[Shyni]

Originally Posted by SPARTAN 119

What is it?: Mecha anime, particularly super robots

Worst Offenders: Any super robot anime, Any anime where mecha are the be all and end all of future warfare- tanks, aircraft, warships etc either don't exist or are useless.

Notable Exceptions:

Gundam 8th MS Team: Actually shows what would happen if you tried to send a mech into battle in real life in one scene- a Gundam is crippled when it takes a tank shell to the knee. Also helps that they are piloted by professional soldiers and not some kid.

Full Metal Panic: At least until the Lambda Driver plothaxed everything...


What makes it popular: I guess the whole escapism element, tanks and planes just seem too "real life", maybe? Really I don't know.

Reasons that I hate it: Well for one, its so overused and no one seems to realize that the human body is actually a horrible design for a weapons platform. Giant mechanical legs would move a lot more slowly than wheels or even tracks, and it has an obvious weak point- the legs- one RPG to the knee joint and it would be crippled. Also, why do paint them in such stupidly obvious colors- a giant red mecha is an easy target. And while were on the subject, no amount of jets could get one of those things off the ground for any amount of time- they're about as aerodynamic as a brick!

Also, why do mecha weapons have magazines and trigger mechanism like a regular assault rifles- wouldn't belt feed and electrical firing mechanisms be more effective. I know your going to say- "It's so they can change weapons". Jet fighters and helicopters manage to change weapons without giant mechanical hands- just have bolt-on gunpods or something. And don't get me started on the beam sabres.

Also, mecha have been present as part of anime for decades now, can't we come up with an original (and preferably less silly) vehicle design.

As for mecha, the only plausible design that could have some use in real life is really more powered armor or an exoskeleton than a mecha- a mechanical suit of armor to increase the strength etc of the user, no more than twice the height of a human.

Is the hate really worth it?: Not really, things just cross the line between cool and stupid a lot faster for me than most people.

That's less of a cliche and more of an entire genre, no?

Originally Posted by Traece

Library Wars, and there was a K-On/Haruhi artstyle anime that used the same characters as K-On and the girls were operating on a military base. Never did finish that one...

Are you referring to Sora No Woto/Sound of the Sky?