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Gundam
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robots
Robo-One Robot Street Fighter: Actual Robot Chicken Beats Metal Ass, But Where's the Beef?
Twice a year Japan holds the Robo-One championships, which is like Street Fighter for robots. The most awesome one by far is Leghorn, a robot chicken (hell yes) that beats down other tin cans with its "Chicken Chop." But is that really all they've got? One of the dudes said it's all about making robot battles from anime a reality, so um, where the hell are the lasers and finger missiles? Or even, buzzsaws, smashers and bashers like Battlebots? I mean, someone went so far as to calculate how to make real-life Gundam, so I know they can do better. Next time, I want explosions and robot gore. [Reuters via Gridskipper]
robots
Muscle Robot Suit Makes Most Powerful Carpenters Since Jesus
While we're all about powered exoskeletons to accelerate soldiers' badassery, Japan builds them for stuff like carpentry. Apparently the suckiest aspect of the job is fitting in ceiling boards, which requires a lot of raw power in an unnatural body position, since it's all done over-the-head. Nagoya University's robot suit basically makes their arms like Jax from Mortal Kombat, so they can toss 'em up there, slam in the screws and be done without breaking a sweat. I wanna wear a robot suit to work. [Physorg via The Raw Feed]
gundam
How Much Would it Cost to Make a Life-Size Working Gundam?
A full-scale Gundam robot is one thing, but how much would it actually cost to build one that could actually walk? According to an estimate published on the SciencePortal website run by the Japan Science and Technology Agency, the total cost for parts alone would be $725,000,000. That figure would not include labor, fancy weaponry, or any flying capabilities. The whole shebang would be powered by and IBM Blue Gene supercomputer and 30 giant 400KW motors. More »
higher learning
Tokyo National University Begins Anime Graduate Program, Otaku Applicants Surge Overnight
Starting next year, the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts will have something that's long overdue for an otaku-rich country: a two-year graduate degree in anime production—the first for a non-private institution in Japan. Courses will be taught by full-time professionals from the anime world including Koji Yamamura, and students will leave with two or three full-fledged works under their belt. We're jealous, but we think we might hold out for the Ph. D. in Gundam Suit fabrication studies. One day. [Yomiuri Shimbun]
gadgets
Banpresto's releasing 7 odd Gundam-styled accessories next month, but the most interesting one is this Gundam USB Ionizer. It's shaped like the "White Base", white apparently looks like a lion lazily stretching itself after an afternoon nap. We're not sure which parts of the Gundam takes in the air and which part excretes it with slightly more ionization, but it's probably those jets on the legs. Oh, and there's also a USB hub in there that looks like some kind of explosive box, but that's slightly less cool than a friggin space lion. [Akihabara News via Sci Fi Tech via Everything USB]
Gundam Air Ionizer Freshens Room, Saves Humanity
Banpresto's releasing 7 odd Gundam-styled accessories next month, but the most interesting one is this Gundam USB Ionizer. It's shaped like the "White Base", white apparently looks like a lion lazily stretching itself after an afternoon nap. We're not sure which parts of the Gundam takes in the air and which part excretes it with slightly more ionization, but it's probably those jets on the legs. Oh, and there's also a USB hub in there that looks like some kind of explosive box, but that's slightly less cool than a friggin space lion. [Akihabara News via Sci Fi Tech via Everything USB]
gundam cell
Japan Gets a Zaku 2-Style Helmet Phone from Sharp and Softbank
This must be the only cell phone I can think of whose charger is larger than the phone itself. Sharp and Softbank's charmingly-titled 913SH Full Face is a slider (closed, its looks give more than a nod to the iPhone, IMHO) which comes with an enormous Zaku 2 helmet that you stand the phone on to admire, charge, admire and charge. We thought you might like a gallery to brighten up your Monday. More »
potaku
Japanese Bureaucrats Busted for Editing Gundam Wikipedia Entries on the Job
Six Japanese government drones in the Agriculture Ministry were given a verbal wag of the finger for dumping hours of worktime into editing Wikipedia, with one guy racking up over 260 contributions to Gundam-related entries. Speaking for the ministry on the matter, an official commented that "the Agriculture Ministry is not in charge of Gundam." (No joke.) Yeah, that would be the Ministry of Giant Robots. (Joke. Maybe.) [Yahoo!/AP, Flickr]
helmets
Gundam Helmet is not for Keeping your Golf Clubs in
Another day, another helmet. But this one is awesome. It wasn't stolen from a Giant Panda, neither would it look better on your butt. No, this is a bike lid that looks like our favorite robot. Available in Japan, there's a price on Gundam's head and another image after the jump. More »
no thank you
$1,690 Gundam Shirt Teases Us With Vomit
These days, wearing a giant robot on your shirt just isn't enough to be ostracized from the party. Step up your game with the the Swarovski crystal hand-stitched Gundam tee. Not only is it a worthy homage to your favorite battle robot, but to Swarovski-covered tech everywhere. (On a side note, when will manufacturers tire of the same old, cover it in crystal method of making gadgets more expensive. How about just manufacturing more amazing tech?)
So just how much is too much to spend on geek fashion? I'd wager $1,690 is, at minimum, a starting point for the discussion. [plasticbamboo]
dialing zaku
Some kids grow up wanting to be firefighters and ballerinas, but most grow up wanting to pilot giant robotic killing machines. Since we aren't living in the future just yet, you'll have to satisfy your fantasies with this Gundam IP phone. The headset and software are pretty standard fare, but it also comes with a GUI that puts you in the cockpit of an armored suit while you're making calls. If that doesn't give you the confidence you need to tackle those sales calls, nothing will. Available August 31 for about $45.
[Gundam IP Phone via Akihabara News]
Gundam IP Phone Turns Calls Into Epic Space Battles
Some kids grow up wanting to be firefighters and ballerinas, but most grow up wanting to pilot giant robotic killing machines. Since we aren't living in the future just yet, you'll have to satisfy your fantasies with this Gundam IP phone. The headset and software are pretty standard fare, but it also comes with a GUI that puts you in the cockpit of an armored suit while you're making calls. If that doesn't give you the confidence you need to tackle those sales calls, nothing will. Available August 31 for about $45.[Gundam IP Phone via Akihabara News]
robots
Gundam Skull Speakers
Harvested from the rusted out corpses of Gundam suits that died with valor in suborbital space combat. Powered by two AA batteries and the drool of thousands of Otaku nerdypants Robot lovers.
More »
cute or annoying
Haro Gundam Mac Mini Case
If you've been a Giz reader long enough, you'd remember the Gundam Haro case for mini PCs. Well, Bandai (or whoever made this) has retrofitted it for Mac minis as well. The case itself is actually more impressive in motion than it is in still shots, extending out its "ears," "legs," arms, and lighting up its arms, all while shouting annoyingly in Japanese. We suppose that's what the character's known for in the Gundam universe? More »
gigantic robot
Life-sized Gundam Wakes Up, Destroys Enemies, Takes a Nap?
If you are planning to go on vacation this July and you like huge robots (of the anime variety, not LG product ninja skinjobs), get a ticket to Japan, visit the Fuji entertainment park and get drunk with sake! More »
gadgets
Platinum Gundam Protects Very Small Countries
Mounting cardboard boxes on our arms, legs, and head and running pretending we were Gundam is much easier these days since we get so many packages in the mail (FedEx/UPS Gundam ftw). But a Gundam made of platinum is pretty outrageous even for Japan. More »
gadgets
Gundam Razor Defends Earth While Making You Presentable
Although there's no real benefit to having a Gundam razor as opposed to, say, a non-Gundam razor, you'll still feel safe using a razor sanctioned by a 50-foot Japanese defense robot. Then again, actual Gundam pilots are only 13 years old, which means these haven't actually been tested on real human beings. Wait, did we just confuse Gundam with real life? Uh oh. More »
robots
Japan's Makes Maid Robot That Surprisingly Looks like Gundam, Not a Sexy Lady
If you imagined Japan's roboticists making a robot that pours tea and washes dishes, you'd imagine some kind of sexy maid with a short skirt and gigantic knockers. Well, you'd be wrong. The University of Tokyo went in the complete opposite direction and made a robot that looks like a Gundam. More »
gadgets
