In Western nations,Transformersprobably served as many people’s introduction to mecha; however, that beloved franchise is just a drop in the giant robot bucket.Mecha animehas been around for roughly half a century, and the theme’s manga debut goes back even further. Classics like Mitsuteru Yokoyama’sGiant Roboand Go Nagai’sMazinger Zhelped write the blueprint that would go on to spawn timeless properties likeGundamand all-time great series such asNeon Genesis Evangelion.
Eternal as this topic might be, mecha remains fairly niche. Nowadays, most seasons might contain one or two anime that fit the theme, and they tend not to attract too much attention if they are not part of well-established franchises. As such, newcomers interested in trying out this genre might not be sure where to start, at least beyond the few household names. Let us take a look at thebest mecha animeever.
Ghost in the Shellhas been left out since mecha play a pretty small role in the series, and they are not conventional ones. That said,Stand-Alone Complexis fantastic and an easy recommendation for any sci-fi fan.
Updated June 24, 2025 by Mark Sammut:TheSpring 2025 seasonis over, and its two main genre entries (Mobile Suit Gundam: GQuuuuuuX and I’m the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire!) were not quite good enough to warrant a spot among thebest mecha animeever. From those two, I’d say the latter is the better show, although the former can be fun for die-hard fans of Mobile Suit Gundam.
Unfortunately,Summer 2025does not have any mecha anime. Seriously, the season is just skipping the genre entirely. Consequently, I’ve added two older shows as recommendations: Aura Battler Dunbine and Martian Successor Nadesico.
OK, I admit, this one is primarily a historical recommendation. Mecha was fairly massive during the ’80s, largely thanks to the success ofGundamand earlier releases likeMazinger Z. Plenty of shows that launched during that decade have been forgotten over time, and they did not have much influence on the industry beyond existing during an era that helped define mecha. That said,Aura Battler Dunbineis a fairly notable exception, although its “importance” is for another genre: isekai. Yes, Nippon Sunrise’s 1983 series sends its protagonist to a medieval world, and it is nowadays considered to be the first isekai anime.
Although not extremely common, isekai and mecha have a history of fusing, producing shows likeThe Vision of EscaflowneandKnight’s & Magic. Heck, 2025 even hadI’m the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire, so the marriage is still going strong.Aura Battler Dunbinefits Sunrise’s early blueprint of mecha stories, which means leaning into political and social themes while delivering spectacle and a somewhat uninteresting romance. Has it aged smoothly? Well, I enjoyed it, but I’m a big isekai fan.
Sometimes, things go wrong.Aldnoah.Zerois an original anime that, while not perfect, produced a pretty good season that featured great music, quality animation, and an interesting central dynamic due to revolving around dual protagonists who are part of opposing empires (Inaho representing Earth and Slain representing Mars). Despite Earth and Mars being in a perpetual war, Slain and Inaho find common ground through a shared desire to protect Princess Asseylum, and their friendship elevates both of them. The season ends with a fantastic episode that, in hindsight, should have just been the finale.
Unfortunately,Aldnoah.Zeroproduced arguably one of the worst sequels of all time, in the sense that it retroactively undermined its predecessor. Slain goes through a character rewrite that nearly ruins him, and Inaho shows very little in the way of change or growth. At this point,Aldnoah.Zerois one of the most infamous mecha anime of all time, but it has enough positives to warrant a mild recommendation.
“Ambitious,” “unpredictable,” and “bad” –Guilty Crownhas been described as a great many things. The 2011 anime has amassed an infamous reputation for squandered potential, wasting a fantastic soundtrack and all-around great production value on a messy and frustrating story filled with one-note characters who struggle to break free of their archetypes. Simply put,Guilty Crownis far from one of thebest mecha anime, and an argument could be made that its relative popularity has served to discourage newcomers from diving deeper into the genre.
On MyAnimeList,Guilty Crownhas the six most users in the mecha genre, just belowGurren Lagannand aboveFLCL,86, and 1995’sGhost in the Shell. This metric is not the be-all and end-all, but it shows Production I.G’s anime has enjoyed a wider reach than most mecha shows.
So, considering its polarizing state, why isGuilty Crownrecommended? Well, the show can be a guilty pleasure, no pun intended. Moving at a blistering pace, the anime barely has anything resembling a slow moment, and each episode comes packed with entertaining monologues, battles, and twists. Sure, some of these scenes are entertaining in a “so bad, it is good” kind of way, but they are still fun.Guilty Crownalso has genuinely good stuff in it. The soundtrack is among the best in the mecha genre, and the fights are solid from a technical perspective. Admittedly, the robot designs are fairly forgettable since the mecha are just military weapons, but they are an OK piece of the puzzle and mostly fit the overall universe.
Nothing hurts more than wasted potential, and a negative finale can render any previous positivity moot.Darling in the FranXXis frustrating. The anime hits the ground running with an endearing couple, some interesting mysteries, and that typical Trigger flair for action. The first half of the series is genuinely great, but the last stretch of episodes significantly damages the overall experience. Just to be clear,Darling in the FranXXnever becomes unwatchable, but it stumbles across the finishing line amid a series of baffling and, at times, predictable decisions.
That said, the show is still worth a watch, even if muted expectations are advised. If someone is just craving a mecha vs kaiju type action-fest,Darling in the FranXXcan scratch that itch, and the fight sequences are well-animated and bolstered by interesting designs for both the robots and enemies.
Magic Knight Rayearthis an isekai,magical girl, and mecha anime. A series that combines so many different ingredients should be a chaotic mess, but this ’90s cult classic somehow makes it work. The show is held together by its three female protagonists, all of whom have strong and well-defined personalities that allow them to grow throughout the story.
While initially quite comedic,Magic Knight Rayearthis not afraid to get dark or serious if the narrative calls for it. Now, as good as it is, this series does not focus too heavily on its mecha element, and the fight sequences are fine but nothing too special.
WhileGundamis undoubtedly the most popular mecha franchise of all time,Mazingeris a prime contender for the most influential.Go Nagai’s mangahelped establish the genre’s core tenants, basically defining the standard depiction of mecha being robots driven internally by humans. Consequently,Mazingeris undoubtedly one of the greatest mecha properties of all time, and it deserves to be mentioned alongside the genre’s best series. However, the anime franchise can be somewhat difficult to recommend, largely thanks to muddled continuity, inaccessibility, and plain old age.
Where to begin withMazinger? Putting aside Go Nagai’s manga, which is worth a read for anyone who enjoys the author’s other works, the most obvious starting point would be 1972’sMazinger Z. While certainly important, this series is very much a product of its era, which means stiff animation, repetitive storytelling, and pretty poor pacing. That’s not to say it has nothing to offer, butMazinger Zcan be exhausting, especially since it lasts 148 episodes with its sequel,Great Mazinger.
If someone wants to start with the classics, 1975’sUFO Robot Grendizerwould be a better option. While set in theMazingeruniverse, this spin-off mostly follows a unique path, and it has better action, world-building, mecha designs, and characters. Obviously, the show is still dated, but it holds up better than its predecessor.
2024’sGrendizer Uis retellingUFO Robot Grendizer. While still early days, the show has gotten off to a fairly weak start.
Finally, there isMazinger Edition Z: The Impact!, 2009’s reboot/remake that mostly retells the original manga, albeit incorporating elements from other series and entries. Except for a weird opening episode, this retelling is pretty darn good in most areas. Out of all theMazingerincarnations,The Impact!is the best starting point.
Martian Successor Nadesicois a lot. Jumping back and forth between parody and serious moments, this cult classic anime is, honestly, a bit of a mess that is bogged down by quite a few decisions that might ruin the experience for some people. Before that, let’s go over the core premise. Akito used to work on a mecha-style show, but he wants to move on and just become a cookon a starship. However, he ends up flying a real robot and getting directly involved in a war.
On the one hand,Martian Successor Nadesicois a silly harem comedy that pokes fun and comments on otaku culture, all the while revolving primarily around archetypal characters who are mostly entertaining. However, the anime also loves throwing in some genuinely serious storylines that would not be out of place in something likeGundam; while not handled terribly, these moments often clash with the humor.
So, the above kind of paints a negative picture ofMartian Successor Nadesico, but this is one of thosemecha animethat sounds worse on paper than it is in execution. For the most part, the show is ambitious, delightful, and hilarious. The mecha scenes are pretty impressive as well.
Martian Successor Nadesico: The Prince of Darkness, the sequel movie, is, to be honest, pretty bad. If you enjoy the series, I still recommend trying the film, but keep expectations relatively low.
Gargantia on the Verdurous Planetenvisions a future where humanity has abandoned a dying Earth and taken to the skies. Once among the stars, humans formed an alliance that brainwashed its soldiers to focus exclusively on fighting an alien threat. One day, Ledo, a soldier, crashes onto Earth and discovers that the water-covered planet still has life on it. As he meets the locals, Ledo begins to question his programming.
An ambitious sci-fi anime with sporadic action sequences,Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet’s highlight is its world-building. Ledo is also a great and grounded protagonist, one who adapts realistically to the revelations he experiences.
Debuting in 1980,Space Runaway Ideonfell into obscurity after completing its run with 1982’sThe Ideon: Be Invokedmovie. This super robot anime revolves around humanity’s conflict with an alien race known as the Buff Clan, a meeting that happens on the planet Solo. This world holds a powerful energy source that people will do anything to get their hands on.
Space Runaway Ideonstrikes a grim and dark tone early on and seldom lets up after that point, and things only get worse as they progress. As more than 40 years have passed since the series aired, this'80s animeis unavoidably dated in many ways, but its story and themes hold up well. The movie is also great.
SSSS.Gridmantends to be polarizing, as the anime’s appeal comes down to one of its central antagonists: Akane Shinjou. Not only does this character hog the limelight, but she also goes through the most significant arc in the story while also driving the plot forward. If she fails to click with someone, thenSSSS.Gridmanwill likely fall flat. However, the reverse also holds true.
Trigger anime pits the eponymous mecha against a plethora of creative kaiju in epic battles. Naturally, these fights all have brilliant animation and music. Although a bit slow at first, the story blossoms during the season’s second half as it begins to dive into its main antagonist; that said, the protagonist is an empty vessel.
