6 Anime Series Better Than Mobile Suit Gundam

The original Mobile Suit Gundam, often called Gundam 0079, didn’t initially find much success when it debuted in 1979. But after a change in how it was marketed and a significant investment in plastic model kits by Bandai, it became one of the most famous giant robot anime series ever made.

Before Mobile Suit Gundam, most giant robot shows featured robots with unique personalities or special abilities. Gundam changed that by presenting robots as purely powerful war machines. The series is also famous for its strong anti-war messages and exploration of political themes, ideas that continue throughout its many sequels and spin-offs. While the original Gundam remains a classic, several other series explore similar themes even more effectively. Here are a few recommendations.

86: Eighty Six

The “War With No Causalties” is a Lie

Anime Title	86: Eighty Six
Year	2021–2022
Where to Watch	Crunchyroll

Originally a series of novels, 86: Eighty Six has been adapted into an anime that fans are eagerly awaiting more of. The story takes place in the Republic of San Magnolia, which has been fighting a long war with the Giadian Empire. To reduce losses, San Magnolia created Juggernauts – robotic units controlled remotely by soldiers known as Handlers.

The government claims the country has fought a war without any citizen deaths. The nation is divided into 85 safe sectors primarily inhabited by the Alba people. However, a hidden 86th sector exists, where many members of minority ethnic groups – collectively known as the Colorata – are forced to fight against the Giad under the control of supervisors called Handlers. Unlike the Alba population, the Colorata are sent directly into combat.

The story starts with Vladilena Milizé becoming the Handler for the Spearhead squadron, which is made up entirely of soldiers from the 86th district, known as Colorata. Similar to the original Gundam series, it explores complex themes like war, prejudice, political maneuvering, and the effects of oppression.

Violet Evergarden

Healing from Trauma after a War

Violet Evergarden isn’t a story about war, but about what happens after war, and the lasting impact it has on people. After a major conflict ends, Violet, who was raised as a soldier, struggles to understand the meaning of the words ‘I love you’ – the last thing her close friend and superior, Major Gilbert, ever said to her.

Violet starts a new job at the postal company, where she works as an “Auto Memory Doll.” Her role involves writing letters based on people’s feelings and memories. As she helps others express themselves, Violet also begins to process and overcome her own difficult past. Though it’s not a show focused on robots and battles, the series explores serious themes like the impact of war and dealing with trauma – similar to what you find in the Gundam franchise.

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion

The Issues of Imperialism and the Costs of a Revolution

The anime series Code Geass takes place in 2010, in a world similar to our own but with a different history. This world is dominated by three superpowers: the Holy Empire of Britannia, which controls the Americas; the Chinese Federation, which controls Asia; and the United Republic of Europia, which controls Europe and Africa.

With its growing military strength, Britannia sets its sights on conquering Japan, using its advanced technology – giant robots called Knightmare Frames. After Japan falls, it’s renamed “Area 11.” Before the invasion, Lelouch vi Britannia, a prince who was exiled, was sent to Japan and becomes separated from his close friend, Suzaku Kururugi, during the attack. Driven by this loss, Lelouch vows to get revenge and overthrow Britannia.

Several years pass, and now going by the name Lelouch Lamperouge, he gains a powerful ability called “Geass.” This lets him control anyone’s actions, essentially forcing them to obey his commands, and he uses it to start a rebellion against the Britannian Empire. While different in style from Gundam, Code Geass also explores serious topics like war, the dangers of empires, and whether revolutions are justified or morally right.

Patlabor

The Daily Lives of a Special Police Unit

Patlabor is an anime series from 1988 set in the near future – around 1999. It features the Tokyo Metropolitan Police using giant robots, called Patrol Labors or Patlabors, to deal with serious crimes and incidents, including terrorism and accidents involving other robots.

This series centers around Izumi Noa, a new female police officer joining the Patlabor division. While there’s an overarching story, most episodes focus on the everyday lives and work of the team. Despite its realistic, ‘slice of life’ style, the show explores serious issues like government bureaucracy, corruption, and the fears about technology that were common in the 1980s. The sequel film, Patlabor 2, takes a stronger stance against war and examines the tensions between the civilian police force and the military.

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Super Dimension Fortress Macross

An Accidental Intergalactic War Began

I remember watching Super Dimension Fortress Macross back in the day, and it’s incredible how much that series has grown over the years – much like Mobile Suit Gundam. The story starts in 1999, which felt like the near future when it first aired. It all began with a mysterious spaceship crashing to Earth, sparking fears of an alien invasion. This event actually led to countries around the world joining forces under a new United Nations Government. This wasn’t a smooth process, though; years of conflict, known as the Unification War, happened between those who supported this new world order and those who didn’t. Eventually, the U.N. Government took that crashed spaceship and rebuilt it into the massive warship we know as the SDF-1 Macross.

When the spaceship Macross finally launches in 2009, Earth is unexpectedly attacked by a fleet of aliens called the Zentradi. The Macross, acting alone, fights them off, which starts a massive war across the galaxy. While the show touches on themes like the horrors of war and the possibility of a unified global government, Macross differs from Gundam by emphasizing the power of culture as a way to bring people together peacefully.

Gundam: The Witch from Mercury

A Mix of Gundam and Utena

If you love the original Mobile Suit Gundam, you’ll likely enjoy the newest series, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury. While it takes place in a different timeline than the original (the Gundam universe has many!), it still carries the franchise’s strong anti-war theme.

As Earth becomes less livable, some humans have moved to space colonies. However, a large gap exists between the wealthy ‘Spacians’ and those remaining on Earth, and powerful corporations largely run things. These colonies aren’t all equal either – Mercury, for example, is considered a very poor planet. It’s against this backdrop that Suletta Mercury, a girl from Mercury, receives a scholarship to Asticassia School of Technology, an elite school for the children of the powerful.

In the world of Asticassia, students settle all disputes through battles using giant robots called Mobile Suits. The highest-ranked duelist earns the ‘privilege’ of marrying Miorine Rembran, the daughter of a powerful corporation. Suletta unexpectedly finds herself in a duel and becomes Miorine’s fiancée, much to Miorine’s dismay. As the story unfolds, both become entangled in a web of corporate conflicts and political schemes that threaten to escalate into war. It’s a unique blend of the action of Gundam and the dramatic storytelling of Revolutionary Girl Utena.

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2026-03-25 13:36