As fans eagerly await news on a second season, here are the top seven shows like Scavengers Reign that viewers might want to check out in the meantime.
Scavengers Reign is a Max-turned-Netflix sci-fi animated series that got a lot of praise from viewers and critics for its gripping story and grim horror elements. Following its first season, many fans have begun clamoring for a new season.
Given that there’s no word yet on a potential new season, here are some animated shows you’ll enjoy if you love Scavengers Reign. Not all of these are sci-fi horror, but they are great in their own ways.
Pantheon
There seems to be a renaissance for animated sci-fi series aimed at adults. Alongside Scavengers Reign, genre fans should definitely check out Pantheon, the sci-fi thriller that was initially released on AMC+.
This series is set in the near future when the company Logorhythms aims to help humans reach immortality by letting them upload their consciousness into the cloud as an Upload Intelligence or UI.
Its story follows Maddie, a 14-year-old high school girl who soon discovers that her deceased father David Kim was successfully uploaded into the cloud as a UI. Soon, Maddie gets roped into a global conspiracy involving the Logorhythms.
While its take on sci-fi is not exactly like Scavengers Reign, the two shows explore similar deep themes. Sadly, Pantheon’s future after season 2 is still up in the air following its transfer to Prime Video.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
For a sci-fi story that’s a bit more brash and violent, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is no doubt the show to watch. Even though it’s based on the hit video game Cyberpunk 2077, even those unfamiliar with the franchise will enjoy this.
Cyberpunk follows David Martinez, a teenager living in the dystopian Night City. He soon comes across a cybernetic implant that gives him superhuman abilities, leading him to the path of becoming an edgerunner.
This anime may not have the horror elements of Scavengers Reign, but what it does have is dazzling action and a surprisingly thought-provoking and moving story, all on top of eye-popping and gory action.
Love, Death, and Robots
If you loved Scavengers Reign for its unique sci-fi ideas, then you should no doubt watch Netflix’s Love, Death, and Robots.
This anthology series features many self-contained episodes, with each featuring their own stories and animation styles.
Despite how different each episode is, they all share dazzling animation and memorable (and sometimes disturbing) stories that will no doubt scratch that sci-fi itch.
While you can start from the beginning, you can also watch some of the show’s best episodes right at the beginning. Some of the must-watch episodes include Beyond the Aquila Rift, Jibaro, and Bad Traveling.
Heavenly Delusion
Moving back to the world of anime, last year’s Heavenly Delusion stands as one of the most intriguing new sci-fi shows from Japan.
It may not have an alien planet element, but it does have a major focus on survival. After all, this series follows Kiruko and Maru as they journey through post-apocalyptic Japan in search of a place called Heaven.
Along with their storyline, the series also follows a group of children in a mysterious facility which may hold the key to why the series’ apocalyptic events happened.
There’s a lot of great action here, but be warned, as this series gets incredibly dark at many points.
Primal
The Adult Swim animated series Primal is a unique show as it’s set in prehistoric Earth, though it’s a different version that features dinosaurs, Ice Age animals, and human civilizations.
Primarily, this series is a survival story that follows a man named Spear and a Tyrannosaurus Rex named Fang as they try to survive in this dangerous world.
Sure, it’s not exactly a space-faring sci-fi tale, but its focus on survival should make it a must-watch for fans of Scavengers Reign.
What If...?
What If…? is sort of the odd man out in this list given that it’s a Marvel Cinematic Universe project. Still, it’s worth putting on the watch list of sci-fi fans thanks to its memorable twists on the iconic MCU heroes.
There are some lighter episodes here, but there are specific episodes that get incredibly grim. For instance, season 1’s Doctor Strange episode features a disturbing end, while the Ultron episode is also quite a downer.
You’ll need at least some knowledge of the mainline MCU movies to enjoy this series, but if you’ve already seen the Infinity Saga movies, this show is a must-watch given how interesting its sci-fi ideas are.
Shinsekai Yori (From the New World)
Wrapping up this list is a lesser-known anime called Shinsekai Yori (or From the New World in English).
This series is more like a science fantasy as it follows a group of humans with psychic abilities, though they have regressed to more tribe-like societies.
This series may start a bit slow, but it’s a thrilling watch as it explores dystopian themes about humanity and its future that should appeal to many sci-fi lovers.