do the jobs most humans won’t touch. In recent years, though, the city has entered a steady downward spiral. Recession plagues the city, and citizens are clamoring for ways to simply survive. Crime is rampant, and hate crimes against robots are on the rise, as distrust toward non-humans continues to grow like a festering sore.

Naomi Armitage is a member of the Martian Police force. She’s a gun-toting terror in hot pants with a crack shot and a snarky demeanor. On her way to retrieve her new partner, Armitage is pulled into a firefight between a menacing man known as Renee D’anclaude. D’anclaude is a man with a mission: he wants to rid the world of a growing breed of humanoid androids known as “third-types.” Armitage, as a third herself, must now fight for her own survival, as she tries to stop D’anclaude before he brings his plan to fruition.

Why this item?
Poly-Matrix is a classic title that takes its inspiration from Blade Runner. The film blends a strong plot and fantastic characters with a gritty atmosphere to create a living, breathing world filled with desperation and panic. The strong action scenes feature incredible choreography, especially from Armitage as she bounds about like a bullet-slinging ballerina. The stakes are high, and the explosions are plentiful (when warranted). The sequel, Dual Matrix, isn’t quite as strong, but its low price and decent content make for a worthy inclusion.

Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040
Price: $26.99
Found At: Amazon
What is it?
Bubblegum Crisis is a cyberpunk classic set in the city of MegaTokyo. In this world, the Genom Corporation produces robots known as Boomers to help with menial tasks. However, these robots have a tendency to go mad an wreak havoc on the city. The AD Police, which is tasked with taking care of these incidents, is rarely up to the task of stopping mad Boomers. To combat the menace, a quartet of cybernetic suit-wearing femme fatales known as the Knight Sabers have arisen to deal with the problem. The job isn’t an easy one, though, as they have to contend with both the rising Boomer problem, as well as an android bent on making the planet a Boomer Paradise!

Why this item?
Bubblegum Crisis is a retelling of AIC’s 1980s cyberpunk classic. The new series traded the original’s incredible music and cinematic presentations for a stronger plot and more detailed character writing, with incredible results. The gritty atmosphere, and tale of science gone awry is given extra oomph in the acrobatic showdowns between the Knight Sabers and the mad boomers. The fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled battles are a true spectacle in which every impact has weight, and one can almost feel the crunching of bones and metal behind every hit.

Infinte Ryvius
Price: $37.49
Found At: Right Stuf
What is it?
Infinite Ryvius is a drama from legendary anime studio Sunrise. The series is set in the year 2225, and makind has managed to conquer the cosmos. The career choice of an astronaut isn’t a silly pipe dream for most people, and the Liebe Delta, a space station in Earth’s orbit, actively trains youngsters for careers in the final frontier.

Sixteen year-old Kouji Aiba enrolls in the Liebe Delta, with aspirations of earning his second-class pilot’s license. His friend Aoi is also on the Liebe Delta, with the dream of becoming a flight attendant. Their happy lives of career training are quickly halted when an unidentified group of terrorists launches an attack on the Liebe Delta during a routine traning exercise. The shift is set adrift, and all of the adults onboard are killed in the blast. With the ship hurtling into the great beyond, the survivors aboard the Liebe Delta must find a way to return home before the terrorists return to finish the job, and before they rip each other to pieces.

Why this item?
Infinite Ryvius is essentially Lord of the Flies: Anime Edition. The show uses its cast to the fullest, as it draws out the students’ fears and hang-ups through the course of the show. As the situation grows increasingly dire, and the prospects of a safe return home become more and more dim, they begin to dive into sheer chaos, and people begin to lose grip on both the situation and their sanity. The clever writing really shines, as a lesser effort would have made the experience seem tacky.

Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo
Price: $22.49
Found At: Right Stuf
What is it?
Gankutsuou is a futuristic retelling of Alexandre Dumas’s The Count of Monte Cristo. The series follows Albert, a restless youth from Paris that finds himself on his way to a festival on the moon. In his travels, he encounters an enigmatic gentleman known only as The Count of Monte Cristo. At first glance, the count is a maginificent man. He lodges in the finest of hotels, eats the most decadent meals, and keeps the most exotic women as company. The count’s charisma and charm snare the attention of young Albert, who invites the man to join Paris’s upper crust. Unbeknownst to Albert, the Count has his own plans. he hopes to rain the hellfires of revenge upon the upper crust, and send the priveleged into ruin amidst their decadence.

Why this item?
The first, and foremost reason for this recommendation is the visual style. Gankutsuou is a genuinely gorgeous show, that expresses its identity through beautiful 3-D backgrounds, gorgeous animation, and incredible use of color. The series benefits from Dumas’s original epic, as the tale of trust and betrayal, privelege and loss is truly timeless. Gankutsuou does suffer from fairly banal dialogue, but the other factors more than make up for it.

 

TOTAL COST: $93.96