This Underrated Crunchyroll Anime Is the Attack on Titan Space Opera We Didn’t Know We Needed

When Attack on Titan exploded onto screens in 2013, it didn’t just change the anime landscape—it redefined it with its catastrophic battles, jaw-dropping twists, and epic despair against monstrous Titans. The series became a cultural phenomenon. But even as AoT dominated headlines and Reddit debates, two other gems were quietly forging their own legacies on the fringes of mainstream hype. Enter Knights of Sidonia and Blame!, the dark space operas that spun existential dread into a futuristic mecha anime.

Airing during Attack on Titan’s initial popularity, Knights of Sidonia (2014–2015) and the film adaptation of Blame! (2017) dared to ask: what if humanity’s struggle wasn’t a terrestrial brawl with Titans but a fight for survival against monstrous creatures or futuristic AI in the cold void of space? The timing may not have been ideal, but this series provided a fascinating contrast to Attack on Titan’s often old-fashioned militarism. Originally, Knights of Sidonia had a stint as a Netflix exclusive before migrating to Crunchyroll, while Blame!’s 2017 remains available on Netflix, alongside limited availability for its shorter ONA collections from 2003 and 2007. 

[RELATED – Attack on Titan Producer Hints That New Movies On The Way]

Survival at the Edge of the Universe

Imagine a mashup of Battlestar Galactica and Pacific Rim with a dash of existential dread—welcome to Knights of Sidonia. Set a millennium after Earth’s destruction, the anime follows humanity as it clings to life aboard the colossal spaceship Sidonia. And much like Attack on Titan’s Paradis, Sidonia is surrounded by danger. This time in the form of a desperate battle against the nightmarish Gauna, aliens that devour entire fleets with their grotesque, shifting forms. 

Protagonist Nagate Tanikaze, a cryogenically frozen relic, pilots a towering mecha to fend off these monstrous foes. But much like Attack on Titan, the true enemy may still lie within his own fractured society. Secrets, political intrigue, and body horror fester under Sidonia’s metal hull, making every skirmish feel like a fragile lifeline in the dark expanses of space.

Then there’s Blame!, a film adaptation that takes a much different approach to the survival horror genre. Instead of a society of people struggling against monstrous threats to humanity, Blame! follows the lone wanderer, Killy, as he searches for a way to restore humanity in an endless, dystopian megastructure ruled by a rogue AI. The city is like As Killy steadily treks through desolate corridors that echo with forgotten voices, he must fight against deadly AI enforcers called the Safeguard. Both series echo the central question of Attack on Titan, just in a more futuristic setting: how far will we go to survive when extinction looms?

What Makes Fans Obsess Over These Space Operas?

Fans of Knights of Sidonia and Blame! aren’t just chasing the spectacle—they’re hooked on the raw, philosophical themes behind every battle. In Knights of Sidonia, the Gauna aren’t mere monsters; they’re a symbolic force, a reminder of the uncontrollable, primal aspects of nature that even advanced society cannot tame. Nagate’s struggles—both in the cockpit of his mecha and within the halls of Sidonia—resonate with the same gritty determination that captivated AoT fans.

Blame! channels cold, dystopian terror with sparse dialogue and haunting visuals. Every step Killy takes through the endless corridors feels like a silent scream echoing in a steel coffin. On top of that, these shows share not only themes of survival and the cost of resistance but also a visual and emotional aesthetic that mirrors the moral ambiguity and existential dread of AoT. Yet, unlike Attack on Titan’s sprawling, character-driven drama, these titles don’t necessarily spoon-feed the viewers the answers they want. Instead, they let the eerie beauty of their broken worlds speak for themselves.

Both series were adapted from Tsutomu Nihei’s visionary manga: Knights of Sidonia (2009–2015) and Blame! (1997–2003). Each are celebrated for their intricate, sprawling designs and a dark, cybernetic aesthetic that dares you to look away. And while their anime never snagged the worldwide spotlight that AoT enjoyed—possibly due to their reliance on CGI—they remain cult favorites for those in the know. Blame!’s 2003 Original Net Animations (ONA) by Group TAC and the 2007 prequel mini episodes from Production I.G, while far shorter overall, generally are looked upon more fondly by the fans, but are also far less accessible for streaming audiences.

Where to Watch These Hidden Space Operas

Attack on Titan once challenged us with, “How far would you go when humanity is on the line?” Knights of Sidonia and Blame! answer with a cosmic rumble. In a universe where every shadow is a threat and every corridor hides a secret, survival is both an art and a war. These anime might not have the mainstream muscle or lasting gravitas of AoT, but for those willing to plunge into their dystopian depths, they offer a uniquely haunting—and ultimately unforgettable—journey.

If you’re ready to dive into these underrated corners of anime, here’s where to catch them. Both seasons of Knights of Sidonia and the series’ 2021 cinematic finale, Knights of Sidonia: Love Woven in the Stars are streaming on Crunchyroll. While Blame!’s film adaptation can be found on Netflix, diehard fans will understandably argue the manga is the only true way to fully experience writer Tsutomu Nihei’s vision.