Every anime is either striving to be the next massively popular Dragon Ball Z or the critically acclaimed Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Attack on Titan firmly falls into the latter category. Like Evangelion, AoT goes beyond action-packed battles to explore deeper themes of war, trauma, and the burden placed on younger generations. Its story isn’t just about defeating monstrous foes but questioning the systems that create them. The Titans, much like Evangelion’s Angels, serve as catalysts for a greater philosophical conflict, forcing characters to confront their own humanity, morality, and the cycles of violence that shape their world.

Despite its lack of traditional mechs, AoT embodies the essence of mecha anime, where pilots wield overwhelming power while struggling with the weight of their responsibility. The series shares tropes with classics like Gundam and Code Geass—young protagonists thrust into war, societies shaped by towering humanoids used for war, and existential questions about control and destiny. At its core, Attack on Titan isn’t just about survival, but about understanding and breaking free from cycles of inherited conflict, and it may be one of the best mecha anime to do it.

How Attack on Titan Is A Secretly A Mecha Anime

It Follows The Same Set-Up As Some Of The Genre’s Best Series

Titans in Attack on Titan function much like mechas, with pilots controlling humanoid avatars for battle. Traditionally, mechas are metal constructs, but AoT takes a humanoid approach, similar to Neon Genesis Evangelion. Unlike Evangelion, however, Titans lack man-made armor plating, though the concept does emerge later in the series. This organic twist on the trope cloaks its identification as a mecha anime itself. But despite their flesh-and-bone nature, it follows the same core principles of piloted warfare, reinforcing AoT’s place among one of the greatest mecha anime so far.

At first glance, Attack on Titan seems like a story about giant people devouring little humans. However, as its themes of war and societal impact emerge, it becomes clear the series is about humanity itself. Over time, the focus shifts from seeking revenge on Titans to confronting the injustices of society. Like mecha anime, where battles between machines are thrilling but secondary, AoT prioritizes the shape-shifters—their struggles, emotions, and the toll of war on them and their world. The true depth of the series lies in how conflict shapes individuals and the society they fight to protect or destroy.

Attack on Titan Even Has Mecha Tropes

From Instant Armor To The Female Titans’ Fem Bot Design

The deeper one explores the idea of Attack on Titan as a mecha anime, the more its tropes stand out. A teenager, rather than an adult, is given an immense power they must shoulder—a common theme in series from Gundam to Code Geass. Society’s reverence for these giants is evident in AoT’s first season, mirroring the idolization of mechs in other franchises. While Titans are not man-made, the series eventually introduces ways for them to gain armor, reinforcing their mecha-like nature.

The ability to instantly transform into a Titan mirrors the "instant armor" trope popularized by Mazinger Z. This concept showcases characters summoning immense power at will, much like donning a mech suit. Additionally, while there are two female Titan shifters in Attack on Titan, only one—the Female Titan—features a distinctly “fem bot” design. Even its name closely aligns with the trope, reinforcing the series' subtle nods to classic mecha themes. These easily overlooked elements further cement AoT’s place within the broader mecha anime genre, despite its unconventional approach.

Mecha Anime Aren’t About Big Robots, They’re About Humanity

And The People Controlling Them

Like Attack on Titan, mecha anime such as Gundam, Macross, Evangelion, and Eureka Seven aren’t just about giant machines—they explore the toll war takes on society and its fighters. AoT emphasizes how past generations down hatred, forcing their children to bear the consequences, a theme echoed in Evangelion. Both series ultimately offer a moral perspective on breaking cycles of conflict, suggesting a path toward hope despite immense suffering.

Ultimately, while Attack on Titan lacks traditional mechs, its core themes of warfare, societal impact, and personal burden align seamlessly with the mecha genre. Upon closer examination, the series even adopts some of the genre’s most popular tropes. The true essence of mecha anime isn’t just about towering machines—it’s about the humans struggling within them. AoT captures this spirit through its shifters, their battles, and their lasting scars of war, proving that even without metal and circuits, it belongs among the greats of the genre.