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Japan has a working Gundam robot and it’s awesome

ByChad Porto|
TOKYO, JAPAN - MAY 31: Two women look out from a restaurant window at Gundam, an 18meter tall giant robot on permanent display at Odaiba on May 31, 2014 in Tokyo, Japan. Odaiba is a large artificial island on Tokyo Bay. During the 1990's the island was developed into a major commercial, leisure and tourist hub. The island has the closest seashore accessible from the metropolitan area of Tokyo, attracting many visitors looking to enjoy the beachside atmosphere. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
TOKYO, JAPAN - MAY 31: Two women look out from a restaurant window at Gundam, an 18meter tall giant robot on permanent display at Odaiba on May 31, 2014 in Tokyo, Japan. Odaiba is a large artificial island on Tokyo Bay. During the 1990's the island was developed into a major commercial, leisure and tourist hub. The island has the closest seashore accessible from the metropolitan area of Tokyo, attracting many visitors looking to enjoy the beachside atmosphere. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Japan has built a huge, working Gundam prototype.

Japan isn’t worried about the space race, but more about the giant mech-battle race. Which may not be a real race, but Japan’s surely winning it. While most of the world is working on renewable resources, vaccines, and new ways to serve a cheeseburger, the folks in Japan are working on an actual Gundam robot that stands several stories tall.

2020 just got awesome.

The robot, as you can see, isn’t moving that fast and nor is it able to launch into space like the Gundam anime’s have depicted (yet) but it is a sign that should a real-life Godzilla/Cloverfield arrive to start rampaging, we know the Japanese are only a few years from a viable defensive against a larch attack.

The machine weighs 55,000 pounds and stands 59 feet tall.

Kaiju’s, be aware.

Interest in robots has skyrocketed in recent years. In 2015 a US-based group of engineers challenged a Japanese contingent to a giant-robot battle. The event happened in 2017 and while it was slow and prodding, was still entertaining. The US team won, by the way.

Yes, their robot was a giant eagle.

Robot battles have been a large part of the science world for the last two decades, and there’s really been a strong subculture of the events. Shows like BattleBots have been around for over 20 years (with nine seasons), and really helped cultivate a desire to see robots fighting. Shows like Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory also had robot-fighting-themes in an episode or two, with movies like Real Steel, starring Hugh Jackman, bringing back the idea of big robots fighting.

Shows like Gundam and movies like Pacific Rim have also been steady suppliers for late-night, giant robot-battles as well. While we’re far off from watching two, 10 story tall robots fighting it out, if you’re a science nerd or someone into robot battles, this story of a walking Gundam should be right up your ally.

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