10 Mecha Anime That Make More Sense After Watching Gundam

Mobile Suit Gundam is not just the most influential mecha anime in history, but arguably one of the most significant franchises in the entire medium. Conceived in 1979, Yoshiyuki Tomino’s monumental mecha epic is revered as the pioneer of the “real robot” mecha subgenre, a grounded military sci-fi counterpart to the more fantastical and lighthearted “super robot” anime. Gundam’s emergence signified anime’s shift to more serious, mature storytelling overall, and the franchise itself, spanning nearly 50 years of history, has continued to push the boundaries of the mecha genre with its numerous installments.

Gundam’s influence on the industry cannot be overstated, as countless titles, including series unaffiliated with mecha, took inspiration from this iconic franchise, while mecha anime in particular would probably not exist as it is today without Gundam. Yet, for all of Gundam’s acclaim and popularity, many mecha fans have never seen it, missing out on important context that would make their favorite “giant robot” anime make more sense.

10

Macross Is the More Playful Counterpart to Gundam That Builds on Its Ideas

Just three years after Gundam 0079’s premiere, another icon of the mecha genre emerged in its wake – Super Dimension Fortress Macross. As a franchise, Macross combined Gundam’s realistic feel and affinity for character drama with even more character-driven plots, cultural commentary, and, most famously, music. The more romantic, charming flair of Macross contrasts with the grittier, down-to-earth depiction of war seen in Gundam.

Yet, Gundam’s success was essential for the creation of Macross, and, despite their artistic and narrative differences, the two franchises do feel very similar and both belong to the “real robot” subgenre. Regrettably, Macross never got as big as Gundam, counting far fewer entries. Nonetheless, its influence on the genre can be felt in the popularization of the transforming mecha designs and greater focus on non-combat-related themes in later “real robot” shows.

9

Armored Trooper VOTOMS Further Emphasises the Realism of Real Robot Mecha

Gundam’s militaristic approach to mecha anime was incredibly influential, and numerous shows followed in its footsteps, leaning into the realism of giant robot warfare even further. Ryosuke Takahashi’s Armored Trooper VOTOMStakes obvious inspiration from Gundam, yet amplifies the grittiness of intergalactic warfare while still allowing for some lighthearted moments and character dynamics. Supernatural elements also take a back seat in Armored Trooper VOTOMS, with political intrigue taking center stage.

The show’s mecha designs, created by Kunio Okawara (who also worked on Gundam and countless other noteworthy mecha anime), prioritize utility and look like proper mechanisms of warfare instead of flashy toy commercials. Yet, in terms of tone and thematic focus, Armored Trooper VOTOMS still feels very much like a direct response to Gundam.

8

Patlabor Makes the Real Robot Genre Even More Down-to-Earth

Whereas Armored Trooper VOTOMS still continued the “real robot” trends of Mobile Suit Gundam, the Patlabor franchise took on the task of deconstructing its fundamental ideas by switching mecha’s focus from warfare to everyday utility. Mechs in Patlabor aren’t tools of galactic combat – they are mundane helpers of humanity used in construction work and by the police.

Early Patlabor entries bring a buddy cop movie feel to the grim landscape of “real robot” anime, with plenty of comedy and slice-of-life vignettes. Meanwhile, the series’ later installments, particularly Mamoru Oshii’s 1993 Patlabor 2: The Movie, present a thought-provoking political thriller storyline that inventively comments on real-life societal issues through the lens of mecha science fiction.

7

Gurren Lagann Goes Back to Mecha’s Super Robot Roots Without Foregoing Gundam’s Influences

Gundam signified a shift for mecha anime from “super robot” to “real robot” stories – a trend that persisted for much of the genre’s history post-Gundam. However, it hardly meant that all mecha became gloomy and serious after Gundam, and the icon of the 2000s, Gurren Lagann, boldly rejects logic in favor of high-spirited, rebellious adventure. Gurren Lagann’s most obvious inspiration was 1974’s Getter Robo, a very classy example of a fantastical “super robot” show.

Nonetheless, there’s no denying Gurren Lagann’s ties to Gundam and other more realistic mecha series (particularly previous Gainax works). Gurren Lagann takes the best of both worlds, combining the over-the-top zeal of older “super robot” mecha with deep focus on pilots’ psychology pioneered by “real robot” anime.

6

Code Geass Might Not Be Directly Inspired by Gundam, But Their Similarities Are Difficult to Miss

Produced in 2006 by the same studio as Gundam, Sunrise, Code Geass is one of the most popular mecha works beloved even by those usually disinterested in giant robot anime. Code Geass’ creator, Goro Taniguchi, states that the series wasn’t inspired by Gundam, taking after Kamen Rider instead. Yet, after watching Gundam, fans of Code Geass would realize just how far the franchise’s influences spread.

Code Geass takes a more genre-bending approach to the mecha genre, combining political intrigue, giant robot warfare, supernatural drama, and even slice-of-life in one ambitious plot. However, from the mech designs to the political plotline to the similarities between Lelouch and Gundam’s iconic antagonist, Char Aznable, Code Geass is undeniably rooted in the same storytelling ideas as early Gundam series.

5

Eureka Seven Doesn’t Hide Its Love for Older Mecha Anime

Overall, many tropes common to the mecha genre, from teen pilots with exceptional skill to the addition of mystic powers to mecha warfare, were either popularized or pioneered by Gundam. And while most mecha shows borrow these ideas from Gundam, few flaunt their influences as proudly as Eureka Seven.

Released in 2005, Eureka Seven is a love letter to the early days of “real robot” anime that, for adopting so many of its mecha elements from the likes of Mobile Suit Gundam, is, unexpectedly, a romance story at heart. From character designs and archetypes to entire plotlines, Eureka Seven features tons of similarities with the likes of Gundam 0079, Gundam SEED, After War Gundam X, and other mecha titles of the past, like Macross and Vifam.

As we’ve sufficiently established, hardly any “real robot” anime post-Gundam isn’t at least somewhat inspired by it, and Full Metal Panic! is a particularly glaring example of that. A similar military sci-fi story about warring factions, a stoic child soldier protagonist common for later Gundam shows, and even superpowered Whispered, who resemble Gundam’s Newtypes – Full Metal Panic! doesn’t try to step too far out of the “real robot” genre conventions, even if its plot remains quite unique.

However, the more compelling tie between Full Metal Panic! and Gundam lies not in how the former was influenced by the latter, but in the reverse correlation. Released in 2007, over a decade after Full Metal Panic!’s light novel, Mobile Suit Gundam 00 is shockingly similar to FMP!, following analogous plots and even featuring near-identical protagonists.

3

Space Runaway Ideon & Other Yoshiyuki Tomino Mecha Shows Share More Than Just the Creator with Gundam

Yoshiyuki Tomino, the creator of Gundam, is an industry legend famous not just for his most iconic franchise but also for many other notable “real robot” anime. For his affinity to cruel and shockingly depressing endings, he earned the nickname “Kill ‘Em All Tomino,” and no show of his justifies such a morbid moniker as much as Space Runaway Ideon.

Released just a year after Gundam 0079, Space Runaway Ideon is an even more tragic tale of galactic warfare between humans and aliens, infamous for its abrupt yet cathartic “everybody dies” finale. After the success of Gundam, Tomino allowed his best work to shine through in most of his subsequent projects. Although every Yoshiyuki Tomino mecha title, from Aura Battler Dunbine to Brain Powerd, brings something unique to the genre instead of just blatantly copying Gundam.

2

Neon Genesis Evangelion Was the Next Step in Deconstructing the Real Robot Genre

Inspired by the darkness of Space Runaway Ideon, Gundam, and an even earlier mecha classic, Space Battleship Yamato, Hideaki Anno’s Neon Genesis Evangelion is, perhaps, the genre’s second-best-known work. Evangelion was the next step in “real robot” anime’s evolution, both playing homage to the titles that came before it and subtly critiquing its power fantasy aspects.

In Evangelion, the focus shifts from the horrors of war to the personal insecurities and traumas of the pilots, with the apocalyptic mecha plotline used as a framework for much more grounded, relatable storytelling. As Gundam was a direct inspiration for Evangelion, watching it adds a lot of easy-to-miss context to Anno’s magnum opus and more clearly defines its place in the larger mecha anime landscape.

1

Every Other Gundam Show Makes More Sense After Watching the Original Mobile Suit Gundam

This list has made it clear just how influential Mobile Suit Gundam was for the mecha genre. However, the original Gundam 0079 obviously had the most impact on every other Gundam show. The majority of mecha fans have seen at least one Gundam entry in their lifetime, be it Gundam SEED, Iron-Blooded Orphans, The Witch from Mercury, or whichever later Gundam installment was most popular when they were getting into the genre.

Yet, with the original Gundam 0079 being quite dated, even avid mecha fans often skip it. Despite plenty of Gundam stories making sense as standalones, Gundam 0079 holds up excellently even 46 years after premiering, telling an evocative tale of war’s tollsand complexities. The series’ outdated animation and slow pace might be off-putting to some, but every mecha fan should still invest their time into the genre’s most influential installment.