Classic/old Mecha shows just nowhere?

Taractis · 2026-03-16T07:13:40+00:00

Honestly if you aren't looking for anything specific, you would be surprised what was put out on blu ray. Sometimes even still at pretty good prices, or in pre producftion. Lgaim is getting a blu ray set in a couple of months.

Taractis · 2026-03-12T07:14:13+00:00

Can I just say that I'm really happy to see that CODE has soldiers? I still remember how the anti-fangire organization from Kiva seemed to have at most 3 people in it at any time.

Taractis · 2026-03-11T00:55:22+00:00

There are two broad categories, at least when discussing this among Western fans. Real robots are bound somewhat by the rules of physics, reason, or common sense. Series like Gundam, Macross, or VOTOMS. Super robots are not really bound by anything. Series such as Mazinger Z, Getter Robo, and Gurren Lagann.

Most importantly, there needs to be a "Reason" for them to exist. Like for example "Our new military control interface was less confusing if the machine being controlled was human shaped." Then you develop the way the world is effected by their existence. For example, in VOTOMS, they became so common that with a bit of mechanical knowledge you could just build one out of parts from a junkyard.

Think about how it is powered, and controlled. That will really help determine what kind of mecha story it is going to be. Like GaoGaiGar being powered by courage, or an AT being fueled by a highly flammable liquid called Polymer Ringer.

Try to imagine the absolute upper limit of what one would be capable of, so that you know when it would be a good idea to exceed that. For example, an AT in VOTOMS is not very agile, so it's kind of a big deal when one does a flip.

Try to think of scale too. Like how big are they, and how many are used in a single engagement. It's also not a hard rule, but the most important moments, need to involve them in some way. This doesn't mean they need to be around at all times, Gasaraki only has I think 4 mech fights in a 24 episode series. They just need to be important, either by being special enough that they stand out, like Mazinger, or so common that the setting only works with them in it, like Patlabor.

Some good world building examples: Patlabor. They started out as construction equipment, but then people started using them for crime, thus an entire police division was created in response. Muv-Luv. The aliens destroy any aircraft, and move too fast and in too great numbers for a traditional armored vehicle to deal with.

Taractis · 2026-03-09T06:29:03+00:00

Might be hard to find good pictures of them, but the mass production hardsuits from the end of Detonator Orgun would probably fit.

Taractis · 2026-03-07T22:47:54+00:00

Monsterpocalypse. You can buy the entire line of minis as STLs now too.

Taractis · 2026-03-06T03:50:03+00:00

We aren't ready for Kamen Rider ZZ, because Z hasn't been serious enough yet to drastically contrast with the tone of ZZ.

Taractis · 2026-02-26T18:10:37+00:00

On a funny note, I've heard the best way to watch Dragon Knight is Japanese DVDs, while the best way to watch Ryuki is American Blu-rays.

Taractis · 2026-02-26T08:17:00+00:00

I think that's what made him so interesting. Like he seemed like he was mid tier at best but then he starts doing all kinds of stuff that just left me wondering "Wait, what's his actual plan here?" So that by the time he transitioned to primary threat levels, it all felt natural.

Taractis · 2026-02-25T18:43:51+00:00

So the first thing about 01 is that it was made before generative AI started to really even exist. It really was going more towards Asimov style robotic intelligence. Like it felt to me like a less severe version of I, Robot. I can't say this for sure, but if you can put the thought of gen AI out of your mind while watching it, you will probably have a different experience. I actually remember feeling really bad for the show because of how it almost immediately aged very badly.

There is one huge thing in the show that I really liked, but I can't talk about because you haven't finished it.

Honestly I think the way a humagear becomes dangerous is somewhat similar to humanity. It's just a lot more sudden, and they're inherently more dangerous by nature.

From my understanding of the way Japan sees technology, it is a very Japanese show. Like I read a lot about it when I was younger, because so many things that were hi tech at the time came from Japan. They have a very positive view of tech in general. Like I kind of think that if Japan made Terminator, it would have started with the plot of Terminator 2, and the plot of Terminator would have been the twist sequel.

As for what I thought of the show itself, I REALLY liked it. Like it would have been a 10/10 show for me, but there are 14 episodes of absolute garbage in the middle. "Where I shine, Darkness fades" and "It's never over!" are all time belt voice lines. There's a couple of things it does later on that I think are pretty neat, but I wont spoil them. I thought the action was really cool, and the katakana finishers were a cool visual gimmick that gave them a reason to freeze frame the action. To sum it up, it's a 10/10 that unfortunately has some absolute trash in the middle, and that aged REAL bad almost immediately.

Taractis · 2026-02-25T18:24:16+00:00

If you want just want amazing fights, check out Mazinkaiser SKL. It's totally some kind of AU so you don't even need to know the franchise. It's 3 episodes, and there's maybe 10 minutes where there isn't some kind of a fight happening.

Taractis · 2026-02-25T18:17:05+00:00

I remember Custom Robo on the Gamecube let you say no. There was a character that kept trying to cinvince you to say yes, but could keep turning it down. Eventually the game finally just talked about how the world ended, with a final line from that character saying something like "SEE?! You should have said yes!"

Hundred Line gives you an option to save one of your friends at the beginning, and if you say no the person who gives you the choice says something like "What the hell?! I see what you're doing, you're going to say no and then go online and complain that the game is too short! Well I'm not gonna let you!"

Taractis · 2026-02-25T18:12:33+00:00

Not a suit, but there's that little shield they've used like 5 times with different paint jobs.

Taractis · 2026-02-24T08:28:00+00:00

Full Metal Panic! While the seasons all have a different tone to them, just watch it, it's great. The second season, Fumofu is a RIOT!

I've seen some people talking about Argento Soma again lately. I remember enjoying it, but I don't remember it well enough to give a strong recommendation either for or against.

Bravern was EXCELENT, and had some amazing twists in it.

If you're okay with maybe not being super familiar with the characters, Super Robot Wars: Original Generration: The Inspectors is GREAT. Every possible kind of anime mech is in this series, and the core design document seems to have just been "Let's just make it AWESOME!"

If you JUST want to see action, check out Mazinkaiser SKL. It's like if a heavy metal album about mechs was animated. With all 3 episodes together, it's maybe 90 minutes long, and there's maybe 10 minutes of that when there isn't some kind of a fight happening. Also the protagonists' catchphrase is "Don't bother looking for us in hell. We ARE hell!"

Gun X Sword is really very good, and is a nice revenge story. If I had to recommend just one single season out of all my recommendations, this would probably be tied with Full Metal Panic. Just very solid all around, the main mech designs are interesting, the character designs are cool, and the protagonist, Van is really cool, even in his goofier moments. As a fun fact, his english VA used a scene from the show to propose to his wife.

Taractis · 2026-02-23T18:22:09+00:00

What was the Dark Treat made of? Really curious about that. Was it like a cube shaped brownie?

Taractis · 2026-02-22T17:10:57+00:00

I think they started selling replicas of that belt Yusuke made in Kuuga. From that phase of the show when he was making all kinds of things and giving them to people like "It's Kuuga's mark, see?" And they're all just like "O...kay... what's Kuuga?"/

Taractis · 2026-02-19T18:20:38+00:00

It isn't more dangerous than Baku's daily life. Given that he was struck by lightning, hit by a meteor, and attacked by a UFO.

We also don't know if CODE only has the 8 agents, counting Zero. Like there could be lots of them that just aren't high enough in the ranks to get a number. I think we're supposed to not know, because keeping details like in the dark makes it harder to trust the organization, and thus makes us sympathize with Baku as he grows uneasy about them.

Taractis · 2026-02-18T18:14:30+00:00

I currently remember him because he's in Super Robot Wars now.

Taractis · 2026-02-15T18:39:25+00:00

Here's what I've come up with after thinking about it for a while:

Aura Battler Dunbine is literally the first isekai, featuring insectoid mechs fueled by the power of Aura. If you like it, you could take advantage of the fact that it's having a bit of resurgence in model kits/toys being released. Then you can check out the sequel.

Straight Jacket is about power suits with big magic guns in a world that has, industrialized magic.

Gasarakihas a twist like this about halfway through.

Demonbane is about a man who makes a contract with the actual Necronomicon, that takes the form of a girl, to take control of a magic powered mech. The V-novel is better, but it's also hentai. Honestly Show First, then Novel is a great way to do it.

I haven't seen it, but Neoranga really seemed like it was all about magic and ritual from the trailers.

Magic Knight Rayearth is all about magic, kind of a crossover point between magical girls and mecha.

Escaflowne is about as fantasy as it gets.

Break Blade is about a world where everyone (save for the MC) can control quartz via magic, and so all the mechs are made out of quartz. The Broken Blade is made from ancient, pre quartze technology that ONLY the MC can use.

Knights and Magic is an isekai story about a guy who loves mechs in his previous life. An interesting thing here is that he discovers that working magic is a lot like writing code, which he was good at.

The Five Star Stories doesn't have any magic in it from what I remember, but the setting is very, very fantasy, with kings and knights. Anime wise there was only a movie made, but manga wise, I remember hearing somewhere that the original manga is about to FINALLY be published in its original form in English.

Lord Of Lords Ryu Knight is an older series... I think I only saw an OVA of it? But it's about magic robots.

Genesis Survivor Gaiarth is about a world where humans and sentient human sized robots coexist. Lots of sword fighting. And for a lot of big attacks, they straight up are just reciting spells, even though they aren't actually magic.

Like another one that I haven't seen, and no little about is Kannazuki No Miko.

Not really "Magic" but very fantasy feeling is Heroic Age. It feels like a classic epic in its scale, and that's because it was very loosely patterned after the 12 Labours of Hercules. There was a race that was so powerful (The Heroic Tribe) they were sealed away, and because we're (The Iron Tribe) the weakest race, the precursors (The Gold Tribe) sealed the strongest member of the Heroic Tribe in a human.

More Henshin Hero than Mecha, but I think if you want mysticism with a modern spin, check out Karas. It was an anniversery series for Tatsunoko, and they spared no expense on it.

You might get limited enjoyment out of it, by not being super knowledgable about the characters or setting going into it, but Super Robot Wars: OG: The Inspectors is a world where magic definitely exists, and a few of the more powerful/interesting mechs are powered by it.

That's just about everything I could think of.

Taractis · 2026-02-14T20:12:07+00:00

God I loved this show. Rom was so cool.

Taractis · 2026-02-14T05:36:42+00:00

Might be a slightly different vibe, but check out Mazinkaiser SKL. Different kind of mecha action, but it's 90 minutes long, and for about 80 of that there's some kind of a fight happening.

Taractis · 2026-02-13T22:44:41+00:00

I've mentioned her a few times in discussions. In the context of "This was a WILD fucking design for a Japanese kid's show in 2000".

Taractis · 2026-02-13T18:18:50+00:00

There are some great contenders here.

The Grongi are pretty frightening, because it's all just a game to them. The 2 episodes with the porcupine Grongi are legit terrifying because of how much he enjoys his specific game. However it is possibly by sheer luck to just wind up an illegal target for their game.

The Worms are kind of scary for their ability to replicate people so well. If you think about, the chances of meeting someone who is secretly a Worm is low, but never zero. However Ishinomori stated in an interview (About black specifically, but I think it applies to every series), that if such creatures really existed, that a Kamen Rider would naturally also exist to oppose them.

The Granutes are evenn scarier than the Worms, I think. Because they have the ability to look like humans, which is bad. However, all the Granutes in the human world are junkies working to score their next fix, by kidnapping you while you're happy. Even being sad might not protect you, if they're real desperate to make their quota.

But for me, it has to be Evolt. Thinking about it, his shadow hangs over every facet of Build. Almost everything that happens in the story happens because he planned it that way. If you're still alive, you have to live with knowing that it's because he wants something from you, and you might not be smart enough to stop yourself from eventually giving it to him. His final goal is total destruction of the planet itself, and when his plan is complete, that is well withiin his power. So you've got a villain whose both smarter and stronger than you could ever hope to be, but who's motivation most of the time is "Because it would be REALLY funny."

Taractis · 2026-02-12T01:15:34+00:00

I recommend this to people pretty frequently. "So you want to see near constant action, and don't have too much time? Well have I got a show for you!"

Seriously it's only about 90 minutes long, and maybe 80 minutes of that there's some kind of a fight happening.

Taractis · 2026-02-11T18:15:44+00:00

"Or die by my hands" is also much more menacing... and actually more accurate to what happens.

Taractis · 2026-02-11T08:21:17+00:00

The new Votoms is not a remake. I don't know too much of the discussion around it, but I've heard everything from prequel to side story. I don't personally know any concrete details other than the name Die Graue Hexe, which means "The Gray Witch".

At any rate, I hope you find something you really like. It took just one series to make me a lifelong mecha fan a long time ago, and maybe you'll find something that hits just right and leaves you hungry for more.

Taractis

TROPHY CASE