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Video: Giant Japanese beetle robot

April 16th, 2009 by James

Bow, puny humans, before the might of this gigantic beetle:

Designed and built by an Ibaraki man in his garage over the course of eleven years, the “Kabutom MX-03″ looks like a prop from a Power Rangers spin-off but is an actual working vehicle. Why build it? Because owning an eleven meter long, fifteen ton robot beetle makes you a mack daddy — in Japan or anywhere else.

Shaped like a kabuto-mushi (rhinocerous beetle, a favorite design of Japanese toymakers and, uh, candymakers), it can be remote controlled or piloted from the cockpit (visible on the left side), and is capable of carrying passengers inside its shell. Alas it more “shuffles” than walks — the legs pull it along the ground, while the weight is supported by wheels

More details can be found at AltJapan.



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16 Comments »

Comment by William
2009-04-16 19:20:01

thats crazy big

 
Comment by CS
2009-04-16 22:38:06

Reminds me specifically of the Big Bad Beetleborgs.

Comment by Ryry
2009-04-18 08:07:44

Oh god, I remember that show.

 
 
Comment by elle
2009-04-16 23:10:40

“Ragio Controrea”

…..

 
Comment by ramtamtam
2009-04-16 23:52:17

now add a big speaker and play the Gozilla scream ^^

 
Comment by osakaobserver
2009-04-16 23:58:47

That is probably the coolest thing I’ve seen this year so far…*l*

 
Comment by RX
2009-04-17 00:10:34

How you ended up calling it MX-03 instead of RX-03 is beyond me.

Hehehehe

 
Comment by James
2009-04-17 04:27:03

Oh…my…goodness….

I cannot comprehend such cybernetic insectoid awesomeness!

 
Comment by Mary Witzl
2009-04-17 04:45:29

Kafka, eat your heart out, eh?

I wonder what this guy’s wife thought of his project? And how did he fit that into his garage?

 
Comment by yes
2009-04-17 11:55:50

Oh…my…goodness….:D

 
Comment by Tales
2009-04-17 16:32:35

I want a gundam next!

 
Comment by WolfSpiritZero
2009-04-18 09:32:58

That guy is my hero! If I were that guy I would put on a jumpsuit and helmet, strap into that thing and ride around town all freakin’ day. So cool.

 
Comment by Frank
2009-04-19 02:12:52

The japanese are the only ones who make something cool, look so stupid.In 8 minutes the best we see is it moving a few inches. We don’t need to know the specifications of the stupid thing, no one cares how much it weighs.

 
Comment by Aftab Sayed
2009-04-19 17:26:16

Hey it stime bukan all over again………. :)

 
Comment by Aftab Sayed
2009-04-19 17:39:55

time bokan anyone :)

 
Comment by Stéfan
2009-04-20 02:05:45

They should organize a fight between this and the giant spider currently performing in Yokohama.

 
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