The sci-fi genre, short for science fiction, features imaginative and futuristic concepts that are often rooted in scientific principles, technology, and possibilities. These stories delve into "what if" questions and can serve as a platform to address contemporary social, political, and ethical issues by projecting them onto future or alternate settings.
The more specific flavours of Sci-Fi. Pick one to see every title tagged with it.
The space sci-fi subgenre features stories set primarily in outer space or involving space travel, exploration, and interstellar adventures. Space sci-fi often emphasizes the wonders and challenges of space travel, as well as the exploration of unknown frontiers, advanced technology, and encounters with extraterrestrial life.
The dystopian sci-fi subgenre features worlds characterized by extreme social, political, and environmental challenges and focuses on the negative aspects of humanity's future. In these stories, societies have deteriorated into oppressive, nightmarish, or dysfunctional states.
The sci-fi epic subgenre features grand narratives set in expansive and imaginative worlds. Sci-fi epics often span vast time periods, multiple locations, and involve intricate plots that explore complex themes, societal changes, technology, and the evolution of civilizations.
The alien invasion subgenre features extraterrestrial beings invading Earth. These stories typically depict the arrival of advanced alien civilizations to our planet, often with hostile intentions. The subgenre explores themes of humanity's response to a sudden and unprecedented threat, as well as the potential consequences of interacting with beings from other worlds.
The time travel subgenre features traveling backward or forward in time, often resulting in characters encountering alternate timelines, paradoxes, and the potential to alter history. These stories delve into the complexities of causality, the nature of reality, and the philosophical implications of manipulating time.
The artificial intelligence, or A.I., subgenre features the concept of artificial intelligence and its impact on society, humanity, and the future. These stories often focus on the creation, development, and interactions of intelligent machines and raises questions about the ethical, moral, and existential implications of a future where AI plays a significant role.
The cyberpunk subgenre features high-tech, dystopian futures, advanced technology, and the intersection of human life with powerful corporations and cybernetics. Cyberpunk stories often take place in gritty urban landscapes where advanced technology contrasts with societal decay, and protagonists navigate a world filled with hacking, cybernetic enhancements, and the blurring of boundaries between humans and machines.
The kaiju subgenre, a Japanese term that translates to "strange beast", features giant creatures, often of immense size, that wreak havoc in cities or engage in battles with other monstrous beings. The subgenre originated in Japan and was created by Eiji Tsuburaya and Ishirō Honda.
The steampunk subgenre features a combination of Victorian-era technology with imaginative and often anachronistic twists. It envisions an alternate history or future where steam power, clockwork mechanisms, and other technologies from the 19th century have evolved in unusual and fantastical ways.