While Gundam is a timeless classic, it’s not the only mecha anime with high-speed battles and complex philosophical themes.

Some of the big names on this side of the mecha spectrum are Evangelion, Knights of Sidonia, and Darling in the Franxx, to name a few.

On the surface, Darling in the Franxx might seem to share a lot with introspective mecha anime like Neon Genesis Evangelion—but from that perspective, it's too easy to think Darling is a lesser ...