Sci-Fi Guide

This guide combines recommendations for Shadowrun and Shadowrun-adjacent content (cyberpunk, near-future, dystopian, techno-thriller, AI themes) suitable for audiences of all ages, organized by media type.

Style Guide

Content is tagged with these vibes:

Pink Mohawk: Loud, colorful, stylish, street-level chaos
Black Trenchcoat: Tactical, serious, stealth, noir tone
Cyberpunk Fantasy: Blend of magic and technology
Cyberpunk Classic: Foundational works that defined the genre

Films

Bright [Cyberpunk Fantasy] - Urban magic + tech mix. Perfect tone-setter.

The Matrix [Black Trenchcoat] - Iconic cyberpunk themes. Mild language/violence. Super stylized.

Dredd (2012) [Black Trenchcoat] - Brutal action. Consider vetting for violence.

Johnny Mnemonic [Cyberpunk Classic] - Very SR-like. Bizarre but iconic. Good as a reference point.

The Running Man [Pink Mohawk] - 80s dystopia, game-show brutality. Action-packed.

Tron Legacy [Stylized Cyber] - Sleek digital world. Light on violence. Great aesthetic.

Big Trouble in Little China [Pink Mohawk] - Magic + chaos + fun. Goofy but timeless.

The Warriors [Street Gangs] - Urban gang style and survival. Consider vetting.

Escape From New York [Pink Mohawk] - Antihero style. May feel dated.

RoboCop (1 & 2) [Pink Mohawk] - Mega-corps, cyber-limbs, and satire. RoboCop 2 has a kid character. Vet for violence.

Six String Samurai [Post-Apocalyptic] - Wacky, stylish. Not cyberpunk but inspirational.

Arcane [Dieselpunk/Fantasy] - Great art, teen themes, magic-tech fusion. Mild mature themes.

Animatrix [Black Trenchcoat] - Anthology. Varies in tone. Good follow-up to The Matrix.

Equilibrium [Black Trenchcoat] - Gun kata. Very cool action. Easy to follow.

Heat [Black Trenchcoat] - Heist-centric. Not cyber, but strong team dynamic.

TV Shows & Anime

Ghost in the Shell: SAC [Black Trenchcoat] - Classic cyberpunk. Some mature themes, but more toned down than movies.

Cowboy Bebop [Pink Mohawk] - Space + bounty hunting. Strong vibes, excellent tone.

Batman Beyond [Cyberpunk Lite] - Teen-focused, safe, and Shadowrun-flavored Gotham.

Akira [Cyberpunk] - Classic, but very graphic. Vet first. Manga is even more mature.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners [Black Trenchcoat] - Considered too mature by many—lots of graphic content. Vet first.

Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 [Pink Mohawk] - Classic cyberpunk anime. Action + female-led cast.

Real Drive [Cyberpunk] - Thoughtful cyber themes. Slower pace.

Ergo Proxy [Philosophical CP] - Darker tone, psychological.

Megalo Box / Nomad [Post-apocalyptic] - Boxing + cybernetic enhancements. Gritty inspiration.

Appleseed [Cyber-military] - CG anime. Might feel dated, but relevant.

Lupin the Third: Koike films [Noir/Heist] - Vet for nudity. Very stylish and fast-paced.

Akudama Drive [Pink Mohawk] - Over-the-top cyber action. Vet for violence.

Audio Dramas

Neo-A [Cyberpunk Indie] - Webcomic + Audio. https://neo-a.the-comic.org — Voice-dubbed comic. Stylish, moody. Great starter.

The Leviathan Chronicles [Black Trenchcoat] - Audio Drama. High production, cyber-espionage and immortality themes. Some episodes can be intense — vet first.

Edict Zero: FIS [Noir Cyberpunk] - Audio Drama. Deep worldbuilding, synthetic humans, conspiracies. Dense and layered. Might be more advanced.

We're Alive [Urban Survival] - Audio Drama. Post-apocalyptic, not cyberpunk, but great team dynamics and tension. Mostly clean for teens.

The White Vault [Corp/Expedition Horror] - Audio Drama. Well-produced arctic horror. Fringe SR inspiration (corporate tone).

Audiobooks

Never Deal With a Dragon (Shadowrun) by Robert N. Charrette [Core Shadowrun] - The original SR novel. Audiobook exists. Very lore-rich. Mild language and violence.

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson [Pink Mohawk] - Hilarious, high-octane, hacker samurai. Vet first: some mature themes.

The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells [AI + Humanity] - Smart, accessible, short audiobooks. Great balance of humor, action, and tech.

Neuromancer by William Gibson [Black Trenchcoat] - Dense, poetic classic. Audiobook has multiple narrators. Might be too slow for some teens.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick [Philosophical CP] - Blade Runner's origin. Audio version is atmospheric, but conceptual. Best as a companion to visual media.

Feed by M.T. Anderson [Teen Cyberpunk] - YA dystopia with corporate control and brain-internet. Made for teens. Dark but relevant.

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles, Book 1) by Marissa Meyer [Cyberpunk Fantasy] - Cinderella retold as a cyborg. Strong female lead. YA friendly. A sleeper hit.

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown [Gentle AI/Survival] - For younger listeners, but great metaphors. Could work for soft-entry into tech themes.

Scythe (Arc of a Scythe series) by Neal Shusterman [Dystopia/Corp Tech] - Death controlled by AI. Teen-safe and gripping. Deals with ethics and systems.

Comics & Graphic Novels

Akira (Manga) [Cyberpunk Classic] - Very graphic. Read first before handing over.

Old City Blues [Cyberpunk Indie] - Accessible art, solid themes. Great intro to comic cyberpunk.

Cyberpunk 2077 (Comics) [Cyberpunk Noir] - Some series are teen-appropriate. Vet each mini-series.

Battle Angel Alita [Cyberpunk Martial] - Strong visuals and world. Some mature content.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? [Classic Adaptation] - Based on Philip K. Dick. Graphic novel adaptation.

Video Games

Shadowrun Trilogy (Returns, Dragonfall, Hong Kong) [Core SR Experience] - Turn-based RPGs. Great stories. Vet for themes.

Shadowrun (SNES & Genesis) [Retro SR] - Great intro to tone and progression of a runner.

Deus Ex (Original, Human Revolution) [Cyberpunk Classic] - May be too mature for 13, but inspirational for older players.

VA-11 HALL-A [Cyberpunk Slice] - Not much action. Worldbuilding + vibes. Some mature themes.

Portal 1 & 2 [Rogue AI Humor] - Corporate experimentation + puzzles. Light-hearted tone.

Borderlands 2 / Tales from Borderlands [Pink Mohawk] - Over-the-top humor + corps + tech. Vet for humor and language.

Cyberpunk 2077 [Black Trenchcoat] - Mature-rated. For adult players only.

Music

Daft Punk – Tron: Legacy Soundtrack [Sleek Cyber] - Perfect SR music.

My Chemical Romance – Danger Days [Pink Mohawk] - Storytelling + cyber-hero vibes.

Crystal Castles / Pylot / Static X [Gritty/Futuristic] - Atmospheric, aggressive.

Man or Astroman? [Retro-Future Rock] - Fun sci-fi instrumentals.

Powerman 5000 – The Machine [Industrial Edge] - High energy. Can be teen-appropriate depending on song.

At the Drive-In [Punk/Alt Energy] - Consider vetting for lyrics.

Podcasts & Narrative Shows

Welcome to Night Vale [Weird Future] - Surreal/Radio. Eerie, strange humor. Teen-appropriate. Not cyberpunk, but great flavor.

Mission Rejected [Low-tech Espionage] - Comedy Drama. Spy parody audio drama. Family-friendly fun, good for laughs.

Relativity [Soft Cyber Themes] - Sci-Fi Drama. Emotional and smart. Not heavy on cyberpunk but rich storytelling.

Marsfall [Space + AI] - Sci-Fi. Terraforming, AI control, corporate layers. Teen-appropriate with some tension.

The Magnus Archives [Paranormal Noir] - Horror. More magical horror than cyberpunk. Some scary/mature themes. Vet before.