Monday, July 2, 2012

Japan's LDP Politicians Want to Build "Gundam" Mecha-Robot (Seriously)


I guess they never grew up from their elementary school days. (Look at them and you will see; they look as if they've never matured since the 4th grade or so.)

Kotaku.com reports (6/26/2012), tongue-in-cheek, on the program that was to be netcast at Nico Nico on June 28, 2012. (I don't quite care to view the recording. Emphasis is mine, Gundam link added.):

Japanese Politicians Are Thinking about Building Gundam. Like, Real, Working Gundam.

Politicians everywhere are crap—even the ones who are thinking about building a giant, working mecha. In an upcoming broadcast on Japanese video platform Nico Nico Live, members of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party are apparently going to discuss the idea of building a real life Gundam.

The Liberal Democratic Party, which ruled Japan for over fifty years after World War II, is not actually "liberal". Rather, the party is conservative. As ANN pointed out, party members Masaaki Taira and Hideki Niwa are slated to discuss how the LDP is "seriously considering the development of Gundam."

Back in 2008, it was estimated that a working (not just a full scale mock-up like above), one-to-one scale would cost US$725,000,000 for parts and materials. That figure doesn't include the cost of labor or the cost of insanity required to build such a machine.

These politicians probably do not mean they want to make a 60-foot tall, 43.7 metric ton Gundam replica (at least I hope they don't), but instead, large mecha contraptions that could be used by, presumably, the country's Self Defense Force. In an age of drone attacks, however, mecha don't exactly seem ideal on the battlefield.

Japan's economy and society are both in a bad way. The country is deeply in debt, the population is aging, and Japan has no natural resources. And with a strong yen and a sour world economy, Japan can't export its way to prosperity. It can ship its manufacturing to China and hollow itself out.

These are serious times. They require serious conversations by serious leaders. And the LDP, who hopes to regain power after the current Democratic Party of Japan implodes, appears like its fishing for the nerd vote by appearing on Nico Nico and talking about building Gundam robots as a viable way to promote industry and protect the nation.


And they think they will win over the DPJ in the next election, whenever it may be. Japanese citizens and residents, your taxes are paying for these people.

15 comments:

Richard said...

They've obviously got their priorities mixed up.

Astroboy would've been my first pick as something that appeals to all of the community. Girls will make a poster boy of Astroboy.

Richard said...

A request. Can we please ease up on the tough verification for publishing. The visually challenged and mobile users amongst us (ie, me) sometimes have to try half a dozen times before getting it right. Surely it doesn't have to be so hard, please.

Anonymous said...

Though I understand what you are saying, Richard, if verification for publishing is too lenient, we'll end up with a bunch of junk which none of us want to deal with.

Anonymous said...

Japan has an incredible amount of natural resources. These are just being ignored by the government and corporations. ^^ Attention to gundam technology, however, seems low on the list of technology needs for Japan right now. Someone's pet interest?

Anonymous said...

Well, former American presidential candidate, Newt Gingrich wanted to build a colony on the moon . . .

Anonymous said...

Doesnt surprise me at all this kind of idiocy from japan, ..Japanese men are so emotionally and sexually immature and never grow up, i mean just go on the train and you see guys reading comic book porn, fantisizing over 15 year old schoolgirls, is it any wonder japans a sinking ship? .... little mummys boys running a country, jeez..

Anonymous said...

15 year olds? Subtract ten, for some of those guys.

Anonymous said...

I'm giggling like a little schoolgirl here, but such a project would, in all seriousness, help the old and the crippled. Think of it!

Anonymous said...

"Japanese men are so emotionally and sexually immature and never grow up, i mean just go on the train and you see guys reading comic book porn"

Associate with Japanese men regularly, speaking Japanese, in real life, however, and you get a different picture entirely.

And of course Western men never look at porn with young girls at all, uh-unh, never happen. You just outed yourself as someone who wasted their (probably brief) time in Japan.

By the way, the Liberal in the ldp stands for classical liberalism, not the polluted illiberal meaning it has today. While most have gotten far off the classical liberal track, they're still a lot closer to it than 99% of the DPJ.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, that statement generalizing Japanese men is bullshit. I seem to often see the exact same ignorant statement everywhere. I bet that "opinion" was formed as a result of influence from Western media.

Other countries like to exaggerate, ridicule and demonize each other. It makes them feel they are superior and keeps their citizens proud and patriotic whilst never looking at themselves.

As I've said before, the U.S. has the world's largest porn industry and also makes the most child porn in the world. Their rape statistics are also far, far higher than Japan. Nobody should ever take U.S. finger-pointing seriously. It's just their attempt to distract from their own failures and incompetence. Once you realise this, you'll notice they do it a LOT.

If Japanese men (or women, look up fujoshi) are emotionally and sexually immature, it's because of how modern culture leans so heavily towards perfection and idealised forms of human that cannot be achieved in reality. It twists people's expectations, and the problem isn't only in Japan. Modern studying/working lifestyle and portrayals in media are only part of the problem. It also doesn't help that many parents conceal facts of life and the ways of the world from their children.

Anyway, back on topic... I find the entire current world situation to be increasingly similar and comparably twisted as the plot of the manga 20th Century Boys. I won't spoil it, but anyone who has read it will know what I'm talking about. We are totally heading in the same direction.

Anonymous said...

A gift from Italy: best Japanese man ever is: Ichiro Mizuki !!!!

KOTETSU JEEG NO UTA


Dan Da Da Da Dan Da Dan Da Da Dan
Dan Da Da Da Dan Da Dan Dan

Ore ga yametara Ban Ba Ban
Dare ga yaru no ka Ban Ba Ban
Ima ni miteiru Haniwa genjin zenmetsu da

Hashire Ban Ban Ba Ban
Hashire Ban Ban Ba Ban
BIGGU SHUUTAA (Big Shooter) kaze yori ayai
BIRUDO APPU! (Build-up!) Ban Ban Ban Ban
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Ban Ban Ban Ban Ba Ban Ban

Ude ga tobidasu Ban Ban Ban
Hashi ga tobidasu Ban Ban Ban
Jishaku no hiroku da koutetsu JIIGU (Jeeg)

Dan Da Da Da Dan Da Dan Da Da Dan
Dan Da Da Da Dan Da Dan Dan

Oyaji mitekure Ban Ba Ban
Ore ha yaru no da Ban Ba Ban
Aku o kagiri no Himika ichigoku zenmetsu da

Yukuzo Ban Ban Ba Ban
Yukuzo Ban Ban Ba Ban
NEKKURU BONBAA (Knuckle-bomber) Hissatsu PANCHI! (punch)
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Haitsu hito koe Ban Ban Ban
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Ujimi no Hiroshi da koutetsu JIIGU (Jeeg

Dan Da Da Da Dan Da Dan Da Da Dan
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Mamori ha katai Ban Ba Ban
Ima ni miteiru jamadai hootoku zenmetsu da

Susume Ban Ban Ba Ban
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SUBIN SUTOOMU (Spin Storm) himitsu no heiki
BIRUDO APPU! (Build-up!) Ban Ban Ban Ban
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Kanaku no chikara da koutetsu JIIGU (Jeeg)

Anonymous said...

When growing up, I watched my brother and his friends being crazy about Gundam and Ultraman. Every evening and every penny was spent on the TV shows and toys, all the way through colleage and even now to some degree. I knew then they'd grow up stupid, and they did. What I did not realize until now is that there are hundreds and thousands of men like them in Japan, many are now in public service and elected offices.

They might one day actually build a Gundam robot. But they will again fail, just like their nuclear technology, because the Japanese politicians and companies lack visions, they are only good at imitating someone else's ideas. They did not understand we needed a massive system of technology management and control for a nuclear power plant to operate safely. They will not understand that robotics require more software management and operator development than the hardware. They will fail, and their Gundam will start shooting fatal beams at its creaters...

Atomfritz said...

Seriously, I feel reminded of the battleship age.

They should put the money into flight roboter research. (Is there really any alternative? LaPrimavera is right imho.)
They really need these, not a mechanical Godzilla.

It is so sad seeing a great nation, which Japan is, going into a such stupid direction. Their politicians really seem like schoolboys.

Anonymous said...

i would rather they built the space battle ship Yamato...at least then we could evacuate Japan

Bryan said...

This sounds so awesome but if you think about it, it doesn't really sound so awesome. Imagine if Japan makes a real gundam with all its weapons and declare war. We're gonna get fcked up.

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