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Do you like mecha shows?


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FaytLein



Joined: 21 Jun 2008
Posts: 1260
Location: Williamsburg, VA
PostPosted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 8:50 pm Reply with quote
Generic #757858 wrote:
FaytLein wrote:
I've always been more of a proponent of the "Giant Robot" and "Mecha" distinction. As in, one kind of show has big robots fighting in a one on one kind of environment, and the other has smaller robots fighting in a war like setting (wars and the like.)


Uh, isn't that just basically the same as Supers and Reals?

Quote:
The failing of just going by the "Super" and "Real" division is because not all shows completely follow the script, sometimes mixing and matching aspects of the shows, i.e. Dai-Guard itself is a Super Robot in a Real Robot setting or Zeta Gundam running on the SOULS OF DEAD WOMEN kind of thing.


Sure, that's been the case since the days of the first Gundam. Mostly the series do lean heavily in one direction or the other though, so the distinction still works well enough. The tropes that Dai-Guard follows still very much make it a Super Robot series, despite taking place in a more realistic setting, just like Zeta Gundam is still a Real Robot series despite the mecha having magic powers.



Because "Super" and "Real" mean very different things than "Giant Robot" and "Mecha". Take TTGL as an example. You can classify it as a Super, but alot of things that happen in it could be seen as a Real Robot setting. Turn A Gundam could classify as a Super Robot due to all of its capabilites, but its clearly in a Real Robot setting. I just don't like the whole mix and match rationale these shows have, and prefer a simpler ID scheme, thats all.
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rojse



Joined: 08 Sep 2010
Posts: 234
PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 6:38 pm Reply with quote
The difference between "Super Robot" and "Real Robot" is like the difference between hard and soft science fiction - the design of a "real robot" makes a serious attempt to stay within the impositions of physical laws and rules. Super robots are not so constrained.



Some of my favourite mecha anime:

Break Blade - In a world where everyone can manipulate crystals by thought, which power everything from vehicles to giant mech called Golems, Rygart is one of the rare individuals who cannot use this ability at all. He is called upon by his king because he might be the key to being able to control an ancient golem that has been unearthed. Since this has been animated as a movie, the whole thing is animated beautifully, with the Golems deliberately looking old, battered and and worn, and the story is well-written and interesting, too, and definitely knows how to use the tropes so well-worn in mecha anime.

Code Geass - In an alternate universe where Britain rules the world due to the superiority of its giant robot military forces, LeLouch gains the power to control others and vows to use it to destroy the Britainnian Empire. The characters are well developed, and the story and setting are both quite interesting, there are plenty of good plot twists, and the various mecha designs are all quite cool.

Neon Genesis Evangelion - Shinji is called upon to pilot a giant robot to stop the invading Angels from destroying the world as we know it. NGE does a lot of things at once - it brutally deconstructs the super robot genre as well as a swathe of anime tropes in general, creates a cast of well-drawn and interesting characters and then proceeds to break the psyches of each character, and provides a vehicle for the creator to philosophise about life.

Shinji: Secret of the Stellar Wars - a light-hearted, near-future slice-of-life set in a town where friendly aliens covertly hide among humans. "Shinji" is a bit unusual for a giant robot show, because so little airtime is given to the giant robot itself, but it's well worth a look.

Star Driver - Takuto is a school student that has the power to control a
cybody, giant robots that exist outside of time. He needs to use this power to stop a group named "The Glittering Crux" who plan to use the cybodies to take over the world. This is a recent release that combines the best of old-school "super robot" anime - the super-powered robot fights, the light-hearted tone, and the cheerful characters with ridiculous costumes and hair styles are all great - but the show also takes the criticism of newer "real-robot" anime on - effort is put into developing the various characters, the setting of the show, and story is more than an excuse plot, too. Well worth a look, particularly if you don't like your giant robots piloted by depressed characters.
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