MegaBots, an American-based engineering entrepreneurial firm with a mission of bringing to life paintball-wielding bots for recreational battle, released a video this week with a special message - to be more specific, an invitation to Japan to duke it out via machines straight out of the robopocalypse.
In the YouTube video posted on June 30, the MegaBots team (which consists of founders Gui Cavalcanti and Matt Oehrlein) dons American flag-inspired capes and aviator glasses in their tongue-in-cheek video. The basic premise is the promise of a full-throttle cannonball-sized paintball extravaganza with America's first 15-foot, 12,000-pound giant internally-piloted robot called the Mark II, which runs on "gasoline-powered fury." And MegaBots Inc. wants it to be entirely clear: "because we're American, we've added really...big...guns." Message delightfully received.
The choice to challange Japan to a robo-duel isn't arbitrary. Although the Mark II is the first American megabot, it isn't the first: the Japanese firm Suidobashi Heavy Industries beat MegaBots to the punch with Kuratas, which clocks in at 9,000 pounds and is equipped with revolving twin Gatling guns, a full heads-up display for the pilot, and a hyper-advanced targeting system. A veritable matchup, for sure.
"Suidobashi, we have a giant robot, you have a giant robot. You know what needs to happen," says Oehrlein behind a slick pair of aviators, 'Murica's favorite sunglasses, in the video call-to-arms.
(Well, he's not wrong.)
So if Suidobashi accepts the invitation, who will win: the Mark II or Kutaras? Either way, it will be a close call. But with MegaBots singularly minded, visionary motto - "Giant. Fighting. Robots." - Suidobashi might be given a run for its money. Talk about spot-on marketing.
Watch the video below.
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