10 best anime to watch if you like Star Wars

Fans of Star Wars who seek cosmic adventures should explore anime, as they'll discover fellow enthusiasts there. The best anime to watch if you like Star Wars echoe its themes. These stories offer thrilling space battles and political conspiracies alongside mystical powers and heroic epic destinies.

Though these series replace lightsabers with mechas or starships, their ability to evoke the same thrilling feelings of wonder and heroism remains intact. These anime provide both unique and recognizable adventures for viewers who appreciate George Lucas’s galaxy-spanning stories.

Explore these ten anime recommendations whether you're waiting for the next Star Wars installment or if you want to embark on new intergalactic adventures—they will take you to distant galaxies while remaining relatable.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the opinions of the writer.

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Cowboy Bebop, Planetes, and 8 other best anime to watch if you like Star Wars

1) Legend of the Galactic Heroes

Legend of the Galactic Heroes (Image via Artland)

Fans who love the political conflict between the Republic and the Empire in Star Wars will definitely want to watch Legend of the Galactic Heroes. An epic space opera follows two exceptional commanders through an expansive interstellar war while exploring political philosophy alongside military strategies and leadership challenges.

This series examines how empires develop and decline while exploring power dynamics and personal consequences of major choices. This series builds upon the captivating galactic politics with an extensive cast and complex battle sequences that offer increased depth and subtlety.

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2) Cowboy Bebop

Cowboy Bebop (Image via Sunrise)

Fans of Han Solo should turn their attention to Cowboy Bebop. The series presents an elegant anime adventure following bounty hunters on the ship Bebop through a universe mixing noir and western elements with jazz action which resembles spaceports and cantinas.

Spike Spiegel possesses a similar roguish charm as Han Solo, while fans of Star Wars will find the series' found family concept deeply appealing.

The series takes viewers on a visual and auditory journey through the splendor and solitary nature of space with its remarkable space combat sequences and haunting musical score. The best space sagas succeed because they place human stories at their core rather than focusing on planetary settings.

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3) Space Battleship Yamato

Space Battleship Yamato (Image via Academy Productions)

The West experienced Star Wars as the space fantasy pioneer, while Space Battleship Yamato had already established a comparable influence in anime. In its plot to rescue Earth, the series matches the narrative elements of sacrifice and heroism in the face of overwhelming challenges.

The combination of Yamato's noble mission and its retrofitted spaceship with space battles similar to trench runs and fleet battles shows its spiritual connection to the popular space-themed series. The classic anime provides a Japanese viewpoint on space fantasy development, which Star Wars would eventually popularize throughout worldwide filmmaking.

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4) Mobile Suit Gundam

Mobile Suit Gundam (Image via Sunrise)

Fans who enjoyed the Clone Wars era of Star Wars will find Mobile Suit Gundam to be an ideal next series to watch. This revolutionary mecha series presents giant robots as military machines through its realistic depiction of space combat. The story presents galactic conflicts through multiple viewpoints while examining how widespread political battles affect everyday people.

Newtypes represent humans who possess psychic powers similar to Force-sensitive characters. Gundam achieves a powerful combination of personal conflict and epic battles through its deep world-building and emotional storytelling, which remains the hallmark of Star Wars.

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5) Outlaw Star

Outlaw Star (Image via Sunrise)

Outlaw Star artfully reflects Star Wars' fundamental "found family" narrative. The space western Outlaw Star follows Gene Starwind and his eccentric crew aboard their ship as they pursue the enigmatic Galactic Leyline. The series creates thrilling space battles alongside ancient technology and lovable outlaws to capture the adventurous essence.

The show combines humor, action, and strong relationships, which reflect Star Wars' charm, but introduces original elements such as grappler ship combat and magical caster guns to provide a new anime twist on traditional space opera.

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6) Planetes

Planetes (Image via Sunrise)

Planetes focuses on space debris collectors who maintain orbital safety, while Star Wars showcases Jedi and starfighter pilots. The show combines realistic science fiction with a focus on the daily lives of ordinary people in space, similar to Star Wars. Planetes explores space infrastructure through everyday characters similar to moisture farmers and cantina workers.

This series presents realistic physics and human drama alongside philosophical reflections about humanity's place in the universe to provide a grounded storytelling approach that balances the sweeping spectacle with comparable narrative depth.

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7) Space Dandy

Space Dandy (Image via Bones)

Fans who enjoy the imaginative alien designs alongside varied planetary settings will find similar entertainment in Space Dandy through its dynamic animation and limitless creativity. The series follows alien hunter Dandy and his crew through misadventures that lead them to discover new worlds and species with creative flair in each episode.

Shinichirō Watanabe, who created Cowboy Bebop, developed this series to blend remarkable visuals with both comedic elements and deep moments in a way that resembles the combination of epic galactic battles with humorous interludes. Space Dandy embodies the same adventurous fun that captured audiences with the endless possibilities within the Star Wars universe.

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8) Eureka Seven

Eureka Seven (Image via Bones)

Eureka Seven follows Renton Thurston's journey through a grand conflict while uncovering his destiny, which reflects Luke Skywalker's coming-of-age path in Star Wars. The series uses Trapar waves to achieve gravity-defying lifting, which produces aerial action that rivals the excitement of space dogfights.

The series investigates human interactions with a sentient planet while examining balance and harmony concepts that resonate with the Force. Eureka Seven delivers an action-packed experience that balances beautifully emotional storytelling with epic battles for Star Wars enthusiasts who appreciate spiritual depth.

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9) Last Exile

Last Exile (Image via Gonzo)

The retro-futuristic allure of Last Exile brings to mind the authentic essence that Star Wars achieved. The story unfolds above the earth, featuring enormous sky-faring battleships that deliver combat sequences that match the best battles.

The narrative describes young messengers who get caught up in a nationwide war while paralleling how Star Wars portrays regular people turning into heroes. Last Exile combines intricate mechanical designs with technology that merges past and future elements, creating a world that is at once ancient and futuristic, which makes it visually and thematically engaging for Star Wars enthusiasts.

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10) Knights of Sidonia

Knights of Sidonia (Image via Polygon Pictures)

Fans who find interest in the darker periods of Star Wars, such as the desperate Rebellion era or post-Empire chaos, will discover a compelling depiction of humanity's survival fight in Knights of Sidonia. The series unfolds on a huge colony ship that transports the surviving humans as pilots battle against Gauna, who can change their shape.

The series Knights of Sidonia shares a narrative that involves young pilots mastering unique combat strategies while political manipulation occurs among leaders and humanity faces existential questions about its adversaries.

The series creates exciting battle sequences by merging 3D animation techniques with traditional anime storytelling and captures the tension found in top combat scenes.

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Conclusion

Anime series provide exciting alternatives for Star Wars fans looking for their next space adventure because they include many of the same elements that make the galaxy far, far away so enduringly popular.

Anime fans will find their cosmic cravings satisfied by the best series, which transport viewers to new worlds and explore fresh ideas through unique storytelling among the stars. As you embark on your viewing adventure, may the Force or the mystical energy of these compelling anime universes guide you.

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