Mecha series were quite popular during the 90s. They made a big impact to the anime community and the concept of super robots, cyborgs, humanoids, and anything in between has become a great delight for many anime fans. It’s really cool to see these robots and their pilots on screen fighting their exciting battles and executing their brilliant tactical moves.
After the legendary Voltes V, Daimos, and Mazinger franchise from the 70s to the 80s, there were a lot of mecha series that followed the same recipe. The mecha of the 90s give off some strong nostalgic vibes with their beautiful stories and notable characters and with the appeal of their classical animation.
Get ready to ride in a gigantic suit and experience the most fantastic mecha adventures. Here are five mecha anime from the 90s to trigger your nostalgia.
1995
49 Episodes
A famous anime series by Sunrise studio, Gundam Wing is one of the biggest titles among the mecha classics. It follows a story in the distant future where a war between space colonies and the United Earth Sphere Alliance has begun. While this Alliance possesses more power to dominate the entire space, the colonies search for a path towards peace. Years after, the scientists have sent five young pilots to operate super-sized mobile suits called Gundam. This anime focuses on these five teenage boys, Heero, Duo, Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei as they fly their suits to fight against the Organization of the Zodiac.
Gundam Wing is a perfect mecha title if you want a heavy nostalgic feel. It offers a great mecha formula in the early 90s, it’s no doubt why it still captures the attention of new Gundam fans. The series shows highly equipped, well-designed super robots that are very compelling to watch and are highly appreciated by many mecha fans. The action scenes among these mobile suits are superb and enjoyable to watch. Although it’s quite dark as to the overall ambiance, the anime presents the beauty of classical animation. There are some political intrigue involved, has a few dramatic sides to the story, and offers a pinch of young romance.
1995
26 Episodes
As one of the most iconic anime shows among the classics, Neon Genesis Evangelion might even exceed the hype of any retro anime fandom. It follows the unexpected fate of Shinji Ikari as he is chosen to pilot a super robot, Evangelion Unit-01, against the disastrous gigantic monster known as Angel. Despite being an unskilled pilot, humankind has faith in his heroic adventures.
Neon Genesis Evangelion has recently made a tremendous uproar in the anime community for its big comeback. There’s a lot to appreciate in this classical anime. Aside from its noteworthy sci-fi aspects, it also involves drama and psychological entangles that are very engaging to watch, especially if you’re into these mixed genres. It’s full of thought-provoking moments, breathtaking actions, and sentimental dialogues. The spectacular classical animation is amazing, and it deserves a wide attention among mecha fans. If you’re the type of audience who has enjoyed a character-driven plot, then you must have been absorbed by the struggles of Shinji Ikari in this most devastating world he didn’t expect to live in.
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1994
49 Episodes
This mecha series mostly focuses on fighting robots among different colonies in outer space. Typical as it seems, it brings you to the most exciting edge of nostalgia. The story follows Domon Kash, the representative fighter of Neo-Japan, who joins the 13th Gundam Fight to dominate the entire colony. He has a mission to find his brother who is believed to be involved in the disappearance of a powerful weapon called Devil Gundam.
Another title in the Gundam franchise, Mobile Fighter G Gundam is a great mecha show from the 90s. Although it isn’t as outstanding as Gundam Wing and other popular mecha shows of the 90s, it still captures a beautiful glimpse of old animation. The story is simple: It’s all about super robots fighting one another, showcasing their robotic skills and strength. The show is full of endless action fights between super robots. Though the anime might seem so plain, it would be a great experience watching the series for its laid back tone and pleasing robot designs. It offers a delightful, nostalgic feel.
1996
26 Episodes
Meet Hitomi Kanzaki, a fifteen-year-old girl who has an interest in fortune telling. One day, she suddenly encounters Van Fanel who comes from a different world. After she saves the guy from a dragon and thanks to her premonition, Hitomi is transported to the mysterious world of Gaea. Her miserable fate begins here. She soon discovers that Van is a prince and the pilot of Escaflowne, a powerful tool to fight against the evil empire of Zaibach.
Aside from Gundam franchise, Vision of Escaflowne is another spectacular mecha anime by Sunrise studio. Although it falls under the mid-90s timeline, the animation becomes quite notable and satisfying, and its classical ambiance evokes a lot of nostalgia. It offers a unique feel as a mecha anime as it doesn’t lean on too many fight scenes. It’s full of beautiful stories and in-depth plot development. The fantasy elements perfectly blend with the mecha actions and exciting adventures. What’s also interesting in the anime is the beautiful romance that further adds color to the entire story. With its good storyline and character trope, the anime is worth watching even now.
1996
26 Episodes
Martian Successor Nadesico is a space opera with lots to offer more than just the cliché of mecha in action. This is a story of a young boy named Akito Tenkawa who was once a resident of Mars. After its destruction brought by the race of alien invaders called Jovian Lizards, he arrived on Earth with no memory of how he got there. Fate comes to his journey as he becomes the pilot of a humanoid combat robot, one of the Nadesico’s Aestivalis. More than that, he is surrounded with cute girls who are in love with him. Everything in the series is super fun.
This mecha anime is packed with great action scenes, sci-fi elements, and surprisingly, it’s a good source of comical relief. Everything about the anime is enjoyable to watch, and you’ll never get tired of its dynamic feel and lighthearted tone. It has many good space battles with a great style of classical animation. Though it doesn’t have a good plot development, it made a huge impact from the mid to the late 90s era. If you want a less serious mecha show, Martian Successor Nadesico would never fail to brighten up your day. It’s highly recommended for someone who would like to taste some sweet nostalgia.
Nostalgia is a beautiful thing for a lot of anime fans. Mecha was one of the most prominent genres in the 90s that made a huge impact on the medium. These anime on the list surely made your childhood life extra special. It’s time to rewatch them (or even recommend these awesome titles to the newcomers of mecha community), and feel again that awesome mecha experience.
Have you seen any of these mecha anime? Did you enjoy watching these super robots during your younger years? Let us know in the comments.
The summer anime season is over. We had a few refreshing titles that kept us company through the hot months, but fall is bringing so many new titles and a few sequels we’ve been waiting for a long time.
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