Anime featuring super-sized robots that are constantly locked in combat comes with a certain type of appeal difficult for other genres to replicate. The scale at which battles are fought is massive, and that facilitates excitement that can’t be found anywhere else. These anime, however, possess not only the appeal of enormous fights but also that of layered storytelling and nuanced characters with relatable emotional circumstances.
Studios such as Gainax, Trigger, and Sunrise are responsible for some of the most popular super robot anime known today. There is special care given to the animation of the fights, detail concerning the robots, and the plot of the stories they are tasked with handling. This has resulted in the production of more high-quality shows within the genre, regardless of whichever studio is in charge.
10 Valvrave the Liberator
Set in a future where most of humanity has settled in multiple outer space colonies, this anime initially tells a story of an intergalactic conflict between two warring nations namely Dorssia, and the Atlantic Rim United States. However, a third party is involved as soon as the series begins, with the Dorssians infiltrating a JIOR school in search of the powerful Valvraves.
The Valvraves are large humanoid machines with immense fighting capabilities. They are the titular mechs of the series and can only be piloted by special humans who have been altered to possess specific alien capabilities. The series follows the main protagonist Haruto Tokishima—who finds and pilots the first Valvrave—and the former Dorssian soldier L-elf in their fight against Dorssia and their many battles in the show.
9 SSSS.Gridman
SSSS.Gridman is an anime that embodies everything a super robot show is meant to be about. It features a massive humanoid robot fighter that communicates with the protagonist through a computer screen. As the robot, Hyper Agent Gridman, cannot fight in his current form, he usually merges with the protagonist, Yuuta Hibiki, whenever they are ready to do battle.
It was inspired by the old Gridman series that ran from 1993 to 1994 and perfectly incorporates its old style with current anime standards. The duo of Yuuta and Gridman constantly fight battles against multiple different kaiju, with new enemies and allies joining them along the way.
8 Eureka Seven
Koukyoushihen Eureka Seven is a show that goes beyond the robots as it expertly explores multiple complex themes simultaneously. The series features a protagonist named Renton Thurston, who begins the story embroiled in his own personal struggles. Then, on one fateful day, he encounters a girl named Eureka along with her robot, the Nirvash typeZERO, and that event would serve to change the course of his life drastically.
The robots in this anime are uniquely designed with equally unique and interesting capabilities. They are called Light Finding Operations, capable of riding through the air as a surfer would do on water. Most of them also possess vehicle forms that the riders can switch to at will. However, these features are more utility focused as the LFOs are mainly used for battle, with the military versions named Kraft Light Fighters.
7 Kuromukuro
Kuromukuro is an anime that showcases peculiar robots mainly engaging in melee combat. It features a samurai from Sengoku Era Japan who finds himself in the present after his body was preserved for approximately 450 years. His name is Kennosuke Tokisada, and he is the main pilot of the titular robot of the series, the kuromukuro.
The kuromukuro is expectedly one of the standout mechs in the show. It is also a melee fighter, but it utilizes a sword in combat, a fitting weapon considering the nature of its pilot. The animation might not be the smoothest, however, it still manages to showcase exciting battles without the presence of concentrated energy blasts or multiple over-the-top attacks.
6 SSSS.Dynazenon
Despite its title sharing a few characteristics with SSSS.Gridman previously mentioned on this list, the events in these two anime have been shown to have no significant connection so far. Instead, SSSS.Dynazenon features a host of characters working as a team on both the protagonist and the antagonist sides. The main antagonists of the series are called Kaiju Eugenicists. They are four in number and have the power to control kaiju, using them to wreak havoc as they please.
The main protagonists are five in number. They are random individuals from different backgrounds, with four possessing action figure-like components that can be enlarged and combined into the colossal robot Dynazenon. In this form, they take on different kaiju controlled by the Kaiju Eugenicists and fight large-scale battles in order to protect their city and its people.
5 Darling In The Franxx
Darling in the Franxx was handled by three studios, namely, A-1 Pictures, Trigger, and Cloverworks. Its story is set in a future where humans no longer need to reproduce and lack any form of emotional expression. However, they still require protection against the monsters known as Klauxosaurs.
In order to fight against the Klauxosaurs, the machines known as Franxx are employed. They are robots that can only be piloted by two individuals who must possess healthy emotional responses. The series follows the main protagonist Hiro, and his newfound copilot Zero Two, in their battles against the Klaxosaurs and their attempts at understanding one another.
4 Code Geass
One of the most famous series produced by Studio Sunrise, Code Geass is an anime that features more than just giant robots and intense battles. It is set in a conquered Japan with an exiled prince of the ruling empire seeking vengeance for the death of his mother. His name is Lelouch vi Britannia, and he leads an army of rebels against the empire with his supernatural power and an assortment of mechs at his disposal.
The robots in this series are called Knightmares. They are largely mass-produced and possess little or no noteworthy features. However, the robots used by the main characters and main combat forces of the warring sides are a much different story. Featuring units like the Guren, Lancelot, and the Shinkirō, this anime plays host to a few impressive Knightmare frames capable of unique feats carefully developed and introduced as the story progresses.
3 Neon Genesis Evangelion
The critically acclaimed Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the most famous titles in the entire anime community. It was produced by Gainax and remains one of their best works to date. It features a young protagonist named Shinji Ikari along with his peculiar experiences and interesting development. In addition, it has an impressively layered story, delving into countless themes and possessing a relatively complex plot.
The main enemies in the series are called Angels, and the robots used to defeat them are known as Evangelion Units. Despite not being completely mechanical—as they are actually “giant humans” covered in robotic parts and they need to be operated by pilots all the same. These Evangelion Units possess immense powers and serve as the only hope for humanity in the fight against the Angels.
2 Mobile Suit Gundam
The Gundam franchise is one of the largest anime franchises of all time. It consists of over fifty different series as well as other content outside the anime industry. The storylines commonly feature large-scale wars and a few heroic figures.
The mechs in the franchise are unsurprisingly called Gundam. They are mainly mass-produced as they are utilized on all sides participating in massive wars. The protagonists' Gundams, however, possess unique designs to set them apart from the rest. They are mobile suits with honorable appearances, sometimes possessing remarkable capabilities that give them a significant edge against their enemy factions.
1 Gurren Lagann
Gurren Lagann is a Studio Gainax anime original from the mid-2000s. The story features an initially unimpressive young digger named Simon living underground with the rest of civilization. However, his mundane life changes after finding a small mech named Lagaan. Following the attack on his village by a vicious mech, Simon and his new friends Yoko and Kamina, defeat the enemy mech using Lagann and break through to the surface.
The mechs in these series are called Gunmen and can take a large variety of appearances. Following their literal rise to the surface, the gang make new allies and take control of a new Gunman named Gurren. With Kamina piloting the Gurren and Simon the Lagaan, the duo discover a new form that can be achieved by combining both Gunmen, which they dub the Gurren Lagann. Using this majestic new form, the two set out on a dangerous adventure, mowing down all who stand in their way, using of sheer willpower.