Anime

Source is from episode 13.

I only recently watched this series despite it originally airing in 1996. It stands as an early example of the isekai genre, before that was even considered a genre of its own. It also blends fantasy aspects with the mecha genre as seen in this clip.

I originally decided to watch this show because I had read that it blends fantasy with mecha. I had thought this meant that there would be wizards firing off spells as mecha fight back or something like that. I am disappointed to report that is not what happened. The fantasy aspects of this show are more centered around mystical things like visions, dreams, fate, etc. rather than your typical D&D-type magic. However, I still enjoyed my time with this show even if the story is a bit weird sometimes.

One thing that I did really appreciate about this show is the mecha animation. There are some nice sequences showcasing complex geometry doing lots of motion. The other thing I liked about it is how they show things like mechanical joints flailing after an arm gets cut off or goes limp after getting stabbed and some lines cut. There is also a whole sequence about trying to find a place to get maintenance performed on the mechs.

The run of this show is 26 episodes long, but I feel like the story meanders at times and introduces some narrative dead ends. After I finished watching the series, I discovered that there is a movie version of the story that condenses it down to <2 hours. I haven't watched it, but that ~~might be a more approachable way for modern viewers to digest the story~~ maybe not, see disclaimer in comments below.