7. Gunbuster

Ike! Ike! Bokura no! Gun-Bust-aa!

The titular robot from Aim from the Top! Gunbuster, this robot was a ground breaking one from 1986. The series was the first time Hideaki Anno was a full fledged director for a GAINAX production, that some say saved the Anime industry. Aim for the Top! was what would setup later GAINAX series in terms of themes, among other things. One thing that the Anime did was bring about what some would call a "Hybrid" Mecha series. This is because the show follows Super Mecha themes like and aliens attacking for no good reason, and that the shows catch phrase was "Hard Work and Guts". But, AftT! had element of semi-hard science, other Real Mecha, battle ships and tactics, but the story also concentrated on the characters and their reactions to thing like being a pilot. The main thing that AftT! started up was "bouncing breasts" as a form of fan service. This latter started the movement that some call "Gainaxing" or the "Gainax Bounce" as many other Anime started using it, though it was originally Hideaki's idea it give the show a sense of "realism". You can say that definitely backfired, sorta.

Now the Gunbuster is, arguably, a Super. This is because, at the time, the Gunbuster was set the record for robot height, standing at around 250 feet. Besides it's height, it's attacks were also numerous, but at the same time slightly plausible. The Gunbuster is actually a fusion of the first two Buster Machines, large space ships, each with their own weaponry. So much money went into making the Gunbuster that it's one of a kind, main reason for cost being the amount of ammo it has. The Gunbuster attacks are as follows:

-Buster Beam: A laser that is shot out of the crest. Can cut aliens in half that is bigger then the Gunbuster, then go on to kill more as the head moves.

-Buster Missile: Shoots hundreds of missiles from the fingers.

-Homing Laser: Shoots hundreds of small lasers from fingers. It can also shoot lasers from many other places.

-Super Inazuma Kick: Using Ether, turns out space isn't only a vacuum, as propulsion and as a weapon, the Gunbuster does a flying kick destroying hundreds of aliens.

-Buster Shield: The Gunbuster pulls out a cape that can block laser beams. In can also block smaller lasers by emanating a shield from its hands.

Buster Collider: When scientists found out that the aliens weakness is being electrically shocked, all mecha were then equipped with some sort of device to do so. The Gunbuster turns this up to eleven by opening up it's forearms, sending metal poles into the opponent, which then sends an immense amount of electricity into them. This can also be done with the legs.

These weapons are all built in, which is why it is considered a Super, but Real because of the pseudo science of the series.

With all this aside, the Gunbuster is also ranked 7th becuase it has possibly one of the most hot-blooded female pilots ever, Noriko Takaya, who's name, hard work, and guts will be carried out 12,000 years later.


TL:DR: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gm6czdcp3k