Mecha is a staple genre in anime and manga that has been at the forefront of creative innovation within the medium ever since its immersion in the 1950s. The term describes a type of series, usually in science fiction settings, that feature giant robots controlled by humans. Within the genre exists the distinction between two subcategories – Real Robot, a more grounded and down-to-earth variant of mecha, and Super Robot, its more fantastical counterpart.
Modern fans often see mecha as a trend of the past, referring to the genre’s golden age of the ‘70s and ‘80s. However, today’s audiences still harbor a fascination with giant robots. The landscape of mecha manga is much less familiar to fans than the genre’s animated history. Nevertheless, these incredible mecha manga series are perfect for both old and new fans of the iconic genre.
10 70zlo2v” title=”break blade”>Break Blade
20 Volumes, 106 Chapters
The society in 70zlo2v” title=”break blade”>Break Blade relies on using quartz stones, a magical source of energy, to operate virtually everything, from heavy machinery to simple lamps. However, Rygart Arrow is an extremely rare non sorcerer who can’t use quartz stones.
Ostracized and ashamed, Rygart lives in isolation until war disturbs his fragile peace. Thinking of himself as useless, Rygart stumbles upon an unexpected means of warfare only non sorcerers can use – an ancient mecha, Delphine. Rygart’s story is a perfect example of an underdog’s rise to prominence that’s both exciting and realistic in its portrayal of war and the devastating effects it has on people.
9 Bokurano: Ours
11 Volumes, 66 Chapters
Bokurano: Ours is nothing like the exciting action fests dominating the mecha genre. Instead, the manga explores the sinister side of fulfilling the power fantasy of piloting a giant robot. Fifteen middle schoolers who stumble upon an opportunity to defend Earth in spectacular mecha battles are initially fascinated by the idea.
They sign a contract with a mysterious man named Kokopelli and learn to pilot their mech, Zearth, with curious eagerness. However, what Kokopelli leaves out of his explanation is the source of Zearth’s power. In battle, the robot consumes the pilot’s energy, leading to the child’s unavoidable death.
8 Knight’s & Magic
17 Volumes, 122 Chapters
Those who deem mecha an outdated genre ought to check out Knight’s & Magic, a rare manga that combines modern anime trends with those of the past. Tsubasa Kurata is a mecha otaku living in modern day Japan.
After his life ends in a car accident, he is reincarnated as Ernesti Echevalier in the Fremmevilla Kingdom, a world of his dreams where giant robots are a reality. Now a nobleman’s child with outstanding magical potential, Ernu enrolls in the academy that trains Knight Runners, pilots of the mechs known as Silhouette Knights.
7 Levius
3 Volumes, 18 Chapters
The steampunk world of Levius presents the readers with an alternative 19th-century world that’s still recovering from the war’s destruction. A new sport immerses in the devastated and torn Imperial City, Metalboxing, which combines the classic martial art with cybernetics.
Still grieving his own losses from the war, Levius Cromwell begins conquering the Metalboxing scene with a yearning for ultimate victory. For such a short series, Levius does an incredible job building up a compelling, well-realized world many titles struggle to explore in much longer formats, and the manga’s sequel, Levius/est, expands it further.
6 70zlg6m” title=”full metal panic!”>Full Metal Panic! Sigma
19 Volumes, 90 Chapters
The iconic mecha franchise Full Metal Panic has multiple noteworthy manga entries. Yet, most fans refer to 70zlg6m” title=”full metal panic!”>Full Metal Panic! Sigma as the best entry in the series.
Picking up after the end of the original series, 70zlg6m” title=”full metal panic!”>Full Metal Panic! Sigma focuses on Sousuke Sagara’s missions as the sergeant of Mithril, an anti-terrorist missionary organization with access to futuristic technology. Much more plot-focused and serious than the original, Sigma strives to build upon the Full Metal Panic world without losing the magic of its comedy and romance, which makes it one of the best not only in the franchise, but in the entire mecha genre.
5 Joshikouhei
7 Volumes, 45 Chapters
The sci-fi mecha manga Joshikouhei refuses to follow conventional genre tropes, spinning the mecha premise in an unexpected direction. In the future, people’s migration to alternative dimensions resulted in a rebellion that seeks independence from Earth.
The United Army of Earth launches its new advanced weapon – Assault Girls. Piloted by regular soldiers, the mechs look like high school girls and possess endless military capabilities. The only drawback to using the Assault Girls is their effect on the pilots’ minds, as the longer one stays in control of the robots, the more they act like high school girls. The oddity of Joshikouhei’s premise doesn’t compromise the story’s value as a satirical deconstruction of the mecha genre, both hilarious and thought-provokingly shoking in its execution.
4 Five Star Stories
26 Volumes
Ongoing since 1986, Five Star Stories is the life’s work of Mamoru Nagano, and much of its magnitude comes from the creator’s devotion to creating his magnum opus. The manga takes place in the Joker Star Cluster, which contains four stars and a drifting comet that travels through the region every 1,500 years.
Covering tens of thousands of years, Five Star Stories narrates the lives of people living in the cluster, their losses, victories, and wars they lead on giant biomechanical robots called Mortar Headds. Bound only by Mamoru Nagano’s imagination, Five Star Stories is a limitless world that will only continue expanding with more captivating tales.
3 Neon Genesis Evangelion
14 Volumes, 97 Chapters
Every mecha fan is familiar with the legacy of Neon Genesis Evangelion, one of the most influential franchises in the genre. On top of the TV show, films, and other spin-offs based on the franchise exists a manga series written by the show’s character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto.
The manga follows the original plot faithfully, depicting Shinji’s nerve-wracking fight against Angels as a part of NERV’s pilot team. However, even those familiar with the source material will find the manga captivating, as it adds more crucial context to the show and even answers some burning questions left after its confusing finale.
2 Mobile Suit Gundam: The 70zll0v” title=”origin”>Origin
24 Volumes, 112 Chapters
The Mobile Suit Gundam franchise is responsible for popularizing mecha all across the world, and it remains an indisputable standard for the Real Robot genre. Among the sea of Gundam media, Mobile Suit Gundam: The 70zll0v” title=”origin”>Origin stands out as the best manga incarnation of the franchise.
Truthful to its name, the manga dives deep into the backstory of the Gundam universe, as well as retells the story of the original TV series with some minor changes. Most famously, The 70zll0v” title=”origin”>Origin explores the background of the series’ most iconic villain – Zeon Commander Char Aznable. For those curious about why mecha fans hold Gundam in such high regard, The 70zll0v” title=”origin”>Origin is a perfect entry point into the franchise that highlights all of its merits.
1 Pluto
8 Volumes, 65 Chapters
Written by Naoki Urasawa of Monster and 20th Century Boys’ fame, Pluto is as unconventional as mecha manga gets. Its originality made it a fan favorite, even beyond the genre’s primary demographic. In the world of Pluto, robots and humans coexist in fragile peace.
A series of murders, seemingly targeting either the eight of the most advanced robots or humans connected to preserving the relationship between men and machines, threaten to shatter their harmony. Racing against time, the robot Europol detective Gesicht must uncover the culprit before his actions have an irreversible effect on the world. Similarly to all of Urasawa’s stories, Pluto effortlessly engrosses readers in its mysteries, not letting their attention drift even for a second.
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