The 35 Best Mecha Anime of All Time

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Isabella Smith
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Mobile Fighter G Gundam and Mobile Suit Gundam The 08th MS Teamanime


With roots dating back to the late 50s, the mecha genre is easily one of the oldest and most diverse of all anime. Many creators have used the genre as a vehicle to tell stories about war, featuring barely adolescent children holding on in a world where every day could be their last.

It can be a little daunting to find the perfect path in this bustling world where there are hundreds of possible shows to watch. Fortunately, the best mecha anime series of all time quickly stand out. Whether viewers are new to the genre or want more mecha goodness, there is no shortage of excellent mecha anime.

Updated by Sage Ashford, December 17, 2024: The mecha anime genre has enough classic series to watch to keep an anime fan busy for years. They run the gamut from psychological series to war dramas to slice-of-life shows. With that in mind, we’ve updated this list to include other great mecha anime from across decades.

Mobile Fighter G Gundam and Mobile Suit Gundam The 08th MS Teamanime

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Table of Contents

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35

Vandread takes the gender war to another level

Broadcast on Crunchy roll

Hibiki and her teammates at Vandread

Vandread gained notoriety in the 2000s thanks to its repeated broadcasts on Encore and Starz, but also for its completely wild premise. Hundreds of years after conquering the galaxy, men and women are so divided that they live on different planets and wage intergalactic wars against each other. The only hope for change comes when two ships from opposite sides reunite after being lost in space.

Rather than continuing to fight, they gradually realize that they have more in common than they thought. Especially as they learn that their technology is capable of combining. Although the harem elements may be a bit jarring, Vandread remains a great spectacle that never tires of its welcome.

34

Captain Earth Showcases Classic Giant Robot Awesomeness Against the Alien Empire

Available on DVD

Hana, Daichi, Teppei and Akari from Captain Earth

Captain Earth is BONES’ attempt at telling a simple mecha story. The protagonist of the series is Daichi Manatsu, a teenager who was forced to work for the super-secret organization Globe in order to protect the planet with the help of the Earth Engine Impacter. The Earth Engine is the only weapon capable of protecting the world against the alien Kill-T-Gang, who seeks to sustain its own life by draining humanity.

The call to Captain Earth It’s just an opportunity to see well-designed giant robots in massive and destructive giant robot fights. Thanks to BONES animation, Captain Earth excels at this in a way that most mecha anime series could never achieve. It also has one of the most likeable casts in mecha anime, as the group fighting to protect the planet is actually easy to root for.

33

Overman King Gainer Experiments With Super Robot

Available on DVD

King Overman Winner

In the early 2000s, Yoshiyuki Tomino returned to mecha anime to create an entirely new franchise. After years of creating realistic robot cartoons, Tomino’s King Overman Winner was anything but, embracing many elements of the Super Robot series. The series follows professional gamer Gainer Sanga as he uses his giant Overman to protect a group of humans abandoning a domed city to return to the world and reclaim planet Earth.

For a series that does not return to space, Winning king is probably one of the weirdest mecha anime. When people watch giant robot shows, they tend to expect serious war dramas, but Winning king goes in a completely different direction. It’s not afraid to balance its giant robot battles with humor, and Sunrise makes sure it’s gloriously animated. This series will particularly appeal to fans of Eureka 7.

32

Ninja Robots presents a space war between three races

Available on Apple+

Tobikage cutting up a robot in Ninja Senshi Tobikage.

In the distant future, humanity colonizes other planets… but peace continues to elude them. Ninja Robots focuses on Joe Maya, a sixteen-year-old living on Mars ruled by a dictator and drawn into a war between two alien races, the Ladorians and the Zaboom Army. Eager to regain his freedom, Joe and his friends agree to pilot giant robots for the Ladorians and fight the Zaboom forces.

Image showing Optimus Prime from Transformers, Mobile Suit Gundam RX-72 from Gundam and Lelouch Lamperouge from Code Geass

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Ninja Robots was everything giant robots needed in the 1980s: awesome giant robots with an inexplicable ninja theme. Fans of retro anime from outside America may remember this series as it received an English dub that aired in several countries in South Asia and Australia, although it did not never really reached the United States. Even now, fans of retro anime should take the time to go back and try this classic.

31

Mobile Suit Gundam: Mercury Witch Feels Like Gundam

Broadcast on Crunchy roll

Miorine Rembran, Selutta Mercury, Guel Jeturk and Selutta's Gundam XVF-016 antenna in the sky in Mobile Suit Gundam The Witch From Mercury.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Mercury Witch focuses on Suletta Mercury, a young girl who was recently transferred from her home on Mercury to the Asticassia School of Technology. On the first day, Suletta defends her classmate Miorine Rembran, which results in her participating in a mobile suit duel against the school’s strongest fighter. As if that wasn’t enough for her, when she wishes, she is suddenly dubbed Miorine’s new husband, making her the target of anyone who wishes to marry the next head of the Rembran family.

Mercury Witch is a reminder that Gundam can still set the tone for what mecha anime can be. Sunrise veers away from the usual war drama that Gundam is known for, instead focusing on critiquing capitalism and plutocracy. The series also experiments more with romance, as Suletta’s relationship with Miorine is one of the driving forces of the series, keeping viewers invested even when episodes are lighter on action. There are still enough classic Gundam elements in Mercury Witch being recognizable to fans of classics, but it also shows that he’s not afraid to make changes to appeal to a new generation.

30

Majestic Prince has fun with the mecha genre

Broadcast on HIDE

The main cast of Majestic Prince, Team Rabbits and their robots.

Outside of the Super Robot anime, most fans expect the mecha to be completely serious. These are stories about war, and people expect a certain tone from war stories. Majestic prince pushes those expectations, blending comedy with the high stakes of interstellar war, creating a show like no other.

The series focuses on humanity’s last hope in a war against the alien Wulgaru. A group of genetically modified teenagers, known as the Evolved Children, are given an experimental mecha to fight against the Wulgaru. Majestic prince focuses on one such group, Team Rabbits, a group that can’t seem to work together long enough to even pass their course, let alone fight a war. Majestic prince knows exactly how to combat Team Rabbits’ struggles in combat with enough comedy outside of battle to create one of the best mecha comedies out there.

29

Gundam Build Divers Re:Rise Adds Amazing World Building

Broadcast on Crunchy roll

The cast of Gundam Build Divers Re:Rise deep within the Uraven Gundam, facing off against the Gundam Seltsam.

Over a decade, the Gundam Building The franchise built a reputation as a light-hearted, low-stakes alternate universe where viewers could watch custom Gunpla models fight. Gundam Build Miscellaneous Re:Rise offers a slight change to this formula when the protagonists find themselves on the planet Eldora. Although they all initially believe that Eldora is another part of Gunpla Battle Nexus Online, it doesn’t take long for them to realize that Eldora is something else entirely.

Eager to move away from old traditions, Re:Rise surpasses the previous one Gundam Building series in several ways. The show retains the cool element of Gundam battles between custom Gunpla models, but adds a sense of drama to each fight by giving the group something tangible to fight for. Re:Rise‘s friendly group of inexperienced heroes is easy to identify with as they face a threat none of them could have seen coming.

28

Heroic Age Introduces a Mecha Franchise of Different Quality to the Standard

Available on DVD

Heroic Age

In Heroic Agehumanity is on the brink of destruction. Although they have become a spacefaring race, their inferior technology has caused them to fall far behind all other groups in the stars. Yet there is one person powerful enough to protect humanity and potentially guide them to their destiny. Following this prediction, Princess Deianeira of humanity goes looking for this person and discovers a young boy named Age on a desert world.

In the 2000s, the popularity of mecha anime began to decline, with only a handful of major franchises remaining. Fortunately, Heroic Age manages to present itself as an important series. It still has the scale expected from a Mobile Suit Gundam seriesso it’s easy for action lovers to immerse themselves in it. Nonetheless, it also offers a bit of intelligent political discussion for mecha fans looking for a little more depth.

27

Knight’s & Magic combines Isekai Fantasy with Mecha

Broadcast on Crunchy roll

Ernesti Chevalier and a flying robot from Knight's & Magic.

Knight and Magic It’s the rare case of an isekai who wants to bring something new to the table. The protagonist was originally a total mecha otaku before being reincarnated into a world filled with magic and monsters. But it was only after realizing the existence of giant robots that Ernesti Echevalier became interested in his new universe.

Knight and MagicThe main goal is for Ernesti to get to the point where he can build his own giant robot. The show gradually settles into a rhythm of watching the leader create new mechas or weapons, only to find the next challenge to help them perfect their creations. It’s perfect for people getting into plastic model building, but equally enjoyable for fantasy fans.

26

Fafner in the Azure is the most underrated mecha franchise

Broadcast on Crunchy roll

Kazuki Makabe from Fafner in Azure, standing in front of his mecha.

Set in a world where humanity has been virtually wiped out due to conflict with aliens, Fafner in the Azure is one of the oldest “new” mecha franchises. When the quiet island of Tatsumiyajima is disrupted by an attack by the Festus, they are forced to put their most powerful weapon on the front lines: the massive robot, the Fafner Mark Elf.

Spread across over a decade of television series, OVAs, and films, Fafner has become one of the biggest mecha hits of recent decades. Featuring character designs from Gundam SEED and write from Mardock Scramble’s Tow Ubukata, Fafner should be on every true mecha fan’s watch list if they haven’t already completed it.

25

Broken Blade brings Mecha into a world of sword and sorcery

Broadcast on Crunchy roll

An image from Break Blade.

By their nature, people tend to think of mecha anime as science fiction series. Broken blade shakes things up by placing the mecha right in the middle of a world of mages. In Cruzon’s world, humanity evolved relying on the power of magical quartz. This not only revolutionized their daily lives, but also changed the way they wage war.

Schneizel, Devil Gundam and Anti Spiral

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When the land of Krisna is suddenly plunged into war, Rygart Arrow also wants to protect the people he loves. However, Rygart has no talent for magic, and thus no hope of joining the battle – until he discovers a strange new mecha that doesn’t rely on magic at all. Mecha fans those who prefer close-range combat will find plenty to like Broken blade.

24

SSSS.Gridman combines Henshin Hero with giant robots

Broadcast on Crunchy roll

The original Gridman raises his fists for battle in SSSS.Gridman.

The town of Tsutsujidai is threatened by kaiju. The town’s best chance is Yuta Hibiki, a child who has lost his memory but can merge with a being known as Hyper Agent Gridman. As Gridman, Yuta can fight and defeat these powerful kaiju, protecting his city. However, he and his friends are still trying to discover the person responsible for releasing the kaiju in their town.

Studio triggers SSSS.Gridman is a superb reinterpretation of Grid man concept for a new generation. It combines Henshin Hero and mecha to create something that is not just like most anime, but most mecha anime. It features a strong cast of protagonists like most Super Robot series, and even the villains are handled well. Tokusatsu fans might have a hard time adjusting to the anime, but not when it looks this good.

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A high school student discovers that he can merge with a giant robot, Gridman, to fight colossal monsters that threaten his town. With the help of his classmates, who form a support group called the Gridman Alliance, they discover hidden truths about their world and the mysterious events surrounding them.

Release date

January 17, 2021

Creator(s)

Grid man

Cast

Lindsay Seidel, Jill Harris, Reina Ueda, Brandon McInnis, Greg Ayres, Soma Saito, Barry Yandell, Tetsu Inada, Yuya Hirose, Yume Miyamoto

Seasons

1

23

The Galactic Wanderer Vifam asks a group of children to survive a war

Available on DVD

The children of Galactic Drifter Vifam standing next to the mecha from the series.

Mecha series often show how children are affected by the existence of war, but no series approaches it this way. I live do. Galactic Wanderer begins with a group of children separated from their parents and any adult figures at the start of a war. If one of the children wishes to see their parents again, they will have to travel through space to find them. Luckily, they find mechas to protect against the alien threat as they continue their journey through the stars.

I live isn’t very well known because it’s not a long-running franchise like other 80s series. However, fans can expect the usual Sunrise magic when they discover this series. Its animation is surprisingly good for the time, the mecha fights are well choreographed and the character writing will quickly make viewers attached to the cast.

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Set in a distant galaxy, a group of children find themselves stranded on a spaceship after their convoy is attacked by alien forces. Together, they must learn to use the ship’s advanced mechanisms to fend off further attacks and return home across the cosmos.

Release date

October 21, 1983

Cast

Kôsei Tomita, Hidehiro Kikuchi, Katsuhiko Nanba, Runa Akiyama, Masako Nozawa, Mîna Tominaga, Run Sasaki, Eriko Hara

Seasons

1

22

Macross 7 adds new ideas to the Macross universe

Available on DisneyPlus

Fire Bomber gives a concert among the mechas in Macross 7.

Macro 7 takes up many of the craziest ideas introduced in Superdimensional Fortress Macross to the next level. Instead of having a single idol fight an alien race, Macro 7 features Nekki Basara, lead singer of the rock band Fire Bomber. Although it is dangerous, Nekki travels to meet the mysterious Protodevlin race in the heat of battle, trying to force them to listen to her song and create peace as Lynn Minmei once did.

Considering how ridiculous the premise of the series is, Macro 7 it may not be for everyone. However, Nekki is one of the most fiery and charismatic protagonists Macro never had. He’s almost likeable enough to make viewers believe as strongly in his goal as the people of the universe. With glorious 90s animation and the series revealing hidden secrets to Macro traditions, Macro 7 is a treat for anyone who loves a bit of franchise.

21

SSSS.Dynazenon expands the Gridman world

Broadcast on Crunchy roll

The cast of SSSS.Dynazenon standing together on a hill, with the series' main mecha behind them.

While SSSS.Gridman sought to deconstruct and examine mecha and tokusatsu tropes, its sequel series, SSSS. Dynazenon, takes another route for something different but just as entertaining. Dynazenon plays most of the popular mecha and henshin hero tropes completely straight, but does so with a serious attitude that longtime fans will find endearing.

It helps that Studio Trigger once again knocks it out of the park with the character designs and animation quality. Both the kaiju and mecha have a contemporary and funky look despite being taken from an early 90s series. Meanwhile, the fights are impressive enough that viewers will barely notice the monster format of the week of the series. Still, there’s plenty of mystery lurking in the background to keep people’s attention when there aren’t robots and monsters tearing the city apart.

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In an unexpected twist of fate, a disillusioned high school student and a mysterious group of allies are brought together by the appearance of a colossal mechanized beast. Together, they must learn to pilot this powerful entity, known as Dynazenon, to combat a series of monstrous threats putting their world in danger.

Release date

April 2, 2021

Creator(s)

Grid man

Cast

Dallas Reid, Megan Shipman, Jason Liebrecht, Junya Enoki, Kristen McGuire, Yūichirō Umehara, Aaron Campbell, Chika Anzai

Seasons

1

20

Mobile Suit Gundam launched the biggest mecha franchise

Broadcast on Crunchy roll

Amuro's RX-78 Gundam battles Zeon Blue Zaku in the original Mobile Suit Gundam.

In 1979, Yoshiyuki Tomino created the first entry in a mecha franchise that would reach greater heights than any other. Gundam Mobile Suit created “Real Robot”, a subgenre of mecha anime focused on the use of mechas as military tools. The series also featured a more realistic protagonist, Amuro Ray, a young child forced to toughen up due to his time in war.

Gundam Mobile Suit stands the test of time even decades later, with its complex characters and storytelling. Even though they’re constantly introducing new mecha to sell new toys and NewType psychic powers, the series remains an equally fascinating watch.

19

Zeta Gundam shakes up everything fans knew

Broadcast on Crunchy roll

A sequel to the original Mobile Suit Gundam, Zeta Gundam turns everything people knew about the original series upside down. The series introduces a new protagonist in Kamille Bidan, a rebellious teenager on the run from the Titans, a twisted faction of the Earth Federation forces. Kamille must join forces with the United Anti-Earth Government, an army fighting for the freedom of the Spacenoids.

There, Kamille meets two iconic characters from the previous series: Mobile Suit Gundam villain Char Aznable and former White Base leader Bright Noa. Char serves as a mentor to this new hero, in a series that teaches that nothing is ever black or white in war. A superb series, Zeta Gundam doesn’t offer much in the way of plot armor, so fans who don’t like character deaths better watch out.

18

Patlabor: New files offer more adventures with Special Division 2

Available on DVD

Patlabor New files showing Special Division 2 sitting together underground.

Patlabor Television was successful enough for another OVA series to continue the series for sixteen more episodes. This time, viewers get to see the conclusion of the main series’ deadly Griffin arc…but there’s also plenty of time to spend with everyone’s favorite weirdos in Special Vehicles Division 2. Just like in the TV series, fans can watch them take on everything from terrorists to rowdy drunks with their inimitable, if sometimes wacky, problem-solving skills.

Patlabor: The new files doesn’t focus much on mecha action, but that’s never why people liked it in the first place. Instead, it’s the connections between all the people that make up Division 2 and the incredible character writing that transformed people into Patlabor fans. This character-driven writing is still there to draw people in New files. The fact that this takes directly after the TV series means it’s best watched after finishing the TV series, but it also means fans get to spend one last time with this awesome cast.

17

Gundam Build Fighters launched a new universe for Gundam fans

Broadcast on Crunchy roll

Sei leads the way in Gundam Build Fighters.

Ever wanted a break from all the politics and sadness of the principal Gundam franchise? It’s there Gundam build fighters comes into play, as it takes place in a universe where technological advancements have allowed people to build posable Gundam models and use them in large tournaments. The series begins with Sei Iori, a genius builder but a terrible pilot, teaming up with his new friend Reiji, a spirited kid who has just become captivated by Gundam models.

Gundam build fighters features some of the most hyped mecha fight scenes of all time. It’s easily possible to only connect to this, as there aren’t many places where a Gundam can perform an extended Super Robot-style transformation sequence. That said, the rest of the series is also surprisingly strong, as viewers will find themselves loving Sei and Reiji and the bond they share. This series was so popular that it created a new sub-franchise for Gundamthe one they continue to add years later.

16

Big O represents Batman if he had a giant robot

Available on DVD

Roger Smith stands with his mecha in the anime The Big O.

In the 2000s, The big O has become one of the biggest mecha series in America thanks to Toonami. Even though the series wasn’t as popular in Japan, America immediately gravitated toward the noir ambiance of Paradigm City, a place no one had memories of forty years ago. They also liked the protagonist, Roger Smith, a smooth-talking negotiator who felt like Batman with a giant robot.

The big O‘s eponymous mecha is iconic: a giant, hulking creature made of steel with weapons that easily crush everything from monsters to other mecha.. Even though the series leaves viewers with even more unanswered questions once the show ends, it’s still worth watching. The detective noir vibes are unlike anything else in mecha anime.