Mecha Timeline
A work in progress!
Retro Robot Era
This era lacks many of the trademarks associated with the modern mecha genre, but has too much continuity with foundational Super Robot works for me to ignore it here.
1958
Tetsujin-28-go, by Mitsuteru Yokoyama, begins. This manga features a young boy and a giant robot controlled via remote. Yokoyama also created Sally the Witch, an early influential magical girl work.
1960
Tetsujin-28-go, the tokusatsu adaptation of the manga, airs.
1963
Tetsujin-28-go, the anime this time, airs.
1967
Giant Robo, another manga by Mitsuteru Yokoyama, begins. Recalling several motifs from Tetsujin-28-go, this work features a young boy and a semiautonomous giant robot controlled via radio wristwatch. The same year, it receives a tokusatsu adaptation through Toei.
1972
The Moon, by George Akiyama, begins publication. This manga features several children who gain the ability to psychically direct an ambiguously sentient mecha called "The Moon," built to seek justice in response to the Nietzschean "death of God." Decades later, this forms the basis for the manga Bokurano
Super Robot Era
In this era the mecha genre more closely resembles its modern form. Iconic franchises like Mazinger and Getter Robo are established, and the Robot Romance trilogy is a proving ground for both a new depth of characterization and the rising generation of mecha creators. Thematic overlap with tokusatsu superhero shows is significant, culminating in the Super Sentai franchise adopting mecha as a recurring franchise element.
1972
Mazinger Z, by Go Nagai, begins publication. This manga is the first to feature a mecha piloted internally, and can be considered the origin of the Super Robot subgenre. Nagai was inspired by Astro Boy, Tetsujin-28, and wishing his car could grow legs while stuck in a traffic jam. An anime adaptation through Toei Animation and an additional manga adaptation of that anime are released before the end of the year. Nagai also created Cutie Honey, an early influential magical girl work.
Astroganger premieres almost simultaneously with Mazinger Z's first appearance. Like its Retro Robot predecessors, this anime features a young boy and a giant robot, but this robot is fully alive and autonomous. The human protagonist and the robot protagonist regularly merge in a transformation sequence to unlock their true potential.
1974
Great Mazinger now even greater
1975
Brave Raideen you're up
UFO Robot Grendizer: in space!
1976
Combattler V kicks off Robot Romance, shared staff with Raideen
1977
Voltes V vvvvvvv
Planetary Robot Danguard Ace takes the Mazinger timeslot, i actually have to look into this one
Zambot 3 Tomino timeslot starts here
1978
Tosho Daimos ends the trilogy
Daitarn 3 Tomino timeslot continues, Gundam gets it next
1979
Battle Fever J takes the Robot Romance timeslot
Future Robot Daltanius shares a lot of the same staff with the Robot Romance trilogy, and is sometimes considered a fourth member of the set