With the recent debate generated by someone's - I forget exactly whose - idea for 'EVA '46'
I feel obligated to make some points on the practicality of mecha as seen in EVA, Gundam, etc.
	The first problems are spawned by their very size and mass.  We are talking about tens of
metric tons distributed over the total area of the mecha's feet - which must themselves be able to
bear the weight of the _rest_ of the machine.  Secondly, their size not only makes mecha inviting
targets for all sorts of badness, but makes concealment quite difficult.  Which brings us to the matter
of 'musculature' and power supply, both of which must be compact, efficient, and survivable - the
EVAs' power cords are _not_ an option!
	Next, there is the matter of the pilot's interface.  If the vehicle is intended to be an extension
of its pilot, as seems to be the case in most anime universes, some sort of nueral interface[1] is a
must.
	Also of great concern to military planners are the concerns of maintenance and logistics;
given the complexity of mecha I am sure you can recognize the problems that would arise.
	Now, onto the battlefield proper, be it in a planetary environment or the dark of space.
	In most anime of which I am aware, some excuse or another has been found to 'write out of
existence' many facts of modern, let alone future, warfare.  Even vehicles as powerful as the T-80 or
Abrams MBT still have to worry about infantry and 'lesser' vehicles - those of you who read 'Red Storm
Rising' will remember the hell wreaked upon Soviet armor formations by artillery, Apaches, A-10s, and trios of men in missile-armed jeeps.  Also, given the increasing capability of sensors (and, by
extension, targeting systems) concealment has become a greater concern, lending new stress to
another point: combat is, in essence, opponents manuvering for a position of advantage, with the
decision going to the one who makes the fewest mistakes and gets the decisive shot in first.  And, as
I already mentioned, it's kinda hard for mecha to be sneaky without things like concealment fields[2].
	And then there is the matter of space combat.  Given the distances involved, in comparison to
effective sensor ranges, it would most likely resemble submarine warfare, with battles taking place not
in deep space - there's nothing worth fighting over out there - but in the orbital realm of a disputed
planet or asteroid belt[3].

-Arthur Edwards
 White Knight of the Order of Mihoshi Enthusiasts
 http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Towers/7210/index.html

-
[1] see 'Day of the Cheetah', William Gibson's novels, or the movie _Firefox_.
[2] as seen in ST:TNG (Romulan Warbirds), ST:DS9 (Defiant-class ships) or the _Predator_ movies (the
 yautja's 'shiftsuits').
[3] see the USCM Technical Manual; if requested, I can quote chapter and verse.