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The_11th_Guild OP t1_j41yyd4 wrote

Credits:This visualization was made using this kaggle dataset. The Kaggle dataset is based on data scraped off of MyAnimeList and the ratings/score is a 1-10 scale by it's users. The tools I used were plotly and pandas in python to generate my visualization.Disclaimers:The portion of Mecha Anime (blue line) is based on the anime that begin airing in that year, anime that span multiple years may not be fully represented in my visualization. Additionally, as u/amatulic pointed out, the total number of anime produced each year is increasing so the number of Mecha anime is growing but the share of total anime that Mecha makes up is shrinking. The general trend of scores rising is not specific to Mecha anime although I was unable the show that in this visualization. Also, sorry about how plain the graph looks, I am still just beginning in data science.

Explanations/Insights:Especially up to the mid-1980s, the popularity/quantity of Mecha anime released seemed to lag behind the general ratings that it received where the red line can predict each peak and dip in the blue line. After a steep drop in ratings in 1987, Mecha anime only made up 15% of all Anime released each year and continued to decline despite scores generally increasing. Potential reasons for the loss in popularity are likely from the genre being exhausted of its good ideas continuously raising the bar and removing potentially great Mecha anime as cliche and repetitive.

Now its more of my opinion but I think Isekai and fantasy will see somewhat similar things in the future although the decline may be slower due to it being a much broader genre with more ideas to exhaust.

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amatulic t1_j439jcg wrote

I think it's possible that mecha is still in a lot of anime but mecha is no longer the centerpiece, it's just part of the everyday world in the story.

Consider the Avatar movie, and the most recent installment Avatar: The Way of Water. The original Avatar came out about 13 years ago. Even then, the mech suits were just part of the collection of high-tech military equipment in the story, and the story certainly didn't revolve around it although it was prominently featured near the end. In the second movie, it was simply there as a minor element of the background.

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EmeraldHawk t1_j449lco wrote

What column are you using for user ratings? Because I went to the myanimelist site and most of the Mecha anime that released in 1987 were rated at a 5 or 6, and Patlabor was a 7. What Mecha anime released in 1987 that was so widely loathed?

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ShadowSlayer1441 t1_j43yysz wrote

I can see why think that about isekai, and you’re quite possible right. However, this current season there are more than ever, and even more actually good ones as well.

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InsatiableNeeds t1_j41yt9k wrote

I love this!

The leading statement of "decline" feels misleading though.

Your data shows there's less output but increased quality/satisfaction (whatever score is). I wouldn't necessarily generalize that as a decline...or I would specify that lead statement a little more.

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The_11th_Guild OP t1_j41z6ak wrote

Sorry, I explain a little more in the comment below, I just took a really long time to type it so it was delayed. Didn't expect people to see my post so soon. But TYSM I really appreciate the feedback :)

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doodlebug80085 t1_j43p0ye wrote

Neon Genesis Evangelion did it perfect nobody wants to follow

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ZetaZeta t1_j43usmg wrote

Another question is if Code Geass by Sunrise counts as Mecha even though it's literally just a suspense drama like Death Note but just happens to have Mecha in the universe. Lol

I like CG more than Eva, but they're not even comparable... But they're both kinda the same genre, but kinda not? Lol

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Tianxiac t1_j44wn6i wrote

Half of Code Geass was about mecha fights of course it counts as a mecha anime.

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amatulic t1_j41zaon wrote

I never particularly enjoyed mecha anime. I rather liked Patlabor but didn't see anything else of interest since then.

I also wouldn't say it's a decline without seeing the actual rate of production. For all we know, the production rate of mecha anime might have increased over the years, but the production of other genres has increased more.

If it isn't a decline, possibly one reason for it is that you can't do much with the genre that hasn't already been done, and those few recent are well regarded because they did something original. Other than that, the genre is likely tapped out. OR... it gets absorbed into other genres as an everyday feature, with the anime work not being about mecha itself.

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urgjotonlkec t1_j420y6x wrote

The whole Shonen genre seems incredibly played out and yet they keep making money regardless so I'm not sure you can blame recycled plot points as the issue with mecha specifically when you've got so many nearly identical animes about killing demons and such.

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The_11th_Guild OP t1_j420khr wrote

Yeah, I also think the most probable cause for it is the genre getting tapped out. Thanks for your point about the actual rate of production btw, added it in my explanation comment.

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HehaGardenHoe t1_j44j151 wrote

That's funny, considering how often Sci-fi is the genre that breaks through with revolutionary ideas about previously unimagined futures.

It'll come back once enough people start having newer ideas of the future, it's hard to do sci-fi when technology keeps catching up (Heck, look at drones and smart phones... How many years back do you have to go for those to be purely sci-fi? ~25, if I had to guess.)

But given how other mediums have been doing sci-fi, Like the Expanse series, I think it's only a matter of time for some new ideas to appear in anime.

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Phadafi t1_j42ja0a wrote

Code Geass really pushing that spike in score in 2006, huh?

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_A_Person_Named_will t1_j4305za wrote

Interesting - I would have thought that the portion graph would have follow the average score graph (ie. when the rating spikes up to 7.2, we get a rise of mecha anime 5 years later, and when it drops down, we get a decline)

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Grason20 t1_j43osak wrote

We'll, everyone just became truck drivers. (I wonder if anime fans know what I'm saying)

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Cpt_keaSar t1_j43vdnp wrote

What good mechas were released in the last 5 years, guys? My last was the Knights of Sidonia. Is there anything newer worth watching?

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The_Scourge t1_j45gm09 wrote

Back Arrow was a sleeper. Granbelm. Planet With.

And of course Obari's magnum opus, Pop Team Epic.

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HehaGardenHoe t1_j44kvk8 wrote

Trigger Revitalized the super robot side of things with SSSS.Gridman and SSSS.Dynazenon. 86 showed a view from the smallest mecha size... And while some didn't like it, I quite enjoyed Ald.Noah Zero... Oh, and Majestic Prince was a good watch too.

I didn't enjoy Darling in the Franxx, but others really liked it.

There's always Gundam too. IBO was good, and I've heard good things about Reconguista in G.

Also, if you never got around to Eureka Seven, Gurran Lagann, etc... then you should.

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invisible_lucio t1_j494zf0 wrote

Mecha is more of a tag than a genre. There are very few series where Mecha would be the primary tag.

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