Thread: Japanese Politicians Consider Humanoid Mechas

Japanese Politicians Are Thinking about Building Gundam. Like, Real, Working Gundam.
Politicians everywhere are crap—even the ones who are thinking about building a giant, working mecha. In an upcoming broadcast on Japanese video platform Nico Nico Live, members of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party are apparently going to discuss the idea of building a real life Gundam.


The Liberal Democratic Party, which ruled Japan for over fifty years after World War II, is not actually "liberal". Rather, the party is conservative. As ANN pointed out, party members Masaaki Taira and Hideki Niwa are slated to discuss how the LDP is "seriously considering the development of Gundam."

Back in 2008, it was estimated that a working (not just a full scale mock-up like above), one-to-one scale would cost US$725,000,000 for parts and materials. That figure doesn't include the cost of labor or the cost of insanity required to build such a machine.

These politicians probably do not mean they want to make a 60-foot tall, 43.7 metric ton Gundam replica (at least I hope they don't), but instead, large mecha contraptions that could be used by, presumably, the country's Self Defense Force. In an age of drone attacks, however, mecha don't exactly seem ideal on the battlefield.

Japan's economy and society are both in a bad way. The country is deeply in debt, the population is aging, and Japan has no natural resources. And with a strong yen and a sour world economy, Japan can't export its way to prosperity. It can ship its manufacturing to China and hollow itself out.

These are serious times. They require serious conversations by serious leaders. And the LDP, who hopes to regain power after the current Democratic Party of Japan implodes, appears like its fishing for the nerd vote by appearing on Nico Nico and talking about building Gundam robots as a viable way to promote industry and protect the nation.

Source

And so it begins.

VIVA LA GUNDAM REVOLUTION!

...but seriously, this would be awesome to see if they actually pull it off. :x

If it weren't for the tsunami from last year, they'd probably have enough money to build a real life humongous mech.

Similar projects involving armored exoskeletons have been proposed for years now. I doubt anything will come of this.

This is something I've been hoping the US Army would do is make giant mechas, though starting with basic "post-apocalyptic sci-fi military" looking mechas, and then progressing until they reach the full out Gundam styled model.

Though considering Japan's current state, I'm not sure how they will pull this off, or if they are just talking about it so that the anime nerds of the world wet their pants in joy in the concept of a real life humongous mechas.

While neat in fiction, I highly doubt this will go beyond the blueprint stage. It's much more economical to suit soldiers in high tech exoskeletons (or just making cyborgs out of them) than it would be to go through with this project.

Awesome, but really not what anybody needs right now even if they could pull it off.

I'd join the military if I got to pilot a freaking Gundam.

Uh, it seems cool, but I have a question.

Why?

EDIT: Oh, wait. This time they're actually using them for something useful, unlike that statue they made a few years back.

Well, I don't mind, so long as...

Oh crap D8 Ah well, as Instru, you're all gonna be subject to my Mentality :D

But seriously, this is gonna be sweet.

What, they didn't go with the Metal Gear?

But a real Knightmare Frame...well...that's gonna take a while anyway.

At least some country would be setting their priorities straight in this economy. Observe and learn.

Originally Posted by X Dragoon

What, they didn't go with the Metal Gear?

But a real Knightmare Frame...well...that's gonna take a while anyway.

That's for us Americans to tackle! :D In fact, I was very surprised we didn't see a Big Shell go up in the gulf of mexico after the Deep Water Horizon blew up. That would have been perfect.

Anyways, this is all good and well for Japan, but isn't their economy in the gutter? That's what I keep hearing, they would NEVER be able to fund such a project past the beginning steps of R&D.

WWIII.

Fought with Mechas.

Japan wants revenge on the USA for the last one/North Korea is planting seeds of a Communist revolution in Japan.

The LDP are totalitarian North Koreans in disguise or sympathizers allied with NK.

Calling it now.

Originally Posted by Caitlin

That's for us Americans to tackle! :D In fact, I was very surprised we didn't see a Big Shell go up in the gulf of mexico after the Deep Water Horizon blew up. That would have been perfect.

But isn't the U.S. economy in the same state as Japan's? I doubt we'll ever create a bipedal mech of our own.