The show builds a romance so gradual and human that by the time you realize it's happened, Renton and Eureka have already changed each other in ways that matter. Gekkostate isn't a cool mercenary squad, it's a found family held together by people running from something, and the mecha battles are just the language they use to avoid talking about it. The back half pivots hard into something messier and sadder than the premise promises, which breaks the show for some viewers but makes it unforgettable for the ones who stay.

Renton Thurston, a 14-year-old in the backwater town of Bellforest, works as a mechanic under his grandfather and longs for adventure beyond his mundane life. He dreams of joining Gekkostate, a mercenary pilot group, and living up to his late father's heroic reputation. His only thrill is riding the Trapar waves that fill the air, a pastime much like surfing. Everything changes when a robot called the Nirvash typeZERO crashes into his garage and its pilot, a girl named Eureka, asks for a tune-up. What follows is a mecha dogfight that puts Renton in the military's sights. Soon he is flying as the Nirvash's co-pilot beside Eureka and has been invited into Gekkostate, only to learn that a dream come true can have a dark side. Mecha action, adventure and romance drive this sci-fi drama.