What do you think is the most "Real Robot"-Esque M

[Kavik Ryx]

I cannot speak for the AUs, but in UC, with the exception of Newtypes, the laws of physics are quite grounded. Even the whole idea of M particles is quite defended, even if it doesn't exist. Using magnetic fields to fuse together atoms is quite ingenious. That aside, MS have sufficient power to do what they do. Beam technology is simply plasma or direct energy contained within such an EM field, making them somewhat possible, so even with beam technology, a suit can be quite real. In terms of excellent mobility, the Full Vernien is a prime candidate, using two movable thrusters to easily accelerate makes perfect sense. Also, I'm surprised no one has brought up the Mk II's movable frame. A skeleton, not tied down by heavy armor, justifies its ability to move more fluidly. If anything, a MS's geometry and freedom of motion determine how possible they are.

[volrath77]

The most real of the real robots? Battletech.

They're large, clunky, slow and the largest of them are quite simply walking tanks.

[Ascension]

That goes for heavy Mediums up, at least. The Light mechs and the lighter Mediums are more unrealistically nimble. Oh, and BattleTech has jump jets... even for a couple of Assault mechs... but you're right, BattleTech 'mechs are, in general, very good examples of real robots, as are most of the VOTOMS mecha. I <3 Scopedog.

[Kavik Ryx]

While yes, from the looks of it it, the mechs from Votoms appear to be among the most real; however, they also appear to be quite clunky, which defeats the purpose to robots. MS have the advantage of having wide range of motion would appear to be more favorable as a robot. Prevalent Zeta and Victory, that Suits tend to have extra joint all over their body. The victory could even turn its head 180 degrees and the Hyaku Shiki easily move its arm to shoot enemies in back of it. Most mechs don't seem to be able to lift their arms abovw their heads. The only difficulty is that extra joints lead to a weak structure; however, properly place armor can easily solve this. If MS size was halved, got a sturdier legs, and had extra balancers, they would perhaps be among the most real.

[Zeonic Glory]

I think the Guymelefs from Escaflowne seemed sorta real. It seems possible enough to exist except for flight mode, stealth cloaks, liquid metal-weapons, and the supernatural stuff the Escaflowne can do.

[Ork_dreadnought]

I think the Guymelefs from Escaflowne seemed sorta real. It seems possible enough to exist except for flight mode, stealth cloaks, liquid metal-weapons, and the supernatural stuff the Escaflowne can do.

That's a strech. Your average guymelef was powered by a fossilised dragon heart, and nothing was recognisable on the inside other than gears.

On a random tangent, I always thought Nadesico was a surprisingly grounded series for a parody, design wise.

[Kavik Ryx]

I'm surprised that no one has brought up the heavy metals yet. L.Gaim, neglecting its weapons, is quite a realistic machine, Movable frames are frames are more believable to have wide range of motion and L.Gaims feet are such that they can easily distribute weight. The only thing I'd have to say about that specific one is that you'd expect more dust to clog up the machine. However, the build of most of them is quite smart, realistic, and believable.

[VF5SS]

The most real of the real robots? Battletech.

They're large, clunky, slow and the largest of them are quite simply walking tanks.

I find Battletech to be really unrealistic. They're really slow, really top heavy, have next to no weapon range, and can die if they fall down too many times. They really stretch the believability of being viable military weapons when they seem to suck even in their own game.

Also, VOTOMs aren't as clunky as they seem. The Kummen Jungle Wars arc of the show had VOTOMs being effective guerrilla fighters capable of fighting across marshes, through swamps, and mountains. One cool thing is how a VOTOM can use down form upon landing to soften the impact.

[Ascension]

The most real of the real robots? Battletech.

They're large, clunky, slow and the largest of them are quite simply walking tanks.

I find Battletech to be really unrealistic. They're really slow, really top heavy, have next to no weapon range, and can die if they fall down too many times. They really stretch the believability of being viable military weapons when they seem to suck even in their own game.

Exactly. As much as I hate to admit it, mechs really aren't a viable military weapon, thus the more weaknesses a mech has, the more real it is. Mechs should be able to be harmed and even destroyed fairly easily by relatively traditional military vehicles. Mechs should be slow, top heavy, prone to getting awkwardly knocked down, etcetera. The only point I'll agree with you on is that the weapon ranges are too short on mechs, but if they had the sort of standoff capability they ought to have it would raise too many questions about why they exist in the first place instead of mounting the same weapons on a different platform.

[AU_Gundam MK II]

I find that Arm Slaves are the most realistic.

They are:

Very militaristic
Not so good armor
Small compared to most other mecha
Very realistic in weaponry
They SCREAM plain

Add Lamda Driver to that...bingo! the laws of physic fly out of window .
Exclusing Lamda Driver-equiped AS, they're as realistic as Dougram's CA, Votoms's AT, Gasaraki's TA & MF and Patlabor's labor.

Counting out Lambda. Thoygh seriously, it has limits.

[auriga]

The Arm Slaves do seem realistic, but once you're reminded that they're still part of Black Technology their realism kinda wanes.

But yeah, they're still up there.

And while the Lambda Driver does have limits... The very concept of whatever you imagine becoming reality is just... You get it.

[AU_Gundam MK II]

Doesn't allow them to compare to the higher tier reals.

[Gadget]

[. Mechs should be slow, top heavy, prone to getting awkwardly knocked down, etcetera. .

How about MOSPEDA?. Not theLegioss fighter , but the bike system. OK. I know it's not a true robot, but a form of power armour and weapon system. Having a drive system to increase strength and speed is possible. And it's fasst and nimble enough to doge enemy fire. It does not have Super Robot firepower, but it carrys more than an infantry solider. If we ingore the transformation system, don't you think it's realistic?

[VF5SS]

Exactly. As much as I hate to admit it, mechs really aren't a viable military weapon, thus the more weaknesses a mech has, the more real it is. Mechs should be able to be harmed and even destroyed fairly easily by relatively traditional military vehicles.

I know that. I'm just tired of Battletech fans tauting Battlemechs are "gritty and realistic" when all they do is look sorta practical (well some of them do, others are pretty odd like the Thug or Stalker) without actually being effective at what they're supposed to do. I realize some of it is for game balance, but even in that regard the rules seem totally arbitrary. And even that doesn't prevent Battlemechs from being overrun by tiny VTOLs with machine guns.

VOTOMs on the other hand at least make the effort to appear to work within a realistic setting. With one notable exception being the "EVERYTHING EXPLODES" clause from the TV series. Patlabor is also pretty good. Even Gundam is more believable than Battletech. I guess what I'm saying, that a good Real Robot show attempts to portray the robots as if they were viable weapons without too much ridiculous hand waving as to why they're being used. :3

[Jak Crow]

I don't see how UC Gundam stuff was supposed to be realisitic with the magical minovsky particle and the ever redefined "mega beam".

And yeah. 08th was probably most realistic.

[Kavik Ryx]

First off, please don't bring up plot shielding; and besides, minnofsky particles follow the laws of physics. So try thinking beyond mega particles.

[Ascension]

I guess what I'm saying, that a good Real Robot show attempts to portray the robots as if they were viable weapons without too much ridiculous hand waving as to why they're being used. :3

AND THAT IS PRECISELY THE PROBLEM! You CAN'T be "realistic" if you portray robots as being superior to any other sort of weapon just because they're robots. The 'mechs in BattleTech are generally more "realistic" because they are quite possibly the most flawed mecha portrayed in any sci-fi that I know of. The most "real" military robot would be one that was completely impractical and was only built because the guys in the R&D department were anime fans. ANY portrayl of mechs as a viable weapon involves an awful lot of hand waving, and the greater the mechs' advantage over conventional weaponry, the greater the amount of made up technology that is required to justify that superiority.

[auriga]

First off, please don't bring up plot shielding;

All that was said is that UC Gundam is unrealistic because most of its technologies rely on Minovsky particles.

And besides, pretty much the essence of this thread is to find out which real robot anime uses the least technological plot shielding. And the context in which we take the term "plot shield" here is very much different from what our rules forbid. So I wouldn't be surprised to see plot shields mentioned from post to post.

[abrahamsen0]

Wouldn't Zoids robots be alot more realistic then Gundam. Isn't for legs better than two. When I first started watching Zoids, they all seemed very realistic, the only ones that flew around were the Zoids designed after flying animals all the other's were on the ground. I'm not saying Gundam isn't realistic.

[OpMegs]

I guess what I'm saying, that a good Real Robot show attempts to portray the robots as if they were viable weapons without too much ridiculous hand waving as to why they're being used. :3

AND THAT IS PRECISELY THE PROBLEM! You CAN'T be "realistic" if you portray robots as being superior to any other sort of weapon just because they're robots. The 'mechs in BattleTech are generally more "realistic" because they are quite possibly the most flawed mecha portrayed in any sci-fi that I know of. The most "real" military robot would be one that was completely impractical and was only built because the guys in the R&D department were anime fans. ANY portrayl of mechs as a viable weapon involves an awful lot of hand waving, and the greater the mechs' advantage over conventional weaponry, the greater the amount of made up technology that is required to justify that superiority.

Which is one reason I'd rank Arm Slaves as fairly realistic. In FMP, a single Hind combat chopper or a tank with good positioning can shred an AS like anything else that was stupid enough to put itself at a disadvantage. Yes, the M9s are ahead of the curve(cloaking) but that's actually negated in the second season, in a very arms race sort of way(of course, this also made Lambda driver armed mechs a bit more common, so c'est la vie). They're not seen as super weapons, but rather as a weapon that has an advantage that makes it a necessary part of a balanced force. Any armed force that went up against tanks without tanks of their own(or a counter to such) would get shredded, and AS are the same.