Weird. I didn't know Gundams had wheels.

Fucking trash article. Every single outlet reporting on this is calling it a Gundam. Clearly we wouldn't know what a 15 foot tall robot is without someone comparing it to a 100ft bipedal machine with massive guns and lightsabers that looks totally different than what they're describing.

No, it's not for space exploration, and no, it wasn't unveiled by the nation of Japan. Hyperbole to the extreme, shame on you, Independent.

Some Japanese bloke built it after learning how to weld, and said he thinks it'd be cool if something like it could be used for space exploration one day.

There's no story here, just a guy doing simple DIY metalwork robotics.

There's 100 other options that are more practical but 100% less cool

"Japan, we don't need to design a mecha for everything."

"But Gundam P1ANT will make crop harvesting 10% more efficient!"

"We need to get you into a war just so you have an outlet."

hopes the robot could one day be used for disaster relief or in the space industry

Imagine I'd just fiddle around and build a few neat things and then hope they are going to be useful in outer space 😄

Get away from her you bitch!

"space exploration"

The demands of space exploration weight reduction, weight reduction, compactness and weight reduction. The demands of disaster relief are probably all terrain mobility, strength and stability. Those attributes are polar opposites.

So 1/4 scale mobile suit. Not quite a Gundam, but it's a start.

boondoggle noun

1. a wasteful and worthless project undertaken for political, corporate, or personal gain

It's happening? IT'S HAPPENING GUYS!

Didn't Captain Disillusion already debunk this...?

If you sit in a seat, it's not a suit.

Disaster relief, huh? Sounds like you've got a job , 621...

I for one, wish to welcome our new mech-overlords who cannot climb stairs.

All it's missing is the queen alien!

Evangelion when?