Lock and load.
A series with one or more pieces of technology as a significant main character. Most of these are Mecha, of either the Real Robot or Super Robot subclass, but it is equally true of shows with cool bikes, high tech body armor, amazing racing cars, and space fighter craft.
Almost any genre of story can- and has been- combined with the Mecha Show. Any Japanese Sci-Fi series is almost certain to feature one or more machines in a starring role, as well as most Steampunk, Cyberpunk, and even Heroic Fantasy.
The most important part is that the focus of every episode is on the cool characters doing cool stuff with their cool toys.
See also: Mecha Game.
Examples
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Anime and Manga
- 8th Man
- Aku Daisakusen Srungle
- Albegas, best known for almost being one of the shows which would have been used to make Voltron: Defender of the Universe.
- Aldnoah.Zero
- Area 88, which features an array of cool fighter jets.
- Argevollen
- Armored Trooper VOTOMS
- Astro Boy, the Anime Trope Maker.
- Aura Battler Dunbine
- Babel II
- Back Arrow
- Blue Comet SPT Layzner
- Bubblegum Crisis
- Brave Series
- B't X
- Captain Earth
- Captain Harlock has the mega-cool Arcadia and tons of awesome space ships designs.
- Chousoku Henkei Gyrozetter
- Cyborg 009
- Dai-Guard
- Daigunder
- Dairugger XV, best known for being one of the shows used to make Voltron: Defender of the Universe.
- Daitarn 3
- Danball Senki
- Dancougar
- DARLING in the FRANXX
- Dennou Boukenki Webdiver
- D.I.C.E. (2005)
- Digimon Xros Wars is a rare case of the Mons becoming Humongous Mecha.
- DinoZaurs
- Dirty Pair
- Eldoran Trilogy
- Eureka Seven
- Fang of the Sun Dougram
- Future GPX Cyber Formula has loads of cool racing cars.
- Gad Guard
- Gaiking
- Galaxy Express 999
- Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet
- GEAR Fighter Dendoh
- Gekiganger 3
- Genesis Climber MOSPEADA
- Getter Robo
- Giant Gorg
- Giant Robo
- Gigantor (Tetsujin-28go), the Trope Maker for Humongous Mecha anime.
- Gigantic Formula
- Ginga Hyouryuu Vifam
- God Mars
- God Sigma
- GoLion, best known for being one of the shows used to make Voltron: Defender of the Universe.
- Go Shogun
- All Gundam series.
- Mobile Suit Gundam
- Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
- Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack
- Mobile Suit Gundam 00
- Mobile Fighter G Gundam
- Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
- After War Gundam X
- ∀ Gundam
- Mobile Suit Gundam AGE
- Mobile Suit Gundam SEED
- Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny
- Gundam: Reconguista in G
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans
- Gundam Build Fighters
- Gundam Build Fighters Try
- Gundam Build Divers
- Gundam Build Divers Re:RISE
- Hades Project Zeorymer
- Heavy Metal L-Gaim
- Heroman
- ID-0
- IGPX: Immortal Grand Prix
- J9 Trilogy
- Braiger
- Galactic Gale Baxinger
- Galactic Whirlwind Sasuraiger
- Knight's & Magic
- Kotetsu Jeeg
- Kuromukuro
- Lord of Lords: Ryu Knight
- Every Macross series:
- Makyou Densetsu Acrobunch
- Martian Successor Nadesico
- Mashin Hero Wataru Series
- Every part of the Mazinsaga:
- Medabots
- Metal Armor Dragonar
- Mirai Robo Daltanious, best known for almost being one of the shows which would have been used to make Voltron: Defender of the Universe if a miscommunication didn't result in GoLion being selected over this one.
- Neo Human Casshern
- Neon Genesis Evangelion
- Ninja Senshi Tobikage
- Obsolete
- Overman King Gainer
- Panzer World Galient
- Patlabor
- Planet Robo Danguard Ace
- Planet With
- RahXephon
- Raideen
- Red Photon Zillion
- Robotech
- Robotech II: The Sentinels
- Robot Romance Trilogy:
- Science Ninja Team Gatchaman
- Sei Juushi Bismarck
- Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion
- Shippu! Iron Leaguer
- Space Battleship Yamato had rather nice fighter craft in addition to the eponymous battleship.
- Space Warrior Baldios
- Speed Racer, about a cool racing car.
- SSSS.GRIDMAN
- Star Driver
- Supercar Gattiger
- Super Combining Magical Robot Ginguiser
- Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross
- Super Dimension Century Orguss
- Super High Speed Galvion
- Takara Tomy Super Robot Anime series
- Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion
- Tomica Hyper Rescue Drive Head Kidou Kyuukyuu Keisatsu
- Tomica Kizuna Gattai Earth Granner
- Technovoyager a.k.a Thunderbirds 2086, features cool rescue spaceships that can combine together.
- Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
- Tekkaman
- Transformers Anime
- UFO Warrior Dai Apolon
- Valvrave the Liberator
- Vandread
- The Vision of Escaflowne
- Voltron and its various sequels
- Xabungle
- Zambot 3
- Zoids
Fan Works
- A Crown of Stars: You have Humongous Mecha... and Transforming Mecha, space-ships, war ships, jet fighters, tanks...
- Advice and Trust
- The Child of Love
- Children of an Elder God
- Doing It Right This Time
- EVA Sessions: Someplace Vast and Dry
- Evangelion 303: War planes replace Humongous Mecha in this doujin.
- Ghosts of Evangelion
- Hail To The King
- HERZ
- Higher Learning
- Last Child of Krypton
- Neon Genesis Evangelion: Genocide
- Nobody Dies
- Once More with Feeling
- The One I Love Is...
- RE-TAKE
- Scar Tissue
- Shinji And Warhammer 40 K
- The Second Try
- Super Robot Wars GQ
- Superwomen of Eva 2: Lone Heir of Krypton: The main plot is about Asuka becoming a super-heroine but the giant mechas are still a main focus.
- Thousand Shinji
- Walking in the Shadow of Dreams
Live Action TV
- Airwolf
- Ambassador Magma
- Denjin Zaboga
- Denkou Choujin Gridman
- Jumborg Ace
- Kikaider
- Knight Rider
- Mech-X4
- Power Rangers
- Robot Detective
- Space Ironmen Kyodain
- Spider-Man (Japan)
- Street Hawk
- Super Human Samurai Syber Squad
- Super Robot Red Baron
- Super Sentai
- Tekkouki Mikazuki
- Ultraman Z
Puppet Shows
Web Animation
Western Animation
- BattleTech
- Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot
- The BOTS Master
- Centurions
- Challenge Of The Go Bots
- Dino Trux
- Exo Squad
- Frankenstein Jr.
- The Heavy Gear CGI cartoon.
- Mega Man
- Megas XLR
- Mighty Orbots
- My Life as a Teenage Robot
- Robotboy
- Robotix
- Robozuna
- Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles
- Rollbots
- Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!
- SWAT Kats
- Sym-Bionic Titan
- Thunderbirds Are Go
- Transformers
- Voltron
