Cathy, on 30 December 2013 - 05:27 AM, said:
You've got it backwards; the BT Locust is actually the "Ostall" from Crusher Joe, while none of the Unseen(/Reseen) are based on any mecha from any of the Gundam series.
Also, what you're calling "western mecha" (that is, the "non/barely-humanoid (sometimes-)walking tank" type, as opposed to the "nimble humanoid" type) are not so exclusively "western" - as demonstrated by the Ostall from Crusher Joe (novels in 1979, animation in 1983), the Tomahawk Destroid (upon which the BT Warhammer is based) & the Phalanx Destroid (upon which the BT Longbow is based) from Macross (original airing: Oct. 03, 1982), and the tracked-and-exclusively-cannon-armed Guntank (from the original MS Gundam; original airing: April 07, 1979).
Also, the "Gears" from Heavy Gear (original publishing: 1994) are blatantly ripped-off from the "Armored Troopers" from Armored Trooper VOTOMS (original airing: April 01, 1983) - same size, same ingress/egress method, similar weapon types & placement, and even the same "skates in the heels" gimmick.
As they say, "there is nothing new under the sun".
Edited by Strum Wealh, 30 December 2013 - 09:03 PM.