Revolutionary Girl Utena is an old-school classic anime that follows Utena Tenjou, an orphaned princess that meets a prince who gives her a rose ring to help cheer her up, instead inspiring Utena to become a prince herself. Utena later enrolls at Ootori Academy and is embroiled in the Rose Bride duels after defending her roommate Anthy Himemiya. However, Utena does not know that the Rose Bride is Anthy but once she learns of the truth behind the duels she decides to fight for saving Anthy from being wronged and objectified.

The main plot of The Witch from Mercury follows Revolutionary Girl Utena almost identically, but instead of sword duels like Utena, Suletta battles for Miorine’s hand in a Gundam suit instead. Using similar themes of upsetting the current status quo in their world, Utena and Suletta both are happy to take on those already established in their world.

Atsuko “Akko” Kagari has a non-magical background but wants to follow her dream of becoming a witch after watching her idol Shiny Chariot during a magic performance. Through a perilous journey, Akko enrolls at the Luna Nova Magical Academy, where she begins her path to witchcraft and wizardry, making friends and rivals alike.

Much like Suletta, Akko begins her academic journey in school being seen as an outsider due to their backgrounds and ends up having to prove their worth through tough challenges. Suletta does this with her unique Gundam mech Aerial whereas Akko has her idol's wand Shiny Rod, meaning both are well-equipped to take on their destiny.

The Glittering Crux Brigade is a secret organisation hidden deep under Southern Cross Isle, and works with giant stone figures that become fighting mechs in a realm called “Zero Time”. Their goal is to break free of Zero Time and use the Cybodies anywhere at any time to change the world. Takuto Tsunashi enrolls in an academy on the island, not realising many of his classmates are secret members of Glittering Crux. However, it turns out Takuto has his own secret - he can use a Cybody of his own in Zero Time, the Tauburn, leading to conflicts and battles with Glittering Crux for the fate of the world.

Takuto feels like an outsider in his school, even without all the secretive societies and hidden mech battles. Similarly, Suletta is treated as an outsider due to her being from Mercury, considered a remote part of the system in comparison to her classmates, as shown by her confusion about Miorine’s acceptance of same-sex relationships.

Souya Kuroi wakes up from a dream of dragons, destruction, and rainbow-coloured lights. Having no memories of his past, Souya continues his high school life before the world is attacked by huge UFOs that are beaten back by 7 heroes in a way of rainbow-coloured light - who Souya feels he has to defeat! A strange concept but Planet With is filled with strange sci-fi action as Souya rediscovers himself and his past, all with beautifully animated mech battles.

Both Suletta and Souya come from a lineage of expert mech pilots, be they human or alien, and their ability to fight whether they should or not drives them forward against all odds. Souya is an outsider on earth, just like Suletta is at Asticassia, but the two allow their ability to fight to speak for them, turning the system on its head.

We know it is kind of cheating having another Mobile Suit Gundam series on a recommendations list for a Mobile Suit Gundam series, but it has been seven years since Iron-Blooded Orphans dropped in Fall of 2015! In terms of animation, feel, and action, Iron-Blooded Orphans will give you everything you want from a series that is like The Witch from Mercury.

Story-wise, Iron-Blooded Orphans is set three hundred years after the Calamity War between Earth and the outer space colonies. Earth is ruled by four blocs, whilst Mars relies on the Earth’s economy for their survival leading to horrible living conditions. A local independence movement is growing, and the aristocrat Kudelia Aina Bernstein from the Chryse Autonomous Region becomes involved in attempting to negotiate with Earth on Mars’ behalf. Protected by the CGS from Chryse, the Third Army Division is also assigned to protect her but the division of child soldiers is attacked by Earth’s Gjallarhorn military organisation in an attempt to assassinate the young revolutionary. The ensuing conflict shapes our characters' lives beyond anything they could have anticipated.

Knights of Sidonia explores the concept of humanity being left in the wake of Earth’s destruction by the Gauna aliens, escaping only in seclusion inside seed ships that have been trawling the galaxy. Nagate Tanikaze is one of many humans that now has to mount a defence against the Gauna once more as they assault Sidonia.

Nagate outshines his fellow mech pilots in their defence of humanity against the Gauna, much like Suletta expresses extreme skill in her Gundam piloting skills, showing that the two are a cut above the rest. Knights of Sidonia also boasts one of the strangest anime styles in a mech series, utilising traditional cel animation and technology to bring a 3D aspect that suits the sci-fi setting.