he later real robot genre features robots that do not have mythical superpowers, but rather
use largely conventional, albeit futuristic weapons and power sources, and are often mass-
produced on a large scale for use in wars.[19] The real robot genre also tends to feature more
complex characters with moral conflicts and personal problems.[20] The genre is therefore
aimed primarily at young adults instead of children.[21] Mobile Suit Gundam (1979) is largely
considered the first series to introduce the real robot concept and, along with The Super
Dimension Fortress Macross (1982), would form the basis of what people would later call real
robot anime.[22]
Some robot mecha are capable of transformation (Macross and Zeta Gundam) or combining
to form even bigger ones (Beast King GoLion and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann), the latter
called 'combination'. Go Nagai and Ken Ishikawa are often credited with inventing this in 1974
with Getter Robo.
Not all mecha need to be completely mechanical. Some have biological components with
which to interface with their pilots, and some are partially biological themselves, such as in
Neon Genesis Evangelion, Eureka Seven, and Zoids.
Mecha based on anime have seen extreme cultural reception across the world. The
personification of this popularity can be seen as 1:1-sized Mazinger Z, Tetsujin, and Gundam
statues built across the world.
Film
[edit]
Imperial AT-AT walkers during the Battle of Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back, the second film
of the original Star Wars trilogy
In the Godzilla franchise the monster Mechagodzilla created by Toho is an Alien Monster
that first appeared in the 1974 film Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, in subsequent iterations,
he was used as a weapon built by the Japan Self-Defense Forces, such as Kiryu and Super
Mechagodzilla (which was actually built by the United Nations, along with the JSDF). In
the MonsterVerse, he was built by Apex Cybernetics to destroy Godzilla and King Kong.
with its consciousness taken over by that of Ghidorah. Mechagodzilla is one of Toho's big
5 kaijus.
Also in the Godzilla franchise, there is a Mecha-King Ghidorah that travels from 2204 to
1992 to kill Godzilla. Also, there is a reimagining of a mech from The Mysterians, which
appears in Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla and his name is M.O.G.U.E.R.A. which was meant to
help Godzilla battle SpaceGodzilla and is also built by the United Nations.
The Star Wars multimedia franchise features several walker types, such as the AT-AT and
AT-ST.
The film Robot Jox is based around gladiatorial combat between giant mecha.
In the 1986 film Aliens, Ripley uses a Caterpillar P-5000 Work Loader to fight the alien
Queen.
Sentinel 2099, a 1995 film, features a 40 foot tall walking tank called a Sentinel unit. They
are used to combat an alien race known as the Zisk.
In the 1999 film Wild Wild West, Dr. Loveless attempts to use an eight-storey tall, steam-
powered, walking spider to conquer a post-Civil War United States.
In the 2001 film AI: Artificial Intelligence by Steven Spielberg, the term mecha refers to
an advanced humanoid robot species featured in the film.
