(Image credit MegaBots)
This is two years in the making! A year after the bout was set to take place.
Bear in mind this is just my view on the long-touted robot fight between MegaBots and Suidobashi and the subsequent live bout between MegaBots’ own robots (but that’s for another time). That being said, the road to the first international robot bout began in 2015 when California-based MegaBots completed work on their Mark II combat robot and then challenged Japan’s Suidobashi Heavy Industry and their Kuratas mech to a duel. Suidobashi agreed to the match and both companies set about developing their machines for one-on-one combat.
MegaBots turned to crowd-funding on Kickstarter to develop their Mark II with some unsuccessful results, garnering just $65K of their $1.8-million goal. The second round of funding fared much better, successfully netting them $554K to continue development. They also brought in additional $3.8-million from investors, including Autodesk, Azure Capital, and Maveron (among several others) to get the robot/s combat-ready. Fast-forward to 2017, and after much hype, it was announced the two companies would spar in an abandon metal factory in Japan on October 17th and suffice it to say, I couldn’t wait to view the match.
I’ve been a fan of mech and robot battles since I was introduced to BattleTech and MechWarrior nearly 25 years ago, so this was going to be just like that- massive robots gunning each other in glorious fast-paced battle, or so I thought or rather, hoped. Granted, I knew there would be no live missiles, rail guns or armor-piercing machinegun fire but MegaBots had the next best thing- a massive paint cannon that can hurl massive 3lbs rounds at over 130mph!
It was time to fight, and like thousands of others, I tuned into the pre-recorded spectacle and hoped for the best. I was delighted to see MegaBots fielding two robots (Iron Glory and Eagle Prime) instead of one, with each going up against Suidobashi’s Kuratas in a three-round bout. After the introductions, it was time for the first round to begin, pitting Iron Glory against its Japanese counterpart. I watched as Iron Glory rose to attention and took aim at Kuratas, while it’s opponent rev’d its engine and hurtled briskly at the American metal behemoth with a single robotic fist stretched-forth to bash its enemy. Iron Eagle fired its mighty paint cannon to no avail and could maneuver fast enough to dodge the iron fist of Kuratas. It was here that my hopes of a glorious battle of giant robots fell, more quickly than Iron Glory after being rammed with the robotic fist.
I knew where this fight was going and while my gut said enough was enough, my brain agreed, but somehow I managed to stifle my laughter and continue watching the spectacle before me. Enter round two- the next fight involved Eagle Prime, a robot outfitted with a logging grapple and double-barreled paint cannon. In this round, any hope I had left for the great battle was quashed the moment Eagle tried firing its cannon with disastrous effect. To my surprise, its second attempt was successful at partially destroying a metal drum barricade next to Kuratas and actually hitting the robot on it’s third try.
Things were improving; my focus returned to the match- perhaps this wouldn’t be a disaster after all! I then saw what could only be described as ‘tactical genius’ from the Suidobashi team as they launched a surprise drone to distract the other team. I have to admit, that sight was pretty cool and unexpected on my part and to my further surprise, Eagle Prime managed to swat at it and destroy it, it’s remains stuck to Eagle’s windshield, smoking from the damage. The pair then began to engage one another in hand to hand combat, with Eagle grabbing Kuratas with one arm and firing its canon with the other. A sight to be seen for sure, but the match ended in a draw as both robots became irreversibly stuck together.
After the second bout, the battle was able to renew my interest, and I wondered what the third had in store. I waited patiently for the announcers to finish with their analyses and slow-motion replays and then it began. Eagle Prime was again pitted against Kuratas, only this time it was outfitted with a chain-sword. That alone made me interested in this last match, which began with Kuratas firing it’s air-powered machine gun (plastic pellets for ammo) at the American metal monster, hitting with no effect. What I saw next was probably the most insane move I couldn’t have imagined- Eagle grasped a lighting truss, snapped it in half and began spinning it like some martial arts staff, seemingly taunting its opponent. He then drops it, grabs one of Kuratas’ arms and begins to chainsaw it’s armor, destroying Kuratas; air gun and mutilating its arm.
In the end, MegaBots won the fight through winning the last two rounds, and while it was fun to watch, it seemed scripted like a WWE match. Perhaps it wasn’t, but it looked that way to me, especially during the last bout with the equipment being pushed over and the announces ducking out of the way. Regardless, I think the battle was hyped too much for what it was and could have been better, but in the end, it was a decent show, especially for the first ever giant robot fighting match.
C
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