Japan seriously considers building real-life Gundam mechas for Defense

Or perhaps they have found Gojira and actually need to better the JSDF's reputation that they have in the movies and really BE a Kaiju Defense Force?

@Greenmantle: I think Karkadinn's point was that Japan should improve air and sea defenses rather than land ones.

edited 28th Jun '12 1:32:44 AM by Medinoc

Hah! Don't you know a human mecha can swim like a dolphin and fly by simply moving its arms very fast?

& Mecha, specifically the mecha in the Gundam universe, use a particular energy source that handles powering the whole mecha as well as for movement, whether on air, on land, or through the sea (underwater).

And besides, they didn't say that "we're considering a Gundam development project that will be finished within ten years and will be considerably cheaper by then." Which is the main gripe you have with it, being too expensive and highly unlikely with our current level of technology and even after ten years' time.

The Gundam storyline that uses the AD timeline, Gundam 00, has mecha coming to being in the 2100s.

The UC timeline has it a bit earlier, as the first mecha appeared in the 2060s in AD. Take note however that the UC timeline was created in the late 70s.

edited 28th Jun '12 2:43:15 AM by entropy13

Would a more general Manhattan Project for robotics be a good idea?

Somebody should tell them that Rule of Cool only works in fiction.

@entropy: any energy source or technology which could make mechas valuable weapons would make more conventional vehicles even more powerful. With the power source of a Gundam, I would field a regular starship with better kinematic performance, lesser cost and better weaponry. With the tech of a Metal Gear, I send a Bolo your way and watch the slaughter from orbit.

I'll agree that Giant Mecha aren't the most practical from a pure combat perspective.

However, given the number of tsunamis and earthquakes that Japan gets, a bipedal mecha - presumably with hands - becomes a lot more beneficial for cleanup and recovery purposes. So, yes, this is something viable, even if not mainly for its original purpose.

Well, I would like to see your starship go through space, underwater, and fly on a planet with an atmosphere then. Akin to the mothership of the Gundams in Gundam 00. The UC timeline delineates it a bit though, as not all mecha can do entry/exit alone. And as you yourself have said, "conventional" vehicles. I can't see a tracked vehicle capable of underwater operation and flight yet, even with the same power source. They could be amphibious, but not a submarine. Then if we go with a theoretical multi-legged mecha, fair enough it could probably use the very same power source, yet would use too much energy underwater because of the many legs, and obviously not conducive to flight as well.

You could argue that a Macross-like mecha would be more feasible, but AFAIK they're not really capable of underwater usage.

If a mecha can go both underwater and in Spess, a ship can. Case in point: Death Gliders (and F-302 fighters?) in Stargate SG-1.

However, as Totemic Hero states, mecha would make good civilian equipment (construction etc.).

edited 28th Jun '12 6:25:23 AM by Medinoc

If I want to go underwater, I build a submarine. It will be faster, tougher and way cheaper than the mecha. And whatever allows the mecha to go underwater will also allow my starship to do the same: after all, it's not the shape of the mecha that allows it to go underwater, is it?

Simply put, there is no advantage whatsoever gained in taking the shape of a mecha. None. Only problems from the complexity, the cost, the inefficient volume management, the weird control systems and the failure rate.

The only mecha show where mechas had a good justification, IMHO, was Eva. At least, it was logical for NERV to "build" those things.

EDIT: damn ninjas! They went underwater and in outer space to surprise me!

EDIT 2: power armors would make good civilian tools, but nothing larger than Tiberian Sun's Wolverine. A giant mecha would just cost a lot, damage everything while moving and be inefficient compared to massive construction tools.

edited 28th Jun '12 6:27:19 AM by RufusShinra

Doesn't Japan have an insanely high amount of public debt, even bigger than the one of my home-country?

Giant robots are cool, sure; but I question whether this is a wise investment at the moment.

If they have money to spend, why not invest instead in more funding for seismological research? That's something that Japan could benefit directly from, even if it does not shoot rockets from its fists...

edited 28th Jun '12 7:02:33 AM by Carciofus

So, now that the initial outrage at this preposterous idea died down, I am able to view this in a more reasonable light.

While the idea as presented is indeed stupid, do we have a different source on this matter? MSN isn't what I'd call a reliable news site, and I suspect that a lot of context was lost in translation.

Or try and solve the demographic disaster (50% of their population over the retirement age by 2050, was it?) they are headed for.

And isn't the Japanese public generally opposed to military action that isn't for immediate defense? I assume that would translate to a dislike of huge boosts in defense funding.

Yes, they are — but that's also due to Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, put in place after World War II, which prohibits offensive military action.

Well, Japan is the 6th largest in the world in terms of military expenditure. So...a boost might be a form of economic stimulus and program like this a morale-booster for Japan (and they need it).

All this mocking hurts my soul.

Well it is a rather stupid idea. Or at least seems to be. There's the offchance that it might not be and is in fact a phenomenally awesome and practical one, but by and large it is a stupid idea.

However it is an amusing idea. And if it isn't viable in the military sphere...Oh well. I don't much like military advancement at all save what can be taken from it and used on a civilian level. I view militaries as a sort of necessary evil. I place very little faith in the human race to not feel a need for them and to not be attempting to murderrape entire countries for whatever reason.

The money could be used elsewhere though. As is I will just be amused. Oh so heavily amused. And hope that it looks like the God Gundam.

edited 28th Jun '12 10:45:32 AM by Aondeug

Didn't the mobile suits in Gundam started off as construction mecha anyway before being converted to combat purposes ?

Mobile suits in the UC came about from 2 major discoveries, the AMBAC (Active Mass Balance Auto Control) and Minovsky Particle .

The AMBAC allowed thrustless movements of joints and also lead to Minovsky Particles which were a massive jam in radar and other long range technology, forcing space fights to be visual range, thus leading to the invention of mobile suits.

edited 28th Jun '12 3:13:08 PM by Thorn14

x3 It'd more likely resemble the RX-78. Though, I'm personally hoping for either the Deathscythe, or the Master Gundam.

I'd personally want an Atlas.

Personally, I don't care how impractical it is. If we get mechs, then my life's dream is both fulfilled and destroyed.

I wanted to invent the world's first mech!

Well, if we're throwing sanity out the window, make mine one that can PIERCE THE HEAVENS!!!

Seriously though, this probably won't be practical for generations.

But when it does happen, I hope I will be able to afford one for my grand kids.

It won't be practical at all. Ever. Unless we discover a way to break several laws of physics in a cost-effective manner.

Mecha will never see the battlefield. A disaster zone, perhaps (and that's a huge perhaps), but never a battlefield.

Well, I suppose they might, but only for about as long as it takes to get a missile lock on one (which shouldn't be long; it would, again, be a giant "kick me" sign).

Meh, I figure it will take the same place in our world, as sail boats do.

Big, expensive, impractical, but flamboyantly cool and a clear sign of excess that says: "I have so much money I can afford to own this impractical thing!"

(BTW, any hot ladies wana check out the hot tub? )

edited 28th Jun '12 11:07:03 PM by Natasel