Many mecha series are all serious and very little play. They need to keep their game face on to keep the universe safe after all. You don’t have any time for knock-knock jokes when the ambassador from Mars is plotting the fall of Earth, after all. However, that is not always the case, there are plenty of silly mecha series out there, but you have to hunt them down. If you are in the mood to laugh, then check out these comedy mecha series.
Best Comedy Mecha Anime
Martian Successor Nadesico
There is no finer comedy anime. It both parodies old school mecha clichés and honors them in the same way. While this is a much watch series for fans of older mecha series, it is notable that it is a fun story in its own right. The crew in the series are each unique and quirky in such a way that you want to watch the series for more than just parody.
Full Metal Panic
From the get-go, Full Metal Panic adopts and interesting plot – what happens when you put a battle-ready warrior in high school? He has minimal people skills and silliness ensues. It is an interesting take on the trope of a mecha protagonist. Sometimes, yes, the protagonists are high schoolers, but for many series, they are military personnel that won’t quite fit in normal situations. However, what makes Full Metal Panic a real gem is its ability to go from fast paced mecha fights to high school comedy in literally a blink of the eye.
Dai-Guard
Dai-Guard is a fun case in which it is not so much mecha parody as it is corporate parody. It is a story about salary men basically piloting a giant robot and doing traditional giant robot things. Of course, as corporate employees, they are also slaves to the bureaucracy and that is where the comedy in Dai-Guard comes from. The giant robot scenes are just trying to be another super robot show, but it is the scenes outside of the giant robot that are the real gems.
Patlabor
Patlabor has always been notable for being one of the more down to earth mecha series. It is great for injecting humanity and realism into the genre that is so heavy caught up in the fantasy. That is where the comedy comes in. It’s not a parody series, but it is about very human characters being silly, bored, and reckless. Normal people are funny and these very normal characters do a great job of creating their own comedy.
Space Battleship Tiramisu
This series is pure parody of Space Battleship Yamato and several other space-type mecha series. However, it is more than just parody, it is also often just abstract silliness. As a short-episode series, each episode is seven minutes of almost pure comedy and generic mecha plot. It is a great watch if you just want a quick laugh in the mecha genre and don’t care so much about a plot.
Toppa Tengen Gurren Lagann
This series is notorious for it parody of the mecha genre by taking things to extremes. The robots, the enemies, and even the manly chest beating are all turned up to the max, and there within lies the comedy in Gurren Lagann. However, despite being parody comedy, in its own right, Gurren Lagann is also an excellent mecha series with an old plot done a unique way.
Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet
Garagntia isn’t parody but it isn’t exactly light on the comedy. As Leto is from a militaristic space colony, he has trouble adapting to the more laid back lifestyle of living on his new planet, and they take advantage of that. He is the frequent focal point for comedy and they use it often. While there is plenty of drama in the series too, whole episodes center around playing it light with Leto’s adjustment.
If you have more comedy mecha anime recommendations, let us know in the comments section below.
