this post was submitted on 16 Oct 2026
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I've heard that phrase before often, and I've seen gundam fans constantly say this to folks like myself who often say we don't like mecha anime, and it sat with me for years; I like code geass, I also like gurren lagan, also evangelion, neoranga (never finished it though), and bokurano, so what the heck am I talking about?

Well actually I don't like war anime; I've no interest in hearing about how empire fitzlik has loyalist factions and friendly rebel alliances, or how princess dokemon is trying to end the conflict between the union of dinguses and the gearshmear confederation, or how colonel flatulence is moving his troops to some rear flank somewhere, or how the struggling economy of the gadunkadunk dictatorship has them occupying the mines formerly controlled by naboo free army, etc; and all the characters are military personnel or politicians.

I have zero interest in this stuff even when mechs are NOT involved; I tried watching gundam something something orphan and yeah, this is not for me; ironically the mecha battles are the highlight. I stopped early in the show when one of the main characters, a prodigy at mech battles, is supposed to duel some colonel who wants to avoid killing the forces on the main character's base because they're mostly kids, and this duel is the only thing I'd go back for.

I used to think I hated mech battles because it's not the physical capabilities of the MC that matters, but how powerful the mech was, but no, a well done fight (choreography and animation) is still a well done fight; nah, it's the politics, logistics, economy and doing away with as much of the fantastic that I find dull.

Gonna go back and look over anime series I'd passed up because I'd originally seen they featured mechas, and there's a lot of them.

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[–] ChaosMaterialist@hexbear.net 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Code Gaess is goofy in ways Gundam can be very boring, and that's before you get into the funny fan translations. I shall now proceed to pleasure myself with this fish! I think Sunrise as a studio needs a break between it's heavier series. I sometimes forget how old that studio is :sweat:

Gonna go back and look over anime series I'd passed up because I'd originally seen they featured mechas, and there's a lot of them.

Have you seen Full Metal Panic!? It's a comedy mecha. Gist is srs business mecha pilot kid goes undercover in high school as bodyguard and fish-out-of-water hijinx ensues. It has mecha but it's used more as plot fodder to drive the official couple's relationship. For some inexplicable reason KyoAni (mostly) separated the srs-business plot from the funny school hijinx into seasons 1 and 2, respectively. I highly recommend mixing the two seasons together like its presented in the manga.

Before Code Gaess, Sunrise made Escaflowne^[that I continuously ~~flog~~ champion], which is basically two bishi mecha pilots are in a love triangle with the heroine who sees the future with Tarot, with mecha driving the drama forward.

[–] Evilsandwichman@hexbear.net 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Have you seen Full Metal Panic!?

I have actually! I remember I liked it too; interestingly did you know the protagonist was raised in a place most likely meant to be Afghanistan? Reading up on it, apparently they renamed it to Helmajistan for the anime to avoid 'sensitivities during the war on terror'

Escaflowne was actually another anime I'd been considering watching; the mecha in that is apparently more akin to a living creature, similar to evangelion

[–] ChaosMaterialist@hexbear.net 3 points 2 weeks ago

In the original manga/LN it was Afghanistan, specifically the Helmand Province^[I don't have the manga on hand, but Wikipedia backs me up, so I got that going for me which is nice], and its political situation from the 80s plays a part in both the protagonist and antagonist. "Helmajistan" appears a combination of Helmand and Afghanistan. It's very MGS2 Raiden coded, despite the original LN coming out weeks after MGS1 released in Japan. That part is muted in the anime because :second-plane: and it's consequences. The anime also renames North Korea^[can't remember the new name off the top of my head] during the plane hostage plot at the beginning for the same reason.

the mecha in that is apparently more akin to a living creature, similar to evangelion

It's true for the protagonist mecha, but it's not overpowered like Gurren Lagann. The mecha act more clockwork, like an exoskeleton, with the pilots implied to be performing the actual motions. Fighting experience is a big differentiator that can overcome technological superiority for both heroes and villains alike. The villains' mecha are initially laughably overpowered sci-fi, easily destroying dozens of other mecha in the beginning, but they are grounded in a logic that the protagonists learn and then overcome.

It also has a great soundtrack, and one of my favorite villains (Dilandau) as well imho.