Anime like Argento Soma

RahXephon

Also known as RahXephon.

Studio: bones , ADV Films , Asatsu DK , Madman Entertainment
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Mecha , Music , Mystery , Psychological , Romance , Sci-Fi

In the year 2012 Japan was invaded by the Mu. Human-like beings from another dimension with blue blood.

In the year 2015 Tokyo is attacked by invaders, who are repelled by a humanoid weapon called a Dolem. During the chaos, Ayato Kamina meets Reika Mishima, a classmate.

During that same day, he is attacked by government officials but a woman named Haruka comes to his rescue, informing him that she was sent to get him by the Organization TERRA, and that Tokyo had been sealed in a time rift where time flows one third as fast as the outside world.

He flees from Haruka onto a train where he sees Reika once more. Arriving at the Room of Rah, he follows her to a tremendous egg where the Dolem RahXephon is hatched from, and upon her singing his mother appears atop the Dolem that had stopped the TERRA Invasion. In the battle Ayato's mother is injured, and Ayato flees Tokyo Jupiter with Haruka upon seeing his mother's blue blood.

Tags: Coming of Age , Memory Manipulation , Mythology , Philosophy , Time Manipulation , Post-Apocalyptic , Military , War , Super Robot , Female Protagonist , Aliens , Amnesia , Primarily Female Cast , Male Protagonist , Age Gap

Shin Seiki Evangelion

Also known as Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Studio: Gainax , TV Tokyo , ADV Films , Kadokawa Shoten , NAS , Tatsunoko Production , GKids , Madman Entertainment
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Mecha , Mystery , Psychological , Sci-Fi

In the year 2015, the Angels, huge, tremendously powerful, alien war machines, appear in Tokyo for the second time. The only hope for Mankind's survival lies in the Evangelion, a humanoid fighting machine developed by NERV, a special United Nations agency. Capable of withstanding anything the Angels can dish out, the Evangelion's one drawback lies in the limited number of people able to pilot them. Only a handful of teenagers, all born fourteen years ago, nine months after the Angels first appeared, are able to interface with the Evangelion. One such teenager is Shinji Ikari, whose father heads the NERV team that developed and maintains the Evangelion. Thrust into a maelstrom of battle and events that he does not understand, Shinji is forced to plumb the depths of his own inner resources for the courage and strength to not only fight, but to survive, or risk losing everything.



Note: Later releases include edited versions of Episodes 21-24 called the "Director's Cut" with some visual editing and adding extra scenes that appeared in the theatrical recap 'Death'.

Tags: Philosophy , Psychosexual , Coming of Age , Tragedy , Denpa , Super Robot , Dystopian , Post-Apocalyptic , Angels , Primarily Teen Cast , Suicide , Kaiju , Conspiracy , Male Protagonist , Aliens , Body Horror , Religion , Mythology , Military , Clone , Tokusatsu , Kuudere , Tsundere , Politics , Bisexual , Gore , Trains , Boys' Love , Espionage , Nudity , LGBTQ+ Themes , Episodic

Soukyuu no Fafner

Also known as Fafner.

Studio: Xebec , NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan , Funimation , TV Tokyo Music
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Mecha , Sci-Fi

Tatsumiyajima is the central island in the middle of a small cluster of islands, in a sleepy backwater of the Japanese isles. Not much happens there, and the island's young people go to school knowing that their lives are likely to remain peaceful and undisturbed. Or so they have been taught... but the truth is different. The fate of mankind is on the line, and Tatsumiyajima is the last line of defense against a hostile and incomprehensible enemy. At the center of it all, fighting for Humanity's continued existence, is the giant robot Fafner, the dragon that guards this final treasure of mankind.



Note: The last episode aired with a runtime of ~48 minutes as opposed to the standard 24 minute long episode. In the DVD release and subsequent home video releases of the series, the final episode was split into two separate ~24 minute long episodes.

Tags: Philosophy , Ensemble Cast , Post-Apocalyptic , Real Robot , Tragedy , Aliens , War , Male Protagonist , Robots , Cosmic Horror , Military , Kuudere , Dystopian

Zegapain

Also known as Zegapain.

Studio: Sunrise , TV Tokyo , Dentsu , Bandai Entertainment
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Mecha , Romance , Sci-Fi

Kyo, an avid swimmer tries his best to keep the high school swimming club going, which is pretty hard when he's the only member. Facing the prospect of the club being closed by the student council, he tries to enlist beautiful Misaki to act in a promo video, shot by his good friend Ryoko, in a bid to start a recruitment drive. She agrees but only if he pilots a mecha under the wing of Celebrum, a resistance organisation fighting to destroy Deutera Areas formed on Earth by the aliens Gards-orm. He agrees but finds it all strangely familiar as if he's done it before...



Tags: Isekai , Artificial Intelligence , Post-Apocalyptic , Time Manipulation , Dystopian , Virtual World , Real Robot , Super Robot , Swimming , CGI , Philosophy , Male Protagonist , Aliens , Reincarnation , LGBTQ+ Themes

Densetsu Kyojin Ideon

Also known as Space Runaway Ideon.

Studio: Sunrise , Aniplex , TV Tokyo , Tokyu Agency
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Mecha , Sci-Fi

From the continuing reclamation of the ruins of the planet Solo, mysterious mechas are excavated. But suddenly, an alien called Buff Clan attacks seeking the limitless energy “Ide.” The earthlings are backed into a corner, when the three mechas piloted by the earth boy Yuki Cosmo and others fuse together. Becoming the giant robot Ideon, they use their incredible power to fight back against Buff Clan.



Tags: Space Opera , War , Cosmic Horror , Military , Fugitive , Ensemble Cast , Super Robot , Aliens , Tragedy , Travel , Space , Lost Civilization , Guns , Real Robot , Heterosexual , Samurai , Nudity

Bokurano

Also known as Bokurano.

Studio: GONZO , diomedéa
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Mecha , Psychological , Sci-Fi

During a summer camp, 15 children, 8 males and 7 females, find a grotto by the sea. Deep within they discover working computers and some electronic equipment, and later the owner, a man called Kokopelli. Kokopelli claimed to be a programmer working on a brand new game, in which a large robot has to defend the Earth against alien invasions. He persuades the children to test the game and sign a contract. All but one of them signs, barely a moment later they mysteriously awaken on the shore believing what happened was just a dream.



Tags: Tragedy , Ensemble Cast , Super Robot , Alternate Universe , Philosophy , Denpa , Military , Death Game , Aliens , Politics , Seinen , Yakuza , Heterosexual , Age Gap , Tomboy , Nudity , Love Triangle

Neo Ranga

Studio: ADV Films , Pony Canyon , Marubeni , Studio Pierrot
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Horror , Mecha

An ancient God called Ranga awakens on an isolated island in the South Pacific where it has been slumbering forgotten by mankind. Three sisters living in Tokyo—Minami, Ushio, and Yuuhi Shimabara—discover they have inherited this Island Kingdom, along with the huge God. When Ranga shows up in Tokyo, it soon becomes a source of wonder and conflict for the three sisters that control Ranga, the people who want to destroy it, and ones who want to use it.



Tags: Politics , Military , Conspiracy , Kaiju , Coming of Age , Gods , Guns , Family Life , Robots , Tanks , School , Female Protagonist , Episodic , Urban Fantasy , Tanned Skin

THE Big O

Also known as The Big O.

Studio: Sunrise , Bandai Visual , Bandai Entertainment
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Mecha , Mystery , Psychological , Sci-Fi

Paradigm City is a place without a past. 40 years ago, something happened that wiped the memories of everyone in it. Unfortunately, the people of Paradigm City were very busy before then, making Megadueses (giant robots) and monsters. People who were born after the memory wipe are gaining/recovering memories of the past and using them to build newer threats. With the help of The Big O (a faithful giant robot), his butler Norman and the android Dorothy, Roger Smith keeps Paradigm City safe. As problems mount and more memories surface, Roger's past and Paradigm's future begin to become suspect...

Tags: Super Robot , Amnesia , Philosophy , Noir , Robots , Episodic , Butler , Dystopian , Real Robot , Foreign , Kuudere , Primarily Adult Cast , Politics , Male Protagonist , Cyberpunk , Police , Steampunk

Top wo Nerae! GunBuster

Also known as Gunbuster.

Studio: Gainax , Studio Fantasia , Bandai Visual , Victor Entertainment , Discotek
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Mecha , Sci-Fi

In the very near future, a race of huge, insect like aliens is discovered traveling the galaxy. These aliens seem dedicated to the eradication of the human species as it takes its first steps away from the solar system, and they are getting closer and closer to Earth. Humanity has responded by developing spacegoing battleships and giant fighting robots. These robots are piloted by the best and brightest of Earth's youth, picked from training schools around the world.

The story begins in the year 2023, not long after the first battles with the aliens, and centers on young Noriko Takaya. Although Noriko's father was a famous Captain in the space fleet who was killed during one of the first battles of the war, her own talents as a pilot are questionable. Nonetheless, she has entered a training school. Through the series Noriko, joined by the beautiful and talented Kazumi Amano, will fight to overcome the trauma of war, the doubts of her peers, and her own lack of confidence.



Tags: Space , Female Protagonist , Coming of Age , Military , Space Opera , War , Super Robot , Time Manipulation , Primarily Female Cast , Aliens , Time Skip , Cosmic Horror , Tragedy , Kaiju , Tomboy , Travel , Nudity , Bullying , Philosophy , Heterosexual , Astronomy , Achromatic , School , Parody , Henshin , Love Triangle

Sousei no Aquarion

Also known as Aquarion.

Studio: Satelight , Touhouku Shinsha , Funimation , Media Factory , Ashi Productions , Bandai , Tohokushinsha Film Corporation
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Mecha , Romance , Sci-Fi , Supernatural

When the Shadow Angels invade after 12,000 years of slumber, humanity is held captive by fear and sheer alien dominance. Eleven years after the Great Catastrophe decimated the world, most of those left alive are scavengers, dirty and starving in the streets. There is hope, however: Mechanical Angel Aquarion!

Powered by three souls intertwined, a rare breed of pilot takes the controls. Known as Elements, one among them must rise if mankind is to survive. Prophecy is being fulfilled as the end of the world approaches... Through a swirling cloud of love, betrayal, loss and destiny, the last hope for the new century arrives and takes flight!



Tags: Super Robot , Super Power , Dissociative Identities , Reincarnation , Kaiju , Heterosexual , Bisexual , Orphan , War , Post-Apocalyptic , Aliens , Dystopian , Aviation , School , Primarily Teen Cast , Nudity , Female Protagonist , Male Protagonist , Unrequited Love , Lost Civilization , Alternate Universe , CGI , Vampire , Shounen , Boys' Love