GURPS Anime...what should be in it?

[David L Pulver]

Originally Posted by Mark Skarr

Because you would have to have large chapters dedicated to all the various genres. Anime isn't a genre. Many of the chapters would need their own, sub-chapters. Going back to Mecha, you could have a discussion of all the different type of Mecha anime. Let's look at just a few and how well they differ:

• Gasaraki = Supernatural Horror + Mecha.
• Neon Genesis Evangelion = Teen Drama + Judeo-Christian Mythology + Mecha
• Mobile Suit GUNDAM = Military Drama + Paranoia + Mecha
• Rah Zephon = Comming of Age + Music + Mecha
• GUNDAM Wing = Boy Band + Mecha
• Armored Trooper VOTOMS Season 1 = Military Drama + Mecha
• GUNDAM 00 = Supers (with Mecha)
• Armored Trooper VOTOMS Season 2 = What? Hunh!? + Mecha
• Macross = Military Drama + Romantic Musical + Mecha + In space!
• Sakura Wars = Dataing Sim + Steampunk + Mecha
• Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann = Mecha + Post Apocalypse + CMoA + Galaxys as throwing stars!

Simply comparing Macross to Mobile Suit GUNDAM there are so many differences between two "funamentally" identical shows that the discussion could fill (and probably has, in Japan) many volumes. Heck, even comparing the various incarnations of GUNDAM would be worth it's own book.

Getting a comprehensive book on Mecha in Anime would be quite diffficult. Not insurmountable, but if you wanted to safely cover all your bases you'd have dozens, or hundreds, of different scenarios to detail. GURPS Mecha really only covered the semi-military drama anime. It left a lot of ground open. I loved the book, and still have my copy. I'll probably go get the PDF version as soon as it becomes available.

I certainly want to do an expanded version of MECHA as soon as I finish other planned projects. I did cover more than just military stuff in the 3e book, which actually would nicely deal with most of what you mention above, but a 4e book could emphasize a lot more of the non-traditional aspects (and probably wouldn't have the super-detailed Vehicles-based construction system eating space!). Recent mecha non-traditional shows I've thought highly of: BOKURANO ("let's make Evangelion look happy), MACROSS FRONTIER (wee! two idol singers and a kabuki star/mecha pilot), and RIDEBACK (dancer on a transforming motorbike)