Bullbuster is based on a novel by Hiroyuki Nakao. After looking at its popularity, it quickly got adapted to anime and manga. The plot of the show focuses on exterminating agencies that have robots, and they use these unique robots to fight unusual creatures.
The main character, Tetsurou Okino, is a young eccentric engineer who creates Bullbuster, a new robot. He goes to a small company, Hato Industries, which eliminates harmful animals, and they are up against a mysterious creature.
The job looks small, and they are also not there to fight and save the world, but as the story unfolds, it will be a nice change from the usual mecha plot.
Now, this description may look a little generic, but the way the whole storyline is presented and illustrated is grand and is a tad bit better than most of the anime in this genre.
If you have already seen Bullbuster, then in this list, we will take a look at 14 Anime Like Bullbuster. Keep in mind that each of the suggestions on the list has a unique plot and storytelling, with giant machines and action-filled scenes that will keep you entertained from start to end.
Neon Genesis Evangelion
A huge explosion in Antarctica happened in the year 2000. This explosion was caused by the arrival of some asteroids. The impact led water to rise many meters and destroyed many cities, leading to the death of billions of people.
Mankind took 15 years to recover, which was later known as Second Impact. The angels and some mysterious giant creatures began to appear and attempted to destroy the new capital of Japan, the Tokyo-3 fortress.
To fight these angels, NERV, a secret organization, has mechanized humanoid giants Evangelion or EVA. 14-year-old Shinji Ikari goes to Tokyo-3 after receiving an invitation from the director of NERV and his father.
They had not met for ten long years, and he was happy to receive the invitation and meet him. But he was unaware that he was actually called to pilot an EVA and participate in a fight against the Third Angel. From here on, things quickly take a turn for him.
Akira
On 6 December 1982, Tokyo was abolished because of an explosion, which led to World War 3 with many cities because of nuclear level destruction.
Fast forward to 2019, Neo Tokyo is a corrupt place filled with gangs, drug addicts, and bikers. Tetsuo, a young biker, meets an accident as he is trying to save a boy in his way.
He is wounded and captured by the Japanese army. He is forcefully subjected to military tests, which are part of a secret military project that aims at highlighting and training humans with high psychic powers such as telekinesis, telepathy, teleportation, etc.
Tetsuo’s mate and the leader of the biker gang, Kaneda, is interested in knowing what actually happened, as when he escaped the military base, he was no longer the old Tetsuo. Tetsuo puts his newly gained power to the test and wants to become the leader of junkies, which of course is not like Kaneda.
From here onwards, the story goes into full swing, from action to betrayal and funny elements. It has everything that makes it a good anime.
Ghost In The Shell
The premise of Ghost In The Shell is set up in 2029 in a dystopian future cyberpunk-like time period. Major Motoko Kusanagi and her work friend Batou are two cyborgs placed in a special anti-terrorist unit in New Post City situated in Japan.
In a mission, they are tasked to capture the dangerous hacker who goes by the name Puppet Master. The hunt happens in front of the backdrop of Section 9’s service war with Section 6.
Section 6 is a foe who also wants their hands on Puppet Master for their mysterious Project 2501. The pace occasionally feels a touch hurried and complicated, requiring many viewings to fully understand, but it is nonetheless compelling.
It’s a rather sophisticated narrative, in fact. The authors might have simply included some invading demons or massively destructive online monsters, following the manga style.
However, everything confines itself to a practical interpretation of an extraordinary circumstance. That’s what makes it so captivating and terrifying—everything seems like it would happen in real life.
Tokyo Godfathers
On Christmas Night, three people who are homeless find a girl in the garbage. Hana, a trans impoverished woman, wants to keep her as she believes the girl kid is a divine gift by the god.
On the other hand, Gin, an alcoholic and a runaway girl, Miyuki, wants to take that baby girl to the cops. Eventually, talking it out, they decide to keep her for a night, but the next day, they discover that the little girl has somehow left their refuge.
They locate her and now want to find her parents and give it back to them. They start to find the parents, but all their efforts go in vain as they’re unable to locate them. In the week from Christmas to New Year, all three have various exciting adventures in the Tokyo metropolis.
The story is told with past highlights and is blended with the unique characteristics and traits of each character.
Cowboy Bebop
The premise of Cowboy Bebop is based in the year 2070. The spaceship crew, Bebop, explores many worlds in search of bounties. The slang term for these bounty hunters is cowboys.
Most of the episodes revolve around the same base, which is bounty hunting. But overall, the plot gives time for each character to develop.
They show their past and other life events that are related to the anime, and they all combine as we move further down the story.
The first story shows us Spike Spiegel, a previous member of a criminal gang called Red Dragon. He is haunted by the dangerous Julia, a mysterious woman.
Jin-roh
Jinro’s story is based in Japan in the early 60s in an alternate universe. The whole plot centers around Kazuki Fuse. He is a member of an anti-terrorist police unit called the Kerberos Panzer Cop.
The unit is heavily loaded with protective Armament known as Stahlhelme, equipped with night vision goggles, German machine guns, and O2 masks. His training was intense, and he was taught to think and act like a wolf, hence the name Kerberos.
Fuse is confronted by his own morals when he fails to shoot a young terrorist, but she detonates the bomb in front of him and dies in the process.
While visiting the grave of a murdered terrorist, he meets Kai, and their doomed relationship is set to begin. In the show, you will see many scenes that are a reference to the Japanese political culture of the 1960s to 1970s.
There were mostly student protestors in this decade led by the treaty of cooperation signed mutually by the US and Japan.
Fist of the North Star
After the occurrence of the 3rd World War, the planet turned into a hostile and desolate place. Few lucky beings managed to survive the havoc, and water became the most important resource in the world.
Just like strength because the one who is strong and has strength will rule the world. Soon, everything changes when a man coined as the savior of the end century comes out of nowhere and starts to practice Hokuto Shinken, a form of martial arts that is fatal and leaves heavy effects on opponents.
With this style of martial arts, he will understand his role and take slow steps in completing his destiny in this isolated world. The survivors will also help him in his method as they need a respected, dignified life to live on.
Steamboy
The premise of the show is set in the 19th century in an alternate history of England. The main character is Ray Steam, who is Edward’s son, and Lloyd’s grandson, the two scientists who gave steam engines.
They have a kind of home missing in America. A package containing a metal ball reaches home to Ray and his mother.
But the men from the O’Hara Foundation, who financed the whole project of the two scientists, want to take control of that metal ball. Ray runs from there, and Stevenson, a patriot and a scientist, rescues him.
On the other hand, London is planning to start an exhibition where the steam engines will steal all the spotlight. The O’Hara Foundation sends their daughter, Scarlett, there alongside Simon, who manages the tech in the foundation.
Ninja Scroll: The Series
The anime takes us on a serious ride in Japan fourteen years after the defeat of the immortal warrior, Himuro Genma. He showed the discrete and magical work of shinobis or ninjas.
In the plot, we see two clans, Kimon and Hiruko, who are against each other. Raga, a member of the Hiruko clan, steals a stone which was sacred. It is a dragon stone, and the clan tries to locate Shigure, the princess of light, and Hanover the stone to her.
While escaping, two clans are in his chase and want to get their hands on the stone and also destroy Shigure’s village. The Kimon clan demolishes her, and Jubei defeats them; meanwhile, the princess is on the run. Roga, who stole the stone before dying, entrusts the stone to Jubei and protect it at all cost.
In her journey, she has to face countless enemies from all the clans until everyone eventually discovers that she is only defending the stone and leading them to the new age.
But the Kimon clan is ambitious in retaliating and destroying the Hijoko clan and everyone who comes before them.
Steins; Gate
Steins Gate is directed by Takuya Sato, Tomoki Kobayashi, and Hiroshi Hamasaki, adopted from the visual name of the same name. The premise is based in Akihabara, Tokyo 2010.
The plot of the anime focuses on Rintaro Okabe, who is a mad scientist; at least, he likes to call himself that. His laboratory name is Future Gadget Laboratory.
Itaru Hashida and Mayuri Shina are his friends who also help him in his mad laboratory. One day, he discovers the corpse of Kurisu Makise, a neuroscientist. Okabe tells this to Itaru but later finds out that Kurisu is alive. He also realizes that Itaru received the message before he even sent it. How is this possible?
Just to make it clear, it is a time travel-based anime, and there are very few proper anime that explore this space. This is what makes a top recommendation on this list.
It may feel a bit slow, but once you get past that phase, it is a good and exciting show that has all the basics covered. The time travel aspect is also good, which gives you a lot of questions and slowly answers them all as the story progresses forward. Overall, it is a good show, a definite recommendation.
Black Clover
Masahiro Sugasawa, Naomi Komatsu, and Maiko Isogai are the producers of this Japanese anime, which keeps the spotlight on Yuno and Asta, two young boys who have an inseparable bond as they both were abandoned by the church.
Since their childhood, they promised themselves that they would always compete with each other in order to grow and become the next Wizard King.
While growing up, the magical abilities were easily noticeable, but on the other hand, Asta had no magical abilities, so he always relied on his physical prowess. As the story moves forward, we see Yuno gets Girimore, 4-leaf clover, and Asta gets none.
Yuno falls in great danger, and this is when Asta’s true powers come to light, and he gets a Girimore 5-leaf clover known as Black Clover. The voice of the characters was given by Micah Solusod (Yuno) and Dallas Reid (Asta).
GANTZ
High School student Kei Kurono has a selfish and cynical personality and loves erotic magazines. One day, when he was waiting for his train, he met Masaru Kato, his childhood friend.
Pushing his limits, he makes a heroic gesture and saves a drunken man who fell on the tracks. But while saving the man, Kato and Kurono are crushed dead. Or at least it looks like it.
After some time, they both wake up and find themselves in an apartment room with Tokyo Tower in front of it, with a center room in the shape of a sphere, going by the name Gantz.
They are not alone, and there are others in this room, too. Are they in a game show? Or is this the afterlife? There are so many questions that need answers, and slowly, as the plot unfolds, we get all the answers.
The Hidden Dungeon Only 1 Can Enter
Ore dake Haireru Kakushi Dungeon, a.k.a. The Hidden Dungeon Only 1 Can Enter, is a light-themed fantasy harem anime that tells the story of the main character, Noir Starga.
His family is from the lowest level of social hierarchy among the other classes. His aim was to become a librarian, but that didn’t happen. Lost Noir locates a secret dungeon with the help of Great Sage, his unique and rare skill.
In the dungeon, he meets a high-ranking hero, Olivia Servant, who has been caged there for more than 200 years. With the help of Olivia, Noir becomes a great and famous hero and an attraction for many women.
Just like Yu, the source of his powers is the ancient relics that were present in the dungeon.
Hunter X Hunter
Yoshihiro Togashi is behind this anime show as it is a reboot of a 1999 show that has no direct connection with the former.
The plot focuses on Gon Freecss, a young boy who has grown up in the awareness that his father has passed away. But all of a sudden, he finds out that his father is alive and has kept his real identity hidden because he is on his path to becoming a legendary hunter.
Hunters are certain beings who are now an elite part of humanity. Gon is now adamant about following the steps of his father and becoming an elite hunter after taking the exam of Hunter and also searching for his father in the process.
The voice is given by Akari Hibino, Greg Chun, Mariya Ise, and others. The show aired from October 2011 to September 2014.
Canaan
Just like Spriggan, this anime also has action-packed animation and explosive scenes. This main character, Canaan, is a skilled fighter like Yu.
She is on a journey of revenge after Alphard; she loves her sister, but she betrays her and Sam, their master.
Cannan meets her old friend Maria Oosawa in Shanghai after she saves them from deadly masked assassins. Now, both of them will have to work together to take down the intricate planning of Alphard, who is also in Shanghai.
The villains were entertaining enough; Alphard was cool and collected, while Liang Qi was hilariously over the top and obviously mad. These two villains weren’t completely unsympathetic, and you will be shocked to see yourself rooting for them more than most TV villains.
The series has a lot of action, which is both well-animated and thrilling. While Yun Yun, a girl who ends up with the group, provides most of the good chuckles, this is mostly a rather serious tale.
Patlabor: The Mobile Police
Patlabor was a big deal back in the 80s and 90s, producing TV shows and uniquely different movies. The plot of the show is set in an alternative reality where robots in the daily workplace are common, and to keep them functioning and in check, it is natural to set up a task force.
Tokyo Metropolitan Police has its own mechas for this, known as Patlabors. The movie and the anime series will provide top-notch entertainment. The story is the driving part of the anime, built on the robust characters.
There were 47 episodes in the TV show, and each episode maintains the flow of the story subtly. Additionally, Noah receives more attention than the other primary characters throughout the whole series and adjusts to her ardent desire to run a Patlabor. She transforms into a trustworthy woman from a raucous redhead.
The show is more than two decades old, making it deserving of the title of classic. It’s also a much underappreciated animation. Not many individuals are aware of its presence—however, individuals who enjoy original combat robot anime or anything from the 1980s. I’m probably going to love Patlabor.
