History Main / TinCanRobot

-->-- '''Jim Wright's Series/StarTrekVoyager review of "[[{{Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS5E1Night}} Night]]"'''

* ''VideoGame/MadAgeAndThisGuy'': The [[MechaMook Mecha Mooks]] the PlayerCharacter faces look like boilers and Roombas.

Though most historical examples are technically humanoid in form,[[note]]remember: CG was a new thing back then, and puppets are expensive, so you gotta be able to get a costumed actor to play these machines)[[/note]] they still generally look like a trashcan or boiler with arms, legs[[note]][[Series/DoctorWho if it even]] [[Franchise/StarWars gets those]][[/note]] and a head -- either distinct or [[{{Cephalothorax}} fused to their torso]] -- pasted onto it. This robot is usually not painted and it's often possible to easily see screw heads holding it together. Bonus points if the robot's arms are made of flexi-tube with pincers at the end.

Though most historical examples are technically humanoid in form (remember: CG was a new thing back then, and puppets are expensive, so you gotta be able to get a costumed actor to play these machines), they still generally look like a trashcan or boiler with arms, legs ([[Series/DoctorWho if it even]] [[Franchise/StarWars gets those]]), and a head -- either distinct or [[{{Cephalothorax}} fused to their torso]] -- pasted onto it. This robot is usually not painted and it's often possible to easily see screw heads holding it together. Bonus points if the robot's arms are made of flexi-tube with pincers at the end.

* ''Series/TheMandalorian'': The design of IG-11, an assassin droid, was definitely inspired by the classis TinCanRobot. However, [[JustifiedTrope it actually serves a purpose here]]. IG's skinny, bare limbs mean he is not weighed down by extra armor. And his cylindrical design allows him to rotate parts of his body independently of each other. His large cylindrical head is equipped with numerous sensors that can also rotate independently, granting him 360 degree vision. His bare-bones, but highly optimized design allows him to be an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32gxelu_aBw incredibly deadly mercenary]].

* Series/TheMandalorian: The design of IG-11, an assassin droid, was definitely inspired by the classis TinCanRobot. However, [[JustifiedTrope it actually serves a purpose here]]. IG's skinny, bare limbs mean he is not weighed down by extra armor. And his cylindrical design allows him to rotate parts of his body independently of each other. His large cylindrical head is equipped with numerous sensors that can also rotate independently, granting him 360 degree vision. His bare-bones, but highly optimized design allows him to be an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32gxelu_aBw incredibly deadly mercenary]].

* [[Series/TheMandalorian]]: The design of IG-11, an assassin droid, was definitely inspired by the classis TinCanRobot. However, [[JustifiedTrope it actually serves a purpose here]]. IG's skinny, bare limbs mean he is not weighed down by extra armor. And his cylindrical design allows him to rotate parts of his body independently of each other. His large cylindrical head is equipped with numerous sensors that can also rotate independently, granting him 360 degree vision. His bare-bones, but highly optimized design allows him to be an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32gxelu_aBw incredibly deadly mercenary]].

* Norby, of the eponymous series by Creator/IsaacAsimov, is shaped like a container for nails, to the point where the protagonist bought him for a song because he looked so non-functional.
* Norwegian-English author Phillip Newth has written several books about a constantly-malfunctioning domestic servant robot named Matilda, who is described at least once a book as having a body shaped like a tin can and a head shaped like a smaller tin can. Matilda is a bit of an oddity in her books; robots are plentiful but usually look a lot more sophisticated or even just like humans. Matilda looks the way she does (and malfunctions so often) because she's old, "almost an antique."
* The robots in ''Andy Bucket's Robots'' look like this, because Andy made them with tin cans.

Nowadays usually done to make the 'bot look [[GoodOldRobot amateur-made or old-fashioned]], as the unwieldiness such machines (especially those played by costumed actors) displayed on-screen almost completely discredited this trope to medern audiences. However, in older {{Zeerust}}, it was often played straight.

Though most historical examples are technically humanoid in form (remember: CG was a new thing back then, and puppets are expensive, so you gotta be able to get a costumed actor to play these machines), they still generally look like a trashcan or boiler with arme, legs ([[Series/DoctorWho if it even]] [[Franchise/StarWars gets those]]), and a head -- either distinct or [[{{Cephalothorax}} fused to their torso]] -- pasted onto it. This robot is usually not painted and it's often possible to easily see screw heads holding it together. Bonus points if the robot's arms are made of flexi-tube with pincers at the end.

The opposite of those human-looking robots such as the RobotGirl — this is a robot designed with function over form in mind - or at least, designed to ''look'' like it is.

The opposite of those human-looking robots such as the RobotGirl — this is a robot designed with function over form in mind. It's in technically humanoid form, but generally looks like a trashcan or boiler on legs ([[Series/DoctorWho if it even]] [[Franchise/StarWars gets those]]), sometimes with a vaguely humanoid head ([[{{Cephalothorax}} if it even has a head]]). This robot is usually not painted and it's often possible to easily see screw heads holding it together. Bonus points if the robot's arms are made of flexi-tube with pincers at the end.

Nowadays usually done to make the 'bot look [[GoodOldRobot amateur-made or old-fashioned]], but in older {{Zeerust}} works it was often played straight.

* The Robobrains from ''Videogame/{{Fallout}}'' fit the bill, unusually having [[WetwareCPU glass domes filled with a living brain]] for heads and very heavily resembling The Robot from ''Series/LostInSpace''. The Protectron models, meanwhile, look suspiciously like Robbie the Robot from ''Film/ForbiddenPlanet''. The Synths in ''VideoGame/Fallout4'' notably avert this by being distinctly humanoid, especially 3rd Generation Synths, which are nearly completely identical to humans in almost every way. Because AIIsACrapshoot, this is a point of major contention for Wastelanders, who are used to dealing with the obviously artificial tin-can robots of the previous games.

* ''ComicBook/GatherTheAdventuresOfJo3AndGnawk'' stars the titular duo. Jo3 is a robot who has a cylindrical torso and head.

* ''[[VideoGame/MetalSlug Metal Slug 3]]'':
** The Mars Robot in the final stage is one, they are intended to be {{expy}} of the Daleks, for being both {{Cyborg}} and this trope.
** Also the giant blocky toy robot that's the end-boss of the factory level.
* Robots from ''VideoGame/{{Machinarium}}'' are very much like that, especially the main character.
* Malco, one of the control room guardians from ''VideoGame/CaveStory'', is one.

* The final boss in ''VideoGame/BalloonKid'' is this kind of robot.

* Hovering medibot MC Rubbish from ''WesternAnimation/WaveTwisters''.

[[folder:Roleplay]]
* The Garbageman, a GadgeteerGenius from the ''Roleplay/GlobalGuardiansPBEMUniverse'', guarded his lair with robots that looked like they were thrown together from old car parts, some galvanized steel garbage cans, and a lawn mower or two. They looked like that because they were thrown together from old car parts, some galvanized steel garbage cans, and a lawn mower or two. More dangerous than they sounded.
[[/folder]]

** The [[ANaziByAnyOtherNAme Daleks]] certainly deserve a mention, despite technically being {{cyborg}}s. They're sort of bizarre by being roughly 1.6 metres tall and having odd hemispherical protrusions, but there's a reason they are often dubbed "pepperpots".

* Likewise, Creator/MitsuteruYokoyama's other early SuperRobot, Poseido from ''Manga/BabelII''.

-->'''Lt. Pizer:''' I never thought I'd be [[SnarkyNonHumanSidekick playing straight man to a tin can]].

** Spoofed in ''Film/JMenForever'', a GagDub of the above movies.

%%* B.O.B. and V.I.N.CENT from Disney's ''Film/TheBlackHole''.

The opposite of those human-looking robots such as the RobotGirl — this is a robot designed with function over form in mind. It's in technically humanoid form, but generally looks like a trashcan or boiler on legs ([[Series/DoctorWho if it even]] [[Film/StarWars gets those]]), sometimes with a vaguely humanoid head ([[{{Cephalothorax}} if it even has a head]]). This robot is usually not painted and it's often possible to easily see screw heads holding it together. Bonus points if the robot's arms are made of flexi-tube with pincers at the end.

* [[https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcSD-wHkKlDY3DsKhPtZdRO9k-3npgbqGlFTtaUqS7wxRav9EFLf Builgamo]] from ''Series/ReturnOfUltraman'' is a Tin-can kaiju MadeOfIndestructonium.

* [[https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcSD-wHkKlDY3DsKhPtZdRO9k-3npgbqGlFTtaUqS7wxRav9EFLf Builgamo]] from ''Series/ReturnOfUltraman'' is a Tin-can kaiju.