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There’s a phrase in anime fandom: “the Obari pose.” Hips low, fist thrust toward the camera, a machine surging with life in a single frame. When Masami Obari draws a robot, it stops being a hunk of metal and becomes something with a soul.
Masami Obari, born in 1966, is an animator, director, and mechanical designer. He shook the industry at 19 with his mecha designs for Dancouga, then made his name for good with the legendary 1987 opening animation of Metal Armor Dragonar. Today he leads Studio G-1NEO, still cranking out works of his own.
In this article, I’ve scored six major anime directed by Masami Obari on four axes — Beginner Friendliness, Animation and Direction Heat, Story Quality, and Immersion and Excitement — and I’ll tell you flat out which one to watch first. Whether you enter through the pure pleasure of Obari animation or through storytelling craft, the right first pick is yours to choose.
The higher the “Animation and Direction Heat” score, the more of that gloriously over-the-top Obari flair a show delivers. If you care more about “moments that set your blood on fire” than plot, pick by that axis.
All 6 Masami Obari-Directed Anime: Full Score Comparison
I scored each work out of 100 on four criteria. “Animation and Direction Heat” rewards the density of signature Obari movement and posing. Don’t just look at the totals — pick by the axis that matters most to you.
| Title | Beginner Friendliness | Animation & Direction Heat | Story Quality | Immersion & Excitement | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bang Brave Bang Bravern (2024) | 88 | 95 | 85 | 95 | 363 |
| Gravion (2002-2004) | 80 | 88 | 65 | 88 | 321 |
| Platinumhugen Ordian (2000) | 72 | 82 | 78 | 82 | 314 |
| Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture (1994) | 80 | 92 | 62 | 78 | 312 |
| Dancouga Nova (2007) | 78 | 82 | 65 | 80 | 305 |
| Super Robot Wars OG: The Inspector (2010) | 52 | 85 | 72 | 83 | 292 |
Bravern takes the top total score, standing head and shoulders above the rest in beginner friendliness, heat, and excitement. If you’ve never watched a Masami Obari anime, I recommend Bravern without a second’s hesitation. And here’s a fun wrinkle in the data: on “Animation Heat” alone, 1994’s Fatal Fury scores a blistering 92.
No. 1: Bang Brave Bang Bravern — The Reiwa-Era Culmination of Everything Masami Obari
| Beginner Friendliness | Animation & Direction Heat | Story Quality | Immersion & Excitement | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 88 | 95 | 85 | 95 | 363 |
Aired in the winter 2024 season, 12 episodes. This original TV anime, made in partnership with Cygames Pictures, is Masami Obari’s latest work and his masterpiece. It holds an average score of 4.0 across 1,665 reviews on Filmarks (as of May 2026) — remarkably high marks for a robot anime in recent years.
The hook is brilliant: protagonist Isami meets a mysterious brave-robot named Bravern on the battlefield, and the machine starts showering him with one-sided, passionately fervent declarations. The way it sets you up for a real-robot show and then swerves headlong into super-robot territory feels like the crystallization of an idea Obari has been nurturing for decades. All twelve episodes are packed with the kind of heat that only comes from playing the classic formula completely straight.
Its Animation and Direction Heat score of 95 is the highest of any work here. The parade of Obari poses rendered at 2024 production standards will get your blood pumping whether you’re a veteran who knows the back catalog or a total newcomer. Better yet, it wraps up cleanly in a tight 12 episodes with zero mid-season sag. The SpotGeeks editorial team will say it outright: there is no reason not to make Bravern your first Masami Obari anime.
- Complete in 12 episodes with no sag. No prior knowledge required
- Streaming on U-NEXT, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, d Anime Store, and more (as of May 2026)
- Filmarks average of 4.0 — among the best-reviewed robot anime of recent years
- The final stretch feels a bit rushed — plenty of viewers wished the world had more room to breathe
- There are twists you absolutely must not have spoiled. Go in with a total media blackout if you can
No. 2: Gravion — The Textbook of the Obari Pose and the Aesthetics of Super Robot Combination
| Beginner Friendliness | Animation & Direction Heat | Story Quality | Immersion & Excitement | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 | 88 | 65 | 88 | 321 |
This robot anime is told across a first season from 2002 (13 episodes) and its 2004 sequel Gravion Zwei (13 episodes) — you need both to get the complete story. It’s an ambitious work in which Obari updated the combining-robot aesthetics of the Brave series lineage for the 21st century, and its combination sequences earn an 88 for animation heat, second-highest of all his works.
Let’s be honest about the story: it runs on vibes and momentum, prioritizing “hot-blooded scenes” over script consistency at every turn. I understand the urge to complain about that. But isn’t that exactly what a super robot anime is supposed to be? The rush when Gravion locks its combination sequence, the moment it unleashes its finishing move while a squad of maids looks on — that is a robot anime “burning” the way a robot anime should.
If you finish Bravern and think “I need more Obari robots in my life,” this is your next stop. Both seasons together total 26 episodes — the perfect binge for a weekend, by SpotGeeks’ estimation. It’s streaming on d Anime Store and Amazon Prime Video (as of May 2026).
- Combination-scene animation heat of 88 — second-highest of any Obari work. The textbook of the “burning combination”
- Streaming on d Anime Store and Amazon Prime Video (as of May 2026)
- Complete in 26 episodes across both seasons. Perfect for one big binge
- Story Quality sits at a modest 65. Viewers who demand logical consistency will bounce off it
- Season 1 alone doesn’t resolve the story. Watch it as a set with season 2, Gravion Zwei
No. 3: Platinumhugen Ordian — From Real to Super, Obari’s All-Out 24-Episode Gamble
| Beginner Friendliness | Animation & Direction Heat | Story Quality | Immersion & Excitement | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 72 | 82 | 78 | 82 | 314 |
A 24-episode robot anime that aired on WOWOW from April to September 2000. Its Story Quality score of 78 is the highest of all six works — proof that this is the most narratively satisfying series Masami Obari has ever directed.
Its defining feature is a two-faced structure: a grounded, real-robot first half set at a soldier training academy, and a super-robot second half built on Norse mythology. Because the first half plants its feet in sober military drama, the pivot into super-robot spectacle lands with a deliciously satisfying jolt. That challenge — fusing real robot and super robot into one show — would carry forward into Obari’s later works.
After you’ve worked through Bravern and Gravion, this is the best pick for anyone thinking “I want an Obari robot show with a little more drama in it.” Fair warning about the jargon-heavy, somewhat under-explained back half, but as a complete 24-episode Obari-robot experience, SpotGeeks rates this as his most fully realized work.
- Story Quality of 78 is the best of any Obari-directed work. It genuinely satisfies as drama
- Streaming on Bandai Channel (as of May 2026)
- The pivot from real-robot first half to super-robot second half is exquisitely handled
- The back half drowns you in jargon with too little explanation. Expect moments where you feel left behind
- Beginner Friendliness is a modest 72. Watch Bravern first before making this your Obari debut
No. 4: Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture — 57 Minutes of Pure Masami Obari Animation, Detonated
| Beginner Friendliness | Animation & Direction Heat | Story Quality | Immersion & Excitement | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 | 92 | 62 | 78 | 312 |
A 57-minute theatrical anime released in July 1994. It’s the film adaptation of SNK’s hit fighting game Fatal Fury, with Masami Obari on directing and character design duty. On Filmarks it sits at 238 reviews and a 2.9 average — objectively, not a well-loved film. But the Animation and Direction Heat score of 92 explains everything you need to know.
Fifty-seven minutes crammed with everything young Obari had at the time. Every single frame of Terry Bogard’s fight scenes explodes with Obari poses. The story is simple to a fault — because every last resource went into making fighting-game characters move. Whether you count that purity against the film or embrace it with a “this is exactly what it should be” is what splits audiences right down the middle.
It’s a martial-arts action film, not a robot anime, so it’s a different flavor from the rest of Obari’s catalog. But as a way to experience the origin point of Obari’s animation in under an hour, it has real archival value too. Any Obari fan should make the pilgrimage eventually to understand where the deep cuts come from. Obari himself looks back on it saying he was “carried entirely on the staff’s shoulders” — and the raw heat of his younger days is right there on screen.
- Animation and Direction Heat of 92 is second-highest of all works here — 1994 Obari at full detonation
- At just 57 minutes, it’s the easiest way to sample Obari animation
- Works as a standalone fighting anime even if you’ve never touched a Fatal Fury game
- Story Quality is a lowly 62. Brace yourself for that objective 2.9 Filmarks average going in
- This is martial-arts action, not a robot anime. If you’re expecting Obari robots, look elsewhere
No. 5: Dancouga Nova — Masami Obari’s Own Take on the ’80s Legend He Helped Create
| Beginner Friendliness | Animation & Direction Heat | Story Quality | Immersion & Excitement | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78 | 82 | 65 | 80 | 305 |
A 12-episode robot anime that aired on Animax from February to May 2007. It’s the spiritual successor to 1985’s Dancouga — the very series Obari worked on as mechanical designer. In other words, this is the one where Obari finally got to direct the series that started it all for him, with his own hands.
It’s designed to work as a standalone new series with zero knowledge of the original Dancouga required, and its Beginner Friendliness score of 78 makes it more accessible than most of his catalog. Watching a new generation of characters combine with beast machines in hot-blooded fashion delivers reliable satisfaction for any Obari fan.
That said, at only 12 Animax-aired episodes, you can’t shake the sense that the story’s scale outgrows its runtime. The combination sequences and finishing moves carry unmistakable Obari flair throughout, but it never reaches the breakthrough highs of Gravion or Bravern. This is the pick for when you’ve already watched four or more Obari works and find yourself wanting one more.
- No knowledge of the original Dancouga needed. A standalone setup that welcomes newcomers
- Streaming on d Anime Store and Bandai Channel (as of May 2026)
- Fans will want to witness the reunion of Masami Obari and Dancouga, the series where it all began
- Just 12 episodes, with a modest Story Quality score of 65. The world-building can feel thin
- It hits harder after you’ve seen other Obari works — the Obari-Dancouga relationship is half the fun
No. 6: Super Robot Wars OG: The Inspector — The Ultimate Reward for Those Who Love the Games
| Beginner Friendliness | Animation & Direction Heat | Story Quality | Immersion & Excitement | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52 | 85 | 72 | 83 | 292 |
A 26-episode TV anime that aired from October 2010 to April 2011. It adapts the continuing storyline of Bandai Namco’s Super Robot Wars OG (Original Generation) game series, serving as the direct sequel to the previous anime, Divine Wars.
Its Beginner Friendliness score of 52 is the lowest of all six works. If you haven’t played the Super Robot Wars OG games or watched the preceding Divine Wars anime, every character, setting, and term will blindside you. It lifts dialogue almost verbatim from the games — for those in the know, that means the thrill of “that scene is actually moving!”, but for everyone else it’s a flood of incomprehensible proper nouns.
Even so, Obari’s flamboyant, larger-than-life direction works its magic throughout, and the Filmarks average of 3.6 (as of May 2026) feels about right even after discounting the game-fan bias. If you’ve ever played a Super Robot Wars OG game, this is the dream adaptation, guaranteed to get your blood up.
- For fans of the Super Robot Wars OG games, this is the dream adaptation made real
- Streaming on U-NEXT and DMM TV (as of May 2026)
- Signature Obari bombast throughout, with the joy of watching the games’ iconic scenes in motion
- For anyone who hasn’t played the OG games, that Beginner Friendliness score of 52 is a towering wall
- Watching the preceding Divine Wars anime is a de facto prerequisite
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Conclusion: The Masami Obari Watch Order Guide — Final Verdict for Beginners
Here is the watch order SpotGeeks recommends: 1) Bang Brave Bang Bravern (experience Reiwa-era Obari at full throttle), 2) Gravion (savor the classic 2000s Obari robot formula), 3) Platinumhugen Ordian (the peak of Obari’s work as pure drama). Watch those three and you’ll understand exactly what kind of director Masami Obari is, right down to your bones. After that, hit Fatal Fury to feel the heat of his origins, then dig deeper with Dancouga Nova and The Inspector.
Robot anime exists for the moment the Obari pose detonates on screen. If you want to feel that truth for yourself, press play on Bravern right now.
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