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The mecha anime genre has been prolific within the medium for decades, with many people associating the very concept of giant robots with anime. One of the biggest mecha franchises of them all is easily Mobile Suit Gundam, which has been similarly synonymous with mecha for over 40 years. It paved the way for many other brands and created the "Real Robot" subgenre, but there are also many other major mecha anime throughout the years.

Be they Real Robot or Super Robot anime, there are several franchises besides Gundam that have made a mark on the anime medium. These include some of the first mecha of them all, as well as properties that came about in the past few decades. These revolutionized the genre and pushed it forward in tangible, substantial ways.

Tetsujin 28 Was the Mecha Anime That Started it All Not Currently Streaming Image via Eiken

Based on a manga from the 1950s,...

The isekai genre has been going strong for a while now, with the early success of Sword Art Online arguably jumpstarting the current interest in the type of anime. This has seen several brands jump from light novels and manga to anime, with the latter cementing them as major properties. Unfortunately, one of the best examples of isekai failed to see mainstream recognition through these avenues, despite its quality.

Knight's & Magic was one of the few isekai/mecha hybrids, and it's just as good as previous examples of the concept. Best of all, it took tropes from other modern isekai that have become somewhat problematic and actually made them work. Sadly, the anime didn't last nearly as long as it could have, with even the source material somewhat falling by the wayside.

This Isekai Series United Mecha and Isekai Knights & Magic Was a Genre Mashup

Starting in 2010 as a web novel,...

One of the hottest trends in anime right now is isekai. This genre works so well because it places the protagonist in various unfamiliar situations and places, such as fantasy worlds or video games. Finding an isekai show to watch can be as simple as performing a Google search, but going beyond the popular options can be problematic for viewers who wish to find high-quality shows.

There are still plenty of great options, even for voracious anime consumers who may feel they have exhausted their supply of worthwhile isekai programs. Whether one's interests lean toward fantasy, as depicted in Cautious Hero, mecha, as in Knight's & Magic, food, as in Kakuriyo, or the military, as in Gate, the beauty of the isekai genre is that it offers a blank slate for the type of world in which the characters find themselves. It is easy to fall into the trap of...

Have you ever heard of a studio created specifically to produce an anime? That's the legend behind Studio Bind, founded in November 2018 as a joint effort between the production companies White Fox and Egg Firm. But how true is that claim? Let's delve into the history of Studio Bind and its most important figures, as well as its two anime series, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation and Onimai: I'm Now Your Sister! The Work That Necessitated the Creation of Studio Bind Every story has a beginning, this one starts with Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation and how it was eventually chosen as Studio Bind’s first project. The original web novel by Rifujin na Magonote was published on the website Shosetsuka ni Naro from September 2012 to April 2015 , before transitioning to light novel format under Media Factory's Mf Books imprint, with illustrations by ShiroTaka. This version was published from January 2014 to 2022, totaling 26 volumes.

The isekai genre has gotten very popular within anime, and it's similarly gotten just as old. Despite the amount of fans who can't get enough of the genre, there are just as many who avoid it like the plague. This has required isekai anime to get creative and splice in some different subgenres. Sadly, this didn't work in the favor of a series that premiered before the genre really hit it big.

Knight's & Magic wasn't merely the typical isekai story set in a medieval world, as it was also a mecha anime. This came at a time when the once venerable part of anime hadn't had a major hit in years, making Knight's & Magic even more unique. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to give it much renown, as it's now largely forgotten. With the original light novels now planning to make it to the West, it may become clearer why the series was overlooked.

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.

Related: 10 Mecha Anime That Bombed But Became Cult Classics

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.