If you haven’t heard about the new international mega robot battle between the U.S.A. and Japan, you have been living with Tom Hanks on a deserted island. The U.S. team headed by MegaBots challenged Japan’s Suidobashi Heavy Industry to a robot battle. This real life battle is playing out scenarios seen in movies such as Pacific Rim and Transformers. It looks like we will finally get to see large robots doing battle with each other in real life–just like every boy has dreamed of.

Quite frankly, this all smells like a PR stunt to us, but we don’t care as long we get to see big robots duke it out. The idea for a robot fight was initiated by the video announcement of the Japanese Kuatas robot. Perhaps inspired by the video of the Japanese robot, American tinkerers from MegaBots came up with their own robot (The Mark 2).

Japanese Kuratas Mega Robot Video:



The next logical step in their minds was to present an over-the-top video challenging the Japanese robot manufacturer to a duel. As the MegaBots spokesperson said in their challenge video “We have a giant robot, you have a giant robot. You know what needs to happen. We challenge you to a duel.” This of course was all said with the video hosts adorned with cool shades, American flag capes and patriotic music blaring in the background.

U.S.A. MegaBots Mark 2 Robot Challenge Video:



And how did the Japanese robot manufacturer Suidobashi respond you ask? They replied with an acceptance of the offer by saying “Absolutely!” The only caveat in their acceptance was that they wanted a melee fight without use of any guns. They seemed to mock the Americans’ love for guns and fire power. You’re goddamn right we do! And we like our bullets wrapped in bacon, shot from a canon and exploding on impact. “Hoo-ra!” as R. Lee Ermey would say.

Japanese Response To U.S.A. Challenge Video:



Now that the Japanese have accepted the American challenge, the Americans need a year to gear up for the robot melee challenge. They started a Kickstarter campaign in order to raise money and interest in the robot battle. In their Kickstarter video they explain the new partners brought on board in order to help them build a robot capable of melee combat.

Howe & Howe Technologies – Helping with the improvement of track movement of the robot.

– Helping with the improvement of track movement of the robot. IHMC Robotics – Helping with robot balancing technology to help during melee battle.

– Helping with robot balancing technology to help during melee battle. NASA – Helping with pilot protection technology to help keep the robot pilots safe during battle.

– Helping with pilot protection technology to help keep the robot pilots safe during battle. FonCo Creative Services – Helping with the armor and new paint job–making the new robot look bitchin’.

– Helping with the armor and new paint job–making the new robot look bitchin’. Autodesk – Helping with computer design hardware and software.

– Helping with computer design hardware and software. Advisors – Grant Imahara – Mythbusters and Industrial Light and Magic, Peter Diamandis – Founder of the X-Prize, Trey Roski & Greg Munson – Founders of BattleBots

U.S.A. Gears Up For Challenge By Raising Money In Kickstarter Video:



This is too awesome not to happen. The ancillary benefits of all of these technology manufacturers coming together in the spirit of competition are enumerable. It’s getting adults and kids interested and inspired to engineer and create things for themselves. It also promotes friendly competition between contries based on technology. It’s part science fair and part Olympics.

Jason Torchinsky of Jalopnik had this insightful quote about the impending robot battle “Finally, after millennia of bullshit agriculture and metallurgy and revolutions industrial, political, cultural, whatever, shit’s finally getting good.” Ah yes Jason, we couldn’t agree with you more!

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