By [ad_1]
There’s a wide variety that comes with the sci-fi genre at large, but when it comes to the sub-genre of mecha anime there’s also plenty of unexpected twists and turns. At face value, mecha anime is a lot of fun fueled by an insane amount of creativity that leaps from the ridiculous to the awe-inspiring to the downright disturbing.
While there’s a lot that the audience can enjoy, there’s just as much, if not more, for them to be concerned about. Although fans are in love with the action and lore of these Anime robots and the pilots that ride them, it’s the pilots, the protagonists of the series, that have to struggle with the pros and cons of life as a mech pilot.
10 Harsh Reality – Pressure To Save The Day
One way or another, mech pilots are the symbol of hope, and most often the only way to defeat the villain is with the pilot’s robot. That’s a lot of pressure on one person, and although most of the time the protagonist finds a way, that’s no easy feat in reality. Neon Genesis Evangelion expresses this better than any anime, that rising above hardship to be a hero is not possible without hard work. The pilots of the Evangelions, EVAs for short, do fail missions from time to time and the consequences that follow add pressure to these young heroes in the making.
9 Perk – Fulfillment Of A Hero’s Work
While the pressure of being “The Hero” is a lot, being a good-doer can bring pure happiness when the mission is a success. This fulfillment has meant something different for every pilot, for some it boosted their confidence and/or gave them purpose, for others it gave them something they’ve been longing for. It can also be great to be adored and respected by everyone around you, which is what the Paladins of Voltron experience in Voltron: Legendary Defender. Voltron is regarded as the hero of the universe and praised like a deity, so it’s no surprise that the pilots of the machine, the Paladins, would be highly regarded themselves.
8 Harsh Reality – Goodbye Normal Life
Once the protagonist is chosen to pilot the mech, their normal life is over and done. Maybe there are some small moments of fun and peace in between the inevitable battles, but they aren’t long-lasting. The call to the mech comes with a call to war every time, and with war comes casualties. The protagonist is forced to say goodbye to a loved one, and their call to the battlefront doesn’t end until the war ends. By the end of the series, their lives and the way they see the world are forever changed.
7 Perk – Making New Friends
Being the big hero is a daunting job for anyone, but that’s why the protagonists have their allies to support them. When they rise up to fight, there are others behind the scenes ready to do what they can to achieve a successful mission, and many times the protagonist isn’t alone on the battlefield or in the mech.
For the many characters who started their journey alone and unsure, being called to their mech brought them closer to the people who they call their chosen family. On top of meeting new people, the protagonist finds a lifelong friend with their robot. Zoids is a great example of this. The main characters befriend other pilots and even if they’re separated, have their Zoid by their side to help them through.
6 Harsh Reality – Working With Others
Having comrades in battle is a double-edged sword; on one end the pilots need as much support as they can get, but on the other hand, relationships are far from easy, especially in war. For one thing, many mecha anime have the same premise of requiring teamwork between 2 or more pilots to operate the robot. The ego has to be tossed out the window in this situation, which is hard for some of these characters to do, but if teamwork is not achieved the mech will not work.
This required teamwork is further complicated when the pilots’ mental and emotional stability is also a factor in the mech’s operation. If pilots can’t perfectly sync their minds, bodies, and souls, the machine will refuse to operate. The aspect of working with others can also be very painful when the team loses someone in battle.
5 Perk – An Adventure Like No Other
Once the protagonist has the mechanics down, being a mech pilot can be a very freeing experience. They can see the most beautiful sights and experience the most amazing events thanks to the mech’s abilities. Many of these unique robots can fly in space or move underwater and have introduced these protagonists to some very intriguing places and cultures. It also happens very often in mecha anime that the pilot is stuck in a poor or oppressive environment and is freed from their dreary life thanks to the robot, which is a recurring premise within the Gundam series.
4 Harsh Reality – Forced To See The Ugly
Although embarking on an adventure and escaping their dreary lives was good for them, these protagonists are still forced to see nightmarish sights as well as beautiful ones. Death and witnessing heinous acts are inevitable in war, which is what the pilots are dragged into. Whether it’s a terrifying cosmic threat or just an unacceptable truth behind society, it’s the main character’s fate to face it all no matter how ugly it may be. In the anime Rideback, ordinary college student Rin Ogata has her life turned upside down after riding with the Rideback machine named Fuego. She’s then dragged into a rebellion against her country’s oppressive government and traumatically loses someone close to her in the process.
3 Perk – Weilding A Powerful Weapon
Typically in mecha anime, the pilot is in possession of one of the most powerful weapons, sometimes throughout the universe. Putting aside the horrors of war, it can be thrilling to see what the machine is capable of — although it hopefully doesn’t go to the protagonist’s head. Wielding a powerful weapon is also a status symbol, so anyone who controls the mech holds a power that goes beyond explosions and being a badass. These protagonists become important symbols themselves and hold an incredible influence on their society.
2 Harsh Reality – Required To Be “Perfect”
The unique aspect of piloting most robots in Anime is their sentience, which comes with some strict requirements for the pilot. More often than not, the machine expects mental and emotional stability throughout the ride or it will stop working — a problem that has led to crushing defeats and even main character deaths.
Many times the robot expects loyalty or friendship from their pilot, even going as far as not allowing them to enter the driver’s seat. This was a huge factor in the anime Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. Throughout the series, Simon has to learn to believe in himself to properly control his mech, otherwise, the worst-case scenarios become a harsh reality.
1 Perk – Finding Inner Peace
Granted, there’s a lot of psychological work to be done before the pilot attains a secure grip on their mech, but that’s what comes with the job of being a mech pilot. After working out the kinks of the mechanics and working with their very sentient robot friend, these protagonists achieve confidence, and whatever pain or insecurity was bringing them down before is faded or gone entirely. In many of these series, the mech was at the core of the protagonist’s development, and if the two had never met, the protagonist would never change for the better.
[ad_2]
