Mecha
Encyclopedia
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
term for a large walking bipedal tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.
Characteristics
They are called mecha in Japanese. Mechs often appear in animeAnime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, science fiction, and other genres involving fantastic or futuristic elements. Mechs are generally, though not necessarily, bipedal and are best described as a mix between a tank and a robot. Some mechs have arms, hands, and fingers capable of grasping objects. A mech that approximates the shape of a human body may allow the use of martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
movements and swordsmanship
Swordsmanship
Swordsmanship refers to the skills of a swordsman, a person versed in the art of the sword. The term is modern, and as such was mainly used to refer to smallsword fencing, but by extension it can also be applied to any martial art involving the use of a sword...
, ceremonial acts of honor, saluting, and other human mannerisms.
Sometimes "Mechs" or Mecha" have a single use i.e. they can fly (but don't walk that well), are for Space Use, Desert or Jungle combat etc. Some are more like submarines than the giant transformable robots/mech/mecha that they are. At the other end of the spectrum are Mech(a) that are practical in any conditions, being as comfortable flying in air as to reentering our atmosphere from space, then submerging in water.
In most fiction in which they appear, mechs are war machines: essentially armored fighting vehicles with legs instead of tread
Tread
The tread of a tire or track refers to the rubber on its circumference that makes contact with the road. As tires are used, the tread is worn off, limiting its effectiveness in providing traction. A worn tire tread can often be retreaded. The word tread is often used incorrectly to refer to the...
s or wheel
Wheel
A wheel is a device that allows heavy objects to be moved easily through rotating on an axle through its center, facilitating movement or transportation while supporting a load, or performing labor in machines. Common examples found in transport applications. A wheel, together with an axle,...
s. Some stories, such as the manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
Patlabor
Patlabor
Patlabor also known as , is an anime and manga franchise created by Headgear, a group consisting of director Mamoru Oshii, writer Kazunori Itō, mecha designer Yutaka Izubuchi, character designer Akemi Takada, and manga artist Masami Yūki.The popular franchise included a manga, a TV series, two OVA...
and American wargame BattleTech
BattleTech
BattleTech is a wargaming and science fiction franchise launched by FASA Corporation in 1984, acquired by WizKids in 2000, and owned since 2003 by Topps. The series began with FASA's debut of the board game BattleTech by Jordan Weisman and L...
, also encompass mechs used for civilian purposes such as heavy construction work, police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
functions or firefighting.
Some science fiction universes posit that mechs are the primary means of combat, with conflicts sometimes being decided through gladiatorial matches
Gladiator
A gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the...
. Others represent mechs as one component of an integrated military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
force, supported by and fighting alongside tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s, fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
, and infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
, functioning as a mechanical cavalry. The applications often highlight the theoretical usefulness of such a device, combining a tank's resilience and fire power with infantry's ability to cross unstable terrain. In other cases they are demonstrated with a greater versatility in armament, such as in the Armored Core
Armored Core
Armored Core is a mecha-based video game series developed by From Software for the PlayStation Portable, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Mobile Phone platforms. Armored Core games are Mecha Simulation/third-person shooters, in which the player pilots a large mecha called an...
series of video games where mechs can utilize their hands to carry a wide range of armament in the same manner as a person, albeit on a much larger scale.
Rarely, mechs have been used in a fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
convention, most notably in the anime series Aura Battler Dunbine
Aura Battler Dunbine
is an anime television series created by Yoshiyuki Tomino and produced by Sunrise Studios.Dunbine is set in Byston Well, a parallel world that resembles the countryside of medieval Europe with kingdoms ruled by monarchs in castles, armies of unicorn-riding cavalry armed with swords and crossbows,...
, The Vision of Escaflowne
The Vision of Escaflowne
is a 26-episode Japanese anime television series produced by Sunrise Studios and directed by Kazuki Akane. It premiered in Japan on April 2, 1996 on TV Tokyo, with the final episode airing on September 24, 1996. Sony's anime satellite channel, Animax also aired the series, both in Japan and on its...
, Panzer World Galient
Panzer World Galient
is a 1984 Japanese fantasy and science fiction anime TV series produced by Sunrise company.-Production:The series premiered on TV in October 1984 and lasted 25 episodes...
and Maze
Maze (anime)
is a fantasy anime series featuring both sex-based humor and mecha themes that is based on an original light novel. The anime version was first released as a OVA then a full length TV series and finally as a sequel movie. The OVA and TV anime versions were licensed in the U.S. by Central Park Media...
. In those cases, the mech designs are usually based on some alternative or 'lost' science-fiction technology from ancient times.
The range of Mech(a) go from Fantasy (built of fantastical materials, having magical or mystical abilities and technologies, etc.), to Alien (such as when alien tech is found and used or incorporated by humans) to very current and "Realistic" looking machines, (with military markings such as warning signs near jet thrusters and intakes, rivets, cockpits similar to current jet craft, machine gun bullet belts feeding arm mounted .50 callibur guns, etc..).
Early history
Jules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne was a French author who pioneered the science fiction genre. He is best known for his novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea , A Journey to the Center of the Earth , and Around the World in Eighty Days...
novel La Maison à vapeur (The Steam House)
The Steam House
The Steam House is a Jules Verne novel recounting the travels of a group of British colonists in the Raj in a wheeled house pulled by a steam-powered mechanical elephant...
featured a steam-powered, piloted, mechanical elephant. One of the first appearances of such machines in modern literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
was the tripods
Tripod (The War of the Worlds)
Tripods or fighting-machines are a type of fictional three-legged walker from the H. G. Wells' classic science fiction novel The War of the Worlds, used by Martians to invade Earth.-Novel:...
of H. G. Wells
H. G. Wells
Herbert George Wells was an English author, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing text books and rules for war games...
' famous The War of the Worlds. The novel does not contain a fully detailed description of the tripods (or "fighting-machine", as they are known in the novel) mode of locomotion
Motion (physics)
In physics, motion is a change in position of an object with respect to time. Change in action is the result of an unbalanced force. Motion is typically described in terms of velocity, acceleration, displacement and time . An object's velocity cannot change unless it is acted upon by a force, as...
, however it is hinted at: "Can you imagine a milking stool tilted and bowled violently along the ground? That was the impression those instant flashes gave. But instead of a milking stool imagine it a great body of machinery on a tripod stand."
Mechs were popularized by Japanese anime and manga. The first humanoid giant robot is Tetsujin 28-Go
Tetsujin 28-go
is a 1956 manga written and illustrated by Mitsuteru Yokoyama, who also created Giant Robo. The series centred on the adventures of a young boy named Shotaro Kaneda, who controlled a giant robot named Tetsujin 28, built by his late father....
, introduced in 1956. Tetsujin is, however, controlled externally via remote control by an operator. The first occurrence of mech robots being piloted by a user from within a cockpit was introduced in the manga and anime series Mazinger Z
Mazinger Z
, known briefly as Tranzor Z in United States, is a Super Robot manga and anime series created by Go Nagai. The first manga version was serialized in Shueisha Weekly Shōnen Jump from October 1972 to August 1973, and it later continued in Kodansha TV Magazine from October 1973 to September 1974. In...
by Go Nagai
Go Nagai
, better known by the penname , is a Japanese manga artist and a prolific author of science fiction, fantasy, horror and erotica. He made his professional debut in 1967 with Meakashi Polikichi, but is best known for creating Cutie Honey, Devilman, and Mazinger Z in the 1970s. In 2005, he became a...
, first published in 1972.
Word origin and usage
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
, guns
Firearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
, computers, and other devices. In this sense, it is extended to humanoid, human-sized robots and such things as the boomers from Bubblegum Crisis
Bubblegum Crisis
is a Japanese cyberpunk direct-to-video animated series. It displays strong influences from Blade Runner, also making occasional references to it.- Setting :...
, the similar replicant
Replicant
A replicant is a bioengineered or biorobotic being created in the film Blade Runner . The Nexus series—genetically designed by the Tyrell Corporation—are virtually identical to an adult human, but have superior strength, agility, and variable intelligence depending on the model...
s of Blade Runner
Blade Runner
Blade Runner is a 1982 American science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young. The screenplay, written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples, is loosely based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K...
, and cyborg
Cyborg
A cyborg is a being with both biological and artificial parts. The term was coined in 1960 when Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline used it in an article about the advantages of self-regulating human-machine systems in outer space. D. S...
s can be referred to as mecha, as well as mundane real-life objects such as industrial robots, cars and even toasters. The Japanese use the term or "giant robots" to distinguish limbed vehicles from other mechanical devices. The first widespread English language usage of the term was in the animated series Robotech
Robotech
Robotech is an 85-episode science fiction anime adaptation produced by Harmony Gold USA in association with Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd. and first released in the United States in 1985...
, an English dubbing and rewriting of three different anime series into a single story. Since then the term's usage in the West has mostly been associated with either robotic (occasionally transforming) vehicles or powered armored battlesuits worn like exoskeletons. There are exceptions: in the film A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, the word is used to describe "mechanicals" (robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
ic humanoid
Humanoid
A humanoid is something that has an appearance resembling a human being. The term first appeared in 1912 to refer to fossils which were morphologically similar to, but not identical with, those of the human skeleton. Although this usage was common in the sciences for much of the 20th century, it...
s), as opposed to "orga" for "organics" (humans).
"Mech" typically does not refer to form-fitting garments such as the Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
armor. Armored suit mechs tend to be much larger and bulkier than the wearer and the wearer's limbs may or may not actually extend completely into the respective limbs.
The term "mech" is used to describe such vehicles considerably more often in Western entertainment than in Asian entertainment. "Mech" as a term originated from the BattleTech
BattleTech
BattleTech is a wargaming and science fiction franchise launched by FASA Corporation in 1984, acquired by WizKids in 2000, and owned since 2003 by Topps. The series began with FASA's debut of the board game BattleTech by Jordan Weisman and L...
series (where it is often written as 'Mech, short for BattleMech or OmniMech), and is not used in Japan in other contexts except as an unintentional misspelling of "mecha". (One exception is the Japanese version of BattleTech, which attempts to retain the English word.) In Japanese, "robot" is the more frequent term (see Other, below).
In manga and anime
In Japan, "robot anime" (known as "mecha anime" outside Japan) is a genre that features the machines as the central plot points. Here, the average robot mechs are usually fourteen feet (4.3 m) tall at the smallest, outfitted with a wide variety of weapons, and quite frequently have tie-ins with toy manufacturers. However, the robots can get up to 500 m tall (as in BokuranoBokurano
is a Japanese science fiction manga by Mohiro Kitoh that was serialized in the monthly manga magazine Ikki from 2003 to 2009; 11 tankōbon have been published by Shogakukan...
). The Gundam
Gundam
The is a metaseries of anime created by Sunrise studios that features giant robots called "Mobile Suits" ; usually the protagonist's MS will carry the name Gundam....
franchise is a prominent example: Gundam toys and model kits (produced by the Japanese toymaker Bandai
Bandai
is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...
) are ubiquitous in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
The size of mechs can vary according to the story and concepts involved. Some of them may not be considerably taller than a tank (Armored Trooper Votoms
Armored Trooper Votoms
is a 52-episode anime television series, created by Ryosuke Takahashi and Sunrise, featuring mechanical designs by Kunio Okawara. The series originally aired in Japan from April 1, 1983 to March 23, 1984 on TV Tokyo...
, Megazone 23
Megazone 23
is a four-part original video animation created by AIC, written by Hiroyuki Hoshiyama, and directed by Noboru Ishiguro, Ichiro Itano, Kenichi Yatagai and Shinji Aramaki. The series was originally titled but the title was changed just before release....
, Code Geass), some may be a few stories tall (Gundam
Gundam
The is a metaseries of anime created by Sunrise studios that features giant robots called "Mobile Suits" ; usually the protagonist's MS will carry the name Gundam....
, Escaflowne, Bismark) and others can be as tall as a skyscraper
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
(Space Runaway Ideon
Space Runaway Ideon
is a 1980 anime television series produced by Sunrise.-Production:Ideon was created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, and was the series he produced immediately following his most famous work, Mobile Suit Gundam....
, Genesis of Aquarion
Genesis of Aquarion
is an anime TV series written and directed by Shoji Kawamori, produced by Satelight.The science fiction series is a homage to the Super Robot shows of the 1970s and 1980s, executed with modern animation techniques and aesthetics...
, Neon Genesis Evangelion
Neon Genesis Evangelion
, commonly referred to as Evangelion, is a commercially and critically successful Japanese anime series that began airing in October 1995. The series was highly influential, and launched the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. It garnered several major animation awards...
). There are also mechs which are big enough to contain the population of an entire city (Macross
Macross
is a series of science fiction mecha anime, directed by Shōji Kawamori of Studio Nue in 1982. The franchise features a fictional history of Earth/Humanity after the year 1999. It consists of three TV series, four movies, six OVAs, one light novel and five manga series, all sponsored by Big West...
), some the size of a planet (Diebuster
Diebuster
Diebuster, known in Japan as is a six episode anime Original Video Animation series created by Gainax in 2004.The first episode was aired on October 3, 2004, while the final episode was released on August 14, 2005. A movie, officially titled retells and recaps the end of the first Gunbuster OVA...
) and some the size of a large galaxy (Getter Robo
Getter Robo
is a Super Robot manga series created by Go Nagai and Ken Ishikawa, as well as an anime series produced by Toei Animation. The series was broadcast on Fuji TV from April 4, 1974 to May 8, 1975, with a total of 51 episodes.- Plot :...
, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann). Some are even implied to be able to be as large as the universe (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Lagann-hen). And then there are some that are so big the universe they are in collapses and they fight in the space outside (Demonbane
Demonbane
is a series by Nitroplus with mecha and Cthulhu Mythos elements. Beginning as an eroge for the PC, it was ported into a PlayStation 2 non-eroge remake, a sequel visual novel, a prequel novel, a television anime adaptation and a conversion to manga...
).
The genre started with Mitsuteru Yokoyama's 1956 manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
Tetsujin 28-go
Tetsujin 28-go
is a 1956 manga written and illustrated by Mitsuteru Yokoyama, who also created Giant Robo. The series centred on the adventures of a young boy named Shotaro Kaneda, who controlled a giant robot named Tetsujin 28, built by his late father....
(which was later animated in 1963 and also released abroad as Gigantor
Gigantor
Gigantor is an American adaptation of the anime version of Tetsujin 28-go, a manga by Mitsuteru Yokoyama released in 1956. It debuted on U.S. television in 1964. As with Speed Racer, the characters' original names were altered and the original series' violence was toned down for American viewers...
). Its inclusion is debatable however, as the robot was controlled by remote instead of a cockpit in the machine. Not long after that the genre was largely defined by author Go Nagai
Go Nagai
, better known by the penname , is a Japanese manga artist and a prolific author of science fiction, fantasy, horror and erotica. He made his professional debut in 1967 with Meakashi Polikichi, but is best known for creating Cutie Honey, Devilman, and Mazinger Z in the 1970s. In 2005, he became a...
, into something considerably more fantastical. Mazinger Z
Mazinger Z
, known briefly as Tranzor Z in United States, is a Super Robot manga and anime series created by Go Nagai. The first manga version was serialized in Shueisha Weekly Shōnen Jump from October 1972 to August 1973, and it later continued in Kodansha TV Magazine from October 1973 to September 1974. In...
, his most famous creation, was not only the first successful Super Robot
Super Robot
is a term used in manga and anime to describe a giant robot or mecha, with an arsenal of fantastic super-powered weapons, extreme resistance to damage unless the plot calls for it, sometimes transformable or combined from two or more robots and/or vehicles usually piloted by young, daring heroes,...
anime series, but also the pioneer of the genre staples like robots being piloted by the hero from within a cockpit and weapons that were activated by the hero calling out their names ("Rocket Punch!"). According to Go Nagai:
This led to his creation of the Mazinger Z, which featured giant robots which were "piloted by means of a small flying car and command center that docked inside the head." It was also a pioneer in die-cast metal toys
Die-cast toy
The term die-cast toy here refers to any toy or collectible model produced by using the die casting method. The toys are made of metal, with plastic, rubber or glass details. Wholly plastic toys are made by a similar process of injection moulding, but the two are rarely confused...
such as the Chogokin
Chogokin
is Japanese for "Super Alloy" and is a fictitious material which first appeared in Go Nagai's Mazinger Z manga and anime. It was later adopted by Popy in 1972 as the name of a new line of die-cast metal robot and character toys sold in Japan...
series in Japan and the Shogun Warriors in the U.S., that were (and still are) very popular with children and collectors.
Robot/mech anime and manga differ vastly in storytelling and animation quality from title to title, and content ranges all the way from children's shows to ones intended for an older teen or adult audience.
There are also series that merge genres, such as the Japanese 'Mazinger' franchise that incorporate aesthetic elements from Monster Movies and Horror films of the late 30's through the 1970's. This is evident in the line of toys manufactured by Fewture representing Mazinger as well as other Mecha.
There has been debate as to the actual combat usefulness of the more limited Mechs (such as those that are only 'Land Use' or 'Land Operational' Mechs). The argument is that in the age of 'Smart Bombs' and Air to Land Missiles (launched from Jet Aircraft), Mech would be 'sitting ducks'. The Japanese Anime Series "Gundam" addresses this problem in that, in their storyline, a particle has been discovered that obfuscates radar and thermal imaging (heat sensors)...making line of site fire necessary between combatants no matter what type of vehicle they may be in. A side note here, the Gundam Universe is an ever expanding, ever complex franchise of Books/Tv Shows/Movies/Toys etc. that is worth looking into. It has become such a phenomenon (in Japan especially), that the basic "good guy" and "bad Guy" ('Gundam' and 'Zaku' mechs respectively) have become cultural icons in themselves. Likenesses of the two appear on products ranging from noodlecups to pencils to automobile packages offered by car dealerships and kitchen decorations. In 2010 Bandai Entertainment, the company responsible for the Franchise built a lifesize 1:1 version of the Gundam Mech, standing at 18 meters.
In some anime series, the materials used to make the Mech(a) are virtually impenetrable to any of the currently (known) weapons of our day and age (except for Nuclear blasts). Often, only a few such Mech(a) are produced, and are reserved for research or ace pilots. These can be piloted with different types of devices, which range from joystics and footpedals to mental and neural interfaces.
Some robot mechs are capable of transformation (Macross
Macross
is a series of science fiction mecha anime, directed by Shōji Kawamori of Studio Nue in 1982. The franchise features a fictional history of Earth/Humanity after the year 1999. It consists of three TV series, four movies, six OVAs, one light novel and five manga series, all sponsored by Big West...
, Zeta Gundam
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
is a television anime, part of the Gundam series and a sequel to the original Mobile Suit Gundam. The show was created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, with character designs by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, while the series' mechanical designs is split amongst Kunio Okawara, Mamoru Nagano, and Kazumi Fujita...
) or combining to form even bigger ones (Beast King GoLion and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann). Go Nagai
Go Nagai
, better known by the penname , is a Japanese manga artist and a prolific author of science fiction, fantasy, horror and erotica. He made his professional debut in 1967 with Meakashi Polikichi, but is best known for creating Cutie Honey, Devilman, and Mazinger Z in the 1970s. In 2005, he became a...
is also often credited with inventing this in 1974 with the television series Getter Robo
Getter Robo
is a Super Robot manga series created by Go Nagai and Ken Ishikawa, as well as an anime series produced by Toei Animation. The series was broadcast on Fuji TV from April 4, 1974 to May 8, 1975, with a total of 51 episodes.- Plot :...
.
The mecha genre, one of the oldest genres in anime, is still alive and well in the new millennium, with revival OVAs like Getter Robo: Armageddon and Mazinkaiser
Mazinkaiser
is an anime OVA series, inspired by Go Nagai's Mazinger series. The OVA follows Kouji Kabuto, Tetsuya Tsurugi and the rest of the "Mazinger Team" as they fight against Dr. Hell's Mechanical Beasts....
from the Super Robot
Super Robot
is a term used in manga and anime to describe a giant robot or mecha, with an arsenal of fantastic super-powered weapons, extreme resistance to damage unless the plot calls for it, sometimes transformable or combined from two or more robots and/or vehicles usually piloted by young, daring heroes,...
tradition, the recent Mobile Suit Gundam 00
Mobile Suit Gundam 00
is an anime TV series, the eleventh incarnation of Sunrise's long-running Gundam franchise consisting of two seasons. It is directed by Seiji Mizushima and written by Yōsuke Kuroda, and features character designs by Yun Kōga. The twenty-five episode season was officially announced by Sunrise...
, Macross Frontier
Macross Frontier
is a Japanese animated science fiction space drama that aired in Japan on MBS from April 3, 2008 to September 25, 2008. It is the most recent Japanese anime television series set in the Macross universe. Animated by Satelight, premiered Japan on MBS on April 3, 2008...
, Code Geass, Basquash!
Basquash!
is a sports and sci-fi anime which aired on Mainichi Broadcasting System. It involves characters playing basketball while riding mecha. The series premise was created by Thomas Romain and Shoji Kawamori, with the animation produced by Satelight. Shoji Kawamori is handling the project direction,...
and Rideback
Rideback
, typeset in Japan as RIDEBACK and RideBack, is a Japanese manga series created by Tetsurō Kasahara. It was serialized in Shogakukan's monthly Ikki magazine from March 2003 to January 2009, spanning a total of ten volumes. Set in Japan in 2020, it follows the story of female student Rin Ogata as...
from the Real Robot
Real Robot
is a genre of Japanese animation. The genre contains mecha robots that are powered by conventional power sources and weapons explainable by real world science, and that use ranged weapons and speed to survive battle situations....
genre, and Reideen
Reideen
is a Japanese animated television series remake of the 1975 Super Robot anime Brave Reideen. It was produced by Production I.G and directed by Mitsuru Hongo. Which was originally broadcast on the satellite network WOWOW in 2007....
, a recent remake of the 1975 hit series Brave Raideen
Brave Raideen
is a super robot anime series. Produced by Tohokushinsha, Asahi News Agency and Sunrise, it aired on NET from 4 April 1975 to 26 March 1976, with a total of 50 episodes...
. Other recent anime series in the mecha genre include Heroic Age
Heroic Age (anime)
is a science fiction anime directed by Toshimasa Suzuki. It is produced by XEBEC and airs on Japanese television networks. The series first aired on April 1, 2007 and ended on September 30, 2007, with 26 episodes....
and particularly Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, a Super Robot anime with a few elements from the Real Robot genre.
Not all mechs need be completely mechanical. Some have biological components with which to interface with their pilots, and some are partially biological themselves, such as Neon Genesis Evangelion
Neon Genesis Evangelion
, commonly referred to as Evangelion, is a commercially and critically successful Japanese anime series that began airing in October 1995. The series was highly influential, and launched the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. It garnered several major animation awards...
, Eureka Seven
Eureka Seven
Eureka Seven, known in Japan as , is a mecha anime TV series by Bones. Eureka Seven tells the story of Renton Thurston and the outlaw group Gekkostate, his relationship with the enigmatic mecha pilot Eureka, and the mystery of the Coralians....
, and Zoids
Zoids
is a multi-media model-kit-based franchise originating from Japanese toy company Tomy ; though now produced by various companies through licenses. The majority of the franchise is built around and focused on the various model kit series...
.
In film
Perhaps the most well-known example of mechs in Western cultureWestern culture
Western culture, sometimes equated with Western civilization or European civilization, refers to cultures of European origin and is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and...
are the Walker
Walker (Star Wars)
Walkers are vehicles from the Star Wars universe that traverse the landscape on mechanical legs. They are used by the Old Republic and the Galactic Empire for ground assault or transport. Throughout the saga, walkers have played a pivotal role in the fate of characters and the outcome of battles...
s such as the AT-AT and AT-ST from the Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
series of films.
The Hollywood movie Aliens
Aliens (film)
Aliens is a 1986 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and starring Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Lance Henriksen, William Hope, and Bill Paxton...
featured a cargoloader as a civilian variant of a mech. The film Robot Jox
Robot Jox
Robot Jox is a 1990 science fiction film directed by Stuart Gordon, and starring Gary Graham, Anne-Marie Johnson, and Paul Koslo.-Plot:Fifty years after a nuclear holocaust, open war is forbidden by the surviving nations, which have merged into two opposing super-nations: the American-influenced...
, featuring two giant mech fight scenes, and the Japanese live-action film Gunhed
Gunhed (film)
is a 1989 Japanese live-action mecha film. It is an adaptation of the manga "Gunhed" by Kia Asamiya.-Plot:In 2038, a gang of scavengers infiltrate an industrial complex on a island within a prohibited zone. They are looking for the element Texmexium, which is rare and very valuable...
are other examples.
In Matrix Revolutions Captain Mifune leads the human defense of Zion, piloting open-cockpit mech-like machines called APUs against invading Sentinels.
In Starship Troopers 3: Marauder, mechs with rapid-fire, machine gun and flame-thrower arms were used near the end of the film, and were under the command of the main character, Johnny Rico.
Mechagodzilla
Mechagodzilla
is a fictional character from various films in the Godzilla series, introduced in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla . He is Godzilla's mechanical doppelgänger and one of the most popular Toho kaiju...
, from the Godzilla series, is a giant robot rather than a mech.
In James Cameron's
James Cameron
James Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor...
2009 film Avatar, mechs are used as instruments of war called AMPs.
A heavily weaponized powered exoskeleton
Powered exoskeleton
A powered exoskeleton, also known as powered armor, or exoframe, is a powered mobile machine consisting primarily of an exoskeleton-like framework worn by a person and a power supply that supplies at least part of the activation-energy for limb movement.Powered exoskeletons are designed to assist...
that envelops the operator is featured in the 2009 film District 9
District 9
District 9 is a 2009 South African science fiction thriller film directed by Neill Blomkamp. It was written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, and produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham. The film stars Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, and David James...
, and aptly named the Exo-suit.
In games
Vehicular combat game
Vehicular combat games are typically video or computer games where the primary focus of play concerns automobiles or other vehicles, normally armed with guns or other weaponry, attempting to destroy vehicles controlled by the CPU or by opposing players...
and shooter game
Shooter game
Shooter games are a sub-genre of action game, which often test the player's speed and reaction time. It includes many subgenres that have the commonality of focusing "on the actions of the avatar using some sort of weapon. Usually this weapon is a gun, or some other long-range weapon". A common...
s, including Sesame Japan's side-scrolling shooter game Vastar
Vastar
Vastar is a 1983's arcade game. It's the only known game released by Sesame Japan Corporation company. - History :...
in 1983, various Gundam games such as the first-person shooter
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
s Mobile Suit Gundam: Last Shooting in 1984 and Z-Gundam: Hot Scramble in 1986, the run and gun shooters Hover Attack in 1984 and Thexder
Thexder
is a classic action-arcade game from Game Arts, released on a number of platforms throughout the late 1980's and 1990.-Background:In the game, the player is a fighter robot, but is able to transform into a jet. Originally released in 1985 for the NEC PC-8801 platform in Japan, the game quickly...
in 1985, and Arsys Software's 3D
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
role-playing shooters WiBArm in 1986 and Star Cruiser in 1988.
A popular classic of mechs in games is the MechWarrior series of video games, which takes place in the Battletech
BattleTech
BattleTech is a wargaming and science fiction franchise launched by FASA Corporation in 1984, acquired by WizKids in 2000, and owned since 2003 by Topps. The series began with FASA's debut of the board game BattleTech by Jordan Weisman and L...
universe. Another game, Heavy Gear 2
Heavy Gear
Heavy Gear is a game universe published since 1994 by Canadian publisher Dream Pod 9. It includes a tabletop tactical wargame, a role-playing game and a lesser known combat card game...
offers a complex yet semi-realistic control system for its mechs in both terrain
Terrain
Terrain, or land relief, is the vertical and horizontal dimension of land surface. When relief is described underwater, the term bathymetry is used...
and outer space
Outer space
Outer space is the void that exists between celestial bodies, including the Earth. It is not completely empty, but consists of a hard vacuum containing a low density of particles: predominantly a plasma of hydrogen and helium, as well as electromagnetic radiation, magnetic fields, and neutrinos....
warfare. Armored Core is one of the more popular Japanese franchises today, combining industrial customizable mech designs with fast-paced action. Rivalling Armored Core is Front Mission
Front Mission
is a collection of video games and related media produced by Square, now Square Enix. The series was created by Toshiro Tsuchida and developed by G-Craft, a studio that was later absorbed by Square and is now with Square Enix as Product Development Division-6...
, a Turn based tactics series of games by Square
Square (company)
was a Japanese video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. It merged with Enix in 2003 and became part of Square Enix...
. It features Japanese mech designs with more realistic physics, reserving the lightning speed common in the Japanese mech genre to special machines. Older American Tabletop games, Battletech
BattleTech
BattleTech is a wargaming and science fiction franchise launched by FASA Corporation in 1984, acquired by WizKids in 2000, and owned since 2003 by Topps. The series began with FASA's debut of the board game BattleTech by Jordan Weisman and L...
, uses hex-maps, miniatures & paper record sheets that allow players to use mechs in tactical situations and record realistic damage, while add RPG elements when desired.
Mech-like bipedal tanks called Metal Gears
Metal Gear (weapon)
is the name for a series of fictional mecha in the Metal Gear series. In the series, a Metal Gear is defined as a bipedal nuclear equipped tank, but in the case of Metal Gear RAY, is a large bipedal tank designed to destroy other Metal Gear...
are a recurring element in the Metal Gear series
Metal Gear (series)
is a series of stealth video games created by Hideo Kojima and developed and published by Konami. The first game, Metal Gear, was released in 1987 for the MSX2. The player takes control of a special forces operative Solid Snake who is assigned to find the eponymous superweapon "Metal Gear", a...
. Iconic Metal Gears of the series include the Metal Gear D in Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
is an overhead stealth action game that was originally released by Konami in for the MSX2 computer standard exclusively in Japan. Metal Gear 2 was directed and written by Hideo Kojima, who also designed the MSX2 version of the original Metal Gear...
, Metal Gear REX in Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid
is a videogame by Hideo Kojima. The game was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and first published by Konami in 1998 for the PlayStation video game console. It is the sequel to Kojimas early MSX2 computer games Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake...
, and Metal Gear RAY in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
is a stealth action video game directed by Hideo Kojima, developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2 in 2001....
. The most common feature of a Metal Gear is the capability to launch nuclear missiles, though this feature is absent in the two newest models in the series; Metal Gears RAY and GEKKO. Unlike in many mech-featuring series, Metal Gears are not numerous or widely used (except the small, unmanned GEKKOs). Most of the Metal Gears featured in the series are prototypes. In the series, they are usually called "the ultimate weapon" and "the missing link between infantry and artillery".
In the tabletop game Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, set in a dystopian science fantasy universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, sharing many game mechanics...
, the Tau use Mech Battlesuits while the Imperium as a whole use Dreadnoughts (for the Space Marines) and Sentinels (for the Imperial Guard) as walkers, as well as huge Titans. The Orks also use huge, ragtag mechs called gargants and smaller-sized Deffdreads and Killa-kans, which are basically walking scrap metal with varying types of ranged and close combat weapons (killy bitz) and a wired-in driver. The Eldar also use their particular version of titans, which are often more agile and compact than their Imperial counterparts, as well as the smaller wraithlords (although the latter does not have a pilot as such, they are controlled by the spirit of a dead Eldar contained in a 'soulstone').
Another example is in the game Battlefield 2142
Battlefield 2142
Battlefield 2142 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Digital Illusions CE and produced by Electronic Arts . It is the fourth game in the Battlefield series...
, in which mechs fight alongside conventional military units such as infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
, tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s, gunships, and APCs in the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
's and Pan-Asian Coalition's military forces.
The Monolith Productions
Monolith Productions
Monolith Productions is a Kirkland, Washington-based computer game developer. Monolith is also known for the development of the graphical game engine Lithtech, which has been used for most of their games...
game Shogo: Mobile Armor Division
Shogo: Mobile Armor Division
Shogo: Mobile Armor Division is a first person shooter video game released by Monolith Productions in 1998. It was the first game to use Monolith's flagship Lithtech engine. It has heavy influences from Japanese anime, particularly Patlabor, Appleseed, and the various Gundam series...
blended Mech game-play with that of traditional first-person shooter
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
games. The game was divided into a series of missions with some having the player play on-foot as in a normal first person shooter while also having missions where the player could select through a variety of Mechs (referred to as "MCAs"in the game). A similar concept appears, although much less developed, in the game Quake 4
Quake 4
Quake 4 is the fourth title in the series of Quake first-person shooter computer games. The game was developed by Raven Software and published by Activision. Raven Software has collaborated with id Software, the creators and historical developers of preceding Quake games...
, where the player can drive Mechs as well as other vehicles while the game is still primarily focused on ground based human combat. Dark Horizons: Lore Invasion took gameplay aspects of first-person shooter
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
games such as Unreal Tournament 2004
Unreal Tournament 2004
Unreal Tournament 2004, also known as UT2K4 and UT2004, is a futuristic first-person shooter computer game developed by Epic Games and Digital Extremes...
and blended it with that of traditional Mecha simulation games.
In real-time strategy
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
(RTS) game Command & Conquer Red Alert 3, a number of the vehicles of the Empire of the Rising Sun are referred to as mech, since they are capable of transforming from ground or sea units to aerial fighters, granting them additional flexibility in battle but making them closer to robots then to true mechs. One such unit is called the Mecha Tengu.
Command & Conquer 2 Tiberian Sun features more conventional/realistic mechs including the bipedal Wolverine, Titan and the 4-legged Mammoth Mk2. All 3 take the role of armored vehicles on the side of the GDI. The Wolverine is a light anti-infantry vehicle. The Titan with its 120mm gun and heavy armor is essentially a walking main battle tank and as such the primary combat unit of the GDI. The Mammoth Mk2 is a heavily armored super-unit with railguns of which the player is only allowed to have 1. Another RTS with mech units is StarCraft
StarCraft
StarCraft is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. The first game of the StarCraft series was released for Microsoft Windows on 31 March 1998. With more than 11 million copies sold worldwide as of February 2009, it is one of the best-selling...
, with mechs called Goliaths. In StarCraft II, the Viking and Thor mechs are introduced. The Viking is primarily an Air-to-air fighter which can transform to a ground mech, similar to the Goliath. The Thor is a powerful, large assault mech.
In the RTS game series Empire Earth
Empire Earth (series)
The Empire Earth series is a franchise of real-time strategy computer games developed by Stainless Steel Studios and Mad Doc Software, and published by Sierra Entertainment, Activision, and Vivendi. The games in the series are historical RTS games that are similar to Age of Empires...
, the last epochs in the games allows players to build mechs.
In the game Supreme Commander, the player takes control of a mech known as the Armoured Command Unit (ACU). The player uses the ACU to build up armies. The ACU is upgradable and can defend itself. Due to its power source, the ACU sets off a thermo-nuclear explosion when destroyed. Other units in the game are also mechs ranging in size and firepower.
The critically and commercially successful Square
Square (company)
was a Japanese video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. It merged with Enix in 2003 and became part of Square Enix...
role-playing video game
Role-playing video game
Role-playing video games are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests...
(re-released by Square-Enix) Xenogears
Xenogears
is a science-fiction console role-playing game developed and published by Square for Sony's PlayStation. It was released on February 11, 1998 in Japan and on October 20, 1998 in North America. The game was never released in PAL territories...
also featured mechs, called gears. Mechs appear in the game as a prominent part of the convoluted story line and part of the game's innovative combat system as well as a mini-game fighting arena.
A more recent game, Chromehounds
Chromehounds
is a video game for the Xbox 360. The game is set in an alternate universe where mechanised HOUNDs battle for control of Neroimus, a fictional region somewhere near Black Sea . The game features a system for personalized customization of the player's mech and an online campaign mode where players...
was developed by From Software
From Software
is a Japanese video game company founded in November 1986 known primarily for being the developers of the Armored Core, Demon's Souls, King's Field, Otogi and Tenchu series.-Games:...
for the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
. This game featured a more 'realistic' take on mechs, with much slower speeds and realistic modern weapons payloads. A large feature of this series was the heavy customizability of the Hounds, as they are called.
Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
's Zone of the Enders
Zone of the Enders
The soundtrack to Zone of the Enders was released April 25, 2001 on the album Zone of the Enders Z.O.E Original Soundtrack by Konami Music Entertainment. Almost all the music was composed by the trio , and . Also, composed "Global 2 " and , "City ". The theme song "KISS ME SUNLIGHTS" was composed...
is a series of action game
Action game
Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some...
s centred around mech combat for the PlayStation 2. In this instance the mechs are at a skyscraper scale and employ energy weaponry only. There is one level in its sequel in which the player battles a fleet of airborne naval frigates under the guise of the BAHRAM military coporation, which is the developer of Orbital Frame technology and the general antagonist. The commander of this coporation, Colonel Nohman, is the primary antagonist. The most intimidating Orbital Frame, Anubis, is his frame of choice in his mission to eliminate the universe. Orbital Frames can be taken from ground to air to space and beyond.
Also worth noting are the Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
games Metal Head
Metal Head
Metal Head is a 3D first-person shooter mecha simulation video game developed and published by Sega, and released in 1994 for the Mega Drive's 32X add-on, allowing for fully texture-mapped polygons.- Story :...
, a 3D first-person shooter, and Virtual On
Virtual On
is a series of video games created by Sega AM-3 . The original series was first published for arcades in February 1995. The game features fast, action-oriented gameplay requiring quick reflexes...
, a series of fast-paced, one-on-one, mech fighting game
Fighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
s.
In television
The version of the Iron MongerIron Monger
The Iron Monger is an identity used by several fictional supervillains published by Marvel Comics. The first and most notable person to take up the identity is Obadiah Stane...
featured in Iron Man: Armored Adventures
Iron Man: Armored Adventures
Iron Man: Armored Adventures is a 3D CGI cartoon series based on the Marvel Comics superhero Iron Man. It debuted in the USA on the Nicktoons on April 24, 2009, and has already begun airing on Canadian network Teletoon. The series is story edited by showrunner Christopher Yost, who also worked on...
is much larger than most other versions, about as tall as a six story house. During its test, it was referred to as mecha.
The American animated series Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!
Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!
Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!, commonly known by its initialism, SRMTHFG, is an American/Japanese anime television series, and was created by Ciro Nieli, one of the directors of Teen Titans, with animation being done by a Japanese studio known as The Answer Studio...
features a giant robot.
The American animated series Megas XLR
Megas XLR
Megas XLR is an American animated television series that aired on the Toonami block on Cartoon Network and is produced by Cartoon Network Studios. It was created by Jody Schaeffer and George Krstic...
also features a giant robot named Megas.
Other
- The Great Spirit is a forty-million-foot-tall robot from the BionicleBionicleBionicle is a line of toys by the LEGO Group marketed primarily for 5- to 16-year-olds. The line was launched on December 30, 2000 in Europe and June/July 2001 in Canada and the United States. "Bionicle" is a portmanteau constructed from the words "biological" and "chronicle"...
mythos. Though not necessarily made as a vehicle, it houses the Matoran Universe, a whole system of continents and oceans. There are also various other characters and species (such as the Exo Toa and the Bohrok) which can be considered mechs on a tiny scale.
- The Exo-ForceLego Exo-ForceLEGO Exo-Force is a LEGO toy line based on the popular mecha genre from Japanese manga and anime. Mecha fans have long used LEGO bricks to build both imaginative new designs and their interpretations of classic mecha, but Exo-Force is the first time LEGO has dedicated a whole toy line to this...
line featured humans and machines battling each other in mechs, better known in the line as "Battle Machines".
Real walking vehicles
Mass production
Mass production is the production of large amounts of standardized products, including and especially on assembly lines...
.
A "walking vehicle" is a vehicle that moves on legs rather than wheels or tracks. Walking vehicles have been constructed with anywhere from one to more than eight legs. They are classified according to the number of legs with common configurations being one leg (pogo stick
Pogo stick
A pogo stick is a device for jumping off the ground in a standing position with the aid of a spring, used as a toy or exercise equipment. It consists of a pole with a handle at the top and footrests near the bottom, and a spring located somewhere along the pole...
or "hopper"), two legs (biped
Biped
Bipedalism is a form of terrestrial locomotion where an organism moves by means of its two rear limbs, or legs. An animal or machine that usually moves in a bipedal manner is known as a biped , meaning "two feet"...
), four legs (quadruped), and six legs (hexapod
Hexapod (robotics)
A six-legged walking robot should not be confused with a Stewart platform, a kind of parallel manipulator used in robotics applications.A hexapod robot is a mechanical vehicle that walks on six legs. Since a robot can be statically stable on three or more legs, a hexapod robot has a great deal of...
).
While the mobility of walking vehicles is arguably higher than that of wheeled or tracked vehicle
Tracked vehicle
A tracked vehicle is a vehicle that runs on continuous tracks instead of wheels...
s, their inherent complexity has limited their use mainly to experimental vehicles. Examples of manned walking vehicles include General Electric's Walking truck
Walking truck
The walking truck was an experimental quadruped robot made by General Electric in 1968. It was designed by Ralph Mosher to help infantry carry equipment over rough terrain....
, the University of Duisburg-Essen's ALDURO. Timberjack
Timberjack
Timberjack was a manufacturer of forestry machinery for both cut-to-length and whole tree logging who have been a subsidiary of John Deere since 2000.-History:Timberjack was owned by the Eaton Corporation in the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s...
, a subsidiary of John Deere
John Deere
John Deere was an American blacksmith and manufacturer who founded Deere & Company, one of the largest and leading agricultural and construction equipment manufacturers in the world...
, built a practical hexapod
Hexapod (robotics)
A six-legged walking robot should not be confused with a Stewart platform, a kind of parallel manipulator used in robotics applications.A hexapod robot is a mechanical vehicle that walks on six legs. Since a robot can be statically stable on three or more legs, a hexapod robot has a great deal of...
Walking Forest Machine (harvester).
Some walking machines such as the BigDog
BigDog
BigDog is a dynamically stable quadruped robot created in 2005 by Boston Dynamics with Foster-Miller, the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the Harvard University Concord Field Station. BigDog is long, stands tall, and weighs , about the size of a small mule. It is capable of traversing...
have been designed by the military. The largest walking machine ever made is the Big Muskie
Big Muskie
Big Muskie was a coal mining Bucyrus-Erie dragline owned by the Central Ohio Coal Company , weighing nearly and standing nearly 22 stories tall. It operated in the U.S. state of Ohio from 1969 to 1991...
dragline excavator, used primarily in mining operations.
See also
- List of fictional mecha
- Chicken walkerChicken walkerA chicken walker is a fictional type of bipedal robot or mecha, distinguished by its rear-facing knee joint. This type of articulation resembles a bird's legs, hence the name. However, birds actually have forward-facing knees; they are digitigrade, and what most call the "knee" is actually the...
- GaitGaitGait is the pattern of movement of the limbs of animals, including humans, during locomotion over a solid substrate. Most animals use a variety of gaits, selecting gait based on speed, terrain, the need to maneuver, and energetic efficiency...
- Land WalkerLand WalkerThe Land Walker is a one-man, two-legged supposed walker transport, 3.40 metres in height. Made with the assistance of P.A. Technology, the walker is copyright of the Sakakibara Kikai Co. and Ltd....
(a machine developed in Japan that imitates a bipedal mech) - Model robotModel robotModel robots is an area of modeling with its origin in the Japanese anime genre of mecha. The majority of model robots are produced by Bandai and are based on the Mobile Suit Gundam anime metaseries. This has given rise to the hobby's common name in Japan, Gunpla...
- Powered exoskeletonPowered exoskeletonA powered exoskeleton, also known as powered armor, or exoframe, is a powered mobile machine consisting primarily of an exoskeleton-like framework worn by a person and a power supply that supplies at least part of the activation-energy for limb movement.Powered exoskeletons are designed to assist...
External links
- FusionFilter: Multiple collections of Mech Concept Art and Illustration.
- Gears Online
- Mecha Anime HQ: Extensive coverage on Gundams and other mecha.