Giant Robot Appreciation Thread

[Nerd-o-rama]

So, I think it's safe to say that the Humongous Mecha sci fi genre is my favorite kind of Japanese cartoon (and American BattleTech-inspired stuff isn't shabby, but has fewer TV shows). Martian Successor Nadesico, a pastiche of the whole genre, was what got me into taking anime seriously, and the majority of anime I've seen by now have been of the "huge mechs beating the crap out of each other variety".

In a break from all these random vs. threads, let's hear it for the Mobile Suits, Gears, Megadeuses, Evas (spoilers: not really mecha), Aestivalises (how do you pluralize that anyway?), and Ganmen. Who cares about fundamental concepts of engineering? They look cool!

To start the discussion off, I feel like a poser otaku for not having watched the original Mobile Suit Gundam. The continuity of that franchise confuses me though, having numerous anachronic series in the main 'verse as well as several spinoffs. Can anyone supply me with a chart of shows so I know what I'm getting into if I start purchasing DVDs?

[warty goblin]

Giant robot wise, I personally am a fan of WH40K Dreadnaughts. Giant armored dead guys ftw! Taur crisis suits are also high on the list.

[Rutee]

Wikipedia does a pretty good job of it. Honestly, I haven't either; Something prevents me from just getting into both the UC Gundam and.. whatever you call the Gundam SEED-verses too well (Well okay I think Gundam SEED is just plain crap but not the point), despite loving games based off them.

And yesh, Martian Successor Nadesico is just wonderful. You know it's awesome when The Lancer is introduced as a Super Robot Fanatic who shouts his attacks because THAT'S HOW IT'S DONE. Then breaks his leg showing off his ultra supaaa greattu technique. I'd say though, my favorite 'grunt' units in a series definitely go to Full Metal Panic's Armslaves. It's probably a bit of Super Robot Wars bleeding through, since they're the best/second best peon units thanks to their ECS, but I love 'em. Doesn't hurt that FMP is awesome too.

As to purchasing DVDs.. Forgot about this, but it's pretty easy. Heck, I'm pretty sure Amazon will stock them. Mobile Suit Gundam being what it is, it's not terribly difficult to obtain.

[Tengu]

Evangelion - because nothing says cool like biomechanical mecha connected to cable cords like irons or refrigerators! As a bonus you also get mentally scarred teenage pilots... heck, a whole world of mentally scarred people.

Actually, one thing is cooler, and that's gears from, of course, Xenogears! If only they had enough money to do disk 2 as good as disk 1...

Full Metal Panic! already got a mention, so I will only say that it's amusing how swiftly can some Arm Slaves switch genres from Real Robot to Super Robot.

Hmm, Nadesico sounds interesting. Maybe I should watch it sometime.

Ah, and don't worry Nerd-o-rama, you're not the only one here who hasn't seen Gundam in any incarnation. But fortunately, it's other things that make you an otaku - being alone, mostly. Just ask Hal Emmerich. Speaking of which, let's give Metal Gear a honorable mention here too - because it's frikkin' huge, and has a nuclear railgun.

[13_CBS]

Escaflowne anime, anyone?

It's got a pretty winning formula:

Giant robots + Steampunk + said robots fighting each other with giant swords = WIN.

It's a shame they didn't capitalize on it as much as they could have, though.

Edit: @ Tengu--don't forget about the Metal Gear Rays!

[Dispozition]

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann...How can it not have been mentioned yet? It's a sort of serious parody to Gundam, I think...Can't be sure because I haven't seen Gundam. Goddanar is another decent one. I didn't like it but I've head people rave.

I really have to watch FMP sometimes...I know it's good, but haven't had the chance to watch it properly...

[warty goblin]

I haven't seen Mobile Suit Gundam either, but then I don't watch anime, or anything that could possibly be construed as anime, so I've not seen anything mentioned on this thread. Makes me feel out of touch with my fellow nerds...

[Ghal Marak]

Giant robot wise, I personally am a fan of WH40K Dreadnaughts. Giant armored dead guys ftw! Taur crisis suits are also high on the list.

You surely mean Titans and not Dreadnaughts! Titans are the big boys, and while I don’t have the exact statistics, in the 40K universe one Titan can win a whole war by itself (or near enough at any rate)!

EDIT: Here's an exerpt from wikipedia.


Emperor Titans are very rare, and can crush many weaker war engines. This class of titan also houses a full company of troops within its legs for defence and assault assistance. In real scale a Emperor class titan would stand over 100 meters tall.

That's the biggest Titans get. Heres the link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titan_%28Warhammer_40%2C000%29).

[Rutee]

Full Metal Panic! already got a mention, so I will only say that it's amusing how swiftly can some Arm Slaves switch genres from Real Robot to Super Robot.
You know, I never really saw it that way. I mean, the original Gundam, almost the genre maker, has so many unique systems that can only be properly be used by a few people/newtypes that it's been hard for Black Tech like the Lambda Driver to count, for me at least.

[darkblade]

Ahem....

Megas XLR.

~Runs and hides~

[Poison_Fish]

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann...How can it not have been mentioned yet? It's a sort of serious parody to Gundam, I think...Can't be sure because I haven't seen Gundam. Goddanar is another decent one. I didn't like it but I've head people rave.

I really have to watch FMP sometimes...I know it's good, but haven't had the chance to watch it properly...

Actually, think about it this way for Gurren Lagann. The first eight episodes are the 70's era of giant robots, this is where fighting spirit is king. Move on to the next third of the series, and you get a slightly more gundam like feel with a crewed ship and a much more official war. The next bit is getting into a more Evangelion feel (while still remaining Gurren Lagann), by questioning humanity. Then, the last few episodes is Ganiax being Ganiax.

All in all, an excellent show.

[Lord Iames Osari]

So, I think it's safe to say that the Humongous Mecha sci fi genre is my favorite kind of Japanese cartoon (and American BattleTech-inspired stuff isn't shabby, but has fewer TV shows). Martian Successor Nadesico, a pastiche of the whole genre, was what got me into taking anime seriously, and the majority of anime I've seen by now have been of the "huge mechs beating the crap out of each other variety".

In a break from all these random vs. threads, let's hear it for the Mobile Suits, Gears, Megadeuses, Evas (spoilers: not really mecha), Aestivalises (how do you pluralize that anyway?), and Ganmen. Who cares about fundamental concepts of engineering? They look cool!

Yeah! *shows off avatar*


To start the discussion off, I feel like a poser otaku for not having watched the original Mobile Suit Gundam. The continuity of that franchise confuses me though, having numerous anachronic series in the main 'verse as well as several spinoffs. Can anyone supply me with a chart of shows so I know what I'm getting into if I start purchasing DVDs?

Okay, here goes...

There are several different timelines: The Universal Century timeline (which was the first, and has the most material), the Future Century timeline, the After Colony timeline, the After War timeline, the Correct Century timeline, the CE timeline, and there's a new Gundam series set in our very own AD timeline that is in progress now.

I'll tackle these in order. Some of them I haven't seen myself, so keep that in mind.

Universal Century timeline (UC) Mobile Suit Gundam: The one that started it all. This is a good one to start with. Covers from the introduction of the Earth Federation's first combat mobile suit, the Gundam, to the end of the One Year War with the Principality of Zeon. Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket: A look at the final weeks of the One Year War on a neutral space colony. Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team: Another, more recent look back at the One Year War, portraying another part of the war. Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Operation Stardust: Set 4 years after the first series, this series details the activities of Zeon remnants in their efforts to gain revenge on the Earth Federation, and the Federation ship that tries to stop them. Zeta Gundam: Set in UC 0087, the Earth Federation has spawned a corrupt and brutal organization called the Titans. The Anti-Earth Union Group forms to resist them, and later a Neo-Zeon movement joins in. Double Zeta Gundam: Picks up where Zeta Gundam left off. With the Titans defeated, the AEUG faces off against Neo-Zeon. Char's Counterattack (movie): Char Aznable, an antagonist from the original series, returns to lead a second Neo-Zeon movement against the Earth Federation. The forces of the AEUG have returned as the Federation task force Londo Bell. Char's Neo-Zeon tries to cause a nuclear winter on Earth in order to force humanity to move into space, Londo Bell tries to stop them. F91 (movie): UC 0123. Haven't seen it, but have heard good things. Is self-contained, so you can start with this one without needing to watch the previous series. Victory Gundam: UC 0153. I haven't seen this one either, but this is another one that's self-contained enough in storyline for you to be able to watch it without knowing anything else about the Universal Century timeline. Future Century timeline (FC) G Gundam: Space colonies build Gundams to decide who gets to rule Earth this decade in a giant mecha martial arts tournament. Almost a parody at first, I haven't watched it personally but I hear it gets good later on. After Colony timeline (AC) Gundam Wing: I'll let the Toonami trailer do the talking for me (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImR8f701y_Q). A good one to start with. Endless Waltz (movie): Picks up the story one year after the end of Gundam Wing. The daughter of an important antagonist in Wing, manipulated by her grandfather (who paid for the Gundams to be built) takes over the pacifistic Earth Sphere Unified Nation with force and has to be stopped by the last war's heroes. After War timeline (AW) Gundam X: After an apocalyptic space war, some stuff happens. I haven't watched this one, so I really can't give you any details. Correct Century timeline (CC) Turn-A Gundam: Turns out all the previous Gundam series are really just epochs of the same timeline, with civilizations falling and rediscovering mecha technology over and over again. Haven't seen it, but it focuses on a conflict between the mostly agrarian Earthlings fighting against technologically advanced Moon colonists using ancient weapons from the Dark History. CE timeline (don't know what the letters stand for) Gundam SEED: Haven't seen it, don't know what it's about, apart from Giant Robots called Gundams. Gundam SEED Destiny: Again, haven't seen it, don't know what it's about.
AD timeline Gundam 00: Only 5 episodes in so far, but it's about three blocs of countries, the Union (Americas + Japan), the AEU (basically the EU + some of Russia), and the HRL (Asia - Japan), and the terrorist faction, Celestial Being, that aims to end all war through the application of force.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Hoo boy. This does not bode well for my checking account.

And yes, the Metal Gears count as well (my favorite being Rex. It was invincible, barring ninjas.)

Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann was, I feel, the apex of what a Super Robot show could be. Everything on the show was cranked to 11 (or 73, in the case of the finale), and it was just pure win all the way through. It has taken a spot beside Nadesico as my favorite anime. If not for nostalgia, it'd probably beat it, as I recognize it's technically superior storytelling.

Make that Nadesico and Haruhi Suzumiya. But they're all different genres, so it works out.

[jamroar]

To start the discussion off, I feel like a poser otaku for not having watched the original Mobile Suit Gundam. The continuity of that franchise confuses me though, having numerous anachronic series in the main 'verse as well as several spinoffs. Can anyone supply me with a chart of shows so I know what I'm getting into if I start purchasing DVDs?

This is the UC continuity which jumps around a bit.

One Year War
{
0079 Mobile Suit Gundam, a.k.a "First Gundam" (TV Series and 3 remastered compilation movies)
0079 MS IGLOO (2 CGI OVA miniseries)
0079 Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team (OVA series)
December, 0079 Mobile Suit Gundam 0080 - A War in the Pocket (OVA miniseries)
}

0083 Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory (OVA series and compilation movie)
0087 Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (TV Series and 3 remastered compilation movies)
0088 Mobile Suit Gundam Double Zeta (TV Series)
0093 Char's Counterattack (Theatrical movie)

Only MSG, Z Gundam, ZZ Gundam, Char's Counterattack really have plot overlap and recurring characters beyond cameos. The others above are self contained side stories using the established setting.

Only tenuous connection with the rest of the timeline
{
0123 Mobile Suit Gundam F91 (Theatrical movie, failed pilot for series)
0153 Mobile Suit Victory Gundam (TV series)
0223 G-Saviour (Canadian made for TV live action movie)
}

The rest are alternate universe spin offs which are unrelated from each other, except

New Mobile Report Gundam W (tv series) -> Endless Waltz (ova)
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED -> Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny

I think that's the lot.

[Lord Iames Osari]

Hoo boy. This does not bode well for my checking account.

Not necessarily; There're these things called torrents, see...

Note: If Bandai would support Gundam here in the US, I would happily buy their products. However, since they have chosen not to (with cause, I admit), I must resort to other measures.

[Rutee]

Not necessarily; There're these things called torrents, see...

Note: If Bandai would support Gundam here in the US, I would happily buy their products. However, since they have chosen not to (with cause, I admit), I must resort to other measures.
Hasn't the UC Gundam-verse, most of the Gundam SEED-verse, and most of the non-continuities been brought here? I think the really distant future UC-verse with the Crossbone Vanguard and whatnot hasn't been, but I'm pretty sure most have.

[Lord Iames Osari]

Maybe, but if they have I sure as hell can't find 'em.

[warty goblin]

You surely mean Titans and not Dreadnaughts! Titans are the big boys, and while I don’t have the exact statistics, in the 40K universe one Titan can win a whole war by itself (or near enough at any rate)!

EDIT: Here's an exerpt from wikipedia.



That's the biggest Titans get. Heres the link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titan_%28Warhammer_40%2C000%29).

Oh, I like titans fine too, but they're not in Dawn of War, so I can't watch them pick a dude up in a powerfist, crush him, roast him with a flamer, spin him around like a blood-spurting CD and then throw him across half a map. I can watch Dreads do that, and do qiute regularly.

[averagejoe]

Ahem....

Megas XLR.

~Runs and hides~

Yes! Chicks dig giant robots!

Also, I know it was mentioned by the OP, but Big O. 'Cause there's nothing not to like about batman with a mech.

[Dispozition]

Actually, think about it this way for Gurren Lagann. The first eight episodes are the 70's era of giant robots, this is where fighting spirit is king. Move on to the next third of the series, and you get a slightly more gundam like feel with a crewed ship and a much more official war. The next bit is getting into a more Evangelion feel (while still remaining Gurren Lagann), by questioning humanity. Then, the last few episodes is Ganiax being Ganiax.

All in all, an excellent show.

Ah, I've only seen the first 10 or so episodes, so I can't comment on it fully. But yeah, it is an excellent show from what I've seen so far.

Also, while not your average mecha anime, FLCL does feature them quite a bit...But they're not giant, so not appropriate for this thread :(

[Lord Iames Osari]

Link to Toonami trailer for Gundam Wing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImR8f701y_Q) added to previous post.

[Heron]

The OG Gigantor and the VF-1 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VF-1_Valkyrie)Valkyrie, tie with me!

[Tengu]

Also, while not your average mecha anime, FLCL does feature them quite a bit...But they're not giant, so not appropriate for this thread :(

Canti might not be a giant, but he does get a powerup when Naota is inside (sort of). And he's just plain awesome, so I don't think if anyone would mind if he got a mention.

[Closet_Skeleton]

The OG Gigantor and the VF-1 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VF-1_Valkyrie)Valkyrie, tie with me!

Or the SDF-Macross, 20 odd years old and still the biggest mecha ever.


Gundam SEED: Haven't seen it, don't know what it's about, apart from Giant Robots called Gundams. Gundam SEED Destiny: Again, haven't seen it, don't know what it's about.[/list]
]

Gundam SEED is basically a re-hash of the original gundam, with racism and genetic modification thrown in.

[bosssmiley]

Ahem....

Megas XLR.

~Runs and hides~

Love for giant robots is inherent in the title song. :smallcool:

Also: "Battle of the Planets" parodies, Bruce Campbell as an Elvis-obsessed giant floating wrestling-promoting head from space, voiceover *squeee!* galore (Clancy Brown, Peter Cullen, Michael Dorn, Wendee Lee, Bruce Campbell, etc...), context sensitive controls, cool music, and the single greatest catfight in the history of animation (the DMV episode)!

MEGAS (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main.MegasXLR), greatest and most quotable (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Megas_XLR) American cartoon (possibly matched by Avatar).

"Now I am free to destroy and conquer!
Or conquer and destroy!
Or just destroy!" -- Ender

[SDF]

(How did I miss this?)

I LOVE mechs... I grew up reading all the Battletech books and playing the oldschool Mechwarrior games. Macross was the first anime I really enjoyed and is still one of my favorites. I've played all the Armored Core games (one of my favorite game series) Steel Battalion is also a good one... As far as Gundam goes, I enjoyed Wing, but 08th MS Team is by far the best, I loved the realism. I could go on and on about mech games though. (I wrote a good many reviews and made a top ten list at GameFAQs on the topic)

Also, has anyone ever played the PSX game OmegaBoost? It has Loudmouth and Static-X on the soundtrack and is a wonderful and trippy game.

I'm just a little obsessive about the subject :P

[darkblade]

Love for giant robots is inherent in the title song. :smallcool:

Also: "Battle of the Planets" parodies, Bruce Campbell as an Elvis-obsessed giant floating wrestling-promoting head from space, voiceover *squeee!* galore (Clancy Brown, Peter Cullen, Michael Dorn, Wendee Lee, Bruce Campbell, etc...), context sensitive controls, cool music, and the single greatest catfight in the history of animation (the DMV episode)!

MEGAS (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main.MegasXLR), greatest and most quotable (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Megas_XLR) American cartoon (possibly matched by Avatar).

"Now I am free to destroy and conquer!
Or conquer and destroy!
Or just destroy!" -- Ender

I'm glad I'm not the only one who loved that show. I wish cartoon network didn't cancel it.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Or the SDF-Macross, 20 odd years old and still the biggest mecha ever.
Not quite. I mean, unless you're speaking figuratively. Chouginga Gurren-Lagann is around the size of Earth's moon, and Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann uses whole galaxies as stepping stones (I Am Not Making This Up (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main.IAmNotMakingThisUp)).

Still, Macross is nifty for many other reasons.

[Timberwolf]

For the Clans !!!

*looks about, notes actual topic so far*

Ah, yes, Macross, yes, superb, love it. My favourite is probably Macross Plus so far but all of it I;ve seen I like. My favourite is, as you can probably guess from the username, is Battletech though. Always loved that.

[doliest]

MEGAS XLR, The only American Giant Robot that is COOL. Seriously it makes fun of all wrong with the genre, while staying with the right & making its own. Also to stay with whats done I'll stay in the ender episode-
S force-"Halt Villian"
Coop-"Villian!? Is it a crime to eat!?"
Jamie-"The way you do, it should be."

[averagejoe]

MEGAS (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main.MegasXLR), greatest and most quotable (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Megas_XLR) American cartoon (possibly matched by Avatar).

Hehe. Good site.

Buttons:
Destroy the world
Smite the world
Destroy the world worse
Save the world (out of order)

[Rutee]

There's also
"Fire Da Missiles", "Fire More Missiles" and "Fire All Da Missiles"...

[darkblade]

and lets not forget

"Ten seconds before the episode ends."

[levi]

Am I the only person in the multiverse who likes RahXephon? I'll admit, it's a litte weird and way too short, but it's absolutely awesome.

[feghoot]

Am I the only person in the multiverse who likes RahXephon? I'll admit, it's a litte weird and way too short, but it's absolutely awesome.

this is the first I've heard of it. sounds cool though (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RahXephon).

[Rutee]

The closest I've come to RahXephon, unfortunately, is Super Robot Wars. And that's when I stopped confusing it with Azumanga Daioh (Don't ask, I don't know how I got them confused either) to boot. It seems good, I just have far too much to see and do so I haven't gotten the chance to watch >.>

Does anyone around here have a preference for Super or Real robots? Knowledge of the differences already seems to be here, so I'm curious!

[Lord Iames Osari]

I tend to prefer Real Robots, or the more realistic types of Super Robots - ie, Gundam-style super robots such as you find in Wing and the new series 00.

[Nerd-o-rama]

In general, Real, I think. I prefer it when sci fi writers pay lip service to physics. Besides, as Gimmy (pilot of a Real in a Super series) said, mass-produced models have spirit too!

[Lemur]

It's worth noting that Battletech was originally inspired by giant robot anime itself. The short lived land-air mechs are a testament to this. I have yet to watch Macross, which is apparently one of the original inspirations in Battletech.

Unfortunately, I've only seen the first few episodes of the original Mobile Suit Gundam, which has been the most interesting part of the Gundam franchise that I've seen so far. The newer Gundam series haven't really caught on with me for some reason. I've heard that Turn A is supposed to be good, so I'll try to get around to watching that some point.

I noticed an interesting mecha show from the 80's that's currently being fansubbed called Heavy Metal L-Gaim. The animation isn't so great, but I like the feel of it. I guess it would be part of the real robot genre (this is the first time I've heard the distinction) which I like a lot.

Not that there's anything wrong with super robot shows. Gurren Lagann was amazing on pretty much every level. I wouldn't call it a parody so much as an expression of everything that makes anime what it is, and then some. Gainax makes some nods towards western animation as well. I've noticed that in FLCL and Gurren Lagann (especially FLCL, though) there's parts that look like they were inspired by Tex Avery. And FLCL has a rather obvious South Park parody, but Gurren Lagann also has a nod to Spongebob Squarepants in episode 12.

GaoGaiGar was another amusing super robot show. I suppose most people would find the show childish, but that's why I liked it.

Personally, I think the "real robot" type is better at portraying the idea of giant robots, and it's what comes to mind when I think of the giant robot genre. Super robots end up using robots as a means to an end, that could be accomplished just as easily with fists, swords, or generic energy blasts. In the end, my preference is for anything that is done well. Also fighting. Fighting is good. And of course, there's a lot of shows out there to watch, and only so much time.

[averagejoe]

I've never heard of the "super" versus "real" distinction. What's the difference?

[Nerd-o-rama]

Real Robot (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RealRobot)

A genre of Humongous Mecha Anime with a gritty, hard-Sci Fi take on the concept.

Real Robots are built in factories, in mass quantities, and are tools of war, like tanks, or jeeps. The mechs are often more or less interchangeable, as are the pilots.


Super Robot (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SuperRobot)
The counterpoint to a Real Robot series, a fantastic Super Hero-like form of Humongous Mecha series.

Super Robots make up the "rubber science" aspect of giant robots. Powered by some variety of Applied Phlebotinum, the Super Robot can do anything that is required of it, including:

* Change shape in a way that is clearly impossible.
* Gain or lose mass, in the form of summoning weapons from nowhere.
* Gain power the more fired up the pilot becomes.
-TVTropes Wiki, much better than Wikipedia

Essentially, it's a matter of grittiness and realism, at least as applied to giant humanoid tanks.

Battletech, Patlabor, non-G Gundam series, and Nadesico are all real robot series (and Nadesico is what happens when the characters in a Real Robot show watch too much Super Robot show-within-a-show). Super Robot series are things like Mazinger, Getter Robo, Evangelion (sort of), and Gurren-Lagann.

[Artemician]

-TVTropes Wiki, much better than Wikipedia

Essentially, it's a matter of grittiness and realism, at least as applied to giant humanoid tanks.

QFT. However, there have been documented cases of animes that blur the line between real and super robots (Evangelion springs to mind, as does FMP).

All in all, i guess that they're just broad categories, and not hard and fast dichotomies.

[Rutee]

I don't consider FMP to be a question. Funnels and all of Mobile Suit Gundam's best weapons and tech require you to be a newtype. Strikes me as fundamentally similar to Black Technology, really.

Evangelion though? If TVTropes is to be believed, is a direct deconstruction of Super Robot anime (Still don't buy it..).. I honestly never saw much of a dispute. If SRW is to believed, Getter Robo has a prototype. Doesn't make it a Real Robot either, so I guess I just never see where the debate could be.

Also, it's to be noted that even in a Real Robot series, the main character almost never pilots a grunt unit for very long. If they do, they're almost certainly getting an upgrade at some point, probably soon. They'll at LEAST get an Ace Custom model, if they don't get some sort of prototype or concept model of the next generation unit.

And both terms are, to my knowledge, used as Genre-identifiers thanks to Super Robot Wars, which crossed over several series of both side by side, and used the term extensively (What with it being in the title).

Oh, and since I'm the one who asked.. I have no favorite. I mean, I watch more Real Robot series, but that has to do with what I hear about and what I get prodded to watch. I love both. As long as you have giant mechanical things beating the tobacco juice out of each other, you've probably got something fun XD

[averagejoe]

Ah, much obliged. In that case, I too do not have a preference, although I might have "Super" mecha leanings, just because, the way I see it, mecha are already over the top, and you might as well go all the way. (Plus rocket punch (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RocketPunch) is cool :smalltongue: )

[Lemur]

Rocket Punch! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_K-5Wgmj2Q)

Incidently, Panda Z is a great mecha parody show. Batteries are not for eating!

[averagejoe]

Rocket Punch! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_K-5Wgmj2Q)

Incidently, Panda Z is a great mecha parody show. Batteries are not for eating!

That was awsome! Must watch more. *Goes to the youtubes*

[Tengu]

For some reason I'm reminded of my last Final Fantasy RPG session, where I had my players enter steam-powered wooden and metal mecha in order to fight a huge water serpent-dragon and its lesser mimions that were terrorizing a city. One of the players was delifghted when he found out he can do a rocked punch with his mech... until it turned out that the fist, just like a normal rocket, does not return after launched, and he was forced to fight the rest of the battle without one hand.

Each of those mecha had two members of crew, too - one was a pilot, the other one had to constantly throw coal to the machine's furnace, or it would stop. Only NPCs got the second role of course, since, unlike piloting, it was boring.

Also, each robot had abilities that were based on those of one of the players - the axe mech was the party's slow heavy hitter, the sword mech a faster but weaker physical guy, the gun mech was the, well, gunman, and the unarmed mech with lots of special options was the mage/healer. And all players apart from one chose a robot that was not based on them, so they felt how it feels to be the other guy for a while! By the way, if you can correctly connect those four people I mentioned to these ones on the pic in my signature, you get a cookie.

[Attilargh]

I kinda love a series called FLAG (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FLAG_%28anime%29) (yes, all caps). In the few episodes I've see, it hasn't had all that much action, as the main character is a photographer and everything is drawn from a camera's perspective, but the look achieved is simply awesome. Oh, and it's got a United Nations task force with a Transforming Mecha (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main.TransformingMecha) of the real robot genre, too.

[Closet_Skeleton]

I kinda love a series called FLAG (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FLAG_%28anime%29) (yes, all caps). In the few episodes I've see, it hasn't had all that much action, as the main character is a photographer and everything is drawn from a camera's perspective, but the look achieved is simply awesome. Oh, and it's got a United Nations task force with a Transforming Mecha (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main.TransformingMecha) of the real robot genre, too.

I saw a bit of that (first 2 episodes I think) but got tired of the style. Definately a real robot show though.

Patlabour is supposedly the ultimate real robot show but I've never seen it.

I watched Power Rangers as a kid, but I don't really like Super Robots so much anymore.

[SDF]

I also forgot to mention my love for Space Runaway Ideon. That was a... sad series :P

[VeisuItaTyhjyys]

Hey, baby, wanna kill some giants?

[turkishproverb]

I tend to prefer Real Robots, or the more realistic types of Super Robots - ie, Gundam-style super robots such as you find in Wing and the new series 00.

Ever see gundam X?

How could something that good get cancelled.

[TheGreatJabu]

Man, there have been an awful lot of Giant Robot anime, haven't there? I found it a little remarkable nobody mentioned this one I had in mind...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e6/Transformersgroup1984.jpg

Speaking of "the oldies", I've only seen Voltron maybe two times. My opinion of it is of no value since I can't remember anything about it.

I've seen Escaflowne mentioned once - that one really did have some appeal, despite the fact that it's been years and years since I've seen it. "Low-tech" (cause they're still large, animated, metal vehicles) mecha can be just as groovy.

The picture I posted above was the first that really hooked me (obviously). I've liked a handful since then, but the next to really grab me was the 08th MS Team. I had seen Gundam Wing and was used to a few guys whooping down armies - this was the first time I had seen how the grunts lived. Better still was that it was all grunts vs grunts, with no superheroes running around. I was just sucked in by the characters much more than any other show.

Now I'm a big BattleTech fan myself, but do any of you recall that God-awful cartoon series it had for a little while? The one where every Clanner owned a Timberwolf and every I.S. person had a Wolfhound or an Assault 'Mech? Good times.

Anybody remember a show called Samurai Pizza Cats? It was a super-cheezy cartoon starring three critters matching the title. They also fought evil, and if the evil was big they could summon this giant Samurai Cat mecha. All I really remember was that I thought the show was a freakin' riot when I was still watching it, but that was at least 8 years ago.

Also - I wasn't a big fan, personally, but I'm surprised to see how LITTLE the show Zoids gets mentioned in anime discussions. All I can remember about it was a big tournament where they had to fight each other in animal-shaped mecha, and the main character's was a tiger with a German-sounding name.

[Joran]

The picture I posted above was the first that really hooked me (obviously). I've liked a handful since then, but the next to really grab me was the 08th MS Team.

Loved the 08th MS Team. Good to see the grunts get some love.

One that wasn't mentioned was Gunbuster; a relatively short OAV, I liked it a lot. It started out as a parody, with mechs doing push-ups, but transitioned into a more serious anime later on.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Mobile Suit Gundam drew me into the Giant Robot world, though sadly I didn't see too much of it, but Gundam Wing firmly cemented my interest there. From the actual action, the minor political foray (and it really is not the focus of it all), and the character development I enjoy that series heart and soul and the movie just as much so. There has never actually been a time when I was trying to think of something to do and watching my DVD of Endless Waltz seemed like a bad idea.

Hell, one of the last lines still makes me tingle when I think of it...

I. Will. SURVIVE!

08th MS Squad/Team is also one I highly enjoyed, but can't remember much of. x.x

Oddly enough though, if one has played (and enjoyed) any Dynasty Warrior games, and likes Gundams of course, they should definitly pick up Dynasty Gundam.


FMP is also made of hard-core and greatness...though the lack of actual Armslaves in the sequal minorly disappoints me.