Tetsujin 28-gou (2004)

Two works by Imagawa, which share characters, themes and designs. Both have a retro-future aesthetic, and a complex and engaging plot. 

While Giant Robo is a lovingly crafted mix of all the works of Mitsuteru Yokoyama, Tetsujin 28 (2004) is a re-imagining of the manga and beloved 60s anime of the same name. Both share the same director, and his immense talent is on full display in both series. However, while Tetsujin 28 initially seems very similar to Giant Robo (several characters cross over, most notably Murasame Kenji), Tetsujin 28's story goes down a far darker path and is much more grounded as a whole.  

When a powerful new technology is discovered, humanity questions if it will be a tool to help them or a devastating weapon. The protagonist is a suit-wearing child-genius who inherits the burden of controlling the world’s strongest robot from his dead father at a young age. 

Both are retro-styled mecha series based on manga by Mitsuteru Yokoyama directed by Yasuhiro Imagawa that center on many similar ideas, such as historical revisionism, the dangers of scientific progress, sons dealing with the sins of their fathers, melancholic optimism in front of tragedy, and if it's possible for a criminal to redeem himself from his crimes. Due to the unique approach Giant Robo was made with, many Tetsujin 28 characters feature on it, so if you want to see what's basically the closest we're getting to a Giant Robo sequel, Tetsujin 28 is for you. 

Kids that are given a giant robot mech that was passed down to them by their family which they use to fight in a war.