The most powerful mecha in anime

There was a time when the word 'anime' was synonymous with giant robots, as mecha animation was some of the first animation imported to the West. Since then, animation has now become famous for all genres, including drama, comedy, and horror. But the machines still don't go anywhere, and there's almost always at least one new or continuing mecha anime every season.

Throughout history, this genre has created many iconic machines. So in that spirit, we're listing some famous mech warriors and finding out who is the most powerful.

7 RX-78-2 Gundam – Gundam '79

You can't beat the classics. Although the RX-78-2 is underwhelming compared to most modern mechs, it's worth mentioning because it's the codifier of the genre and the reason you think of Gundam when you hear the words 'mech anime'. It may seem quaint now, but even within the Gundam multiverse, it's easy to forget just how powerful the RX-78-2 was compared to other mobile suits of the time.

It was a monster in both offense and defense, equipped with experimental armor that shrugged off conventional weaponry and twin beam sabers that cut down most other machines with ease. The beam rifle is also noteworthy in that it has firepower comparable to that of a battleship. It also has a form factor and paint job that reflects its iconic aesthetic across various Gundam titles.

6 VF-25 Messiah Series – Macross Frontier

This series of variable fighters is one of the most advanced fighters in the Macross world, and although it was introduced in Macross Frontier, it is still a strong contender in Macross Delta several years later. It's not hard to see why, as the VF-25 series is packed with weapons but still remains the fastest and most versatile fighter jet available.

Technically, the VF-27 Lucifer surpasses the VF-25 Messiah in terms of speed and maneuverability, but it cannot be mass-produced and can only be piloted by cyborgs. In terms of firepower, some special armaments of the VF-25 surpass the VF-27.

Like all VFs, it can switch between forms between fighter, bipedal mech, or a bit of both. However, unlike other VFs, the VF-25 features energy conversion armor in all three modes. The VF-25 can also be equipped with a Super Pack, giving it more armor, more speed, and more weapons to its already powerful arsenal.

5 EVA Unit 01 – Neon Genesis Evangelion

The combat capabilities of EVA Unit 01 are difficult to compare with other machines for two reasons: the S2 engine and the AT field. Without these two abilities, the rest of Unit 01's kit is simple and even underpowered, consisting of a mecha-sized pistol, rifle, and knife. Additionally, EVA units are more agile than regular machines and move like Olympic gymnasts.

However, while the S2 Engine provides infinite energy and infinite damage regeneration as long as the pilot does not die, the AT field is a powerful energy shield that can only be easily pierced by another AT field. However, as seen in the fight with Ramiel, it can be penetrated by an absurd amount of energy.

Note: Aside from Tabris, Ramiel has the strongest AT Field of all the Angels, and his Positron Sniper Rifle pierces the AT Field with half the combined power of Post-Second Impact Japan (1 out of 2 shots). The show doesn't show AT fields that are similar in power, so the average AT field would likely require less energy to penetrate.

4 Big O – Big O

Big O, piloted by the smooth-talking and creepy Roger Smith, is a giant logging machine and one of the slowest machines in all of animation. However, what it lacks in speed, it more than makes up for in attack and defense.

Big O is a blocky steampunk monster whose thick armor makes him difficult to damage and whose weight makes his attacks more powerful. There are several moves suitable for different situations, including energy beams, static shields, cannons, and old-fashioned missile spam. Its most powerful attack, the Final Stage, can destroy one of the show's domed cities in a single explosion.

3 Lancelot Albion/Gurenseiten Eight Elements – Code Geass

The Lancelot Albion and Guren SEITEN Eight Elements powerhouses are the only Gen 9 Knightmare frames in Code Geass and surpass all previous generations of KMF by league. They are also so powerful that their pilots must be superhuman, making them uniquely used by Suzaku Kururugi and Kallen Kozuki, respectively.

They share a spot because they fought each other to a draw and were evenly matched. Albion holds the advantage in sheer destructive power, with the Hadron Cannon's potential ability to flatten mountains, while Guren holds the advantage in terms of speed. It's pretty similar, except it uses cutting-edge technology like energy wing systems for flight and attack, and radiation shielding instead of regular armor for defense, further improving its already impressive mobility.

2 Ideon – Space Runaway Ideon

Dark, brooding, and at times incomprehensible, Yoshiyuki Tomino's first work since Gundam is awesome. At its center is the Ideon, a composite machine made up of three spaceships. Ideon's weapons start off very simple with missiles and cannons, but you quickly lose control after that.

According to Wikipedia, the Ideon destroys the entire universe, but in both the series and Be Invoked, the explosion appeared to be at most as large as a galaxy, leaving behind stars and planets after the explosion.

Ideon has a black hole cannon that fires a microscopic singularity that destroys everything around it. He also has the Ideon Swords, which can split an entire planet in half, and the Wave Leader Cannon, which can destroy multiple planets with a single blast. Even these pale in comparison to the final attack, which harnesses the Ide, a plane of infinite energy, to power a galaxy-destroying explosion. Ideon itself was destroyed in the explosion.

1 Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann – Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

Early on, Kamina tells Simon to do the impossible and kick reason to the curb. Well, nothing could be more absurd than this. In terms of power level, Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is several times higher than certain machines. Because it is larger than the observable universe, comparison is impossible. The only thing that can be compared is Antispiral and its universe, which are about the same size.

We could go into an attack that involves throwing an entire galaxy and a drill big enough to destroy the Antispiral and other universes, but what's the point? The same goes for its functions. How do you measure the speed of an object the size of the entire universe? That power? Doing so will make this page unreadable because there will be too many zeros after the numbers.