Yes! That’s what I’m talking about! A Giant Mushi Mecha!!! Japan, I love you.
This robot (dubbed he “Kabutom RX-03″) may look like a creature out of a Godzilla movie, but it is functional:
Shaped like a kabuto-mushi (rhinocerous beetle, a favorite design of Japanese toymakers and, uh, candymakers), it can be remote controlled or piloted from the cockpit (visible on the left side), and is capable of carrying passengers inside its shell. Alas it more “shuffles” than walks — the legs pull it along the ground, while the weight is supported by wheels.
What’s even more astounding is that it was designed and built by one guy in his garage — and it took him eleven years. Think I could convince him to make a flying robotic dragon his next project?
You absoultely must watch this video from Japan’s TV show “Nanikore Chin Hakkei” to witness the Mushi Mecha in all it’s glory. You don’t have to understand what they’re saying to realize that this dude and his robot just became gods in Japan:
Check out more pics of the Mushi Mecha here and here!
Via AltJapan
That would be so much better to ride than the subway! How fast does this puppy go?
By the look of the video, not that fast — perhaps when mechas start being mass produced they’ll add some speed? I’d take a 3 hour commute in this thing over 15 minutes in the subway any day.
LOL this thing is sick! I didn’t understand a word of the video but that made watching their faces even more fun!
Yeah, me neither, but watching them totally geek out was awesome!