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Anime appeals to a wide variety of different demographics, but younger ones are more drawn to it. The number of adolescents and teens who watch anime is growing by the day. The constant influx of new series like Jujutsu Kaisen, Frieren, and Solo Leveling only encourages more people to get into anime and make the community grow. However, some titles make references that many younger audience members won't catch onto.

These nods to older works aren't inherently a bad thing. It's perfectly fine to reference an older anime or show that was a clear inspiration for a modern-day classic. Often, older audiences can appreciate a subtle homage when it's done well. But it's also apparent that whatever is being referenced won't resonate with young audiences.

The Cast of Death Note Cameos in Full Metal Panic! Streaming on Crunchyroll

Full Metal Panic! is one of the most iconic mecha series of the 2000s.

When fans get into mecha anime, they start out by coming for the giant robots. After watching a while, they start to see mecha anime can be so much more than just the robots, discussing politics and showing the indomitable will of the human spirit. Yet at the heart of it all, there's still a thrill to watching cool giant robots throwing down.

Sometimes, viewers want the cool robot fights just as much as they want the political intrigue and strong character writing. Fortunately, some of the best mecha anime know how to do both. These series can manage an awesome story while also showing off pulse-pounding action and perfectly choreographed combat to keep viewers invested all the way to the end.

Related10 Essential Mecha Anime That Changed the Genre Forever (& Aren’t Gundam)

Mobile Suit Gundam might be the biggest name in Mecha anime, but several other popular franchises...

Highly regarded for his creative vision, Shinichiro Watanabe’s journey before his directorial debut with Cowboy Bebop is quite remarkable. Before he started working on his first original project, Watanabe worked on various projects as the episode director and the co-director.

Kou Uraki | Credits: Studio Sunrise

One project that especially sticks out to him is the Gundam Ova, Stardust Memory, as fans still question him about the ending of the series. In an interview, Watanabe voiced his frustrations regarding the Ova series and his journey before the beginning of his directorial endeavors.

Shinichiro Watanabe on Gundam Ova Ending Nina and Kou | Credits: Studio Sunrise

Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory is a 13-episodes-long Ova from the Gundam series. Shinichiro Watanabe worked on it as an episode director. While speaking about his journey to becoming a renowned director, Watanabe shared (via an interview with Forbes) that fans still ask him about the ending of Gundam 0083.

With a genre-defying mix of space adventure, noir, and jazz-infused style, Shinichirō Watanabe’s Cowboy Bebop is one of the greatest anime ever made. But the road to its creation was anything but smooth. In fact, the anime that is now considered a masterpiece nearly wouldn’t get made at all.

Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop | Credit: Studio Sunrise

The creation of Cowboy Bebop was a risky venture; Bandai’s misguided belief that the anime wouldn’t be financially successful almost caused the project to be abandoned altogether. Ironically, the show’s near-failure played a major role in molding it into the cultural phenomenon that it is today.

Shinichirō Watanabe’s Inspiration for His Own Creation: Cowboy Bebop

In an interview conducted by Ollie Barder via Forbes, Shinichirō Watanabe reflected on his journey as an anime director. Originally passionate about movies since childhood, his interest shifted to the anime industry...