Editing Mecha (section)

===Anime and manga===
{{Main|Mecha anime and manga}}
[[File:RX-78-2 Gundam illustration.gif|thumb|[[RX-78-2 Gundam]], introduced in ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam]]'' (1979), the first ''[[Gundam]]'' anime. It was the first real robot, in contrast to the super robots in earlier anime.]]

In Japan, "robot anime" (known as "mecha anime" outside Japan) is one of the oldest genres in anime.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gn-mazingerz01.JPG (1445x2156 pixels) |url=http://www.dra-mata.com/manga/nagai/gn-mazingerz01.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20040529091606/http://www.dra-mata.com/manga/nagai/gn-mazingerz01.jpg |archive-date=2004-05-29 |access-date=2004-05-29}}</ref> Robot anime is often tied in with toy manufacturers. Large franchises such as ''Gundam'', ''[[Macross]]'', ''[[Transformers]]'', and ''[[Zoids]]'' have hundreds of different model kits.

The size of mecha can vary according to the story and concepts involved. Some of them may not be considerably taller than a tank (''[[Armored Trooper Votoms]]'',''[[Yatterman]]'', ''[[Megazone 23]]'', ''[[Code Geass]]''), some may be a few stories tall (''[[Gundam]]'',  ''[[Escaflowne]]'', ''[[Bismark (anime)|Bismark]]'', ''[[Gurren Lagann]]''), others can be titan sized as tall as a [[skyscraper]] (''[[Space Runaway Ideon]]'', ''[[Genesis of Aquarion]]'', ''[[Science Ninja Team Gatchaman]]'', ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]''), some are big enough to contain an entire city (''[[Macross]]''), some the size of a planet (''[[Diebuster]]''), galaxies (''[[Getter Robo]]'', ''[[Gurren Lagann|Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]]''), or even as large as universes (''[[Gurren Lagann#Anime films|Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Lagann-hen]]'', ''[[Demonbane]]'', ''Transformers: Alternity'').

The first titan robots seen were in the 1948 manga {{Nihongo|''Atomic Power Android''|原子力人造人間|Genshiryoku Jinzō Ningen}}<ref name=ndl/> and Mitsuteru Yokoyama's 1956 manga ''[[Tetsujin 28-go]]''. However, it was not until the advent of [[Go Nagai]]'s ''[[Mazinger Z]]'' that the genre was established. ''Mazinger Z'' innovated by adding the inclusion of futuristic weapons, and the concept of being able to pilot from a cockpit<ref name="Gilson" /> (rather than via remote control, in the case of Tetsujin). <!--These traits have since been replicated more often that the ones seen in Tetsujin source: number of shows with pilots/super robots-->  According to Go Nagai:

{{Blockquote|''I wanted to create something different, and I thought it would be interesting to have a robot that you could drive, like a car.''<ref name="Gilson" />}}

''Mazinger Z'' featured giant robots that were "piloted by means of a small flying car and command center that docked inside the head."<ref name="Gilson" /> It was also a pioneer in [[Die-cast toy|die-cast metal toys]] such as the [[Chogokin]] series in Japan and the [[Shogun Warriors (toys)|Shogun Warriors]] in the U.S., that were (and still are) very popular with children and collectors.

Robot/mecha anime and manga differ vastly in storytelling and animation quality from title to title, and content ranges from children's shows to ones intended for an older teen or adult audience.

Some of the first mecha featured in manga and anime were [[super robot]]s. The super robot genre features [[superhero]]-like giant robots that are often one-of-a-kind and the product of an ancient civilization, aliens or a [[mad scientist|mad genius]].  These robots are usually piloted by Japanese [[teenager]]s via [[voice command]] or [[brain-computer interface|neural uplink]], and are often powered by mystical or exotic energy sources.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Hornyak |first=Timothy N. |title=Loving the Machine: the Art and Science of Japanese Robots |publisher=Kodansha International |year=2006 |isbn=4770030126 |edition=1st |location=Tokyo |pages=[https://archive.org/details/lovingmachineart0000horn/page/57 57–70] |chapter=Chapter 4 |oclc=63472559 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/lovingmachineart0000horn/page/57}}</ref>

The later real robot genre features robots that do not have mythical superpowers, but rather use largely conventional, albeit futuristic weapons and power sources, and are often mass-produced on a large scale for use in wars.<ref name=":0" /> The real robot genre also tends to feature more complex characters with moral conflicts and personal problems.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Tomino |first=Yoshiyuki |title=Mobile Suit Gundam: Awakening, Escalation, Confrontation |publisher=Stone Bridge Press |others=Schodt, Frederik L., 1950– |year=2012 |isbn=978-1611720051 |edition=2nd |location=Berkeley, CA |pages=8 |oclc=772711844}}</ref> The genre is therefore aimed primarily at young adults instead of children.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Denison |first=Rayna |author-link=Rayna Denison |title=Anime: a Critical Introduction |year=2015 |isbn=978-1472576767 |location=London |chapter=Chapter 5 |oclc=879600213}}</ref> ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam]]'' (1979) is largely considered the first series to introduce the real robot concept and, along with ''[[The Super Dimension Fortress Macross]]'' (1982), would form the basis of what people would later call real robot anime.<ref name="ACG">10 commandments of Real robot, Gundam Sentinel introduction, Gundam workshop, Format ACG</ref>

Some robot mecha are capable of transformation (''Macross'' and ''[[Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam|Zeta Gundam]]'') or combining to form even bigger ones (''[[Beast King GoLion]]'' and ''[[Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]]''), the latter called 'combination'. [[Go Nagai]] and [[Ken Ishikawa]] are often credited with inventing this in 1974 with ''Getter Robo''.

Not all mecha need to be completely mechanical. Some have biological components with which to interface with their pilots, and some are partially biological themselves, such as in ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'', ''[[Eureka Seven]]'', and ''[[Zoids]]''.

Mecha based on anime have seen extreme cultural reception across the world. The personification of this popularity can be seen as 1:1-sized ''Mazinger Z'', Tetsujin, and Gundam statues built across the world.