When you think of the 1989 classic Venus Wars, you inevitably think of one thing: monobikes.
Tag: mecha design
Gattai: The Global Interplay of Mecha Design
Shipped overseas and repackaged in the ’70s and ’80s, the Japanese concept of “giant robots” has become a global phenomenon, the stuff of Hollywood films, video games, TV shows, and more. But back then, as much now, the art of big robots has bore witness to a range of global contributions, influences, and shared inspiration.
Left in the Dust: Uncovering the Secret of the Stampede Valkyrie
Before Macross sequels hit video shelves and airwaves, Shoji Kawamori’s Stampede Valkyrie was one of a handful of rarely seen and now mostly forgotten designs created for Macross side-projects.
Whits End: Mamoru Nagano’s Unused ZZ Gundam Design
In the midst of the rushed pre-production process on the third Gundam TV series a last-minute design change created one of the more interesting production footnotes in Gundam history.
The Mobile Suit Machinations of Kazuhisa Kondo, A Translated Interview
Originally published nearly three decades ago in the manual of a PC-98 strategy game, this interview with Kazuhisa Kondo sheds light on his unique approach to portraying mobile suits in his comics.
Space Fold: The Inverted Knees and Mechanical Designs of Macross
The more innovative aspects of Macross’ mechanical designs weren’t spontaneous creations but the iterative results of years of design work by Studio Nue’s Shoji Kawamori and Kazutaka Miyatake.
Kikeroga: Char’s Phantom Machine
Tom digs up the history of a long-forgotten mobile suit with an incredible pedigree; designed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, appearing in the original pitch for Mobile Suit Gundam, and piloted by Char Aznable.
The MS-06 Zaku II: An Enduring Eye-Con
The design and legacy of Kunio Okawara’s Zaku II.