6 Best Mecha Anime Series

If you are new to the anime fandom, then there is one thing you should know: Japan loves robots, and it likes them big.

Really, the intensity of Japan’s fascination with robots isn’t surprising. The country is known for its single-minded focus on all things tech, and Japan has been living large when it comes to robotics. From film to television, you can find mechanized war machines just about anywhere overseas – and anime is certainly no different.

Known as Mecha Anime, the subgenre of anime is defined by its epic scale and humanoid robots with insane arsenals. Fans who’ve never sampled Mecha Anime before, they might not know where to start, but ComicBook.com has your go-to guide. We’ve made a list of six of the best Mecha Anime series yet, so get ready to spin your wheels and binge these shows.

Full Metal Panic!

Created in September 1998, Shoji Gatoh ushered in one of the best rom-com mecha manga series to ever hit shelves. Full Metal Panic! was a gem amongst readers, and Gonzo Studios did fans right when they chose to adapt the manga into a now-famous anime series.

The main story follows a teenage boy named Sousuke Sagara, a covert member of anti-terrorist organization. A born military man, Sousuke struggles to do everyday tasks unless he views them as missions, but his life gets turned upside-down when he’s tasked with protecting Kaname Chidori. The eccentric girl is a fellow student, but her past holds secrets which keep Sousuke guessing about her true identity.

Neon Genesis Evangelion

If you are looking to merry mecha anime with some seriously introspective storylines, then Neon Genesis Evangelion is what you need. The iconic series premiered back in 1995 to critical acclaim, and it still stands as one of the most thought-provoking series of its kind.

The show follows protagonist Shinji in an future apocalyptic version of Tokyo. The teenage boy is recruited into a mysterious organization called NERV so he can pilot a massive mechanized weapon called Evangelion. The bio-machine is used to fight monsters known as Angels, and humans are now left to sync with Evangelion weapons in order to force the Angels from their world.

Gurren Lagann

Gurren Lagann might feature plenty of souped-up mecha weapons, but the show is primarily centered around friendship and political intrigued. Created in 2007, the series was a hit with readers before Gainax adapted it into an anime, and the series continues to thrill fans today.

The story follows two young boys named Simon and Kamina. They pair live in an alternate reality where Earth is ruled by Lordgenome, the Spiral King, who forces all of mankind to live in isolated villages underground. Essentially enslaved to do the King’s bidding, humans are left to conscripted service until the two boys discover a way to the Earth’s topside. By using a humanoid mecha suit called Gurren Lagann, the two bring themselves and their allies above ground and embark on an all-out war against the cruel monarchy.

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion

If you like anti-heroes, then you will want to check out Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. The acclaimed series was adapted into an anime in 2008 and enthralled viewers with its faithful retelling of a brutal, political tale.

Code Geass tells the story of an exile prince named Lelouch vi Britanni. The boy is the former prince of the Holy Britannian Empire who finds himself at odds with two other factions known as the Chinese Federation and the European Union. Lelouch’s father sends him to Japan as a bargaining tool shortly after the Empire takes over the country with its Knightmare Frame mecha. Displeased with his outcasted status, Lelouch plans to get revenge against his father and begins to do so after he’s gifted with a mysterious power known as Geass which allows him to bend people’s wills.

Knights of Sidonia

Having debuted in 2014, Knights of Sidonia is one of the newer mecha anime series to hit televisions, and it did so with great fanfare. The complex series tackles questions of autonomy, xenophobia, and the weight of war all while balancing it with action-packed battle sequence.

The series follows a boy named Nagate Tanikaze who lives on the spaceship Sidonia. The massive ship houses what is left of the human race after mankind was forced to abandon Earth following an alien invasion. The futuristic, high-tech setting has been all but hidden from Nagate as he has spent his entire life training to pilot massive weaponry suits known as Gardes. Once Nagate’s grandfather passes, he finally leaves his lived-in hovel and is selected to pilot one of the powerful suits just as Sidonia is threatened by the aliens who destroyed Earth centuries ago.

Mobile Suit Gundam

When you talk about mecha anime, you have to pay homage to Mobile Suit Gundam. The original series, though it was canceled shortly after it debuted, laid the foundations for all contemporary mecha anime. Since its debut in 1979, the franchise has spawned off dozens of television series, films, and video games. Without a doubt, fans consider its legacy to be that of the most influential mecha anime series of all-time.

If you are not familiar with the series, then you should know the original Mobile Suit Gundam is set in an futuristic alternate universe. The galaxy is at war as the Earth Federation is attacked by the Principality of Zeon when the latter declares war. The federation struggles to defend itself since Zeon has powerful mobile suits on its side, but the tides being to turn after a boy named Amuro Ray accidentally hijacks one of the powerful mobile suits and change the course of history.

After more than forty years, Mobile Suit Gundam continues to live on. There are currently two series of the franchise in production, Iron-Blooded Orphans and Thunderbolt. These two are excellent launching pads for beginners who want to dip their toes into mecha anime. And, of course, fans can always start out with the original series for old-time’s sake should they choose.