OFFTOPIC - If you liked this game, maybe try Armored Trooper Votoms anime.

[Kain]

It's a really good 80's anime about mechs and a very bleak future. The story is good, the combat scenes are good despite the old animation. Althought there aren't really direct ties to this game, in terms of mood and atmosphere you might enjoy.

It's an older anime when telling a good story was important without a lot of the fan service ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ you see today. Plus, I like that unlike gundam, the mechs are just mass produced engines of war, not unlike a tank for our world. And there is some focus on world building and how every weapon and machine works.

[魔装機神 Psybuster]

Seconding this. The start will be a bit slow, but it's a real treat, and in terms of tone it perfectly fits to the point you could mix the universes together with minimal problems.

[Loop_Stratos]

The first AC may also be basically a reference to it, especially with the Irregular concept and the final boss. Even the customization can feel like souping up an AT at times.

[D. Flame]

These both have the same feel as AC to me:

08th MS Team:
https://youtu.be/q4kEuNfbTWc?si=W1Qrsqw7p6Swu146&t=199

Big O:
https://youtu.be/D0QhT24AtRA?si=xQEvZkk0jZem1IDR

[魔装機神 Psybuster]

08 Shoutai definitely captures the "reality of war" feel and manages to really convey the sense of horror when a squad realizes "we're fighting a real veteran." The Big O has more of the philosophical exploration and introspectiveness angle.

Both are god-tier and deserve your attention.

[Paco]

I finished Votoms a few months ago, pretty good. I definitely feel like the Redguns are an intentional reference to the Red Shoulder Brigade. Also, I love the mystique that the final arc has, there's a lot of unanswered mysteries about the planet Quent.

[Paco]

Also check out the Votoms spin-off, Armor Hunter Mellowlink. Its about a former mecha pilot , betrayed by his own military, assassinating corrupt officers so that his comrades can rest in peace. Every episode features a really creative fight between the main character on foot and whoever his target is piloting a mech.

[MS-14A Gelgoog]

Originally posted by Kain:

It's a really good 80's anime about mechs and a very bleak future. The story is good, the combat scenes are good despite the old animation. Althought there aren't really direct ties to this game, in terms of mood and atmosphere you might enjoy.

It's an older anime when telling a good story was important without a lot of the fan service ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ you see today. Plus, I like that unlike gundam, the mechs are just mass produced engines of war, not unlike a tank for our world. And there is some focus on world building and how every weapon and machine works.

nah watch L-Gaim instead

[Gargoyle]

Originally posted by Kain:

It's a really good 80's anime about mechs and a very bleak future. The story is good, the combat scenes are good despite the old animation. Althought there aren't really direct ties to this game, in terms of mood and atmosphere you might enjoy.

It's an older anime when telling a good story was important without a lot of the fan service ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ you see today. Plus, I like that unlike gundam, the mechs are just mass produced engines of war, not unlike a tank for our world. And there is some focus on world building and how every weapon and machine works.

Ironically Forbes made a thing on AC:VI and Armored Trooper Votoms recently lol.

[Kain]

Originally posted by MS-14A Gelgoog:

Originally posted by Kain:

It's a really good 80's anime about mechs and a very bleak future. The story is good, the combat scenes are good despite the old animation. Althought there aren't really direct ties to this game, in terms of mood and atmosphere you might enjoy.

It's an older anime when telling a good story was important without a lot of the fan service ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ you see today. Plus, I like that unlike gundam, the mechs are just mass produced engines of war, not unlike a tank for our world. And there is some focus on world building and how every weapon and machine works.

nah watch L-Gaim instead

Never heard of it, will take a look

[MS-14A Gelgoog]

Originally posted by Kain:

Originally posted by MS-14A Gelgoog:

nah watch L-Gaim instead

Never heard of it, will take a look

Heavy Metal L-Gaim

Pretty sure it's on nyaa.si

There is also Fang of the sun Dougram, which is around 70ish episodes as it does some light politics.

If you want something very light hearted and fun I suggest Combat Mecha Xabungle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Hw0bUwh4-M
How can you say no to a show where the main protag catches an ICBM and tosses it back?

[WhiteLezard]

Except Chirico being a superhuman being and everythig about Wiseman ruins the gritty, "realistic" tone the show had going on for so it's silly to mock Gundam for its silly nonsense when VOTOMs falls into similar traps.

[Kasa]

ill give it a look, thanks for the recomend!

[Kain]

Originally posted by WhiteLezard:

Except Chirico being a superhuman being and everythig about Wiseman ruins the gritty, "realistic" tone the show had going on for so it's silly to mock Gundam for its silly nonsense when VOTOMs falls into similar traps.

Don't be sensitive. I'm not mocking Gundam.

I simply said the focus aren't on super mechs with special names, but mass produced ones.

Chirico himself changes his mech dozens of times.

[Kain]

Originally posted by MS-14A Gelgoog:

Originally posted by Kain:

Never heard of it, will take a look

Heavy Metal L-Gaim

Pretty sure it's on nyaa.si

There is also Fang of the sun Dougram, which is around 70ish episodes as it does some light politics.

If you want something very light hearted and fun I suggest Combat Mecha Xabungle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Hw0bUwh4-M
How can you say no to a show where the main protag catches an ICBM and tosses it back?

Turns Dougram was made by some of the same people who created Votoms. They have similar focus on a more realistic side of the mech's use.

[魔装機神 Psybuster]

Originally posted by MS-14A Gelgoog:

nah watch L-Gaim instead

Watch both, and if you like L-Gaim also watch Dunbine.

Originally posted by MS-14A Gelgoog:

There is also Fang of the sun Dougram, which is around 70ish episodes as it does some light politics.

Haven't seen it but have heard nothing but good things about it.

Originally posted by MS-14A Gelgoog:

If you want something very light hearted and fun I suggest Combat Mecha Xabungle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Hw0bUwh4-M
How can you say no to a show where the main protag catches an ICBM and tosses it back?

Xabungle's good, though obviously tone is very different. There's a fair bit of fourth wall breaking humor for one (which the SRW writers managed to keep alive quite well when it showed up in Alpha Gaiden and the Z series, with one of their first battles with Holler making a jab at how he's so tenacious to keep at it even when their show ended decades ago.)

Originally posted by WhiteLezard:

Except Chirico being a superhuman being and everythig about Wiseman ruins the gritty, "realistic" tone the show had going on for so it's silly to mock Gundam for its silly nonsense when VOTOMs falls into similar traps.

As someone who loves both, I would say that Votoms depends less than post OYW Gundam does on non-hard-sci-fi elements, so it'd be fair for people to like one more than the other based on that.