15 Animes Similar to Dino Mecard

Dino Mecard (2017) remixes the toy-battle formula by turning miniature cars into mechanical dinosaurs that bond with a scrappy grade-schooler out to prove himself1. Beneath the flashy transformations lies a surprisingly robust power system, an underdog hero arc, and frequent subversions of monster-of-the-week expectations that keep the stakes fresh.

The 15 titles below echo those strengths yet fly under most viewers’ radars; each offers inventive abilities, character growth against long odds, and storytelling twists that merit far more attention than they receive.

1. Majin Bone (2014)

• Streaming | Crunchyroll, YouTube
• Episodes | 52
• MAL Rating | 6.43
• Studio / Staff | Toei Animation; Dir. Kōsuke Yokota
• Awards | None
• Plot | Teenager Shōgo fuses with an ancient Bone Card to battle inter-dimensional invaders in armored forms.
• Similarities | Collectible cards unlock armor like Dino Mecard’s Mechanimals; Shōgo starts as a nobody and grows through tactical battles and teamwork.

2. LBX: Little Battlers Experience (2011)

• Streaming | Funimation (sub), Hulu
• Episodes | 44
• MAL Rating | 6.89
• Studio / Staff | OLM; Dir. Naohito Takahashi
• Plot | Middle-schooler Ban builds palm-sized mechs (LBX) and uncovers a global conspiracy.
• Similarities | Toy-to-battle premise, upgrading parts = evolving power system, and a classic school-kid underdog thrust into world-saving stakes.

3. Planet With (2018)

• Streaming | Crunchyroll
• Episodes | 12
• MAL Rating | 7.40
• Studio / Staff | J.C.Staff; Original creator Satoshi Mizukami (Lucifer & the Biscuit Hammer)
• Awards | Sci-Fi Japan “Best Hidden Gem” 2019
• Plot | Amnesiac teen Sōya pilots a cat-shaped mech against “hero” defenders whose ideals aren’t what they seem.
• Similarities | Flips hero/villain roles, reveals layered power rules mid-series, and turns a weak protagonist into a strategic threat.

4. Shinkalion THE ANIMATION (2018)

• Streaming | Netflix Japan, YouTube (JR Central channel)
• Episodes | 76
• MAL Rating | 6.88
• Studio / Staff | OLM & Synergy SP; Mecha designs by Shōji Kawamori
• Plot | Bullet-trains transform into giant robots piloted by kids to fight underground kaiju.
• Similarities | Vehicle-to-creature transformations, earnest child pilots proving adults wrong, and escalating combo modes akin to Dino Mecard’s fusions.

5. Radiant (2018)

• Streaming | Crunchyroll, Funimation
• Episodes | 42 (2 seasons)
• MAL Rating | 7.16
• Studio / Staff | Lerche; Adapted from French manga by Tony Valente
• Plot | “Cursed” sorcerer Seth hunts living catastrophes called Nemeses while society brands him a monster.
• Similarities | Articulated magic system, a pariah hero chasing recognition, and twists that undercut shōnen clichés.

6. World Trigger (2014)

• Streaming | Crunchyroll, Hulu
• Episodes | 99
• MAL Rating | 7.54
• Studio / Staff | Toei Animation; Series composer Hiroyuki Yoshino
• Plot | Border agents wield personalized “Triggers” to repel alien Neighbors while low-rank teams scramble up the ladder.
• Similarities | Rules-heavy gear, emphasis on tactics over brute force, and steady growth from bottom-tier rookies.

7. Onmyō Taisenki (2004)

• Streaming | RetroCrush
• Episodes | 51
• MAL Rating | 7.36
• Studio / Staff | Sunrise & Toei; Script by Ryōta Yamaguchi (Digimon Tamers)
• Plot | Ordinary boy Riku forms a contract with spirit warrior Kogenta to battle rival Twelve Blades.
• Similarities | Companion-summon combat, symbol-based spellcasting, and a protagonist climbing tournaments against seasoned foes.

8. Battle Spirits: Shounen Toppa Bashin (2008)

• Streaming | YouTube (Bandai Official)
• Episodes | 50
• MAL Rating | 6.92
• Studio / Staff | Sunrise; Card designs by Hirokazu Hisayuki
• Plot | Card duelist Bashin jumps between reality and the Spirits World where his decks manifest as monsters.
• Similarities | Hybrid card/creature mechanics, energetic underdog energy, and lively monster evolutions.

9. Build Divide: Code Black (2021)

• Streaming | Crunchyroll
• Episodes | 12
• MAL Rating | 6.58
• Studio / Staff | Liden Films; Original card game by Aniplex & Yūhodo
• Plot | A city’s hierarchy is set by victories in the AR card game Build Divide; rookie Teruto fights the king for a wish.
• Similarities | High-stakes matches where deck construction parallels Dino Mecard’s team-building, plus sharp reversals of who’s truly in control.

10. Future Card Buddyfight (2014)

• Streaming | Official YouTube (sub & dub)
• Episodes | 64 (Season 1)
• MAL Rating | 6.78
• Studio / Staff | OLM; Creator Bushiroad (TCG giant)
• Plot | Energetic Gao teams up with dragon buddy Drum Bunker to duel in real-space arenas.
• Similarities | Partner monsters with evolving forms, accessible yet deep power rules, and constant moral lessons about fair play.

11. Tenkai Knights (2013)

• Streaming | Netflix, Pluto TV
• Episodes | 52
• MAL Rating | 6.07
• Studio / Staff | Bones & Shogakukan; Mech design Shin Nagase
• Plot | Four Earth kids unlock block-morphing armor to defend the cube world Quarton.
• Similarities | Transforming toy tie-in, color-coded hero team, and twist reveals that their powers alter reality itself.

12. Obsolete (2019)

• Streaming | YouTube Premium (free w/ ads)
• Episodes | 12 (ONA shorts)
• MAL Rating | 7.19
• Studio / Staff | BUG Films; Created by Gen Urobuchi (Madoka)
• Awards | Seiun Award nominee 2021
• Plot | Aliens gift humanity cheap exo-frames, sparking grass-roots mech warfare across the globe.
• Similarities | Accessible power gear that lets ordinary people challenge giants, plus geo-political twists that upend expectations.

13. Dinosaur King (2007)

• Streaming | Netflix, Hulu
• Episodes | 49
• MAL Rating | 6.29
• Studio / Staff | Sunrise; Based on Sega arcade game
• Plot | Three kids revive fossil cards into real dinosaurs and race evil scientists to secure them.
• Similarities | Actual dinos + card mechanics, Saturday-morning pacing, and protagonists who win through ingenuity.

14. Danball Senki WARS (2013)

• Streaming | AniOne Asia (regional)
• Episodes | 37
• MAL Rating | 7.05
• Studio / Staff | OLM; Game developer Level-5
• Plot | At a military academy, students wage large-scale LBX battles that blur war games and real conflict.
• Similarities | Model-kit customization as power progression, clear underdog platoon, and rule-changes that constantly shake up tactics.

15. Zoids Wild (2018)

• Streaming | Netflix (select regions)
• Episodes | 50
• MAL Rating | 6.38
• Studio / Staff | OLM; Franchise reboot design Takao Kinoshita
• Plot | Youth Arashi bonds with the berserk raptor Wild Liger to challenge tyrannical empire hunters.
• Similarities | Dinosaur-shaped mecha partners, bonding triggers special modes, and a hero rising from scavenger to savior.

Why These Anime Work for Mentioned Anime Fans

Each pick expands on Dino Mecard’s winning formula: imaginative power systems that reward strategy, underdog leads who earn their upgrades, and narrative curveballs that prevent “monster-battle fatigue.” Whether you crave toyetic mechs, card-summoned beasts, or genre-bending twists, these underrated gems keep the spirit of Mechanimal duels roaring long after the final Dino Card flips.