Hi all, I came back to anime after a long hiatus thanks to Witch from Mercury.
Since then, I’ve watched a bunch of anime - including many masterpieces - but nothing could scratch that itch like a Gundam series could.
So now I’m look for more Gundam shows to watch.
It doesn’t have to be Gundam exactly (or even anime!). As long as it shares the main features, I would consider it to be Gundam.
From what I observed, the following themes are essential to Gundam series:
War - To be specific, it shows how war is bad, and that nobody truly wins in a war.
Child soldiers - Usually forced to fight, or manipulated into fighting (by people who would usually get revealed to be the real villains later).
Politics - What started the war, or kept the war going. The politicians tend to be the ones manipulating others.
Tragedy - In war, people are obviously going to die. Personally I would prefer if the main cast gets a happy ending though.
Discrimination - It can be discrimination over race, class, etc.
“Mecha” - I am using the term mecha loosely here, because it doesn’t really have to be a robot that’s piloted. It can simply be some kind of enhancement or weapon of war, or something symbolic.
Other themes that I have noticed are common but not really essential include:
romance subplot - Looks like in war, love gives people hope, as well as the drive to keep on living.
dystopian setting - It could be the lasting effect of previous wars, or the consequences of politics.
Finally, these are not really themes, but I’ve noticed these trends:
- the protagonist tends to not fit in with their society
- there’s usually an ensemble cast; would likely be the protagonist’s found family
- the protagonist’s team tend to switch sides in the later stage of the show to fight against the true villains
- the mechas would progressively get upgraded over the course of the show
- usage of WMD (e.g. a giant laser beam)
- there’s someone - usually a villain - whose face is hidden, usually with a mask (i.e. Char clone)
- there’s a princess character whose hair color stands out from the rest of the cast; usually serves as the love interest of the protagonist
To avoid overlaps, here are the Gundam-like series that I have watched / plan to watch.
Watched:
Planning to watch (based on hearsay about their similarity to Gundam):
These are the Gundam series that I have watched:
- Witch from Mercury
- Gundam SEED
- Gundam 00
- Iron Blooded Orphans (season 1 only)
- After War Gundam X
- 08th MS Team
And these are the ones I’m planning to watch at the moment:
Thanks in advance for the recommendations.
- moody ( @moody@lemmings.world ) English6•2 months ago
Mobile Police Patlabor is a classic Mecha series from the late 80’s.
Sounds like you would be into Ghost in the Shell as well.
- Toes♀ ( @Toes@ani.social ) English6•2 months ago
Mechs on surfboards, politics, main characters are young trying to fight the power.
- molave ( @mo_lave@reddthat.com ) English4•2 months ago
Gundams
The Origin
Thunderbolt: December Sky
0083: Stardust Memory
Unicorn
08th MS Team - A Battle with the Third Dimension
Hathaway
Char’s Counterattack
SEED CE73: Stargazer
G Gundam
00 The Movie: A Wakening of the Trailblazer
Wing
Non-Gundams
Eureka Seven
Macross Frontier
Ghost in the Shell
- muhyb ( @muhyb@programming.dev ) English3•2 months ago
was here to add Eureka Seven.
- MelodiousFunk ( @MelodiousFunk@slrpnk.net ) English2•2 months ago
Man, I don’t think I’ve seen Frontier since it aired. That was a good one.
Adding the original Macross to the recommend list as well.
obligatory
Fuck Harmony Gold
- wjs018 ( @wjs018@ani.social ) English4•2 months ago
I am far from a connoisseur in the genre. The only mecha I have really watched is Gundam Wing, Escaflowne, Evangelion, and more recently, Bravern. Some thoughts…
- Gundam Wing is an absolute classic for me since I was in my formative years back when it was airing. It is a good mix of politics, drama, war, and some romance. It also has a compelling enough ensemble cast that you aren’t bored when the story spends some time away from certain characters. I have no idea where this show fits into the great Gundam-verse, but I think it was easy enough to follow on its own, at least it was for me as a teenager (so maybe I just didn’t care? idk).
- Escaflowne is a different feel. It feels more like a shoujo series in that the main character is female and is embroiled in a love triangle with two guys (the gentleman and the bad boy more or less). It also incorporates fantasy elements into the story, being an early example of an isekai, before it was even called that. The story gets a bit weird at the end, but it is full of good character drama and checks off a lot of your list; war, romance, politics.
- Bravern is a parody of the genre and a comedy. It is honestly probably one of the most fun series I have watched in the past year. It will swing between the grim realities of war (death, destruction, torture…) in one scene and then be cracking jokes in the next. It is hard to truly describe with words what watching Bravern is like. It is an interesting blend of the two types of mecha out there: the real mecha where these things are machines and tools used by humans, and the super robot variety in which there is one superpowered robot that is sentient and helps to save humanity.
- nyan ( @nyan@lemmy.cafe ) English4•2 months ago
Gargantia? Although that’s kind of more Gundam meets Nausicaa. The elements you mention are present, but more background than foreground. Maybe save it until you’ve spent some time with the others and want to branch out a little further from the basic premise.
Thanks. I have read the manga version, but I don’t mind watching the anime version too.
- averyminya ( @averyminya@beehaw.org ) English3•2 months ago
How no one has recommended the Macross series is beyond me. It’s not mech vs. mech, but mech vs. alien.
I like Macross: Frontier most, but I’d probably just go through them in order.
Legend of the Galactic Heroes is pretty good too, although it’s less mecha and more strategy.
- MelodiousFunk ( @MelodiousFunk@slrpnk.net ) English3•2 months ago
Two thumbs up for Gurren Lagan and Code Geass. Seconding the suggestions for Rahxephon and Escaflowne.
Surprised nobody has mentioned Evangelion (unlessI’m blind,in which casedisregard). Full Metal Panic is another favorite of mine. I haven’t watched Gasaraki in forever but I remember it keeping me on the edge of my seat.Without knowing what other Gundam you’ve seen aside from WfM, I’m going to make my default recommendation: start at the beginning and watch in production order. The core Universal Century arc of 1st Gundam, Zeta, Double Zeta, and Char’s Counterattack laid the foundation for everything that came after. From there, you can continue on with UC if that caught your attention with a bunch of excellent OVAs and a full series that’s far future enough that it’s only barely connected. (Crossbone animation when Sunrise???) Again, I recommend keeping production order.
Or you can jump into any alternate universe that catches your eye. G is a big tonal change but stands well on its own. Wing was my entry point, and I do have the feels for it, but objectively I don’t think it’s holds up very well. X has some dedicated fans but I’ve always found it kind of middling. Turn A is absolutely beautiful. Seed is extensive and polarizing. OO was pretty good. IBO is like a gut punch but worth it. And then there’s the Build universe, which has some awesome entries and some that weren’t so good.
tl;dr Want more Gundam? Watch more Gundam. 😁
Thanks
These are the Gundam series that I have watched:
- Witch from Mercury
- Gundam SEED
- Gundam 00
- Iron Blooded Orphans (season 1 only)
- After War Gundam X
- 08th MS Team
And these are the ones I’m planning to watch at the moment:
- MelodiousFunk ( @MelodiousFunk@slrpnk.net ) English2•2 months ago
Niiiiice 👊
My vote still goes to the OG arc, but that’s an excellent base and viable action plan. Enjoy!
- Jayjader ( @Jayjader@jlai.lu ) English3•2 months ago
The second season of Iron Blooded Orphans is a good follow-up to the first, and certainly contains the themes you’re looking for.
- Spacehooks ( @Spacehooks@reddthat.com ) English3•2 months ago
Some that I didn’t see anyone else mention.
Broken blade is the only mecha my spouse could watch. I loved it personally.
Zegapain for an interesting world concept.
Aldnoah zero for a flip with the bad guys with gundams.
- Even_Adder ( @Even_Adder@lemmy.dbzer0.com ) English2•2 months ago
No one’s mentioned Argevollen yet, so I’ll put it forward.
- Dudewitbow ( @Dudewitbow@lemmy.zip ) English2•2 months ago
its a bit different than the traditional political stuff found instandard Mecha, but give Majestic Prince a shot.
mecha about humanity fighting against an unknown force thats superior. follows a group of 5 misfits and their crew. Character Designs by Hirai Hisashi (the guy who did character designs for Gundam Seed).
Show starts off slow, but gets a lot better
- 1Fuji2Taka3Nasubi ( @1Fuji2Taka3Nasubi@lemmy.zip ) English3•2 months ago
Character Designs by Hirai Hisashi
Speaking of him, also try Fafner for the dystopian feel.
- apotheotic (she/her) ( @apotheotic@beehaw.org ) English2•2 months ago
Probably unexpected suggestions, but these anime totally fit your criteria:
- Guilty Crown
- Kill La Kill
Guilty Crown is hitting a lot of the themes you’ve spoken of, but perhaps not in the ways you’d expect. It’s not particularly a “mecha” anime but as you say, there’s a macguffin that serves as a similar driving force of much of the spectacle and combat sequences.
Kill La Kill comes from the same studio as Gurren Lagann so it’s no surprise that it kinda strikes a lot of the same chords, but here the mechas are replaced with… getting naked? no wait come back i swear-
And, I’d be lacking if I didn’t recommend this even though it’s not anime:
- RWBY
RWBY is an excellent show - give the animation time, it gets better very fast. Season 1 flies by with short episodes so you don’t really have to deal with the lower animation quality for very long. The writing is splendind, the music is outstanding, and it strikes every note you’ve mentioned. I feel deep, deep feelings for the cast of characters, and I have no doubt you will too.
RWBY
Thanks for the non-anime
- apotheotic (she/her) ( @apotheotic@beehaw.org ) English2•2 months ago
You’re welcome! There is an anime spinoff but I can’t vouch for it as I haven’t watched it yet
- DoucheBagMcSwag ( @DoucheBagMcSwag@lemmy.dbzer0.com ) English2•2 months ago
Man I tried Guilty Crown after completing the legendary Code Geass series. And…it didn’t grab me…in fact I felt…bored. Does it get better?
- pipariturbiini ( @pipariturbiini@sopuli.xyz ) English2•2 months ago
It has been 9 years since I watched it, but eh… IMO it became a complete trainwreck halfway through. A key character unexpectedly does a full 180° personality switch. Plot elements do not get explained properly. But at least audiovisually the show is a treat.
- DoucheBagMcSwag ( @DoucheBagMcSwag@lemmy.dbzer0.com ) English1•2 months ago
Oh boy. Does it at least have an ending?
- pipariturbiini ( @pipariturbiini@sopuli.xyz ) English2•2 months ago
I think it has a definitive ending. Not going to watch it again to confirm though.
- DoucheBagMcSwag ( @DoucheBagMcSwag@lemmy.dbzer0.com ) English1•2 months ago
Oof. That bad huh. Hopefully not as bad as what happened with Aldnoah.Zero
Sounds like they will be lower in my MAL page
- apotheotic (she/her) ( @apotheotic@beehaw.org ) English2•2 months ago
Honestly I can understand why you were underwhelmed coming off the back of code geass. (Funnily enough, I did the opposite - guilty crown into code geass and I found myself bored in code geass. They might just be too close thematically and our brains get fatigued)
I’d say that it definitely gets better, there’s a good bit of ground work that needs to be done in the first few episodes to establish characters and motivations and such.
- DoucheBagMcSwag ( @DoucheBagMcSwag@lemmy.dbzer0.com ) English2•2 months ago
Thanks for that…I may give it a try again
- HuntressHimbo ( @HuntressHimbo@lemm.ee ) English2•2 months ago
No mecha, but for War is Bad and child soldiers I feel like you can’t do better than Vinland Saga. Its a story about war, the trauma it causes, and recovering from that trauma. Its a historical war manga by someone who abhors violence and its stunningly beautiful