The best sci-fi anime shows not only have great world-building and epic space adventures but also feature some of the most iconic fictional spaceships of all time. While many of these spaceships are mainly used for battle, there are a few that are perfectly capable and were purposefully designed for human habitation.
Anime fans can explore these gigantic and cozy anime spaceships while watching underappreciated space western anime as well as classic and modern anime series and find out what it's like to live aboard futuristic spaceships. While some of these anime spaceship designs are more elegant, there are also those that have a more rugged and even rundown vibe but are still capable of traveling through the Solar System as well as providing homes to and protecting all its passengers.
7 Space Pirate Captain Harlock
Space Pirate Captain Harlock is one of the most underrated sci-fi anime set in a spaceship. Captain Harlock's iconic starship, the Arcadia, is also one of the most popular anime pirate spaceships. The powerful Arcadia spaceship is where Captain Harlock and his crew spend most of their time.
It's one of the most powerful spaceships in anime that's also a cyborg ship, thanks to Tochiro, who also created the Arcadia since he uploaded his consciousness into the spaceship's central computer before passing away. Space Pirate Captain Harlock follows the space pirate Captain Harlock who has to stop a deadly plant-based alien race from colonizing Earth.
6 Space Battleship Yamato 2199
Space Battleship Yamato 2199's gigantic Yamato is one of the largest spaceships in anime history. While the Yamato originally only served as a battleship, thanks to its unique qualities, it was turned into a sort of evacuation spaceship that gave home to humans who were trying to escape a deadly war and make sure humans won't go extinct on Earth.
It's also one of the most interesting and well-designed anime spaceships with detailed crew quarters. Space Battleship Yamato 2199 is one of the best anime set in the 22nd century and is a beloved sci-fi series set in a spaceship. Its story follows the crew of the Yamato spaceship who embark on a dangerous voyage to a faraway planet to retrieve a device that could help them save Earth.
5 Outlaw Star
Outlaw Star was a bright red grappler spaceship that was one of the fastest spaceships in anime history with some of the coolest weapon designs. It was also one of the most powerful anime spaceships that was designed so its crew can discover and enter the Galactic Leyline.
Even though it was one of the coolest anime spaceships, its upkeep was too expensive, and its crew had to spend most of the money they made on repairs, so they could keep going. Outlaw Star is one of the most entertaining sci-fi adventure anime set mainly in its now iconic spaceship, and its story follows the fun and battles-filled adventures of an outlaw space crew who travel aboard their advanced starship.
4 Astra Lost In Space
Astra Lost In Space had one of the best anime spaceships that were used by a group of students who had to travel through deep space to finally find their way back home. This old but powerful spaceship was designed for deep space exploration and provided a fairly safe home to its passengers.
Astra Lost In Space is one of the most entertaining sci-fi anime shows with a twisty story about a group of students who suddenly find themselves warped into outer space by a mysterious sphere. The nine kids have to find a way to get a spaceship as well as get back home while also trying to survive the assassination plot against them.
3 Space Dandy
Space Dandy is easily one of the weirdest and most hilarious anime set in a spaceship. This iconic sci-fi anime also had one of the most fun spaceships in anime the beautiful Aloha Oe. It was a Hawaiian-themed spaceship that had a unique design both when it came to its bridge as well as the crew quarters.
Space Dandy is one of the most entertaining sci-fi anime with great world-building and some of the most memorable and eccentric anime characters ever. The story followed the funny adventures of a handsome Space Dandy who traveled around the universe to discover and capture new and rare alien races.
2 Knights of Sidonia
Sidonia was one of the largest interstellar anime seed spaceships of all time that was the home to the last known survivors of humanity. These massive anime spaceships were kilometers long and were designed to be able to travel for hundreds of years and to make sure the survival of the human race.
Knights of Sidonia is one of the most thought-provoking sci-fi anime set in a spaceship and has a great art style, a fun story, and brilliantly crafted characters. Its story follows the adventures of the passengers of the Sidonia seed spaceship, who are the only humans who stayed alive after an alien race destroyed Earth and killed most of its residents.
1 Cowboy Bebop
Cowboy Bebop is one of the most beloved space anime shows of all time, which also featured one of the most popular anime spaceships, the Bebop. The Bebop was one of the most rugged anime spaceships that provided not only transport to its captain, Jet, and his crew but also a safe home.
Jet, Spike, Faye, and Edward spent most of their time hanging out on Bebop while they were resting and planning their next adventure. Cowboy Bebop is one of the most iconic classic anime shows with one of the best sci-fi worlds ever. Its story is set in a dystopian future in which Earth is no longer habitable, and it follows the adventures of a small group of bounty hunters who travel the galaxy hunting for wanted fugitives.