The Witch from Mercury, Macross Delta, and Getter Robo all in one place? It could only be Super Robot Wars! A new installment of the grid-based tactical robot fighter is incoming later this year, and we already know a few of the shows that will be included. Oldies like Aura Battler Dunbine and Combattler V take to the field with newer titles like Majestic Prince and Code Geass. Lots more titles have yet to be revealed. And while we’re here, we have a few requests. Will we get our way, or will we have to wait for another installment? Join us in speculating!
Bullbuster
BULLBUSTER, the 2023 anime adaptation of the 2018 novel series from Kadokawa, is not exactly the kind of series you think of when you think of Super Robot Wars. Most units in the series are epic fighters with heroes in the cockpit. Bullbuster and its fellow units run on electricity and are very much corporate appliances. Yes, they fight monsters. But in a sort of business-y way. It would be like putting Patlabor in one of the games.
… which has happened! Back in 2013, the PSP game Super Robot Wars Operation Extend included units from the Patlabor series and film. They fought alongside heroic ‘bots from Gurren Lagann, Macross Frontier, and (of course) multiple Gundam franchises. While keeping Namidome’s units powered up would be a challenge, it could add an interesting twist to the game.
Maximum Kizuna Kaiser
Did you know Super Robot Wars doesn’t pull strictly from mecha anime? In addition to featuring ships from Cowboy Bebop and Captain Harlock in past games, they’ll also pull in units from robot-adjacent shows. Devilman, despite being a literal… devil man… made an appearance in mobile game Super Robot Wars DD. So when the unit in question actually is a robot, it’s even more of a no-brainer. Which is why we’re hoping to see Maximum Kizuna Kaiser: the Megazord from The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World.
There’s plenty of precedent for similar ‘bots, too. El Dora V, the super sentai robot from Gun x Sword, is a playable unit in previous games. And the franchise is no stranger to isekai narratives. The girls of Magic Knight Rayearth have made a showing in past games. And Aura Battler Dunbine, considered by many to be the first isekai anime, shows up in Super Robot Wars Y! We have a feeling Kizuna Red could have some interesting conversations with Sho Zama.
Bravern
This one feels like a no-brainer. Between the Masami Obari connection and the overall pacing of the show, Brave Bang Bravern! feels like it exists to be integrated into a Super Robot Wars game. There are tons of units to fill out your hangar, plus loads of both boss characters and smaller enemies to populate a battle scene. And the way certain scenes played out in the anime just felt like they were begging to be turned into phases of a game scenario.
Bravern has made an appearance in the aforementioned Super Robot Wars DD. But we’re still holding out hope for a proper console appearance alongside his fellow mecha heroes. And considering we’re getting more of a brave show presence (with both J-Decker and GaoGaiGar appearing in Super Robot Wars 30), the time couldn’t be more right!