Ask John: What Are Some Fun Recent Robot Anime?

Question:
John, wondering if you could recommend me or direct me to a place listing mecha anime of the 2000s. It occurs me to that I’ve pretty much exhausted all of the Sunrise 80s titles save Ideon, Xabungle, Bismark, and Liger. In the 90s elementary school kid Sunrise shows ruled the Earth. But I’m not well-versed on what robot shows have come out in the past decade. I’m willing to watch 90s and 00s super robot shows (like Daiguard and Gurren Lagann) because they have a playful sense of humor absent in the deadly-serious but cheesy Mazinger Z/Getter Robo-inspired programs of the 70s.

Answer:
Of the 67 titles I’ve come up with that constitue giant robot anime of the 2000s – I’ve excluded anime like Transformers, Machine Robo Rescue, and Hikarian that feature sentient robot characters, titles like Bakuretsu Tenshi & Gun x Sword that may include a giant robot but aren’t strictly giant robot anime; and series like IGPX that contain mecha, but aren’t strictly giant robot anime – a majority of them (45 of them) have been released in America or licensed for American release. Most of these shows are commonly available, and reviews of them are plentiful. So it may be more helpful for me to address some of the lesser known entries of the decade.

For giant robot anime with a sense of humor and a penchant for the sort of hyperbole that Gurren Lagann took to the ultimate extreme, consider Kishin Houkou Demonbane and Muteki-oh Tri-Zenon. Demonbane merged extensive homage to H.P. Lovecraft’s horror fiction with giant robot action, resulting in an dark, violent, and goofy action series that was quite fun to watch. Tri-Zenon mixed the traditional tropes of super robot anime with slapstick, resulting in a mecha action comedy that may not appeal to every taste.

Kotetsushin Jeeg, the 2007 sequel to the 1979 Kotetsu Jeeg television series, doesn’t require familarity with its preceeding series (although it helps a little bit). This series from animation studio Actas may be perceived as a bit of a predecessor to Gainax’ Gurren Lagann, as the 2007 Steel Jeeg series treads heavily in self-parody and risque humor.

Sunrise’s 2007 Idol Master Xenoglossia series may go down in history as one of the most unusual mecha anime ever. Prior to its development, I don’t think anyone would have ever expected a video game about managing idol singers to be adapted into a serious robot anime. Viewers looking for masculine robot anime conventions may be put off by Idol Master Xenoglossia’s all female cast, but the show features unexpectedly intense robot fighting action, an emphasis on effective character development, and frequent asides of odd humor.

2000’s Gear Fighter Dendoh may be the most significant mecha anime (excepting installments of the Macross franchise) of the 2000s to remain unavailable in America. This series in the vein of Sunrise’s popular “Yusha” children’s robot anime of the 90s seems to aim for a very slightly more mature audience, making it a bit more agreeable to American viewers than shows like MightGaine, Exkaiser, Dagwon, and Raijin-Oh. It was very successful an popular in Japan during the early 2000s, but never got much exposure in the American fan community.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t at least briefly cover two more titles, although neither of them are especially humorous. The staff behind the Kishin Taisen Gigantic Formula television series is a veritable who’s who of mecha anime, including Kunio Okawara, Kimitoshi Yamane, Shinji Aramaki, Shoji Kawamori, Yutaka Izubuchi, and Koichi Ohata, among many others. But unfortunately, too many cooks in the kitchen to spoil the recipie. Gigantic Forumla suffered from a lack of focus that drained the show’s impact.

Bokurano is technically a giant robot anime, but it’s primary focus lies on dealing with the emotional struggles of the young teens forced to sacrifice their lives in order to pilot the series’ primary mecha. As such, the show may be of more interest to viewers looking for a gut wrenching drama than an escapist giant robot action fantasy.

For reference, here’s my possibly incomplete list of giant robot anime from the decade so far.

2000
Megami Kouhosei
Yuusha Ou Gaogaigar Final
Ginsou Kikou Ordian
Soseiki ki Devadasy
Tenku no Escaflowne
Argento Soma
Gear Senshi Dendoh
Muteki-oh Tri-Zenon
Vandread

2001
Zoids Shinseiki Zero
Z.O.E 2167 Idolo OVA
Z.O.E Dolores,i (TV series)
Haja Kyosei G Dangaioh
RUN=DIM
Mazinkaizer OVA series
Vandread the second stage

2002
Full Metal Panic!
Hoshi no Koe
RahXephon
Turn A Gundam movies 1 & 2
WXIII: Patlabor the Movie 3
Bakuto Sengen Daigunder
Overman King Gainer
Choujuushin Gravion
Kido Senshi Gundam Seed
Shinseikiden Mars
Macross Zero OVA series

2003
The Big O II
Gunparade March ~Aratanaru Kougunka~
Shinkon Gattai Godannar!!
Zoids Fuzors

2004
Choujuushin Gravion Zwei
Robonimal Panda Z: The Robonimation
Tetsujin 28 Gou
Soukyuu no Fafner
Kido Senshi Gundam Seed Destiny
Top wo Nerae! 2

2005
Jinki: Extend
Kirameki Project
Koukyoushihen Eureka Seven
Sosei no Aquarion
Yuusha Ou GaoGaiGar FINAL Grand Glorious Gathering
Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid
Gunparade Orchestra
Gaiking Legend of Daiku-maryu
Rean no Tsubasa

2006
Zegapain
Kishin Houkou Demonbane
Innocent Venus
Code Geass Hangyaku no Lelouch
Giniro no Olynssis
Super Robot Taisen OG ~Divine Wars~ OVA series
Soukou no Strain

2007
GR -Giant Robo-
Kemono Soukikou Dancougar Nova
Reideen
Bokurano
Heroic Age
Idol Master Xenoglossia
Kishin Taisen Gigantic Formula
Kotetsushin Jeeg
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Kido Senshi Gundam 00

2008
Code Geass Hangyaku no Lelouch R2
Macross F
Kido Senshi Gundam 00 second season
Kurogane no Linebarrel

Article revised January 13, 2009