Why build a mech?

[Zilla103192]

Simple question, hard answer...

I believe this was addressed in G-fan before, but I wanted to see what everyone here thought.

Why do they build Kaiju-shaped mechs in the films?

They could of easily just of built a vehicle with the Absolute Zero Cannon on it, so why did they build Kiryu? They could of built said vehicle and probably another armies worth of standard military vehicles/weapons with the money it cost to make Kiryu.

I understand the Showa MechaG, they built it to resemble Godzilla, so earthlings would think it WAS Godzilla... but other mechs is where it gets confusing.

So let's discuss... Why do they make Mechs that look like Kaiju?

[Tamura]

Because they look cool.

[ghidorasauras]

Well maybe so it could engage in close combat and long range combat without receiving much damage. But making the Mecha's looking like Kaiju is kinda pointless. Maybe they thought they could confuse Godzilla by making it in his likeness. Wouldn't you be confused if you saw a big metal version of yourself walking around?

[JAGzilla]

Tamura speaks the truth.

Aside from that, though, I imagine durability is the main selling point of a mech. Standard vehicles like tanks or trucks could be equipped with the same weapons, but are easy targets for a kaiju. A single atomic ray or whatever, and they're done for. A well-built mech, though, can absorb a lot more punishment, and therefore stands a much better chance of surviving long enough to actually win a battle.

[wrongnote85]

Because they look cool.

this is the correct answer.

[edgaguirus]

What Jag said.

Time and again, tanks and other vehicles have been destroyed. A mech can not only stand up to a kaiju's attacks, but gives you the choices of melee and distance combat. You could grapple with a monster, forcing it back, and then fire your super weapon as the coup de gras.That combination gives you a better chance of victory.

[HeiseiGodzilla117]

What Jag said.

Time and again, tanks and other vehicles have been destroyed. A mech can not only stand up to a kaiju's attacks, but gives you the choices of melee and distance combat. You could grapple with a monster, forcing it back, and then fire your super weapon as the coup de gras.That combination gives you a better chance of victory.

Why not spend money to make better non-mech weapons that can resist kaiju attacks? Why not make mechs that don't mimic a monster? Why make it look like a kaiju? It's pointless.

Mechs are essentially there to look cool and sell merch. At least the ones that look like monsters. You could argue that some mechs in other series offer a more effective defense than conventional weaponry. Evangelion, Pacific Rim, etc. But there isn't much of a practical reason for one that looks like a kaiju outside of the way the original mechagodzilla was presented.

[darkcancer]

I kind of like the approach to Mogeura in 93, where its a mech but also two separate vehicles with their own capabilities. The same goes for Mecha-King Ghidorah in an attempt to use a dead monster and turn it into a weapon by using as much of the preexisting thing as possible.

[Mr. X]

So let's discuss... Why do they make Mechs that look like Kaiju?

So that they can make an entertaining movie.

/thread.

[JAGzilla]

Three more reasons I thought of:

1. Visibility. Kaiju sometimes ignore conventional military vehicles, probably because they don't recognize something so small as a threat. Or they may simply not see them, and don't understand what they're being attacked by. This isn't good. If the military can't keep a kaiju's attention, they can't reliably protect anything from it. It might just pass them by and continue on its rampage. But a giant metal dinosaur isn't something they'll miss. It's clearly visible, and looks like a fellow monster, something they'll see as a threat. A kaiju is much more likely to stand and fight it, allowing more time for nearby cities to be evacuated or whatever.

2. Line of sight. Despite the size of a kaiju, a normal tank might actually have a hard time getting a clear shot if buildings or terrain get in the way. This was demonstrated in Godzilla At World's End, when a Russian tank division tried to attack Gigan in the middle of a city, and spent most of the battle just trying to find him. A 200-foot mech that can see over most obstacles won't have this problem as often.

3. Unique weapons. Things like the Godzilla Grip or Shock-Anchor Cables simply can't be attatched to a normal-sized vehicle. They need a huge, heavy platform to operate from, and a mech is the only practical option.

[Breakdown]

I beleive the reason Kiryu was based off Godzilla is because he had the skeleton as framework, and the guy said it was for "Maximum combat efficency" or something along those lines. So Kiryu being built to resemble Godzilla is justified.

MOGUERA isnt really based off of a kaiju, so I guess his design is justified as well.

Cyber-Godzilla and Mecha-King Ghidorah are two others by utilizing the corpses of deceased Kaiju to build mechs.

[LaserDuel]

From a meta perspective, because a machine that resembles a living thing is more appealing and easier to care about than a blocky vehicle. Which is more memorable, Moguera or the Super X?

Why do the mechs always look like Godzilla? To piss him off, of course!

[eabaker]

Which is more memorable, Moguera or the Super X?

The Super X.

At least the first one, in my opinion.

And the second.

Although, that's just compared to the Heisei version. The original Mogera was far more memorable than any mech - kaijupomorphic or otherwise - to come out of the Heisei era.

[LaserDuel]

Which is more memorable, Moguera or the Super X?

The Super X.

At least the first one, in my opinion.

And the second.

Although, that's just compared to the Heisei version. The original Mogera was far more memorable than any mech - kaijupomorphic or otherwise - to come out of the Heisei era.

Yeah, that is a pretty bad comparison, isn't it? Oops. I blame having just watched The Mysterians.

Here's a question: Why was Showa Mechagodzilla disguised as Godzilla anyway? I suppose it was to hide the alien nature of him so that no one would be suspicious, but the instant Godzilla shows up or something else damages the skin, that cover is blown.

[Terrier]

I think the best reason is what ghidorasauras and JAGzilla said, the monsters will actually pay atention to something that resembles another monster, and so will fight it, allowing people to escape to safety or whatever the situation dictates.

Kiryu was justified in that it was made after the skeleton of the original Godzilla, wich gave it energy or something, and while at it they added the best weapon they had, wich they couldn't use again after it was broken.

For a more poetic reason, robots and mutants are two different kinds of monsters created by humanity (Or aliens that are quite similar).

[Breakdown]

Here's a question: Why was Showa Mechagodzilla disguised as Godzilla anyway? I suppose it was to hide the alien nature of him so that no one would be suspicious, but the instant Godzilla shows up or something else damages the skin, that cover is blown.

Not to mention some parts of Mechagodzilla's body should bulge out the skin or otherwise not fit such as that curved object on his head, that rudder-like object on his tail, his spiked kneeguards, his finger missles, etc. That Fake Godzilla disguise couldnt cover all of those extra parts properly while maintaining a belevable disguise.

I guess its another Mechagodzilla Mystery like how he produces more missles or why he rotates his hands or why he never runs out of ammo, etc.

[Spuro]

Showa Mechagodzilla's original use was to make out Godzilla as the villain in the eyes of humans, possibly causing humanity to attack their protecter if he did show up to try and help.

Heisei Mechagodzilla... I dunno.

Moguera has both the traits of a mech, a tank, and a jet, and thats even without its transformation. It's design makes for a great mull-purpose weapon.

Kiryu was built around the bones of Godzilla because they were using DNA computers to run it, if I remember correctly.

[Ligerzilla2014]

So let's discuss... Why do they make Mechs that look like Kaiju?

So that they can make an entertaining movie.

/thread.

I just love it when people post "/thread" and the discussion ends up going on for several more pages.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand. Let's not forget that these are movies, people. Making mechanical dopplegangers of the protangonist is a common concept. And let us also remember that most of the mechs we are referring to originated in the mid to late twentieth century where interest in space and Space Age technology was high. Therefore it would make sense that filmakers would design giant, mechanical, robot monsters to fit in with popular demand instead of a simple tank. But of course this is an out-of-universe answer.

If we are talking in-universe then I would support what JAGzilla proposed. Also, think of all the scientific research that must have gone into those mechs. Building each of those mechs gave Japan a valid reason to focus on scientific research and discorvery which Likely made them infinitely more technologically advaned than other world superpowers at the time. It also probably gave the country a monopoly on the market for said technologies. The profit from which could be used to A: fund research for the desgin and creation of new mechs, or B: repair damages to the cities that acted as a battlefield for monster battles.

[Rody]

I'll just throw in the comment that Mechani-Kong deserves more credit.

[edgaguirus]

Mechanikong was interesting, but underused.

Another reason to make mechs look like living creatures is fluid movement. A blocky mech may not move quickly or effectively in a close quarters situation. Kiryu showed speed and agility in close up combat. The original MG was a little stiff in its movements, but it had a better range of motion than Moguera.