Steampunk is a fairly new genre of fiction that blurs the line between fantasy and sci-fi. Most of the time, it features historical settings, usually the Wild West or the Victorian Era, and ramps up the technological aspect, featuring more steam-powered machines than usual, or devices that were simply not possible for the time period. But this is more of a guideline than an outright rule, as sometimes the setting is shifted to fantastical worlds or other eras of human history.
With it being a new genre, and one that is especially difficult to nail, there haven’t been too many entries into it across any form of media, whether it be movies, video games, books, or TV. Though, there have been a handful of TV series that have performed really well, and that are absolutely in the realm of steampunk, though this isn’t always intentional. These are the best steampunk shows , offering a side of history with fantasy and sci-fi.
10 ‘Legend’ (1995)
Created by Michael Piller and Bill Dial
Legend is primarily a Western TV show, just one that happens to include a lot of steampunk tropes and aesthetics. The series stars Richard Dean Anderson as Ernest Pratt, a hedonistic writer who has created one of the most successful novels in the old American West, in which the main character is modeled after himself. However, he finds himself running into an impersonator, who is taking up the mantle of the novel’s protagonist and is using Pratt’s creation for his own benefit.
Thus, Pratt decides to actually act like the character he has created and travel throughout the land with this impersonator, creating scientific inventions atypical of the time period, and doing good as he sees fit to cure his writer’s block. Now, it should be noted that there were a lot of criticisms of this show, but overall, it’s still good, if not remarkable. The steampunk elements do keep it a little more exciting, as it’s pretty bland as far as regular Westerns go.
9 ‘Warehouse 13’ (2009-2014)
Created by Jane Espenson and D. Brent Mote
Warehouse 13 actually takes place in the modern day, in which a team of spies discovers a government storage facility that houses artifacts from times long past. These artifacts are beyond simple knick-knacks, though–they actually have a function, which is, more often than not, in the domain of science fiction or fantasy.
Warehouse 13 was really a hit with critics, who found the experience quite riveting, and always interesting with the devices alluding to some of the most monumental accomplishments and most influential figures throughout history. For example, famed actress Marilyn Monroe possesses a hairbrush that automatically turns any hair it comes into contact with blonde. It may not be set in the past as is typical of the genre, but it’s still a great show with plenty of steampunk aspects.
8 ‘Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress’ (2016)
Directed by Tetsurō Araki
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress is an anime series that only lasted one season, but in all fairness, it was very much intended to be short. This is about as steampunk as it gets–it includes all the basic conventions of the genre, to the point that calling it a regular fantasy or a sci-fi feels like it doesn’t quite fit. The Industrial Revolution plays a heavy part in the storyline, as a deadly virus rips across the landscape, turning people into zombies.
The primary weapons used to combat the undead are steam-powered guns, and the main defense against them are large island fortresses comprised entirely of iron, as the name implies. Short and sweet, Kabaneri of the Island Fortress is one of the most stylized anime shows, along with one of the most interesting, story-wise. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty good, and is a lot of fun, especially for anime fans.
7 ‘The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.’ (1993-1994)
Created by Jeffrey Boam and Carlton Cuse
Set in 1893 in the old American West, The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. is about a scholar-turned-bounty hunter who is hired by a group of wealthy industry CEOs to track down and kill members of a gang of outlaws. Though it has all the makings of a Western, the series frequently includes elements of science-fiction, and yes, steampunk. It became sort of a cult classic, earning a small but dedicated fanbase. Sadly, this fanbase wasn’t big enough, and the show didn’t last very long.
Though it was cancelled far sooner than it should have, it was received very well nonetheless, and came as a standout, if underrated show in the Western genre. Brisco, as it is commonly known, was commended for its inclusion of steampunk, which was still a very new genre at the time, and was also praised for its writing and acting performances.
6 ‘Murdoch Mysteries’ (2008-)
Developed by R. B. Carney, Cal Coons, & Alexandra Zarowny
Murdoch Mysteries is a Canadian series that has been going on for over 16 years, which is quite an accomplishment in the world of television. Taking place in Toronto in 1895, the show follows Detective William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson), as he aims to solve a series of crimes using anachronistic means. Such methods include fingerprinting, surveillance, and DNA evidence, which hadn’t quite been invented and/or popularized yet.
He is able to perform many of these techniques using a series of steampunk-esque machines, allowing him to get one over on the criminals he is pursuing. Beyond that, it is a police procedural, albeit that is different than any other due to the steampunk twist. It’s rare that any show, much less a Canadian show would appeal to international audiences and keep them consistently entertained to the point where it is still going on almost two decades later, and that alone is enough to speak to its quality.
Directed by Seiji Mizushima
Fullmetal Alchemist and its successor, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, are two shows that were rather short-lived, yet worth every second. The series take place in the fictional country of Amestris, where the most widely-practiced science is the ancient process of alchemy. However, alchemy is a dangerous practice, and things go wrong all the time. Inevitably, two siblings conduct an experiment that goes horribly wrong, leaving them with a series of prosthetic limbs, and a quest to find the Philosopher’s Stone.
The mechanical liimbs, as well as several other different aspects of both shows heavily lean into the steampunk aesthetic. Even though they didn’t go on for longer than two years, both of these series are some of the most highly-praised and well-respected anime series of all time. Their short lifespan isn’t due to their quality, but rather because their stories had simply come to an end. As far as anime goes, this is one that is pretty different, and is a real breath of fresh air, being one of the most textbook examples of the steampunk genre.
4 ‘The Legend of Korra’ (2012-2014)
Created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko
The Legend of Korra is the long-awaited sequel to Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender, one of the greatest fantasy shows of the 21st century. Set 70 years after the original, the show follows the events of a new avatar, named Korra (Janet Varney), as she struggles to deal with the political turmoil unbalancing the four nations once again. Being set such a substantial amount of time after the first series, there are of course going to be plenty of technological advancements.
The first show already had some steampunk elements, but The Legend of Korra cranks it up to 11, with machines playing a much bigger part in the narrative than they did in Avatar: The Last Airbender. Of course, no sequel is every as good as the original, but The Legend of Korra was a much-needed refresher, and a nostalgic journey back to the world of its predecessor, and was every bit as exciting.
3 ‘The Wild Wild West’ (1965-1969)
Created by Michael Garrison
The Wild Wild West is one of the earliest examples of the steampunk genre. This one takes place in, well, the wild west, of course, and features a lot of cowboys, horses, and dust-blown environments as befits the genre, but also has a lot of mechanical marvels that don’t match the time period. It is set during the Ulysses S. Grant‘s presidency in the United States, and is listed by many steampunk fan sites as one of the very first shows that created and developed the genre, perhaps without even knowing it.
But steampunk isn’t the only genre incorporated into the show–the series also dives deep into sci-fi and espionage, all with a Western steampunk twist. The Wild Wild West was a bit controversial at the time of its release due to the levels of violence being higher than most other typical shows, but retrospective reviews have been nothing but positive, with the series even earning a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
2 ‘Attack on Titan’ (2013-2023)
Directed by Tetsurō Araki, Masashi Koizuka, Yuichiro Hayashi, and Jun Shishido
Attack on Titan takes place in a low fantasy setting, in a post-apocalyptic future where humans have been forced to take shelter behind a series of immense walls to keep safe from the flesh-eating giants, known as titans, that roam the outside world. This Japanese anime series was so well-received that even non-anime fans couldn’t help but enjoy its unique and highly-detailed world, as well as how gruesome and dark it is, thematically.
The humans inside function on past technology, still making use of horses and carts, but the weapons and gear human soldiers carry are very steampunk indeed, namely in the omni-directional gear that is specifically designed for fighting titans. The show is consistently thrilling, and includes a narrative that is one jarring twist after another, with many mysteries arising, keeping viewers hooked. Attack on Titan‘s stellar action, memorable cast of characters, stunning visuals, and oppressive atmosphere have ensured it remains one of the greatest anime series of all time.
1 ‘Arcane’ (2021-)
Created by Christian Linke and Alex Yee
When it comes to video game adaptations, there are very few that ever manage to even come close to the original quality of the source material. Yet, Arcane, which is based on the video game League of Legends actually improved on the original and added to the expansive universe. Arcane incorporates a lot of sci-fi, fantasy, and steampunk elements as it follows the adventures of Vi (Hailee Steinfeld), one of the playable champions of the game.
The 3D animation feels true to the original, and the show has been extremely popular, not only for the millions of League of Legends players, but even for people who have never played the game in their life. It’s really a superb show, and is easily enjoyable by pretty much anyone thanks to its wide-reaching array of concepts and themes, which is what makes it the best steampunk show, and one of the best video game-to-television adaptations.
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