Poll: Mecha, Japanese, European, or North American?
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I prefer the western design's more so, but Robotech/Macross has the best looking set of mechs ever made. They were so awesome that Battletech stole them as the basis for their designs. Lots of fun legal crap resulting from it.
In particular, the Excaliber/Tomahawk/Warhammer is the best thing ever.
Closely followed by the Defender/Raider X/Rifleman
In particular, the Excaliber/Tomahawk/Warhammer is the best thing ever.
Closely followed by the Defender/Raider X/Rifleman
I prefer Western style mechs that are more mobile armageddon. Give me a Timberwolf, and im set.
[sub]fuck yeah...[/sub]
[sub]fuck yeah...[/sub]
Well, I think I don't have a preferance based on region as there are designs I like and ones that I loathe from all of the major schools of thought. In general I will say that western mecha tends to be the must plausible and functional seeming. While the Japanese are further along in real world robotics development, when it comes to their fantasy and science fiction most of it comes accross as being TOO fantasy based and impractical, even when they are trying to be "realistic" about things. The now-ancient "Project A-Ko" even made a joke about how with Japanese mech designs there has been a big problem with "where does the pilot actually go" that isn't always obviously addressed even when they show the cockpits open given that there can be subtle angles used to deal with logistical problems between "hangar" and "action" scenes which are pretty obvious, not to mention questions like range of vision. For example in Gundam when you have these things flying through space, they imply the pilots are somehow doing this by eyeballing things through cameras or viewports, when really that's not all that practical given the perspective and what is liable to happen to a lot of those cameras (not to mention the horrible, pitch blackness of space). Sensors are an answer, but "how" isn't even addressed in a science fiction sense, not to mention the issue of stealth technology and so on (if everyone is using cameras, or energy wavelengths to spot each other... like on a submarine or whatever... which brings up questions about the whole fight dynamic which would become more cat and mouse like rather than what we see).
For the most part European or North American mecha designs tend to be far more reasonably presented in terms of their capabilities and what they would be like in combat.
Of course I will also point out that you see less European and North American mecha because while robotics might be great for a lot of things, manned humanoid combat machines are not one of them. Basically if you've got the technology to make a manned robot that can walk or fly, you have the technology to make a tank that can do the same thing. All of the space used to make those arms and legs and such move in a humanlike format can be used for more speed, armor, and firepower. Heck if you need to you can put little EVA arms that fold out of a panel or something for hostile enviroment work.
I tend to feel that mecha are cute/cool, but a sign of fantasy similar to a wizard wiggling his fingers and throwing fireballs, in most cases I can't even consider it science fiction even when it's trying to be because the basic idea is so ridiculous. Legs are one of the stupidest ways to move a machine of mass destruction. I believe the future would be more about all enviroment war pods (basically tanks) than anything if it comes to that.
As much fun as it is to show a giant robot stepping on current sized tanks and such, most fiction overlook what would happen if say the tank was the same size as the robot. Truthfully given the differance in optimization I don't even think it would wind up being much of a fight.
For the most part European or North American mecha designs tend to be far more reasonably presented in terms of their capabilities and what they would be like in combat.
Of course I will also point out that you see less European and North American mecha because while robotics might be great for a lot of things, manned humanoid combat machines are not one of them. Basically if you've got the technology to make a manned robot that can walk or fly, you have the technology to make a tank that can do the same thing. All of the space used to make those arms and legs and such move in a humanlike format can be used for more speed, armor, and firepower. Heck if you need to you can put little EVA arms that fold out of a panel or something for hostile enviroment work.
I tend to feel that mecha are cute/cool, but a sign of fantasy similar to a wizard wiggling his fingers and throwing fireballs, in most cases I can't even consider it science fiction even when it's trying to be because the basic idea is so ridiculous. Legs are one of the stupidest ways to move a machine of mass destruction. I believe the future would be more about all enviroment war pods (basically tanks) than anything if it comes to that.
As much fun as it is to show a giant robot stepping on current sized tanks and such, most fiction overlook what would happen if say the tank was the same size as the robot. Truthfully given the differance in optimization I don't even think it would wind up being much of a fight.
FortheLegion said:
In an absolute sense, no, because there really hasn't been much real Steampunk work since punk more or less lost it's soul and died in the 80s.
As far as what people have labeled Steam Punk, the answer is "yes". Albiet most of them don't focus on steampunk Mecha which is differant than something just being Steampunk.
Really the first example that comes to mind is the remake of "Wild, Wild, West" with Will Smith, which while not a great movie was a good movie for what it set out to try and do, and went over well enough where there was a sequel planned to it for a while. Largely because the finale winds up involving a giant retro-tech spider mech with death rays. The FX for it were not terrible either.
Actually thats not what happened, the FASA guys went to the Japanese studio and asked permission to use some of their models (something which doesnt get IP protection in japan and its something which is actually common practice) and everyone agreed. It was several years later the American subsidiary of Harmony Gold that launched the law suit.DracoSuave said:
EDIT: Doing some more reading its actually the joint sale of the artwork that caused the dispute, someone created the designs and sold them to be used in both Battletech and Macross. Something agreed to by the Japanese end of Harmony Gold but eventually the American end a few years later started the suit.
....Princess Rose said:Gotta go with Japanese. Love the fluidity and grace. Asuka's got my back on this one:
wait, Evas count as robots? Weren't they giant biohumans?
I prefer... Uhhh, I really don't know. aren't Giant, bipedal robots all the same? Sure they look different, but all serve the same purpose of being completely impractical and extremely cool.
I'm not really into giant robots, and they all look stupid and impractical to me. The Japanese ones are probably the worst, though. Nothing to like or relate to.
Hell. Yes.Syntax Man said:Japanese all the way,
I rest my case
OT: Japanese, mainly because it was my first exposure to mechas, but also because I'm a shameless Gundam fan. I also like the styles better since they seem more graceful and practical rather than absolutely ridiculous and clunky.
Neon Genesis Evangelionimpeccable said:
and yes, it looks awesome, but its awesomeness is countered almost 1000 fold by the fail of who's at the controls, fair warning, if you pursue it on netflix, you will hate him.
OT: >.> 4 words
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Graceful yes, practical? No. Generally, fifty foot tall humanoid shapes made out of several tons of metal are not practical, regardless of the design.Fiz_The_Toaster said:Hell. Yes.Syntax Man said:Japanese all the way,
I rest my case
OT: Japanese, mainly because it was my first exposure to mechas, but also because I'm a shameless Gundam fan. I also like the styles better since they seem more graceful and practical rather than absolutely ridiculous and clunky.
From a 'ooh that's pretty' standpoint Japanese mechas can look very cool.
I do however prefer the Batttletech/ Mechwarrior style of mech; simplistic, functional, essentially mobile weapons. They just look a lot meaner and more realistic than the average Japanese mech design. The Daishi is one of the best looking mechs.
40k titans are also very, very cool but in a league of their own compared to mechs. They're on a whole different scale and level of destructive power.
I do however prefer the Batttletech/ Mechwarrior style of mech; simplistic, functional, essentially mobile weapons. They just look a lot meaner and more realistic than the average Japanese mech design. The Daishi is one of the best looking mechs.
40k titans are also very, very cool but in a league of their own compared to mechs. They're on a whole different scale and level of destructive power.
Well I'd argue the practical point in that if you're fighting other mechas, or a rather large army, their designs, I argue they do matter, make more sense since they can maneuver faster, even though they don't seem to handle much abuse. Unless they were made out of gundamium alloy, then that's a whole other topic.Soviet Heavy said:
