Mecha this season

We're almost past quarter of this season, so I thought it's about time to review the Mecha animes of this season. And I probably will do a half season review too... if I felt like it.
Shall we start?

• Valvrave the Liberator

Such a beautiful title for a Mecha anime. It always made me think of an even more perfect version of Gundam 00 or Gundam 0079, but I stopped expecting anything after seeing the actual anime that I adored its pre-air streams. Will finish it so I won’t regret dropping it IF it got better (and I hope it gets better). VVV is currently the biggest disappointment this season. It’s like “Pimp my Anime”.

Sunrise: So we heard you like Gundam, so we added space and politics so you can Gundam while you VVV.
Sunrise: So we heard you like Code Geass, so we added “Let’s control them pitiful people!” so you can CG while you VVV.
Sunrise: So we heard you like Macross, so we added an idol, so you can sing a long and Macross while you VVV.
Sunrise: So we heard you like Vampire Knight, ladies, so we added a cute vampire boy, so you can have your blood sucked while you VVV.
Oh plz...

I really don't know what Sunrise wants to show us. I don't know if VVV is meant to be a parody anime but anime sites misled us and made us think it's a serious Mecha anime.
A high school on a colony going independent and rise funds by filming a J-pop video with a former kid idol isn't a very appealing idea to me. The only originality I see there is the originality of the cocktail of elements in that anime.
One thing that makes me wonder too much is the huge set of characters in that anime. We're already on the 5th episodes and many characters haven't showed us what are they having screen time for.
When I read that VVV will have 2 seasons 'cuz the story is too complex for only one season, I thought that we'll have a 50 episodes long anime, with each season having 25 episodes at least. But guess what, that complex story needs only 24 episodes to be told. Now I'm really worried since I hate rushed endings so much.
I really hope that Sunrise knows what it's doing, because it's losing its magical touch after that Gundam AGE.
VVV ending as nothing but a fanservice ecchi Mecha anime would be a sad story to be told to the new generations.

• Suisei no Gargantia

I like it better than VVV. Ledo is fun to observe . Unlike VVV other characters are pretty well thought-out, and we have seen most of them in action and for enough time, so now, we got a hold of what kind of character each one is. I heard that the work on SnG started in 2011, so I think that the story would be well cooked. The only thing I dislike is the slow pace of the plot. But it seems that we’ll have several cool action scenes from now on. One cool thing about this anime is the bg art. It’s simply stunning and I enjoy every second I spend staring at the art. SnG got a soothing effect on my soul. Amy reminds me of Senomiya Akiho from Robotics;Notes… I adore those cuties so much.
For the plot, to put it simply it's like the movie Cast Away... but with humans around. Ledo has no buddy but Chamber, everyone else is a stranger until he gets to understand them. Personally I like the general idea of an advanced human who is more like a robot getting reminded of the real human nature. Going back to the roots.
The usual plot would be something like Tarzan getting lost in a big city, but it's the other way around. It's like the movie Back to the Future (the many western movies references make me feel like Tony Dinozzo from NCIS XD).
Going back to SnG, as I said I like the plot. I love how Ledo is getting to know himself as a human being. I love how Ledo is getting to know his emotions again... remember that scene of Ledo bidding farewell to who it seems like his twin or something? I bet that kid was his only family or friend and he had to get purged 'cuz he's not physically fit to be a soldier.

So, while VVV and MJP are telling us stories about how humans are in the future, SnG is telling us a story about an advanced human being going back to the roots. Thus, SnG shall be the most original Mecha anime this season.

• Ginga Kikoutai: Majestic Prince

The dark horse of this season and by far my most favorite Mecha since Gundam 00. After watching like 4 episodes of this anime, I thought that Sunrise let a good Mecha story slip out of their hands. Yeah it’s based on a manga and it’s not an original story made solely for the company, but Sunrise could have tried a new style.
At first, I had my doubts about this anime. First thing is the art. I never enjoyed Gundam SEED art. So I had a problem accepting MJP. But when I concentrated on the story and characters instead of the lack of noses; I realized that it’s a pretty cool anime. The Mecha are cool too and on par with VVV's units. The fighting scenes are pretty good too. The JURIA system is interesting enough. And surprisingly, I’m enjoying the old-school feel of it… maybe ‘cuz I’m a fan of anime like Space Battleship Yamato.
The plot might not be too original, we actually saw an anime or 10 with almost the same idea; teenagers riding huge robots and saving the whole humanity that consists of ugly adults who are too afraid to die so they send kids to the battlefields. But emotional and mental breakdowns in anime are never unwanted (to me at least) They make the characters more real and make it easier to sympathize with them.
It's easier for me to get attached to a teenager who is thrown into battlefield to save the humanity 'cuz he's the only one capable of that, but still he shows his insecurities and fears and keep on failing while trying to shoulder all the responsibility thrown upon him by adults. Than getting attached to a teenager who is thrown into battlefield to save the humanity 'cuz he's the only one capable of that, and he succeeds with no errors whatsoever. And on top of that, the second teenager is nothing but a normal civilian who just happens to find a cool robot and rode it to save his friends and in less than 5 minutes he's more capable than a trained soldier in piloting that amazingly advanced robot *cough* Haruto *cough*

And lastly, I won't try to sound unbiased... so I'll say that MJP is simply the best this season so far.

Nice review and here is my thoughts:
VVV:
I agree with your point of view and i loled on ''pimp my anime part'',But disregarding how the story turned up,VVV do have more originality more than the mecha anime of this season in terms of the story 'concept' {I.E: vampire Piloting a mysterious mecha},The vvv mecha design itself has a form of originality mecha with traditional weapons {I.E:Samurai weapons} ,Never the less the story proves a complete waste of hopes as it fail to deliver a proper exciting story and as you mentioned we don't even know why some characters are even there.
SOUSEI NO GARGANTIA:
The 1st couple of episodes i was impressed by the anime graphics quality but after i get used to it i found the story quite dull,I know it has mecha/adventure story but it's pace is too slow and the mecha part itself isn't that satisfying to put up with the care free story.
MJP:
I agree with you 100% that this anime proved to be the best of this season mecha anime,At 1st i hated but team rabbits built it's way to my heart with every single episode.

LOL we reached a mutual understanding about VVV and MJP, SnG is still a matter of debate XD
At least we agree that it's too slow for an action anime. Maybe it's an artistic anime. Mecha anime must have more than one fighting unit, in SnG we only got Chamber... and I can't imagine more Chambers will appear soon... at least I can't fit more in that story using my own logic. But I bet some aliens like Ledo will appear.

For the originality of VVV, I'm still in doubt, since all I see is mixing popular stuff together.

In terms of mecha design, I'd go with MJP and VVV against SnG.