10 Best Retro Mecha Anime That Would Totally Flop Today
Mecha is one of the most prominent genres in anime, and decades ago, it was also perhaps the most prominent. This gave rise to several classics that defined the genre in their time, be they militaristic Real Robot anime or more cartoonish Super Robot anime. Of course, many of these were products of their time, and if they were released today, they might see a much different response.
Even some of the best mecha anime would look a bit shabby today, and for different reasons. In some cases, it was the circumstances surrounding their original releases that made them seemingly so great. Others would be heavily criticized for certain design or narrative elements, making them a no-go for today’s audiences.
The First Gundam Anime Is Definitely Dated
The original Mobile Suit Gundam anime came out in 1979, and it began a venerable mecha anime franchise and the Real Robot subgenre. As a result, there was still some experimentation, with kinks not yet being ironed out. To this end, it’s best to look back at this anime with more nostalgic feelings than anything else.
An attempt to dub the first Gundam anime into English wasn’t successful, and this was partially due to how dated the material was. That was especially seen in such cartoonish elements as the Gundam Hammer, with this concept actually being retconned in the compilation movies. These might be the best way to enjoy the original series, as it’s definitely not up to par with its successors.
Evangelion’s Symbolism Isn’t Enough Today
Neon Genesis Evangelion was one of the most important mecha anime ever, especially given how it revolutionized anime storytelling as a whole. A lot of this was due to its surreal symbolism, which gave the impression of especially deep themes. While the themes themselves were strong, this pseudo-intellectual angle would be a lot more scrutinized today.
Evangelion, if released today, would be “seen through” a lot more by viewers, and the faux symbolism would be criticized. Likewise, if it’s fake out ending focusing on the psychology of Shinji Ikari was still released, there would be even more controversy than back in the 1990s. While it certainly deserves its reputation, part of this was based on the supposedly esoteric nature of the imagery.
Gundam Wing Was Pure Melodrama
New Mobile Report Gundam Wing was the second alternate universe anime in the franchise, but it was the first in the franchise to be localized in the West. This saw it become incredibly popular when it aired on the Toonami programming block, and it remains a popular part of the brand. Unfortunately, some aspects aged better than others, and modern audiences might not be as accepting of its flaws.
Gundam Wing is full of sometimes nonsensical melodrama, and that’s especially the case with the protagonist and Wing Gundam pilot Heero. His actions and reactions are the stuff of bad soap operas, and for as serious as the story takes itself, it’s not nearly the best-written anime in the franchise. It doesn’t help that the classic dub was somewhat dubious at times in quality, and while many fans are now celebrating the anime’s 30th anniversary, it’s far from the best Gundam.
Aquarion Was Never Great
Genesis of Aquarion was more than a little inspired by one of the best examples of the mecha genre, and it’s one of many arguable “ripoffs” of themes seen in the Neon Genesis Evangelion anime. It was criticized for this when it was released, but it was still successful enough to find popularity in the mid-2000s. This first anime has since spawned several sequels, but that likely wouldn’t have happened today.
The original Aquarion anime would come off as even more generic today, especially since there was almost nothing particularly great about it. In fact, the only thing especially beloved about it was its theme song, but these aspects aren’t enough to redeem something that’s forgettable at best. Add in the renewed love for Evangelion, and it’s simply hard to see modern audiences caring about it at all.
Escaflowne Would Be Just Another Isekai Today
The genre mishmash of The Vision of Escaflowne is a big part of its appeal, and it’s beloved for how it combines the fantasy and mecha genres with the then-burgeoning isekai anime genre. Back then, isekai wasn’t nearly as prominent, and such an inventive genre combination made this anime even more beloved. Unfortunately, this classification might see it ignored today, which goes to show how much audiences have tired of the genre in question.
Even if it does things differently, the fact that it’s an isekai would be held against Escaflowne today. Likewise, it’s not even a typical power fantasy isekai, so those who love how the genre manifests today would likely be disappointed. As a result, it’s hard to see anyone in today’s anime fandom given this gem a chance if it came out today, and that’s largely due to the influx of “reincarnation” stories.
Gundam SEED Destiny Was the Worst Part of the Cosmic Era
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny was the second anime in the Cosmic Era timeline, with this alternate universe world being second only to the classic Universal Century in popularity. Picking up after its predecessor, SEED Destiny is to Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam what its predecessor was to the first Gundam. Sadly, it had a plethora of problems, and these would be despised even more today.
Gundam SEED Destiny had an insufferable cast and protagonist, to the point where it eventually had to shift back to the protagonist of the previous anime. Character deaths were randomly and ridiculously undone, and the melodrama was kicked up to tremendous degrees. It was over a decade before it received a continuation, and if it were released today, it might be outright made fun of for its downright horrible writing.
Voltes V Is an Old-School Show Through and Through
Voltes V was one of the latter-day 1970s Super Robot anime, with this mecha classic released before the medium-changing original Mobile Suit Gundam. It arguably paved the way for Real Robot anime with heroes that fought each other and a villain who was charming and more than one-dimensional. Still, this wouldn’t be enough for modern viewers, and it was largely old-hat by the decade’s end.
Voltes V, despite its iconic status in the Philippines, is simply too old-school for modern mecha fans, and there’s no way it would be successful today. All the hallmarks of yesteryear are there, from uninteresting and simplistic fights to barely developed characters. There might be a reason why the franchise is never revisited, as its formula is too stuck in how things were done in the 1970s.
GaoGaiGar Was a Childish Reaction Anime
The final part of an anime franchise that was once meant to replace the classic Transformers franchise, The King of Braves GaoGaiGar was an incredibly silly 1990s Super Robot anime. Meant to be a rejection of the dark themes seen in other modern mecha anime at that time (namely, the surrealistic psychoanalysis of the edgy Neon Genesis Evangelion), it was pure hot-blooded action. Of course, that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, especially among today’s mecha anime fandom.
The cultural moment that GaoGaiGar stood against is now over, so it’s essentially a reactionary anime with few merits of its own. It felt best when it stood against a particular zeitgeist, and without this, it’s simply a run-of-the-mill kids anime featuring a cool robot. It’s not surprising that Takara Tomy eventually returned to the Transformers franchise, as its replacement simply lacked the cool factor of the robots in disguise.
G Gundam Would Be Canceled in Today’s Western Culture
Though it was the first to break away from the classic Universal Century timeline, Mobile Fighter G Gundam isn’t even the best alternate universe entry in the brand. It’s known for essentially being a Super Robot anime, with the “Gundam Fight” tournament taking the place of a traditional military conflict between space colonies. As a result, it felt similar to action-based battle shonen anime, and it was known for its unique (and uniquely offensive) giant robots.
G Gundam lacked the true depth of other entries, and it was really just a silly Super Robot farce. Without the “aid” of being one of the first Gundam anime to be localized in the West, it would lose a lot of its luster in the West. Worst of all, the national stereotypes represented in the designs seen in the G Gundam anime would certainly rub many the wrong way, and it’s possible that it would be the most politically controversial mecha anime of all time.
Darling in the Franxx Might Be Too Sensuous Today
Darling in the Franxx was one of the few popular mecha anime of the 2010s, with the genre seeing a downturn in prominence during the decade. It features a world in which children are used to pilot mecha that combat inhuman enemies known as klaxosaurs. While it was well-received at the time, it also had some controversies, and these would be even stronger today.
Darling in the Franxx was known for its sexual nature, with a lot of the material having adult connotations. Some of this flirted with the line of being pure fan-service, and it’s arguable how much of it was necessary. More than likely, the increasingly international anime fandom might take issue with some of these aspects today.
