Our new alien overlords, and all that

April 16, 2009 4:38 PM

A giant robotic beetle (YT) built in Japan by a man in his garage -- and it works.

It's a long clip, so if you want to see it move you can skip ahead to about 7:15.

posted by Chocolate Pickle (19 comments total)

It took him 11 years to build it. It's 11 meters long, and it weighs 15 tons.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 4:40 PM on April 16, 2009

A bit more info here: Alas it more "shuffles" than walks -- the legs pull it along the ground, while the weight is supported by wheels. But hey -- not bad for something created for the love of it in a garage. Passion like this represents the best part of Japanese otaku culture.

That's a level of Otaku which is new to me, a minor fanboy Gaijin.
posted by filthy light thief at 4:46 PM on April 16, 2009

What's up with all the "reaction headshots" in Japanese TV clips? How common is that? It seems like almost every clip has those reaction headshots in the corner of the screen all the time.
posted by delmoi at 4:51 PM on April 16, 2009

What's more amazing than the giant robot beetle is that this guy has a garage THAT BIG! In JAPAN!! OMG!!! Sugeeeeeeiiii!!! Dekeeeeeeeiiiiiii!!!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:53 PM on April 16, 2009

This is Japan's version of Pimp My Ride, isn't it? That thing was a `92 Honda when it came to the shop.
posted by steef at 4:55 PM on April 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

It seems like almost every clip has those reaction headshots in the corner of the screen all the time.

Yeah, that's a standard feature of J-TV, delmoi. Very few shows like this (shows that feature interesting things or people or food or whatever) just run as documentaries on their own. They virtually always have a panel of celebs on stage, as well as a studio audience to provide the necessary gasps, laughter, applause, and commentary after the clip airs.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:56 PM on April 16, 2009

2:26 to 2:28:

The control panel. The awesome, awesome control panel, for which I would pay money for alone.

(The control panel that says KABUTOM RAGIO CONTROREA at the top and has a beetle all over it.)
posted by krilli at 5:02 PM on April 16, 2009

Sorry, but this is a parade float. A Grand Marshall's Award winner, to be fair.
posted by Brocktoon at 6:03 PM on April 16, 2009

Damn. If only the Bush administration had known about this.
posted by bigskyguy at 6:20 PM on April 16, 2009

Damn, that beetle is waaaay bigger than I was expecting. I figured, you know, giant for a beetle – couple of feet long maybe. But that thing ain't just big for a beetle, it's big for a noun!
posted by Mister_A at 6:22 PM on April 16, 2009

flapjax - you're saying that garages aren't big in Japan? I hear making things is easy when your garage is big in Japan (big in Japan).
posted by filthy light thief at 7:13 PM on April 16, 2009

Japan to Godzilla: "Bring it, bitch."

There's no science like mad science!
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:51 PM on April 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

I saw this on TV the other day and absolutely loved it. The best part was that it took him 11 years to build it—by himself—and that he had never once taken it out of its garage to actually play around with because he'd need two flatbed trucks to do it.

Plus, this was the third version. His wife must be a saint.
posted by armage at 8:51 PM on April 16, 2009

I knew it.

Chuck Norris
posted by Laotic at 4:17 AM on April 17, 2009

.Crap. Wrong thread.
posted by Laotic at 4:17 AM on April 17, 2009

Why are we not seeing a giant robotic beetle VS LAND WALKER -Japanese Robot suit?

C'mon Japan! Do I have to think of everything?
posted by orme at 4:30 AM on April 17, 2009

That was anti-climactic.
posted by eperker at 3:07 PM on April 17, 2009

I hear making things is easy when your garage is big in Japan (big in Japan).

Garage bands are big in Japan (Big Band, in Japan) when the garage is big. In Japan. (Big In Japan).
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:51 PM on April 17, 2009

I like this spidermobile
posted by bonobothegreat at 1:00 PM on April 18, 2009