If you prefer watching your anime in smaller doses, then we recommend you check out RE:0096, the TV cut of Unicorn, which in turn, is based on the original novel series. Compared to the original movie series, which is comprised of six 90-minute to 120-minute films, you’re getting a standard 20+ episode TV series. Like the original movie, RE: 0096 takes place in the year UC 0096, three years after Char’s Counterattack. While Char Aznable, the antagonist of that movie, was thought to have perished, Neo Zeon is back with a new leader, Full Frontal, who resembles Char in looks, voice, and mech skills. The only one who can stand up to him is Banagher Links, the pilot of the titular Gundam Unicorn.

If you’re looking to get into the long-running Gundam franchise, but don’t want to bother with the older animation of the original UC Gundam titles, Unicorn is a decent start. However, it relies a lot on the lore of the previous titles. Putting that aside, Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, the character designer of the original Gundam series, also provides the character designs for Unicorn, so you’re getting the original style with modern animation techniques.

While Unicorn applies the traditional tropes of Gundam (neurotic teenage academic overachiever who is the son of an elite engineer, circumstantially becomes the hero), it adds some fresh elements. Banagher, the main character, goes through his own unique arc, and you see him go from a boy to a man as he must stop the forces of Full Frontal, the leader of Neo Zeon. The mech designs are sleek and the action is balls to the walls.

For the last decade, the idol genre has been growing like crazy. However, what if we were to tell you that one of the first anime titles to feature idols was a mech anime? If you don’t believe us, then there’s the Macross franchise for you to check out, where mech and idols have been going hand-in-hand for the last 35+ years! For Delta, its latest edition, it continues on with that tradition as the Delta Squadron must deploy an energetic idol group with mech pilots as back up to contain a virus and bring peace to the galaxy! The squadron’s newest recruit is Hayate Immelman, a rookie pilot with amazing instincts. He is paired with Freyja Wion, a native of the planet Windemere.

As you watch high-octane action at fast speeds, you’ll be treated to catchy pop songs. With America’s newest military branch at its conceptual stage, are there going to be idol units as well? Let’s just hope that Macross didn’t lie to us on that part (they already predicted a Space Force, after all)!

If Code Geass were to have its equivalent to Gundam the 08th MS Team, then Boukoku no Akito PERFECTLY fits that bill. Taking place between both seasons of the original Code Geass TV shows, Boukoku no Akito focuses on W-0, the EU’s unit consisting of Japanese refugees who are considered expendable by the EU. However, Leila, one of the commanding officers of the unit, refuses to go along with their plans to use them as disposable soldiers and wants to make it something more.

The mech designs in Boukoku no Akito are sleek (mostly resembling animals such as horses and wolves like you see in Zoids), and their features are perfectly adapted to all kinds of environments and weather conditions whether they are in a city, a forest, or a snowy castle. All these factors create a canvas for exciting battles where teamwork and strategy play an important factor beyond just the coolness of the mechs to create a sensation that will have you at the edge of your seats!

Besides the action, you get to see how the unit bonds and learn to depend on each other. In the beginning, you see how Leila is set up for failure from her superiors with who she has to work with (Akito, who has a death wish, while Yukiya, Ayano, and Ryou are loose cannons), but the audience gets to see her grow as a leader as she coordinates successful missions, and shows she cares about the lives of her soldiers as she’s willing to stand up to her superiors for their sake. With Akito, the course of the series allows him to overcome his past, and defeat his brother, who is an elite soldier for the Britannian Empire.

Taking place a decade after a catastrophic music event, most of the world has gone to Hell in a handbasket. The forests are now dominated by the Earless, shadow monsters who lurk the forest, and the only ones capable of combating them are Players, humans who are augmented with audio jacks who can connect to amplifiers which can then turn into mechs. Hoping to save the world is Echo Rec, a regular boy who makes his living collecting junk. While on the job, he finds a Player in the form of a pretty young lady. After reactivating her, they go on a journey to save the world and unravel the mystery that made the world what it is.

If you’re looking for something different in the mecha genre, then we have to recommend Listeners. Yes, it uses the teenage pilot trope, but does something fresh with it. What if amplifiers transformed into mechs? Then, that’s pretty much what you’re getting with Listeners as they are used to fight the Earless, mysterious shadowy creatures who haunt the woods. As opposed to being high-tech, the mechs and environment of Listeners offer a mix of crust punk, punk pathetique, and the characters pay homage to Generation-X through several characters..

The fights are a bit more comedic compared to our other recommendations, but they still offer their own flavor of danger and excitement. As opposed to using a cockpit, the pilot stands on the shoulder of a mech as they are connected to the mech through an audio jack. For someone who loves psychedelic and progressive rock, we can say this is the anime you’re looking for!

Concluding our list is Ideon, which is a creation of Gundam creator himself, Yoshiyuki Tomino. Taking place in the year 2300, mankind has expanded to space, the final frontier. Their latest discovery is the planet Solo. There, a group of teenagers discover Ideon, a giant mecha. Unfortunately, their presence on Solo has upset the Buff Clan, the natives of the planet. Cosmo Yuki and his friends fight the frontlines as they learn to pilot the Ideon and save the universe from destruction.

As to why many of Tomino’s works in the 1980s and much of the mecha genre contains so much edge, we have Ideon to thank for it. Besides hentai, Ideon is the ultimate example of pushing the envelope in the world of anime. So many characters die that this is one of the titles that contributed to Tomino’s moniker, “Kill ‘Em All Tomino.”

Ideon shows that war and prejudice are truly ugly, and that NO ONE ever wins. Many of its themes are still true to this day, but Ideon just took it to a level that paved the way for modern mech as we know it. As a matter of fact, Evangelion takes a lot of influence from Ideon, most especially with their movie endings, but Ideon’s is A LOT crazier. If you want to know, then check Ideon out!

While away at summer camp, a group of 15 middle school students finds a hidden grotto by the sea full of computers and a strange man named Kokopelli who claims to be video game designer in need of testers. Persuaded by his words, all but one of the children sign a contract with Kokopelli and soon find out that things are not what they seem. One after another, they become pilots of Zearth, a massive, black, insect-like mech and enter into an all too real conflict to save the world from equally strange alien invaders. Zearth itself hides a dark secret for its pilots that makes everything all the more serious.

We're putting Bokurano in our list of the best mecha anime largely because it is one of the most unique, and depressing, takes on the genre. While the show places a large focus on the large cast of protagonists and their individual trauma and personalities, Bokurano also explores some philosophical questions of morality rarely touched on in robot anime such as the human cost of moving a gigantic mech through a city in graphic detail. Certainly not for the faint of heart, Bokurano takes the idea of ‘children are our hope for the future’ to its most extreme, literal level. With its heavy story, interesting mech designs, and well-done opening and ending themes, Bokurano traumatizes its way to our #10 spot.

Diebuster is set in a far future where humanity has been on the losing side of a continuing battle against space monsters. Enter plucky but clumsy waitress Nono, who leaves her small-town Martian home to pursue her dream of becoming a mech pilot like her legendary idol “Nono-Riri”. Through a chance encounter, she meets Lal'C Melk Mark, a member of an elite group of pilots known as “Topless” who have special abilities that let them control the strange, sentient mechs of this series called Buster Machines. Nono follows and idolizes Lal'C with bubbly, energetic enthusiasm, much to Lal'C's annoyance. The story focuses on Nono's quest to become a pilot, the relationships of the characters, and the mysteries of the Buster Machines, space monsters, and Nono herself.

Aim for the top! As a followup to the 1998 cult-hit Gunbuster, which was famed director Hideaki Anno's directorial debut and Gainax's second work, Diebuster had a lot to live up to. While not everyone agrees that it's a perfect sequel, Diebuster's strengths allow it be enjoyable to both fans of first series and unique enough to be thoroughly its own experience, which can largely be attributed to sharing much of the same staff as FLCL, including director Kazuya Tsurumaki. In short, Diebuster is flashy with well-done animations, character design, backgrounds, and effects, it has magically groovy music and exudes a unique style and flair that lets it stand as both a worthy successor to Gunbuster and as one of the best mecha anime, #9 on our list.

Kaname Chidori, aside from being a bit unusually easy to anger, appears to be a rather normal high school girl. Popular and smart, Kaname is her class's representative and the vice president of the student council, but everything rapidly changes once her status as one of the 'Whispered', people with secret embedded knowledge to create and control advanced machinery known as 'Black Technology', is discovered which makes her the target of international terrorists looking to exploit her talents. 17-year old sergeant Sousuke Sagara is sent by an organization called Mithril undercover to Kaname's high school in order to protect her, but his intense military upbringing leaves him ill-equipped for school life.

Full Metal Panic! interestingly blends elements of school comedy with sci-fi action and, appropriately for this list, mecha, called Arm Slaves in the series. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, this combination works quite well and makes the series both memorable and extremely enjoyable to watch. Full Metal Panic! balances jumping between intense mech battles to Kaname dealing with Sousuke's wacky military antics in high school in a way that enhances both aspects of the series and the overall experience because of the variety. While by no means very deep or particularly innovative outside of its genre-mashing, Full Metal Panic! succeeds at being entertaining and memorable thanks to its strong cast, solid execution of action and comedy, and catchy opening and ending themes by Mikuni Shimokawa.

In a futuristic sci-fi world, young Renton Thurston is a 14-year-old mechanic living with his grandpa in the sleepy town of Bellforest. Without much going on in his life, Renton spends his free time surfing special particles called Trapar waves and dreams of leaving Bellforest to join up with Gekkostate, a rogue group of ex-military mercenaries. Renton gets his chance when the Nirvash typeZERO, the mech of the titular Eureka, crashes into the Thurston residence beginning his journey with the Gekkostate as he finds out the true nature of the organization, the Nirvash, himself, Eureka, and the alien planet itself.

Eureka Seven stands out from the rest thanks to its fantastic soundtrack, beautiful animation, and somewhat unusual themes and influences which largely draw from popular culture and music. Eureka Seven is supremely stylish from its slick character and mechanical design, quality animation, and masterful use of music to augment the experience. This sense of style more than makes up for the show's somewhat convoluted story and shoots Eureka Seven up to an appropriately numbered spot. Did we mention the music?

Macross Frontier is a direct sequel to the first Macross and Macross 7 and created for the 25th anniversary of the series. To ensure humanity's survival after the brutal war against the Zentradi aliens, Earth has sent out fleets colony ships to the far reaches of outer space. The year is 2059 and one such fleet is 25th Giant Immigration Fleet, also known as Macross Frontier. The story follows the love triangle of mecha pilot Alto Saotome, pop idol Sheryl Nome, and wannabe idol Ranka Lee as humanity battles a new threat in the form of an insectoid biomechanical alien species known as the Vajra.

Macross is one of the most beloved mecha franchises of all time with multiple TV series, movies, manga, games, etc. and Macross F is considered one of the greatest entries in the series for good reason. Frontier takes an assortment of anime clichés from its Macross-standby love triangle to elements of school drama, moe, slice-of-life, and space opera and combines these tropes together to create interesting juxtapositions of genres that brings life into the classic mech series. Macross F is further augmented with its impressive visuals and animation, and standout soundtrack by legendary composer Yoko Kanno to make it arguably the best Macross ever and our #6 pick!

Set in an appropriately retro-futuristic setting, Giant Robo the Animation takes place in a world where
a device called Shizuma Drive has revolutionized the world by providing easy access to clean, renewable energy. This discovery, however, came at great cost as the process nearly destroyed the Earth. The story centers around 12-year-old Daisaku Kusama, the master of the titular giant Robo which he inherited from his father. He, along with teleporter Ginrei, mighty fighter Tetsugyu, and other members of the International Police Organisation, fight against Big Fire, a shadowy organization looking to dominate the world by recreating the disaster from the Shizuma Drive's creation.

Giant Robo the Animation is impressive for many reasons. Interestingly, its characters are taken from various manga by Yokoyama Mitsuteru such as Tesujin 28-go, Babel II, Godmars, and obviously Giant Robo itself, but it follows a whole new storyline that brings them all together wonderfully. The character and mechanical designs were given a purposely retro aesthetic, which when combined with Hong Kong-cinema and Wuxia influenced action choreography, really makes it stand out visually. It also boasts an incredibly rich and varied orchestral soundtrack that has been widely praised. Ultimately, Giant Robo the Animation unites the best of many classic series with more modern sensibilities and techniques to create a truly special homage to the past that never-the-less stands strong on its own as one of the best super robot mecha anime.

Living in Giha village deep underground, Simon is a meek digger who is mostly ostracized from his peers outside of his boisterous, delinquent friend Kamina who he calls brother despite not being blood-related. Kamina dreams of reaching the surface and enlists Simon's help to try and find a way to do so. While digging, Simon finds a drill-shaped object and a mysterious small mech (called Gunmen in this universe) and after putting the two together, is able to pilot it with Kamina. They name it Lagann and use it to defend Giha from an attack by an enemy Gunmen from above with some help from surface human Yoko Littner. The aftermath of the battle opens a path to sunlight where they learn humans suffer regular attacks from Gunmen piloted by beastmen led by an oppressive king called Lordgenome, who is trying to force humanity underground. Thus begins Simon, Kamina, and Yoko's quest to liberate the humans in a story that grows to galaxy-sized proportions.

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann tackles the mecha genre with a gripping intensity that revels in anime tropes to a degree so high that it simultaneously pokes fun at while still gratuitously embracing them to the point of ridiculousness. What ultimately makes it so strong though, is that it rolls with this ridiculousness while still having a lot of heart, or perhaps better said as fighting spirit! Gurren Lagann takes this idea of belief in yourself and your spirit being the key to victory, something of a throwback to older super robot shows and continuously amps up the stakes and scale to keep it exciting. Couple that with an excellent and unique sense of style, powerful character moments and development, and a great OST and Gurren Lagann has the power to pierce the heavens to become our #4 pick!

Set over 300 years after a massive conflict between Earth and its Outer Colonies known as the Calamity War, Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans' story focuses on a band of Martian child soldiers led by Orga Itsuka and ace pilot Mikazuki Augus. They have been assigned to protect aristocrat Kudelia Aina Bernstein who is on a diplomatic mission to Earth to negotiate for Martian independence which is further galvanized after seeing the horrible living conditions of her protectors. An assassination attempt by peacekeeping military organization Gjallarhorn becomes the spark to ignite a revolution for the freedom of the titular orphan child soldiers and Mars itself.

Mecha fans likely were anticipating the appearance of a Gundam in this list, and for good reason as the long-running franchise is arguably the biggest and most popular mecha series of all time, so much so that it has become a cultural icon for anime and Japan itself. Out of all the Gundam series, we chose Iron-Blooded Orphans because how well it executes the hallmarks of the series (political drama, rivalries and vendettas between the pilots, strong characterization, and, of course, amazing mech combat) while doing so in a refreshing way that gets to the action quickly and doesn't rely on knowledge of other series to be enjoyable. Iron-Blooded Orphans sets a new standard for the Gundam series with its brutal combat, brilliant story, masterful mechanical design, and stellar soundtrack. Raise your flag for our #3!!

Set in an alternate history version of 2010 where the American colonies remained part of the British Empire, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion tells the story of the titular Lelouch Lamperouge, the exiled crown prince of the empire which is now known as the Holy Empire of Britannia. Britannia has continued expansion and now is fighting the last remnants of resistance in Japan which it simply calls District 11. After receiving a mysterious power called Geass from strange immortal girl C.C., Lelouch, as masked vigilante Zero, begins an underground rebellion against Brittania to get revenge against the brutal regime.

Code Geass is one of the most popular anime series of all time in both Japan and around the world. The anime is known for blending science fiction, school and political drama, supernatural, and mecha genres together to produce an intriguing story with a wide range of appeal. Code Geass characters are great, albeit often outrageous, and play off of each other wonderfully and also have fantastic visual design provided by the famous manga group CLAMP. Wrap this together with a dramatic and energetic story with its share of twists, non-stop action with great visual effects, music, and cool mechs, and Code Geass becomes an incredibly entertaining package you can't ignore and our pick for the #2 best mecha series of all time!

Set 15 years after a global cataclysm known as Second Impact, humanity once again is in danger after strange, giant monsters called Angels begin appearing, wreaking havoc on an already damaged Earth. The angels possess a powerful force field that makes them near impervious to any traditional weapons. It is only with the power of the Evangelions, huge biomechanical mechs created and managed by a secretive U.N. agency called NERV, that the rampaging Angels might be stopped. When 14-year old Shinji Ikari sees his distant father Gendou again for the first time in years he soon finds himself flung into the depths of world-changing conflict, conspiracies, and psychological trauma, not to mention the cockpit of a giant mech. Fighting together with his co-pilots, Rei Ayanami and Asuka Langely Soryu, and NERV captain, Misato Katsuragi, Shinji has to try his best to keep it together under pressure in this story of struggle of immense proportions.

As one of the most influential, dissected, and hotly-debated anime series of all time, pretty much everything that can be said about Neon Genesis Evangelion has been. Evangelion is an iconic work, a beautifully executed deconstruction of the mecha genre that paved the way for countless other series. Its compelling story and complex, flawed characters combined with its highly unique sense of style and symbolism continue to captivate to this day. Evangelion led to the rebirth of the anime industry and rightfully made Hideaki Anno and Gainax legendary to anime fans around the world. We're re-appointing Neon Genesis Evangelion as our #1 pick as a testament to its longevity and influence on the genre and its genuine masterpiece quality as a work of art in the medium. Congratulations!

Kuromukuro starts off on our top 10 mecha/robot anime list as it's one of the more recent series that released in the spring lineup. The story takes place within a futuristic world with some historical references thrown in for some variety. An ancient artifact was discovered and so the UNKRI (United Nations Kurobe Research Institute) was established in order to uncover more information about what secrets the artifact possessed, and what mysterious powers they could discover from it. Many great minds came together from all over the globe in order to decipher its origin. The children of these intellects are now attending Mt. Tate International Senior High School, and the head of the institute's daughter Yukina are on a mission to find out more.

Kuromukuro hits our number 10 spot because it uses a mixture of past and present in order to create a mecha that reflects those times. Many of the mechas we see infuse a samurai-esque look while still maintaining a robotic feel to it, kind of like Yoshimitsu from the popular Tekken franchise. We thought this unique mixture brought a nice fresh flavor for the spring, but wasn't too contrived to make it seem too over cooked. This show is a great introduction anime for those who are just trying to dip their feet into the genre, since the story behind the artifact is straight forward and ties well with lots of action from the many characters within the plot.

The story of Cross Ange follows the life of princess Angelise, whose life had a very royal upbringing and had everything a young teen ever imagined to have. Angelise was blessed with everything living in a blissful age of peace and prosperity due to an advancement in technology referred to as mana. Mana allowed certain persons to emit certain powers, making them very formidable in times of turbulence. Life eventually turned very critical for Angelise when she soon realized that she could not ascend to her throne because she was found out to be a norma, a member of society who is resistant to mana and cannot use the mana herself. This sparked outrage and hysteria within the empire which led to Angelise being extradited to the prison camp of Arzenal, and forced to fight in the robotic battle suit known as the paramail. To survive and find out the truth behind her entire existence, Angelise learns to cope with her new living environments while building relationships with other norma to fight off the enemy.

This captivating story starts off very harsh as we get to see Angelise taken away from her trusted family only to be told that she was a norma, which formed into disaster. We recommend this anime not just because of the great story, but because of how cool looking each of the paramails look with each character. The designs themselves really tell their own story since each paramail is a direct reflection of that character’s back story and personality. There is definitely a lot to watch in this series, so we suggest you watch it from start to finish to really see who comes out on top in the end.

Captain Earth flies into the number eight spot on our top ten list for good reason. We don't just choose anime solely based off of aesthetic pertaining to mecha, but because the story really helps to bring everything together for one full meal. Daichi randomly looks up in the sky to see a weird rainbow floating above Seed Island and decides to check it out for himself. He has seen the rainbow on numerous occasions which all remind him of a mysterious boy and girl, along with the mysterious death of his father. He arrives on this weird island with no clue as to what's transpiring around him. One person asks him if he is the captain when one of the Earth engines went off as an emergency. Suddenly Daichi finds himself in charge of a team of other pilots who are on a mission to put a stop the trouble that is about to take place from the robotic intruders, Kiltgang.

Captain Earth is full of everything you can possibly want in an anime, which is story and character development. We see Daichi develop strong relationships around him very quickly as his life too changes almost instantly, as he now has taken the role of captain. As the story progresses and we get to see more robots, each character's mecha outfits are meshed with unique characteristics which allow them to connect with each other to create an ultra mecha which we thought was awesome. We hope this anime takes you on an adventure of excitement as much as it did for us.

Macross has always been a classic mechaa anime, and to this day there are still thousands of fans everywhere supporting the franchise. Macross Frontier is considered to be the favorite out of the Macross franchise due to its deep plot, and exciting cast of characters. The premise of the story takes place in the distant future where humanity is in war with the powerful Zentradi, who are out to destroy everything in their path. Their overwhelming threats forced much of humanity to escape and find refuge in a much safer environment. The Macross Frontier is built in order to protect the rest of humanity but when Sheyrl makes her appearance on board, so do the new enemy Vajra which create a new stage of panic. Alto and the rest of his team must work together to put a stop to the ruthless Vajra and uncover the truth behind Sheyrl's mysterious history.

This received a spot on our mecha/robot list because mechaa anime always bring something dramatic to the screen, and so we become glued to all that's happening. Also, the story behind Sheryl and the Vajra outbreak sounds interesting, since there is certainly something brewing that we are just not so sure about. What really attracted us was the art style which combined a more retro feel much like the past Macross series, and also a more modern feel with regards to character design. This is must watch for anyone stoked for cute girls in flashy outfits!

Making its way back onto our top ten charts is the very entertaining Heavy Object. This action comedy mixture pairs Qwenthur and Havia who always seem to find themselves in the middle of every battle there is, but are always rescued by Milinda and her object. Havia grows an attraction to Milinda, who at times due to his shy nature, can never admit his true feelings to her. This leads Qwenthur to step in to be more of a man in his actions, and take initiative. The premise of the anime revolves around the revolutionary objects which have become the main center piece for all things war. It's Havia's mission to seek the truth about them.

With great visuals right off the bat, and a very nice creative storyline surrounding the use of objects which take on a very unique mecha approach, Heavy Object deserves its spot on our mecha list. Every episode is set in a different terrain, and both Havia and Qwenthur have to come up with strategic ways to destroy the enemy object, and allow Milinda to take care of the rest. It's exciting to see because you're always greeted with something intriguing with regards to the tactical approaches that Qwenthur and Havia demonstrate all throughout the show. As the enemies grow stronger, so too does their prowess and ability to overcome anything that stands in their way. It's a must watch for those who love tactical thinking and mechas.

Break Blade made its way into the anime world back in the spring of 2014, making waves with its really interesting story and overall popularity. Most of the action takes place in the continent of Cruzon, where a major war between two kingdoms Krisna and Athens are about to ensue. Many of the citizens within the Cruzon empire are able to use a special ability called quartz which can be used for whatever they desire. Unfortunately Rygart Arrow is unable to use this special ability as many have labeled him as an un-sorcerer which refers to an individual who cannot use quartz. This setback however becomes a very useful asset as he is the only one who is able to pilot the ancient golem, and the only one who may potentially put an end to the invasion of Athens.

While most mecha anime tend to have very vibrant and colorful looking designs, the ancient golem along with the other mechas in this series are very dark, rustic and very intimidating. Since they are used more within the ongoing war, the designs feel more fitting as they encompass more of a medieval aesthetic compared to the more futuristic styles that we know and admire. Break Blade is a great show that we recommend watching as there is a great assortment of action at every corner to keep you fixed to your tube.

Shooting its way to the number four spot on our mecha/robot anime list is Buddy Complex. The series made its first appearance in the winter season of 2014 with great reception. The story follows Aoba, a high school student who is suddenly attacked by a gigantic robot that appears from out of the sky without warning. This robot seemed to only target him as he was chased all throughout the city looking to find refuge from this mammoth machine. Out of nowhere his fellow classmate and friend Hina appears in her own giant robot to protect him, and sends him a cryptic message stating that a certain “Dio” is waiting for him before she disappears into the myst. From this incident Aoba realizes his new mission and joins the Free Treaty Alliance to help topple the extremely powerful Great Zogiria Republic.

Buddy Complex takes a lot of aesthetic from many of the older styled mecha anime such as gundam, macross, evengelion, and the very classic five star stories. This mixture of robotic style directions is why we decided to add it immediately to our top ten mecha list, and moreso because the artists made sure to use very vivid colors to bring out the feel of a more vibrant story. The series itself is quite short but its lifespan is long enough for anyone to enjoy whether you're a fan of the old or new.

Mobile Suit Gundam has always been a household name since its release in the late 70's and revolutionized the entire anime world with its highly detailed mecha warriors and spectacular action scenes. Over the course of its original release, we have seen an array of gundam shows that to this day are still considered to be some of the best of all time. And so we fast forward to present day and we now have another series to discuss. Coming in at number three is Iron Blooded Orphans. The story takes place roughly 300 years after the calamity war and now follows Mikazuki, a member of the private security firm known as CGS. He was hired to be the bodyguard of Kudelia, who is known to be of high royalty. However, things turn ugly when the elite Gjallarhorn unit raids the CGS headquarters. This didn't sit too lightly with Orga, as he took charge of this situation and created the team known as Iron Blooded Orphans. It's now their goal to protect Kudelia, but also stop the threat that faces them by the hands of Gjallarhorn.

This should be no surprise that gundam has made its way to number three. This anime comes fully equipped with action right off the bat, and mechas flying from every direction. Mikazuki's gundam looks extremely cool and when inside the cockpit, we are never short of impressed by the amount of acrobatic sword beam wielding action Mikazuki provides. We recommend hopping into your own cockpit, turn on the monitor and most definitely check out Iron Blooded Orphans.

Firing its way to the number two position on our top ten mecha anime list is none other than winter 2016's Schwarzesmarken. Schwarzesmarken in German is known as Black Marks, and takes place in the alternate timeline of East Germany in the 1980's. The story follows the special unit of East Germany's 666th TSF Squadron, Black Marks, who specialize in unconventional tactics along with advanced technology to outsmart their enemies. Their mission is to take out the BETA which are extraterrestrial beings who are unpredictable and unrelenting in their ways, looking to destroy the entire human forces claiming Earth as their own. The BETA arrive in all shapes and sizes and so the team of Black Marks must use their prowess to overthrow the unpredictable and advanced warfare that BETA is bringing to the table.

The star of the show is pilot Irisdina who is the commanding officer of the brigade, whose cold demeanor and personality make her a handful to work with in such dire conditions. The Black Marks must work together in order to put an end to the destruction that may engulf the entire human race, so bad blood must be put behind to focus their attention on the matters at hand. This show uses a wide variety of mecha styles as well similar to our previous anime Buddy Complex, and since it takes place in the 80's the vibe is most certainly there in the overall vibe. For more about the exciting story and fantastic art direction, please check out Schwarzesmarken as you will not be disappointed.

Knights of Sidonia will surely leave you in suspense as this show has everything that you need and more out of a mecha anime. Much of the story takes place in a very futuristic atmosphere as the year is 3394. The solar system was destroyed by a strange race called Gauna. These creatures have the ability to tear through just about anything including the very strong steel suits that Nagate and his crew members fly in. In Sidonia, which is a seed ship populated with just under a million people, Nagate and his team must manage to defend their territory and civilization from the Gauna who are willing to kill anything in their path. Not much can be said about the Gauna so it becomes another mission of the entire crew to seek further to uncover the origins of the Gauna and to know their true intentions.

With this anime taking place in a very distant future it becomes quite clear as to why the mecha designs in this series look very unique and work quite differently from most we see. For this reason we thought Knights deserved the number one spot simply due to its change of direction and great sense of depth pertaining to the development of both character and story. Not only did this show receive numerous rewards all across Japan for it's wonderful approach, but did so by winning animation of the year award in 2015. We truly loved this piece of art and so we highly recommend watching this one for an amazing look at one of the better mecha titles of the current generation. Honey's Anime also suggests that you tune into the second season of Knights to uncover more truth behind the Gauna and why they're out to cause havoc on Sidonia.