Robots, space wars, the power of friendship, and extreme feats of mechanical engineering. What does this all have in common? Mecha. This sci-fi anime genre that has been around since the 70s and has captured the imagination of children and adults alike who prefer their battles to be about futuristic anthropomorphic, usually bipedal robots with guns, blades, and metal machinations. Mecha is a niche part of anime, home to some of the longest-running series of all time from Gundam to Zoids to Neon Genesis Evangelion. These anime have brought up generations and their impact has been felt in other anime genres and fan bases for years. Even people who aren't a fan of robot fights still know about how influential such series are in the modern anime space.
However, where there are great successes, there are those that are less so. Sometimes, that isn't due to the original source material, but simply through a bad anime series, or the story not catching on at the time. On the other hand, there are also series that now feel outdated. They're hard to get into, as modern audiences may not have the patience or the ability to get past the graphical graininess of pre-2000 animation. This list will give some insight into what the series could do with a reboot and, possibly, garner more interest from a newer audience.
8 Gundam Wing
In a war between the United Earth Alliance and the opposition forces who are tired of living under their rule, a battle begins on Earth. Five Gundams are sent to the planet and one of the pilots, Heero Yuy, is forced to crash-land. In a fateful encounter, he meets Relena Peacecraft, the daughter of a peace-seeking politician who has no idea what fate has in store for the both of them.
One of the first entries in the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise, the show was incredibly popular in the west, but not in Japan itself. Cementing itself as a nostalgic anime thanks to its stint in the Toonami cartoon rotation, the brooding teenage mecha series has become a classic that many fans adore. The animation and pacing have aged poorly, and a reboot would help bring a classic back to the forefront of the genre.
7 RahXephon
This series is a cousin to the Neon Genesis Evangelion series, sharing similar protagonists and depressing themes. Ayato Kamina discovers that his entire life is a lie, and he has lived in a time bubble Tokyo his entire life. Suddenly, futuristic fighter jets start attacking the city. He panics and while fleeing runs into his classmate, Reika Mishima, who takes him to an egg she discovers in a shrine. The egg awakens and so does power in Ayato, and he must team up with the organization TERRA to save his world.
The anime had a limited run of 26 episodes with a well-executed conclusion. However, the anime could have taken a long time to fully explore the charter arcs of the protagonists and important side characters. This anime could benefit from a remake, sequel, or something akin to the Neon Genesis Evangelion's run of movies.
6 Samurai Pizza Cats
The series follows three cats turned superheroes, equipped with mech suits that they use to protect their home. This show tends to skew towards comedy anime rather than battle and action. However, the series could still benefit from a modern-day adaptation.
Samurai Pizza Cats is a more whimsical take on the mecha anime genre, taking the Saturday morning cartoon route of fun. Known as Cat Ninja Legend Teyandee in Japan, it harkens to the likes of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Thundercats.
5 Knights & Magic
Tsubasa Kurata is a programmer who one day finds himself transported to a world where combat is often settled via mechs called Silhouette Knights. He has a penchant for gargantuan machines and an innate skill for magic, and enrolls in a prestigious academy that teaches him how to pilot the Knights and kill demonic beasts.
At heart, Knights & Magic is an isekai series that combines multiple genres, which makes it stand out from the pack. With magic, mechs, and a fantasy world, it, unfortunately, faded into the background with a singular season of 13 episodes back in 2017, maybe due to the oversaturation of the isekai genre.
4 Mobile Fighter G Gundam
The Gundam series is filled with serious stories about wars, political strife, colonies, and battles in space and on planets. However, sometimes battle shonen doesn't need the backdrop of a compelling narrative. Sometimes, it's just fun to see big, impressive robots hitting each other.
Mobile Fighter G Gundam embraces the destructive kid in all of us. The show pits robots against each other one long tournament arc, showcasing the weirdest Gundam builds and wackiest weapons scavenged from all the galaxies. It was aimed at a younger demographic, and it might be nice to remake a series that embraced its roots and could appeal to a modern crowd.
3 Blue Gender
The line between mecha and horror is thin and often blurs. When visiting space, the unknown is terrifying enough, but if an author populates the universes with extra-terrestrials, there's bound to be species that are not fans of humans and their giant robots. With a heavy sci-fi and horror-laden story, Blue Gender tells a story of surviving an alien onslaught over 26 nail-biting episodes.
Blue Gender was ahead of its time during its first 1999 run, and the way anime has developed today could help to adapt the story again for modern audiences. The storytelling medium of anime has evolved over the years, and so have the audiences. Manga creator Yoshihiko Kasaki could push the boundaries of the manga's ending again, and go to the more macabre and melancholy places he dared not venture to before.
2 The Big O
Some of the more underappreciated mecha animes are the ones that take risks with the genre. They break the confines of what a mecha anime is by pushing the envelope on their narratives. The Big O is one such series, focusing on Paradigm City, a place torn about by a calamity from 40 years in the past that has consumed the city with crime and a mysterious, lingering fog.
Protagonist Roger Smith is a detective with a habit of wearing black and solving the riddles with the help of his companions. This includes The Big O, a giant relic of a mecha that brings down the iron fist of justice upon the seedy criminals and their underworld. This anime never got big in 1999; however, with its interesting premise, a remake might help this series achieve greater heights.
1 The Vision Of Escaflowne
From the imagination of Macross's creator, Shoji Kawamori, comes The Vision Of Escaflowne. In this isekai mech anime, a girl gets sent to another world and meets the King, Van. Mixing romance, robot battles, and action it appeals to a wide range of audiences and lead to its global success when it aired in 1996.
The anime had a 26-episode run. Its popularity has waned over the years, falling from a must-watch mecha to a cult classic that only receives praise in certain circles. Rebooting the series could update the animation, expose it to newer audiences, and maybe give the chance for the anime to explore more of its condensed narrative.