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:''This article is about the 'term' used in science fiction, anime, and manga. For other uses, see mecha (disambiguation).''
'Mecha', also known as 'meka' or 'mechs', are walking vehicles controlled by a pilot. Mecha are generally, though not necessarily, bipedal. In most science fiction stories in which they appear, mecha are war machines: essentially armored fighting vehicles with legs instead of treads or wheels. Some stories, such as the Japanese manga ''Patlabor'', also encompass mecha used for civilian purposes such as heavy construction work, police functions, or firefighting.
Some sci-fi universes posit that mecha are the primary means of combat, with conflicts sometimes being decided through gladiatorial matches. Others represent mecha as one component of an integrated military force, supported by and fighting alongside tanks, fighter aircraft, and infantry, functioning as a mechanical cavalry. The applications often highlight the theoretical usefulness of such a device, combining a tanks resilience and fire power with infantries' ability to cross unstable terrain.
The distinction between true mecha and their smaller cousins (and likely progenitors), the powered armor suits, is blurred; according to one definition, a mecha is piloted while a powered armor is worn. Anything large enough to have a cockpit where the pilot is seated is generally considered a mecha.
The first occurrence of mecha in fiction is thought to be the novel ''The War of the Worlds'' by H. G. Wells where the Martians use tripod walkers very similar to mecha.
Rarely, mecha has been used in a fantasy convention, most notably in the anime series ''Aura Battler Dunbine'', ''The Vision of Escaflowne'' and ''Maze''. In those cases, the mecha designs are usually based on some alternative or 'lost' science-fiction technology from ancient times.
The term "mecha" is derived from the Japanese abbreviation for the English word "". In Japanese, "mecha" encompasses all mechanical objects, including cars, guns, computers, and other devices. The Japanese use the term or "giant robots" to distinguish limbed vehicles from other mechanical devices. English speakers have repurposed the term "mecha" to mean only these vehicles.
In Japanese, the word mecha (or meka) is an abbreviation of the English "mechanical" and used to refer to all mechanical objects, real-world or fictional. In this sense, it is extended to humanoid, human-sized robots and such things as the boomers from ''Bubblegum Crisis'', the similar replicants of ''Blade Runner'', and cyborgs can be referred to as mecha, as well as mundane real-life objects such as industrial robots, cars and even toasters. In Japanese, the term "giant robots" is used in the similar context that English speakers have repurposed the term "mecha".
This is far less frequent among English speakers. There are exceptions; in the film '', the word is used to describe 'mechanicals' (robotic humanoids), as opposed to 'orga' for 'organics' (humans).
The Life Model Decoys from the Marvel Comics miniseries ''Livewires'' refer to themselves as mecha.
The term "mech" is used to describe such vehicles considerably more often in Western entertainment than in Asian entertainment. "Mech" as a term originated from BattleTech (where it is often written as 'Mech, short for BattleMech or OmniMech), and is not used in Japan in other contexts except as an unintentional misspelling of "mecha." (One exception is the Japanese version of BattleTech, which attempts to retain the English word.) In Japanese, "robot" is the more frequent term (see 'Other meanings' below). In the Japanese stories themselves, they are seldom known as "mecha".
Robot mecha are quite popular in Japanese manga, and by extension anime. In Western entertainment, they are occasionally seen in video games, especially the action, strategy and simulation genres, but the most well-known Western context for mecha is ''BattleTech''. The original ''BattleTech'' - a tabletop strategy game - has been the basis of numerous games and products in other media. FASA, the company that produced ''BattleTech'', was sued for copyright infringement for using several mecha designs from ''Macross'' and other anime series without the proper copyright licenses[1] (the first edition of ''BattleTech'', then named ''BattleDroids'', actually included two Japanese 1/144 model kits from the ''Fang of Sun Dougram'' anime series).
Main articles: Mecha anime
In Japan, "robot anime" (known as "mecha anime" outside Japan) is a genre that features the vehicles and their pilots as the central plot points. Here, the average robot mecha are usually twenty feet tall at the smallest, outfitted with a wide variety of weapons, and quite frequently have tie-ins with toy manufacturers. The ''Gundam'' franchise is a prominent example: Gundam toys and model kits (produced by the Japanese toymaker Bandai) are ubiquitous in Japan.
The genre started with Mitsuteru Yokoyama's 1956 manga ''Tetsujin 28-go'' (which was later animated in 1963 and also released abroad as ''Gigantor''). Its inclusion is debatable however, as the robot was controlled by remote instead of a cockpit in the machine. Not long after that the genre was largely defined by author Go Nagai, into something considerably more fantastical. ''Mazinger Z'', his most famous creation, was not only the first successful Super Robot anime series, but also the pioneer of the genre staples like weapons that were activated by the hero calling out their names ("Rocket Punch!"). It was also a pioneer in die-cast metal toys such as the Chogokin series in Japan and the Shogun Warriors in the U.S., that were (and still are) very popular with children and collectors.
Robot/mecha anime and manga differ vastly in storytelling and animation quality from title to title, and content ranges all the way from children's shows to ones intended for an older teen or adult audience.
Some robot mecha are capable of transformation (''Macross'' to name but one) or combining to form even bigger ones (see ''Voltron''). Go Nagai is also often credited with inventing this in 1974 with the television series ''Getter Robo''.
The ''mecha'' genre in anime is still alive and well in the new millennium, with revival OVAs like ''Getter Robo: the Last Day'', ''Diebuster'' and ''Mazinkaiser'' from the Super Robot tradition, the new ''Gundam SEED'' series from the Real Robot side, and ''Reideen'', a recent remake of the 1975 hit series ''Brave Raideen''.
The Hollywood movie ''Aliens'' featured a cargoloader as a civilian mecha (although this instance blurs the line between being a mecha or an exoskeleton). More famously known for impacting American citizens is the film Robot Jox, featuring two giant mech fight scenes.
Arguably, the concept of piloted mecha goes back decades before Tetsujin-28. The tripods featured in ''The War of the Worlds'', with advanced weaponry and dedicated piloting stations, are perhaps the forerunners of modern mecha.
Mecha are often featured in computer and console games. Because of their size and power, and the resultant potential for massive property damage resulting from that size and power, mecha are quite popular subjects for games, both tabletop and electronic.
1. The related lawsuits were settled out of court, and later products of BattleTech do not use the designs under contention.
★ Specific mecha in media
★ Powered exoskeleton
★ Gears Online
★ Brickshelf Lego mecha galleries
★ Mecha Anime HQ: Extensive coverage on Gundams and other mecha.
;real projects:
★ http://www.mechaps.com
★ http://www.sakakibara-kikai.co.jp (it walks, but very slowly)
 A PAC T39 Bogatyr from Battlefield 2142 |
'Mecha', also known as 'meka' or 'mechs', are walking vehicles controlled by a pilot. Mecha are generally, though not necessarily, bipedal. In most science fiction stories in which they appear, mecha are war machines: essentially armored fighting vehicles with legs instead of treads or wheels. Some stories, such as the Japanese manga ''Patlabor'', also encompass mecha used for civilian purposes such as heavy construction work, police functions, or firefighting.
Some sci-fi universes posit that mecha are the primary means of combat, with conflicts sometimes being decided through gladiatorial matches. Others represent mecha as one component of an integrated military force, supported by and fighting alongside tanks, fighter aircraft, and infantry, functioning as a mechanical cavalry. The applications often highlight the theoretical usefulness of such a device, combining a tanks resilience and fire power with infantries' ability to cross unstable terrain.
The distinction between true mecha and their smaller cousins (and likely progenitors), the powered armor suits, is blurred; according to one definition, a mecha is piloted while a powered armor is worn. Anything large enough to have a cockpit where the pilot is seated is generally considered a mecha.
The first occurrence of mecha in fiction is thought to be the novel ''The War of the Worlds'' by H. G. Wells where the Martians use tripod walkers very similar to mecha.
Rarely, mecha has been used in a fantasy convention, most notably in the anime series ''Aura Battler Dunbine'', ''The Vision of Escaflowne'' and ''Maze''. In those cases, the mecha designs are usually based on some alternative or 'lost' science-fiction technology from ancient times.
| Contents |
| Word origins and usage |
| East and West |
| Mechas in Movies and Literature |
| Notes and references |
| See also |
| External links |
Word origins and usage
BattleMechs from the cover of the novel ''The Legend of the Jade Phoenix'' by Robert Thurston
The term "mecha" is derived from the Japanese abbreviation for the English word "". In Japanese, "mecha" encompasses all mechanical objects, including cars, guns, computers, and other devices. The Japanese use the term or "giant robots" to distinguish limbed vehicles from other mechanical devices. English speakers have repurposed the term "mecha" to mean only these vehicles.
In Japanese, the word mecha (or meka) is an abbreviation of the English "mechanical" and used to refer to all mechanical objects, real-world or fictional. In this sense, it is extended to humanoid, human-sized robots and such things as the boomers from ''Bubblegum Crisis'', the similar replicants of ''Blade Runner'', and cyborgs can be referred to as mecha, as well as mundane real-life objects such as industrial robots, cars and even toasters. In Japanese, the term "giant robots" is used in the similar context that English speakers have repurposed the term "mecha".
This is far less frequent among English speakers. There are exceptions; in the film '', the word is used to describe 'mechanicals' (robotic humanoids), as opposed to 'orga' for 'organics' (humans).
The Life Model Decoys from the Marvel Comics miniseries ''Livewires'' refer to themselves as mecha.
The term "mech" is used to describe such vehicles considerably more often in Western entertainment than in Asian entertainment. "Mech" as a term originated from BattleTech (where it is often written as 'Mech, short for BattleMech or OmniMech), and is not used in Japan in other contexts except as an unintentional misspelling of "mecha." (One exception is the Japanese version of BattleTech, which attempts to retain the English word.) In Japanese, "robot" is the more frequent term (see 'Other meanings' below). In the Japanese stories themselves, they are seldom known as "mecha".
East and West
Robot mecha are quite popular in Japanese manga, and by extension anime. In Western entertainment, they are occasionally seen in video games, especially the action, strategy and simulation genres, but the most well-known Western context for mecha is ''BattleTech''. The original ''BattleTech'' - a tabletop strategy game - has been the basis of numerous games and products in other media. FASA, the company that produced ''BattleTech'', was sued for copyright infringement for using several mecha designs from ''Macross'' and other anime series without the proper copyright licenses[1] (the first edition of ''BattleTech'', then named ''BattleDroids'', actually included two Japanese 1/144 model kits from the ''Fang of Sun Dougram'' anime series).
Mechas in Movies and Literature
Main articles: Mecha anime
The title mecha RX-78-2 Gundam from the popular anime Mobile Suit Gundam
In Japan, "robot anime" (known as "mecha anime" outside Japan) is a genre that features the vehicles and their pilots as the central plot points. Here, the average robot mecha are usually twenty feet tall at the smallest, outfitted with a wide variety of weapons, and quite frequently have tie-ins with toy manufacturers. The ''Gundam'' franchise is a prominent example: Gundam toys and model kits (produced by the Japanese toymaker Bandai) are ubiquitous in Japan.
The genre started with Mitsuteru Yokoyama's 1956 manga ''Tetsujin 28-go'' (which was later animated in 1963 and also released abroad as ''Gigantor''). Its inclusion is debatable however, as the robot was controlled by remote instead of a cockpit in the machine. Not long after that the genre was largely defined by author Go Nagai, into something considerably more fantastical. ''Mazinger Z'', his most famous creation, was not only the first successful Super Robot anime series, but also the pioneer of the genre staples like weapons that were activated by the hero calling out their names ("Rocket Punch!"). It was also a pioneer in die-cast metal toys such as the Chogokin series in Japan and the Shogun Warriors in the U.S., that were (and still are) very popular with children and collectors.
Robot/mecha anime and manga differ vastly in storytelling and animation quality from title to title, and content ranges all the way from children's shows to ones intended for an older teen or adult audience.
Some robot mecha are capable of transformation (''Macross'' to name but one) or combining to form even bigger ones (see ''Voltron''). Go Nagai is also often credited with inventing this in 1974 with the television series ''Getter Robo''.
The ''mecha'' genre in anime is still alive and well in the new millennium, with revival OVAs like ''Getter Robo: the Last Day'', ''Diebuster'' and ''Mazinkaiser'' from the Super Robot tradition, the new ''Gundam SEED'' series from the Real Robot side, and ''Reideen'', a recent remake of the 1975 hit series ''Brave Raideen''.
The Hollywood movie ''Aliens'' featured a cargoloader as a civilian mecha (although this instance blurs the line between being a mecha or an exoskeleton). More famously known for impacting American citizens is the film Robot Jox, featuring two giant mech fight scenes.
Arguably, the concept of piloted mecha goes back decades before Tetsujin-28. The tripods featured in ''The War of the Worlds'', with advanced weaponry and dedicated piloting stations, are perhaps the forerunners of modern mecha.
Mecha are often featured in computer and console games. Because of their size and power, and the resultant potential for massive property damage resulting from that size and power, mecha are quite popular subjects for games, both tabletop and electronic.
Notes and references
1. The related lawsuits were settled out of court, and later products of BattleTech do not use the designs under contention.
See also
★ Specific mecha in media
★ Powered exoskeleton
External links
★ Gears Online
★ Brickshelf Lego mecha galleries
★ Mecha Anime HQ: Extensive coverage on Gundams and other mecha.
;real projects:
★ http://www.mechaps.com
★ http://www.sakakibara-kikai.co.jp (it walks, but very slowly)
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