History Main / Humongousmecha

[[OlderThanTheyThink Mythology as a whole is also replete with artificial humans and similar automatons]] [[GreekMythology (eg. Talos, the great bronze automaton built by Hephaestus.]] [[Anime/MazingerZ Dr. Hell finding an army of HumongousMecha in a Greek island is, actually, based on that legend]]), but special mention goes to HinduMythology. One of the three barriers the gods set to protect their elixir, the Amrita, was a robot with ''[[ChainsawGood rotary saws for hands]]''.

For those of you wanting to create your own HumongousMecha work, [[SoYouWantTo/WriteAHumongousMechaAnime we've got you covered]].

** On the other hand ''Freeder Bug'', also created by the late Ken Ishikawa has some of the ''least'' humongous HumongousMecha in anime or manga, not counting power suits. They're essentially just heads with stumpy limbs and a chair fixed to the back, and are smaller than an adult man.

* ''VisualNovel/RoboticsNotes'' is a very unique reconstruction. While the opening features many mechas that look like they belong in a SuperRobotGenre anime, the series focuses on a club of students living TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture as they work together to build a HumongousMecha of their own. Aside from the comic relief moments and the {{Otaku}} shut-in, the characters don't feel like mecha anime characters, but ordinary people. The anime also feels much more like a SliceOfLife. However, this being by the same people who brought us VisualNovel/SteinsGate, a darker conspiracy soon comes to light and our group of protagonists are pulled into the mix when [[spoiler: it becomes clear that the world's leader in robotics is planning on causing a global disaster.]]

** Worth noting that the HumongousMecha built in this series were specifically built because the Zentraedi they were fighting were giants; the Valkyries and Destroids were built so that humans could fight them on an even playing field. Of course, the Zentraedi have HumongousMecha of their own, which tower over the human mecha at nearly twice the size.

* ''{{Patlabor}}'' is likely the most feasible HumongousMecha anime, featuring short, non-combat robots used for civilian purposes such as construction. The only combat robots belong to the protagonists, the police, who prevent mecha-related crimes and the military, like the Japanese Self-Defense Force.

** Probably worth noting that {{Gunbuster}} and {{Diebuster}} were made by the same [[StudioGainax studio]] as [[Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann Gurren Lagann]]. In fact the Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann was probably partly to upstage the Diebuster, which in turn upstaged every other HumongousMecha that came before (except those from VisualNovel/{{Demonbane}} prequel novel[[note]]released in 2003, a year before Diebuster[[/note]], that is).

* The Rune Gods in ''MagicKnightRayearth'' take form of not just beastly creatures, but also HumongousMecha based on those said creatures.

* All of the HumongousMecha that Team Rocket wields in the ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' anime. One has to wonder where they get the money for all those giant robots, considering that they're both deep in debt and far out of favor with their boss...

* The main villains in ''ScrappedPrincess'' are capable of transforming into HumongousMecha. They are forced to use {{power limiter}}s to maintain a normal human guise until they are authorized to carry out their mission.

** (Much) Later on, Haruna uses her artifact to create a life-size robot body for [[CuteGhostGirl Sayo]]. Sayo can only use the robot body by possessing a small voodoo doll and climbing inside the robot body and piloting it HumongousMecha style.

* In ''Anime/GenesisOfAquarion'' the HumongousMecha "Aquarion" is a combination of three Vectors (machines each piloted by one person).

* ''ComicBook/{{X-Men}}'' has the Sentinels, mutant-hunting HumongousMecha. They started out small (when compared to Evangelion, SuperSentai, etc.) but worked their way up to standard mecha size. Much worse (in terms of design impracticality) is that they were created in a "Master Mold," which is actually a much larger Sentinel. There is ''no'' good reason for a factory to take this shape. Since AIIsACrapshoot, Sentinels are known for getting out of their creators' hands in short order (Especially Master Molds, Sentinel-shaped factories which wouldn't ''need'' any decision-making ability.) The LiteralMinded AIs in fact point out their creators' fallacies - "Hunt mutants? You do know that there are some mutations in every life form? Humans are mutants."
** It seems the government types [[GenreSavvy finally learned their lesson]], because lately, Sentinels tend to be standard HumongousMecha - Sentinel-shaped vehicles piloted by humans. One character [[LampshadeHanging points out the irony]] when some of those human-piloted Sentinels are assigned to ''protect'' mutants; "[[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything It's like a black man]] [[DontExplainTheJoke being protected by a burning cross]]."

** In ''EarthX'', Tony Stark has secretly redesigned the Red Ronin into a TransformingMecha that spends most of its time as his "Iron Avenger" factory. We don't know this till the end of the story (making Tony appear to be a useless recluse), when he pilots it into battle against the even larger Celestials, who are [[EnergyBeings energy being]] versions of the same--their energy bodies need HumongousMecha to give them shape.

* Jack Hawksmoor of TheAuthority can actually turn ''cities'' into HumongousMecha. As in, walk into the middle of Tokyo, ask it very nicely, and come out wearing battle armour made of concrete and skyscrapers.

* Whether [[JusticeSocietyOfAmerica S.T.R.I.P.E.]] is a HumongousMecha or a suit of PoweredArmor depends on the writer and the situation, although it started out as a Humongous Mecha in the ''Stars and Stripe'' series.
* In ''ComicBook/{{SHIELD}} Infinity'', the [[WeaponisedLandmark Colossus of Rhodes]] was a HumongousMecha, piloted by Archimedes to battle a Kree Sentry.

* Deconstructed by a simulated HumongousMecha battle that takes place between two diplomats in the Dream Park novel ''The Barsoom Project''. Their battle is staged in the middle of a simulated city, complete with tiny terrified civilians who die in droves every time the robots make a move, as a psychological ploy to get the bickering diplomats back to the negotiating table.

* LinkinPark's video for "Pts.[=OF=].Ahrty" features CGI HumongousMecha, each of which is based on the band members. So if the trope wasn't AwesomeButImpractical enough already, you have one that's as skinny as the lead singer.

* The classic western HumongousMecha tabletop game is ''TabletopGame/{{BattleTech}}'', and its RPG spinoff, ''[=MechWarrior=]''. Both series feature everything from [[PoweredArmor 3-meter tall battle frames]] to hulking 25-meter tall HumongousMecha, and had TransformingMecha before their botched design licensing contract fell through with HarmonyGold. Originally created by FASA Corporation in 1984, it was sold to WizKids in 2000, and has been owned since 2003 by Topps.
* Possibly the ''weirdest'' HumongousMecha RPG is the DungeonsAndDragons-based {{Steampunk}} / {{Magitek}} crossover ''DragonMech''.

* D&D's sister product, ''D20Modern'' goes for the direct route. The magazine supplement ''Mecha Crusade'' puts forth options for mecha that go from large PoweredArmor all the way to true HumongousMecha (or, in game parlance, "Colossal Mecha"). These rules were later touched up slightly (the highlight being conversion to D20 Modern's built-in economy instead of the clumsy level-based PointBuySystem used by ''Mecha Crusade'') and included as a chapter of ''D20 Future.''

* The MutantsAndMasterminds supplement ''Mecha & Manga'' has a chapter devoted to creating your own HumongousMecha.

* ''{{LEGO Exo-Force}}'' is {{LEGO}}'s incredibly {{animesque}} foray into the genre, a take on the standard tropes and themes of a HumongousMecha series.

* ''VideoGame/{{Xenogears}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}''? HumongousMecha for ''days''. In some cases, there are battles against giant foes where the characters have to enter said mecha, or get stepped on.

* ''SengokuBasara'' portrays mighty [[AnachronismStew samurai general]] Honda Tadakatsu as a HumongousMecha, thus he got the nickname [[FanNickname Hondam]].

* The ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}'' series gained HumongousMecha with the third installment, which introduced large golems. ''The Frozen Throne'', the expansion pack for ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}} III'', introduced ''very large'' golems.

* The BigBad in ''VideoGame/{{Fallout Tactics|BrotherhoodOfSteel}}'' uses robots, including ones that qualify as HumongousMecha.

** Likewise in ''VideoGame/TalesOfInnocence'', where MadScientist Osbald is working on powering HumongousMecha using PeopleJars filled with Reincarnated. First you free a party member being used as the fuel cell, then you find the mass-production model on a battlefield, and finally Osbald pilots one against you himself, using as the power source [[spoiler:Ricardo's "brother", Gardle]].

* In ''NoMoreHeroes 2: Desperate Struggle'', you go up against a football player and his horde of [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot assassin cheerleaders]] who pilot one of these... with your own HumongousMecha, Glastonbury (from a ShowWithinAShow). After the fight it gets confiscated, though.

* ''VideoGame/ChampionsOnline'' has several. The final boss of the Destroids Rise Again! open mission is the Mega-Destroid, a cosmic-level enemy (there are, broadly speaking, six levels of enemy in the game: [[{{Mook}} Henchman]], [[EliteMook Villain]], [[TheDragon Master Villain]], [[BigBad Super Villain]], [[BiggerBad Legendary]], and [[OhCrap Cosmic]]). In the Resistance mission, the BigBad of the alternate world of Multifaria uses lesser Mega-Destroids that have a slightly different, more inhuman appearance; they're at legendary level. Just before the final battle, [[spoiler:you get to pilot one, making them true mecha, not just giant robots; you also use them to fight giant magical golems, which kind of count]]. There is also the Black Talon at the end of the tutorial missions; created by Doctor Destroyer himself, the Black Talon is probably the first size up from the line between PoweredArmor and full scale HumongousMecha.

* {{Webcomic}} subversion: In ''MechagicalGirlLisaANT'', the A.N.T is a HumongousMecha... [[MobileSuitHuman for ants.]] To a human, it looks more like a PoweredArmor.

* ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheSeries'': [[PunkPunk Clock Punk]] inventor Mechanikles must have read this entry, because most of his giant mecha are based on arthropods. One exception was a HumongousMecha shaped like himself, but he soon lost it to a boy who [[FallingIntoTheCockpit fell into the cockpit]].

* Parodied in ''PinkyAndTheBrain'': Brain and his archnemesis Snowball the hamster are battling in their robotic human disguises when suddenly Snowball's suit transforms into a HumongousMecha, complete with rockets blasting out of its shoulders...

!!Examples:

[[folder:Film]]

* The ''StarWars'' AT-ST's and the AT-AT's are among the most visually distinctive mecha in popular culture.

** The AT-TE seen in ''AttackOfTheClones'', despite being "older" technology, has a much more sensible beetle-like design, with six legs and a low profile for stability.

* Most of WesternAnimation/{{WALL-E}}'s robots are smaller than the average human (let alone the obese humans of the future), but at one point we meet two ''giant'' versions of the eponymous trash compactor robot.
* ''TheIronGiant'' The title says it all.

* The monstrous heroes of ''MonstersVsAliens'' face villain Gallaxhar's enormous Robot Probe. The Probe withstands a military strike and destroys half of San Francisco in its conflict with the monsters before being destroyed by Ginormica. It's later revealed that Gallaxhar has an army of Robot Probes at his command, but when he orders them to destroy Ginormica, they end up [[VillainDecay smashing into each other like dominoes]].
* ''TheIncredibles'': The bad guy makes giant robots to destroy all the Supers, improving his design each time a super manages to destroy one.

* ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}: the Series'': [[PunkPunk Clock Punk]] inventor Mechanikles must have read this entry, because most of his giant mecha are based on arthropods. One exception was a HumongousMecha shaped like himself, but he soon lost it to a boy who [[FallingIntoTheCockpit fell into the cockpit]].

* ''RugratsInParis: The Movie'' features a Humongous Mecha Reptar.

* ''{{Ratatouille}}'': Remy uses Liguini as a biological version of this.

* KodaKumi has a race with mechas in PV of [[http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDU3Mzg4NjU2.html "Go to the top"]] theme of anime MuvLuvAlternativeTotalEclipse.

* ''{{Voltron}}'' was, for a time, the best-known example in America. It was a {{Macekre}} of two fairly obscure shows, ''GoLion'' (Lion Voltron) and ''DairuggerXV'' (Vehicle Voltron), along with some Lion Voltron episodes produced by Toei especially for the American market.

* The Swiss-army knife that is Drago from {{Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad}}, which manages to fit every category (excpet 'mini...' but then again, they're [[{{Cyberspace}} inside computer systems]], so maybe it counts, too!) It can [[TransformingMecha transform from plane to dragon and back]], [[CombiningMecha combine with Servo]] to make Phormo, [[DetachmentCombat split to make Tor and Jam,]] and Jam alone can transform into the Dragon Cannon to be used by Servo. The toy probably had to be a freakin' jigsaw puzzle.

* Subverted in [[TwentiethCenturyBoys 20th Century Boys]]. The BigBad, Friend, holds a robotics engineer hostage so that he can construct a fifty-foot giant mecha to use on the Bloody New Year's Eve. However, throughout the brainstorming process, the aforementioned engineer is on the verge of snapping because he can't get them to understand that a robot constructed in such a way probably couldn't even ''stand'', much less cause massive havoc and destruction. [[spoiler: They eventually make a cheap, pretend mecha that just ''looks'' like a humongous mecha instead. Not that everyone else realises this, though...]]

* ''InfiniteRyvius'' subverted this by having the characters burst into laughter when they first saw a giant humanoid robot because it seemed so impractical. Needless to say, they were proven wrong.

* ''Literature/DangerousFugitives'' subverts this by having giant animal robots instead of giant human ones.

* DangerousFugitives subverts this by having giant animal robots instead of giant human ones.

* A giant TransformingMecha appeared in ''TerminatorSalvation'' to snatch some people.

* As ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' is both a subversion and a {{Deconstruction}} of the Humongous Mecha genre[[spoiler:, the Evas are not actually Mecha, but cloned Eldritch Abominations that are only wearing a ''[[MonsterSuit Humongous Mecha suit]]''. It's also not armor they are wearing, but binders that keep them from growing too large to control]].

* ''Gunbuster'' and its sequel ''Diebuster'' have Mecha even more Humongous than most- Gunbuster is hundreds of meters tall, and Diebuster is approximately the same height as the Earth itself.

* VisualNovel/RoboticsNotes is a very unique reconstruction. While the opening features many mechas that look like they belong in a SuperRobotGenre anime, the series focuses on a club of students living TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture as they work together to build a HumongousMecha of their own. Aside from the comic relief moments and the {{Otaku}} shut-in, the characters don't feel like mecha anime characters, but ordinary people. The anime also feels much more like a SliceOfLife. However, this being by the same people who brought us VisualNovel/SteinsGate, a darker conspiracy soon comes to light and our group of protagonists are pulled into the mix when [[spoiler: it becomes clear that the world's leader in robotics is planning on causing a global disaster.]]

* In ''{{SHIELD}} Infinity'', the [[WeaponisedLandmark Colossus of Rhodes]] was a HumongousMecha, piloted by Archimedes to battle a Kree Sentry.

** At the end of the first game, Joe upgrades it to ''Great Six Majin'', who is big enough to circle the earth in a few strides.
** Things get truly ridiculous in the second game, where Six Majin and Great Six Majin combine to form ''6x6 Majin'', who is bigger than the ''planets'' (its fist is only a few times smaller than the Earth). This is itself a counter to the final boss' ''Black Kaiser'', which is ''bigger''.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* In live-action, giant transforming and combining mecha have been a staple of the ''SuperSentai'' franchise since its third installment, ''BattleFeverJ'', having borrowed the concept from [[{{Japanese Spider-Man}} a live-action Japanese adaptation]] of ''{{Spider-Man}}''. Yes, ''that'' Spider-Man.

* Some kind of weaponized excavator would come pretty close to a more feasible version of the same concept, as demonstrated on one double-length ''ScrapheapChallenge'' special (albeit with smaller excavators then you'd need to really be this trope). Summary [[http://www.qwizx.com/jyw/specials/aliens/artillery.html here.]]

In more realistic works, such variations as the SpiderTank and PoweredArmor are more common.

See also CombiningMecha, where the mecha is comprised in turn of smaller mecha or vehicles, and TransformingMecha, where the mecha transforms to and from another form. If a mecha is small but still piloted as opposed to "worn", it's a MiniMecha; otherwise, see PoweredArmor. WalkingTank is simply a bipedal tank with no humanoid design. SpiderTank is a variant which replaces humanoid and animal configurations with an [[BigCreepyCrawlies insectile design]].

* The eponymous Big Guy from ''WesternAnimation/BigGuyAndRustyTheBoyRobot'' is one of these, though the public are under the impression that it's fully automated.

* In ''Road Runner's Death Valley Rally'', the FinalBoss is the "Solid Tin Coyote" from the episode of the same name. Real NightmareFuel.

** Later installments of the franchise (from ''KyoryuSentaiZyuranger'' onwards) would be adapted into ''PowerRangers'', which terms all its mechas as "Zords" and the combined forms "Megazords".
** The absolute biggest would have to be [[GoseiSentaiDairanger Daijinryu]]/Serpentera. To make it clear: Dairenoh/Thunder Megazord is 54 meters tall and Daimugen/Tor the Shuttlezord is 95 meters. Daijinryu/Serpentera is ''500 meters'' long and ''345 meters'' height when standing.

** To make it clearer, we once got a distant shot of Serpentera standing in the city, and buildings were about the size of one claw. In its shadow, day becomes night. If it were to lie down, its head could be downtown and its tail could be ''in a suburb''. In franchise history, its size has yet to be topped. (That's probably bigger than 500 meters, but when it's AllThereInTheManual stats versus the RuleOfCool, cool wins out.)

* ''Series/DoctorWho'' had a [[spoiler: 100-foot tall {{Steampunk}} Cyberman]] in the 2008 Christmas special.

** Strangely, {{averted}} by the {{Animesque}} Tau. While [[MiniMecha battlesuits]] are widely used, the Tau do not use any Titan-equivalents. It is presumed that they either don't have the manufacturing base to build them, or they realise the AwesomeButImpractical nature of such a weapon and refrain from using them. In either case, when faced with Titans, the Tau use [[DeathFromAbove specialized heavy bombers with railguns normally fitted to spacefaring vessels]]. They're rather effective to say the least.