10 Most Influential Mecha Anime of All Time, Ranked

Anime has a long and rich history, being one of the earliest genres in the medium. While it was once the dominant force in anime, its popularity has decreased somewhat since the early 2000s. Despite this, the genre still boasts many highly-regarded and classic mecha series.

Great mecha anime have been created throughout the years, and many are celebrated for their impact. Some of these classics continue to influence the genre today, while others inspired entirely new approaches. The fact that new favorites are still being created proves mecha remains a popular and consistently excellent type of anime.

Escaflowne Showcased Fantastic Anime Storytelling

If you’re not usually a fan of mecha anime, but enjoy romance and fantasy, The Vision of Escaflowne might be the perfect show for you. This 1990s classic blends the ‘transported to another world’ concept with giant robots, fantasy elements, and a strong romantic storyline, leaning more towards the shojo genre. The story follows a young woman who finds herself in a medieval world where warriors fight using massive armored suits.

Escaflowne demonstrated that giant robot anime could appeal to a broader audience, though it wasn’t the first to blend different genres. It’s still considered a standout series from the 1990s and is fondly remembered by many fans, in part due to its memorable theme song. Unlike some other mecha anime, Escaflowne is a must-watch, and it’s significantly better than the animated movie that came out later.

Code Geass Runs Much Deeper Than the Mecha Genre

While the giant robots (called Knightmares) in Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion are present, they aren’t the main focus. The anime is set in a conquered Japan and has a somewhat regal feel, blending Victorian-era aesthetics with modern technology. The story centers on a protagonist with a special power called “Geass” who uses it to manipulate people and fight for his country’s freedom – the mecha are simply one piece of the larger, more complex world.

Code Geass attracted a lot of viewers who weren’t typically into giant robots, because the robot battles weren’t the main focus. The story really centered on relationships, school life, romance, and political intrigue. Lelouch’s unique abilities added a thrilling element of strategy and suspense, similar to what you see in anime like Death Note.

Iron-Blooded Orphans is Still the Darkest Gundam Series Ever

Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans stands out as a particularly bleak and realistic Gundam series, largely because its mobile suit pilots are depicted as child soldiers. Its rebellious themes caused some controversy in Japan when it first aired. However, despite this, it’s become one of the most highly praised Gundam anime in recent years, and its themes felt especially relevant after the widespread attention given to the Kony 2012 campaign.

Many fans still cherish Iron-Blooded Orphans as one of the best Gundam anime series, and its characters are among the most popular in the entire franchise. You can see how well-loved it is just by looking at how many Gunpla model kits are available. Although the second season wasn’t as strong, people continue to talk about the show fondly. More recent Gundam series, like the one released in 2025, haven’t had the same impact, partly because they avoided the bold themes that Iron-Blooded Orphans explored.

GaoGaiGar Brought Back Super Robot Anime Greatness

Following the success of the first Gundam anime, shows focusing on realistic robots—often called “Real Robot”—became more popular than those featuring super-powered robots. However, the super-powered robot genre experienced a comeback in the 1990s with the Yuusha series, which Takara used as a temporary replacement for another property. The King of Braves GaoGaiGar was the last anime in the Yuusha series, and it fully embraced the classic super-powered robot style.

With its over-the-top action and vibrant style, GaoGaiGar proved that classic super robot anime could still be successful. It was a deliberate contrast to the trend set by Neon Genesis Evangelion, which had become known for its dark, realistic, and critical storytelling – a style that dominated anime in the late 1990s. Though it concluded its own series, GaoGaiGar heavily influenced future shows, most notably Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.

Dunbine Became the First Mecha Isekai Anime

Yoshiyuki Tomino, the creator of the original Gundam anime and its early sequels, also made Aura Battler Dunbine. While it’s another mecha anime, Dunbine is quite different. It’s an isekai story—meaning characters are transported to another world—specifically a medieval fantasy setting. Instead of traditional robots, the characters pilot giant, insect-like suits of armor, giving the series a much stronger fantasy feel than science fiction.

Though now widely known thanks to shows like Sword Art Online and Overlord, Dunbine was the very first anime to combine giant robots (mecha) with the ‘isekai’ concept – a story where characters are transported to another world. While its follow-up series is often criticized, the original Dunbine remains a landmark classic. It broke away from the established Gundam formula and paved the way for many more isekai mecha anime in the years that followed.

Eureka Seven Was One of the Greatest Mecha Anime of the 2000s

While the early 2000s weren’t a peak time for giant robot anime, Eureka Seven still became incredibly popular. This series was a coming-of-age story where the characters’ development was just as important as the robots they piloted. It won many awards and remains a fan favorite, and is one of the well-regarded works from the animation studio Bones.

Following the success of Eureka Seven, a number of sequels and related works were created, some officially part of the story and others not. The characters Renton and Eureka have become iconic figures in the mecha anime world, and the series itself uniquely blended elements of different subgenres – like the action-packed “Super Robot” style, the more realistic “Real Robot” approach, and grand space opera – to create something special. Even years after its release, Eureka Seven continues to be praised and remains popular enough to inspire new merchandise.

The Gridman Anime Launched an Anti-Mecha Trend

SSSS. Gridman is an anime series based on a live-action special effects show from the 1990s that had largely been forgotten. The anime reimagined the superhero as a mecha series, which helped Studio Trigger gain a dedicated fanbase – they even included references to Transformers! The show’s success led to sequels and inspired other anime with a similar style.

The popularity of the Gridman anime likely paved the way for other shows featuring special effects, like the recently launched Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider (based on a manga). We’re also seeing more anime – including those in the ‘isekai’ genre – that either build on or playfully imitate well-known franchises such as Super Sentai. While Gridman didn’t directly inspire other giant robot anime, its influence was nearly as significant as the character himself.

Gundam Wing Is the Biggest Gundam Anime In the West

New Mobile Report Gundam Wing was the first Gundam anime series to become popular in Western countries. Being a self-contained story – not directly connected to previous Gundam series – helped it attract a large audience outside of Japan. This success paved the way for other Gundam shows to be released internationally, and it remains one of the most well-known mecha anime from that time period.

For many, Gundam Wing defines the early days of Toonami, and it’s just as beloved as shows like Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon. The anime’s mecha designs are instantly recognizable and continue to be popular as toys. While Gundam Wing didn’t receive a direct anime sequel (though its story continued in novels and other media, often controversially), its popularity led to a later series in the 2000s – a reimagining of Wing that reflected the post-9/11 world.

Evangelion Was the Mecha Anime of the 1990s

Despite facing competition from many new Gundam anime series, Neon Genesis Evangelion remains one of the most important and impactful mecha shows ever created. It blended elements of both realistic and over-the-top robot anime, but delved much deeper into the characters’ feelings and minds than earlier shows. This approach also changed the way action sequences were handled, as the giant robots, called EVAs, felt less like machines and more like extensions of their pilots.

Evangelion remains incredibly popular with audiences of all ages. The influential mecha anime sparked a trend, inspiring other shows to explore similar psychological themes – though with mixed results. The recent Rebuild of Evangelion movies took the story in a new direction, but they wouldn’t have existed without the original anime’s massive impact, which is now celebrating its 30th anniversary.

The Impact of the First Gundam Can’t Be Denied

Though not as well-known worldwide as some other anime, the very first Mobile Suit Gundam is hugely important in the history of both mecha anime and the anime industry as a whole. It launched the ‘Real Robot’ style, moving away from the more simplistic ‘Super Robot’ shows, and helped make toys and model kits a core part of the genre. Crucially, it depicted the grim realities of war, showing the heavy emotional cost on characters and portraying people on both sides of the conflict with depth and complexity.

The original Gundam series launched a huge number of memorable characters and mecha designs, with the RX-78-2 Gundam becoming the template for almost every subsequent hero unit. Similarly, the show’s villains often echo the style of Char Aznable, even down to his signature mask. It’s hard to imagine another mecha anime having such a lasting impact – Gundam practically defines the genre, and its popularity from the late 1970s continues to grow with each new installment and inspired work.

2025-11-18 17:43