Source is from episode 1.
Brave Bang Bravern! was not a terribly popular show outside Japan in the 2024 Winter season. I get it…the mecha genre is not one I usually find myself enjoying or partaking in. However, Bravern is probably one of the most fun original shows I have watched in the past couple years.
It is clear from watching this show that it knows how absurd it is and leans into it 120%. There are genuine moments of heartbreak and tragic loss followed almost immediately by absurd, over-the-top genre parody. It simultaneously is parodying both the serious, military-focused, real robot mecha genre and the supernatural, power-of-friendship, super robot genre. See Mother’s Basement’s video about the series for more discussion about the types of mecha anime it is referencing (and a preview of all the English lines the VAs say).
This show first popped up on my radar back when I wrote this after listening to the OP (the song playing in this clip):
This song is an unapologetic throwback to shows of old - and it kicks total ass. I have no idea if the show lives up to this OP, but this OP is some S-tier stuff.
I can confidently say that the show lives up to the song and so much more. Does the story always make complete sense? No. However, it doesn’t need to. The whole show operates on the logic of those superhero cartoon shows we watched as kids. The rule of cool trumps all, and it just works.
If you give this show a chance (please do!), I recommend giving it three episodes to see if the style/humor works for you. By the third episode it has settled into a groove and gotten the setup out of the way.
The gag of Bravern playing his own background music is something they do several times during this show. He is an incredibly genre-aware robot it seems. He will also project behind himself his own dramatic backdrops when he makes a speech for instance.