What rpg do you turn to when you want to play stuff like Mobile Suit Gundam, Afro Samurai, or Cowboy Bebop?

I don't see one RPG covering all anime adequately given that it's a medium not a genre. Just as you wouldn't use the same RPG to do Saving Private Ryan and Star Wars.

If I had to choose a single RPG to emulate them all exactly, it would OVA, but it would be a suboptimal choice in many instances. If I had to choose a single RPG that captured the spirit of them all, I think Tenra Bansho Zero* may prove to be the best. If I had to choose a single RPG that I have had the most success with in doing a broad range of anime tropes to date, it would be Exalted (for fantasy) or Cthulhutech (for sci fi).

Looking at the examples you gave, my choices would be Jovian Chronicles (Gundam), Tenra Bansho Zero* (Afro Samurai) and Bountyhead Bebop (Cowboy Bebop), though Trinity and Jovian Chronicles could also work at a pinch.

* based on what I have seen of the system.

Quote from: Skywalker;584419I don't see one RPG covering all anime adequately given that it's a medium not a genre.

You and everyone else know what I mean. I'm glad you posted some real answers after this, though!

Mongoose Traveller, Jovian Chronicles, Pathfinder, Labyrinth Lord, Mekton Zeta or Mekton II, Cyberpunk 2020, Teenagers From Outer Space, and Dream Park. Basically, most stuff by R. Talsorian Games since they really seemed to capture the feel of the mecha genre, cyberpunk genre, and comedy genre for anime. Pathfinder and Labyrinth Lord for fantasy. Mongoose Traveller for things like Planetes, Akira, Cowboy Bebop, or 2001 Nights.

Quote from: danbuter;584420You and everyone else know what I mean. I'm glad you posted some real answers after this, though!

Sure. I wasn't meaning to be critical of the question.

I do think asking for specific RPG suggestions for each anime you are interested in will be far more fruitful than looking for a single RPG to cover them all.

Quote from: danbuter;584417What rpg do you turn to when you want to play stuff like Mobile Suit Gundam,

Mekton II

QuoteAfro Samurai, or Cowboy Bebop?

Never had any interest in them.

QuoteAfro Samurai, or Cowboy Bebop?

Quote from: Gabriel2;584425Never had any interest in them.

Your missing out Gabe. Cowboy Bebop, is one of my faves. Bounty hunters in a slightly futuristic, well future. Good stuff. Afro Samurai a fun 70's style beat'em (Kill'em) diversion. But thats IMHO. I suppose your mileage may very. As to my preferred system to, try to replicate anime, definitely BESM (2nd ed). Although I am very intrigued by OVA. But I'm afraid I don't have the funds to invest in another game. Being a poor schmuck sucks.....

BESM 2e for most of them

Teenagers from Outer Space for the rest

As most of the anime I watch is fantasy, Fantasy Craft is my go to game here. As for this stuff:

Quote from: danbuter;584417What rpg do you turn to when you want to play stuff like Mobile Suit Gundam, Afro Samurai, or Cowboy Bebop?

Cowboy Bebop: Bulldogs would do quite nicely.

The other two ain't my cuppa.

I'm really not a fan of most anime-specific games. I'd rather have a well written game I like than a game I don't care for with anime art.

Agreed about Bulldogs (Trav could also work if you want something more trad).

The others...dunno.  I haven't encountered any real good, playable games that emulate Gundam well, though you could probably hack lighter systems to fit.  Afro Samurai I know nothing about, but for a samurai-esque game in the vein of Samurai Champloo, I'd probably use Blossoms are Falling (though you'd probably have to reskin portions of it for the difference in era).

(Interesting tidbit about fantasy is that in Japan, 'grognards' tend to believe that TTRPGs are meant for emulating gritty Western fantasy and not much else, so stuff like Tenra and Exalted are just right-out for the grumpy old-guard, even if the work originated in their country.)

Mobile Suit Gundam: Mekton Zeta, without a doubt.  That's one of the two mech-based properties that Maximum Mike had in mind when he made Mekton back in the day and it's still good now.  After Palladium, it's also my go-to choice for the other franchise: Macross.

Afro Samurai: Fantasycraft or Spycraft.

Cowboy Bebop: Traveller.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Mekton Zeta, without a doubt.  That's one of the two mech-based properties that Maximum Mike had in mind when he made Mekton back in the day and it's still good now.  After Palladium, it's also my go-to choice for the other franchise: Macross.

Afro Samurai: Fantasycraft or Spycraft.  You need some sort of structural framework that allows for mechanical distinction such that martial arts fiction routinely displays.  Staredowns, craftsmanship, specific techniques, and so on- all of these need to have weight in the rules.  The two 'Crafts have it, and there are other options out there that can also handle it.

Cowboy Bebop: Traveller.  Make each planet a system in its own right, and you have one viable campaign template played out before your eyes; that it is, really, a variation of the "free trader" model is well-concealed.

(And all of them, all at once, would be commonplace for RIFTS.)

Mekton Zeta for mecha and general sci-fi.

Anima: Beyond Fantasy for fantasy.

OVA: Open Versatile Anime. before that it was BESM, but I love OVA.

Record of Lodoss War: AD&D 1 or AD&D 2 or B/X / LL/S&W
Coyboy Bebop: Bounty Head Bebop or Serenity
Black Lagoon: Shadowrun (without magic, matrix, body enhancements, etc.)
Fate/stay night or Blue Exorcist (or similar urban fantasy): either Buffy or Witchcraft (both Eden Unisystem) or Feng Shui
PlanetES: Traveller
Paranoia Agent: Cthulhu NOW (ignoring the mythos) or Over the Edge
Last Exile: Traveller (at a low TL) or Mini Six; or maybe a heavily houseruled Jovian Chronicles (to handle the dogfights?) (maybe I'd look into Gear Krieg?)
Code Geass: Jovian Chronicles or Heavy Gear
Vampire Knight: Vampire: The Masquerade (Quickstart!) or Buffy
Tsubasa Chronicle: Shadowrun or Mini Six (though I did use M20 with that...)