As I reported back in July, the US’s own MegaBots, Inc. issued a challenge to Suidobashi Heavy Industries. That challenge, of course, was in the form of a giant robot battle for the ages. Team USA would face off against Team Japan to determine the Undisputed Badass Title of Planet Earth. Suidobashi founder Kogoro Kurata had only one condition for their participation in this glorious endeavor. He wanted the fight to be a melee.
So here’s the problem: MegaBots’ Mark II robot is currently equipped with a powerful paintball cannon. There really isn’t any way to compete in a “hand to hand” battle with its current specs. The price tag to make the modifications is somewhere in the neighborhood of $500,000. What are the good people at Megabots going to do?
The answer, such that it is, is to start their own Kickstarter.
The sheer amount of industry talent the guys at MegaBots have secured is impressive. They were even able to land a NASA safety specialist to help design the cockpit harnesses. Big names like Grant Imahara from Mythbusters, Peter Diamandis (founder of the X-Prize), and Trey Roski and Greg Munson (creators of BattleBots) have all lent their support to the the cause. There will be no shortage of publicity and star power surrounding this epic battle.
I have to admit, after watching their Kickstarter video I am more pumped than I was when I originally heard about this story. I have always loved robot battles, but I have always been relegated to the realm of make-believe. Movies and cartoons were the only place I could get my fix. Now, it seems fate has blessed us all with the chance to not only witness in real life what we’ve only seen on the big and small screens, but to also be a part of their journey. Our journey.
I will be supporting this Kickstarter, and I hope you will too. They’re already more than halfway to their goal and they have less than 30 days left in their campaign. I am confident that this will be funded. America will not fail her champions.
