Ask John: Why Are There So Many Useless Mecha in Mecha Anime?

Question:
Why are mecha anime almost always filled to the brim with cannon fodder? While this is also notable in some non-mecha anime, it’s more of a problem in the mecha genre because I believe that mecha/militaristic anime should have some tactics, strategy, realism, whatever; silly me. Taking Full Metal Panic for an example, whenever you see an enemy RK92 you can write it off as an imminent piece of scrap, doesn’t matter if there’s one or a dozen or one hundred. It’s ironic that I find some mecha anime more childish than Power Rangers.

Answer:
I’ve also often wondered to myself about the details of anime that feature lots of seemingly fragile military vehicles and hardware. Especially in shows like Mobile Suit Gundam, it seems to me as though typical mobile suits are exceptionally vulnerable. Technically, it’s difficult to believe in the existence and constant destruction of so many spaceships and mobile suits because one must wonder how any army has the time and money necessary to mass produce such a large quantity and assortment of artillery. The mere cost of material alone necessary to construct a mobile suit must be expensive, so one would presume that mobile suits would be constructed to withstand damage, if only to protect the investment sunk into them.

I can’t entirely explain the phenomenon of highly destructible mecha in anime, but I can address a few points. Cannon fodder mecha are necessary in Gundam to convey a sense of scale- to illustrate how big and encompassing the wars in Gundam are. Gundam also frequently puts viewers into the mobile suit cockpits as a way of reinforcing the awareness of the human cost of wars. Frequently in Gundam anime, when we see mecha destroyed, we know that people inside the spaceships and mobile suits are also dying. However, Gundam Wing especially also reveals that it’s difficult to create a balance between a believable mecha and one that’s too vulnerable. At least in my opinion, the primary Gundam Wing mobile suits seem too powerful, too invulnerable while their opponent mecha seem like mere tin toys.

Full Metal Panic Second Raid does an excellent job of carefully fleshing out its mecha. The “standard” enemy mobile suits in Full Metal Panic always seem weak and ineffectual when opposing Mithril’s highly advanced technology, but Second Raid is considerate to include brief sequences that depict these standard mecha as effective and threatening in “typical” conditions. The common Full Metal Panic enemy mecha often seem weak and useless because viewers usually only see them when they’re at a disadvantage.

More “realistic” robot anime titles like Patlabor and Gasaraki attempt to depict mecha as durable, valuable machines that may be damaged or break down and be repaired, but not machines that are practically disposable.

I think that the shows which include a lot of easily destroyed depict such fragile mecha in order to create a tone- an atmosphere of excitement or awe or shock. The point of these shows isn’t to rationally examine the feasibility of every detail, although these types of shows often superficially try to depict a sense of realism.