History Main / LikeThatShowButWithMecha

[[WMG:[[center:[[AC:This trope is [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1646873257084042900 under discussion]] in the Administrivia/TropeRepairShop.]]]]]]

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[[quoteright:349:[[Series/SpiderManJapan https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_22278342_784629775073110_9202705646363869184_n.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:349:It's just your Friendly Neighborhood ComicBook/SpiderMan with a GIANT ROBOT. Nothing wrong here.]]

'''IMPORTANT:''' ''This has to be a direct recycling of a premise, or follow up to a work. Simply having some similarities to another show is not this trope.''

Whenever a work isn't about HumongousMecha, a work might redo the premise (usually a {{Spinoff}}, SpiritualSuccessor, or FollowTheLeader), that ''is'' largely about them.

Say there is an old fairy tale about a good spirit that has to stop a horde of TheFairFolk from invading a village. Then someone makes an adaptation where the fair folk are aliens that pilot giant robots, and the good spirit turns out to be the only one who can pilot the SuperPrototype and save Earth.

'''Note that almost all other mecha related tropes can apply, as long as the previous/source work did not have mecha.'''

A SubTrope of RecycledPremise.

A SisterTrope to InstantAwesomeJustAddMecha and RentAZilla, RecycledInSpace.

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!!Examples

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* ''Anime/StrainStrategicArmoredInfantry'', based on ''Literature/ALittlePrincess''.
* ''Anime/{{Gankutsuou}}'', based on ''Literature/TheCountOfMonteCristo''. Duels are fought not just with pistols or swords, but with six-foot long swords wielded by HumongousMecha.
* ''Anime/SamuraiSeven'', based on ''Film/SevenSamurai'', replaces the bandits that attack the village with the Nobuseri, a group of former samurai who have had their bodies converted into giant mechs.
* This is pretty much the entire point of ''Anime/IdolmasterXenoglossia'', where ''VideoGame/TheIdolmaster'' was basically a talent show sim.
* ''Manga/DestinyOfTheShrineMaiden'' was actually based on an older Kaishaku work known as ''Cross Triangle'', but now with giant mecha named after Japanese gods.
* The DatingSim ''Graduation'' had an anime {{OVA}} follow-up, ''Sailor Victory'', which was about mecha with [[GratuitousNinja ninja abilities]].
* The ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' franchise is an oddly gradual version of this. While it started a MagicalGirlWarrior spinoff (to ''VideoGame/TriangleHeart3SweetSongsForever''), it added more and more mecha elements and {{Shout Out}}s over time, culminating in ''Manga/MagicalRecordLyricalNanohaForce'' where the characters are military officers using PoweredArmor.
* ''Anime/TheBigO'' has been called ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' with HumongousMecha. To clarify: it has been called that in official Creator/AdultSwim promotion materials.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* [[Creator/MarvelComics Marvel's]] ''Mega Morphs'' was based on a toyline where ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'', ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'', ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'', ''ComicBook/GhostRider'' and ''ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}'' have TransformingMecha that mimics their powers.
* Both being billionaire Playboys who fight crime, ''ComicBook/IronMan'' is ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' in PoweredArmor.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film]]
* Both ''WesternAnimation/TheIronGiant'' and ''Film/{{Bumblebee}}'' are ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'' if E.T. were a giant robot.
* ''Website/{{Cracked}}'' [[http://www.cracked.com/article_24285_5-movies-that-didnt-even-realize-they-were-remakes.html pointed out]] that ''Film/RealSteel'' is basically ''Film/PaperMoon'' with MotionCaptureMecha.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* ''LightNovel/AllYouNeedIsKill'' is ''Film/GroundhogDay'' in PoweredArmor.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Japanese ''[[Series/SpiderManJapan Spider-Man]]'', when ''Franchise/SpiderMan'' received various tropes that would eventually be absorbed into ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' (Specifically ''Series/BattleFeverJ'' onwards, as stated later). Spider-Man gets his powers and costume from an ancient alien race, and gets a car and a giant robot to go along with them.
* ''Series/BattleFeverJ'' to [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness the first two entries]] in the ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' franchise, inspired by the ''Spider-Man'' example above. Afterwards it became a standard part of the formula.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Pinballs]]
* Done literally in the pinball conversion kit ''Pinball/{{Gamatron}},'' which takes Creator/SternElectronics' ''Pinball/{{Flight 2000}}'' playfield and repurposes it into a game about a HumongousMecha attack.
* Similarly, the "Warbot" table of ''VideoGame/{{Silverball}}'' is a straight port of "Excalibur" from ''VideoGame/EpicPinball,'' but with robots added.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'', the TropeCodifier for the Western Mecha genre, is essentially medieval Europe with HumongousMecha-piloting knights in space. Despite two of the Great Houses being mostly Asian. The Star League is the Roman Empire, the Successor States are the assorted kingdoms of Western Europe (the Federated Commonwealth may qualify as the HRE), [[MegaCorp CommStar]] has influence similar to the Roman Catholic Church, and the Clans are the HordesFromTheEast.
** PlayedForLaughs with Catalyst Labs' ''[[http://www.sarna.net/wiki/BattleRun:_Best_Ever BattleRun: Best Ever]]'', which was ''Battletech'' combined with ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'' for an April Fool's Joke and therefore "Like ''Shadowrun'' but with Mecha added".
* The ''CAMELOT Trigger'' setting for ''TabletopGame/{{FATE}} Core'' is "Myth/KingArthur, [[RecycledInSpace except in mech suits fighting evil robots in space]]."
* ''TabletopGame/DragonMech'' is ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' only with SteamPunk mecha.
* Invoked and justified in Chris Perrins' ''TabletopGame/{{Mecha}}''. The core rulebook comes with three stock settings and the explanation that [=GMs=] should create theirs by watching things other than mecha anime, to make it more interesting. ''Special Research School'' takes a significant amount from ''Film/AmericanGraffiti'' while ''Godblind'' comes from ''Film/DarkCity''.
* The wargame ''Gear Krieg'' is UsefulNotes/WorldWarII with {{Dieselpunk}} mecha (called "walkers").
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Toys]]
* ''Toys/BBSenshiSangokuden'' is an ''Franchise/SDGundam'' toyline that uses classic ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' designs, but the storyline and characters are based on ''Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* The [[WesternAnimation/ThunderCats2011 2011 reboot]] of ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats'' had mechs as part of the LostTechnology the BigBad was [[SealedEvilInACan buried with]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]
* An Australian exam didn't pay attention to the illustrations it was using, leading to an [[AlternateHistory alternate October Revolution]] where [[http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/vce-authorities-apologise-for-phantom-robot-20121119-29lbl.html the Russian proletariat had heavy mech support to storm the Winter Palace.]]
[[/folder]]

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* ''Anime/SamuraiSeven'', based on ''Film/SevenSamurai''.

* ''Manga/KnightsOfSidonia'' is essentially ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'' but with giant mecha and in space. Note that the original already has mecha (sort of...)

[[quoteright:350:[[Series/SpiderManJapan https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_22278342_784629775073110_9202705646363869184_n.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:It's just your Friendly Neighborhood ComicBook/SpiderMan with a GIANT ROBOT. Nothing wrong here.]]

* ''Toys/BBSenshiSangokuden'' is a toyline using classic ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' designs, but which storyline and characters are based on ''Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms''.

* ''Manga/KannazukiNoMiko'' was actually based on an older Kaishaku work known as ''Cross Triangle'', but now with giant mecha named after Japanese gods.

* ''Sidonia No Kishi'' (''Manga/KnightsOfSidonia'') is essentially ''Manga/ShingekiNoKyojin'' (''Manga/AttackOnTitan'') but with giant mecha and in space. Note that the original already has mecha (sort of...)

* ''Anime/TheBigO'' has been called ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' with HumongousMecha.

* Both being billionaire Playboy's who fight crime, ''ComicBook/ironMan'' is ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' in PoweredArmor.

* ''Sidonia No Kishi'' (''Manga/KnightsOfSidonia'') is essentially ''Manga/ShingekiNoKyojin'' (''Manga/AttackOnTitan'') but with giant mecha and in space. Note that the original already has mecha (sort of..).

* ''Sidonia No Kishi'' (''Manga/KnightsOfSidonia'') is essentially ''Manga/ShingekiNoKyojin'' (''Manga/AttackOnTitan'') but with giant mecha and in space.

[[caption-width-right:350:It's just your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man with a GIANT ROBOT. Nothing wrong here.]]

* [[Creator/MarvelComics Marvel's]]] ''Mega Morphs'' was based on a toyline where ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'', The Hulk, ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'', ''ComicBook/GhostRider'' and ''ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}'' have TransformingMecha that mimics their powers.

[[folder/Film]]

* Invoked and justified in Chris Perrins' ''TabletopGame/{{Mecha}}''. The core rulebook comes with three stock settings and the explanation that GMs should create theirs by watching things other than mecha anime, to make it more interesting. ''Special Research School'' takes a significant amount from ''Film/AmericanGraffiti'' while ''Godblind'' comes from ''Film/DarkCity''.

* ''Anime/{{Gankutsuou}}'', based on ''Literature/TheCountOfMonteCristo''.

* Back when it first appeared ''Anime/TurnAGundam'' was often referred to as "Literature/RebeccaOfSunnybrookFarm with Gundams" by Fandom.

* Back when it first appeared TurnAGundam was often referred to as "Literature/RebeccaOfSunnybrookFarm with Gundams" by Fandom.