Anime Like Arpeggio of Blue Steel: Ars Nova
If you loved Arpeggio of Blue Steel: Ars Nova's Animation and Sci-Fi & Fantasy storytelling, these anime deliver a similar experience — selected for art style, narrative depth, and emotional impact. Each includes where to stream it now.
★ Top Picks

Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water
In mankind's grasp for the future, a sinister foe known only as Gargoyle begins his plans to take over the world. Nadia, with the help of a young inventor, Jean Ratlique, and Captain Nemo of the submarine Nautilus, must fight to save the world from Gargoyle and Neo-Atlantis.

SWORD GAI: The Animation
The swordsmith Amon accidentally comes across an infant and its dead mother in the forest. Although he is initially overwhelmed by the situation, he finally decides to take the boy with him and thus save him from certain death. Ten years after this fateful encounter, the boy from that time, Gai, is apprenticed to Amon. While making a sword, however, there is a tragic accident in which Gai loses his right arm. Amon then decides to use a sword called Shiryuu to make an artificial arm for Gai. Thus, it begins…

Space Pirate Captain Harlock
When a mysterious invader from the stars catches Earth unawares, only the legendary space pirate Captain Harlock and the crew of the Arcadia have the will to stand against them.

Blue Submarine No. 6
The once famous and well respected scientist Zorndyke has bred a new genre of living being, one that thrives on the oceans and lives to destroy humans. Zorndyke believes it is time that the humans were relieved of their rule of the earth. It is up to Blue Submarine No. 6 and the rest of the Blue fleet to put an end to Zorndyke's madness and creations.

The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse
As a prophecy of doom unfolds on the peaceful land of Britannia, a purehearted boy sets out on a journey of discovery — and revenge.

Galaxy Express 999
In a distant future, Tetsuro is a human boy who wants his body replaced with a robotic one. This is possible, but to do so he has to reach the Immortal Planet onboard the space train Galaxy Express 999. Maetel, a beautiful and mysterious blonde woman dressed in Russian style, joins him in the long journey through space. Every episode sees our heroes arriving in a new planet's space train station.

Sgt. Frog
Alien frogs come to take over the planet & get into all kinds of trouble while living under the roof of a small family.

GANTZ
If you are chosen by the bizarre black sphere known as the Gantz, you are already dead—yet you might be able to reclaim your mortality. First, the Gantz demands that you undertake brutal missions of madness, killing aliens hidden among the population. It is your only chance and you have no choice. You must play this disturbing game. And if you die again—and you likely will—it’s permanent.
More Anime Like Arpeggio of Blue Steel: Ars Nova

Birdy the Mighty: Decode
While pursuing fugitives the Space Federation police officer Birdy Cephon Altera finds herself on Earth.

SPRIGGAN
An ancient civilization's relics on Earth hold dangerous powers — it's up to ARCAM Corporation's Spriggan agents to keep them out of the wrong hands.

KanColle: Kantai Collection
Set in a world where humanity has lost control of the oceans to the “deep sea fleet,” the only hope to counter this threat are the Kanmusu, a group of girls who possess the spirit of Japanese warships. The story revolves around Fubuki, a destroyer who comes to the Chinjufu base to train with other Kanmusu. Watch as their stories unfold!

The Qwaser of Stigmata
When Mafuyu Oribe and her adopted sister Tomo rescue a strange wounded man, they have no idea what they’re getting involved with or what the consequences will be. Alexander Nikolaevith Hell is an Iron Qwaser, one of many opposing factions of super-warriors.

The Heroic Legend of Arslan
Arslan is the heir apparent of Pars, a strong nation that sits at the hear of the trade route connecting the East and the West. When the pagan nation of Lusitania begins an invasion of Pars, the timid Arslan is confronted with battle for the first time. His worst anxieties are realized the Parsian army falls for a Lusitanian stratagem and are routed. He barely escapes with his life, thanks to the loyal and indomitable warrior Daryun. Together they will stand against the invasion and the cruelties of fate that are about to blow down on Pars.

Tenchi Universe
Tenchi Masaki may be a 17-year-old young man in rural Japan, but little does he know how bad his day will be getting. When a space pirate chased by a pair of Galaxy Police officers crash-lands at his grandfather's temple, Tenchi is sucked into a new adventure that will literally blast him off into outer space and beyond.

Fena: Pirate Princess
Fena Houtman remembers little about her childhood. Orphaned and raised as a servant in a brothel, her life changes when she escapes to an island of pirates where she discovers the truth behind her family. With Fena being the only one able to unlock her family’s secrets, and a formidable crew of female pirates on her tail, she must take her place as captain of her Samurai crew for a high seas adventure!

Star Blazers: Space Battleship Yamato 2199
The year is 2199. The human race has been crushed in their war with the Gamilos, driven into underground cities by the invader's assault. Scientists estimate they have only a year left. The young officers Susumu Kodai and Daisuke Shima receive a mysterious capsule from a ship that made an emergency landing on Mars and return with it to Earth. It contains humanity's last hope: the planet Iscandar on the other side of the Magellan Galaxy has the technology to defeat the Gamilos and restore the planet. The space battleship Yamato is entrusted with this task, but they have only one year before humanity ends.

BASTARD‼ -Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy-
When evil forces threaten to resurrect Anthrasax, the God of Destruction, the Kingdom of Meta-llicana calls on a volatile dark wizard for help.

Knights of Sidonia
An alien race called Gauna has destroyed Earth. leaving humanity struggling to survive aboard the spaceship Sidonia. Even though it’s been a century since the last encounter with the Gauna, military service is mandatory. For Nagate Tanikaze, whose grandfather secretly hid him in the forgotten bowels of Sidonia, it’s a strange new world as he’s forced to come to the surface. Yet his recruitment comes just in time, for the Gauna have suddenly reappeared.

YU-NO: A Girl Who Chants Love at the Bound of This World
Arima Takuya is a young student whose father, a historian who has conducted various researches, disappeared recently. During a summer vacation Takuya receives a peculiar package from his missing father, along with a letter containing information about the existence of various parallel worlds. At first Takuya doesn't take it seriously, but soon he realizes that he possesses a device that allows him to travel to alternate dimensions. Is his father alive, after all? If so, where is he?

Gachiakuta
Accused of murder and thrown into the Pit, a young orphan joins a group of monster fighters with special powers to uncover the truth and seek vengeance.
Why These Anime Are Similar
These recommendations share core qualities with Arpeggio of Blue Steel: Ars Nova (2013): Animation and Sci-Fi & Fantasy themes, comparable animation style, and similar narrative pacing. NoBadPicks uses TMDB collaborative filtering, genre matching, and AI analysis to surface anime most likely to resonate with fans of Arpeggio of Blue Steel: Ars Nova.
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