Japan and America agree to put giant fighting robots into battle

[humble3d]

Japan and America agree to put giant fighting robots into battle

Japan's Suidobashi accepts MegaBots' challenge of a duel, paving the way for robot wars on a grand scale

It's the moment we've all been waiting for: two giant fighting robots - one Japanese and one American - will square off in a melee one year from now.

That is, if the robots' two owners keep their word.

Last week, MegaBots, an American engineering company, challenged Japan's Suidobashi Heavy Industry to a duel.

The battle would pitch the 12,000 lbs (850-stone) MegaBots Mark II against Suidobashi's Kuratas, which weighs 9,000 lbs.

Now, Suidobashi has responded, saying it accepts the challenge - on one condition.

Kogor Kurata, Suidobashi's founder and chief executive, posted a response on YouTube, saying his robot would fight, as long as the fight was hand-to-hand.

"Just building something huge and sticking guns on it. It's... super American," he said.

"We can’t let another country win this. Giant robots are Japanese culture. But you know, we really need… Melee combat."

On a YouTube comment underneath its own video, MegaBots said: "Suidobashi accepted the challenge! And demands hand-to-hand combat!"

However, it did not say whether or not it agreed to the terms.

The Kuratas robot, which costs around 135 million yen, (£700,000) is four metres high, compared to the five-metre MegaBot, as well as having a weight disadvantage.

It is controlled by one person rather than the Megabot's two pilots. But that does not appear to have put off Mr Kurata.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/11721037/Japan-and-America-agree-to-put-giant-fighting-robots-into-battle.html