Tsubame Industries is a startup from Japan whose whole business model is building giant mechs, edging us closer to the mech future I’ve dreamt of since watching Mobile Suit Gundam as a child. Ideally, though, with significantly fewer war crimes.
The Archax is a four-wheeled, 15-foot-tall mech. Its cockpit features a series of monitors that display live video from external cameras. Pilots can control the Archax’s arms and hands in ‘robot mode’ with a pair of joysticks. Having seen the footage, it reminds me more of an Armored Core with its tank-like movements than a graceful Gundam, which moves around like a 4-story superheroes. Nevertheless, it’s impressive.
There’s also a ‘vehicle mode’ where this 3.5-ton mech transforms into “vehicle mode”, and can move at speeds up to *dr…