One of many concepts I preserve revisiting over time (and a long time!) is a Tremendous Robotic Wars sport targeted away from Japan. It’s a thought train that truly predates this weblog!
With the discharge of Tremendous Robotic Wars Y, I’ve as soon as once more began devoting precise psychological and artistic power in direction of this concept. What titles would seem in, say, an SRW targeted across the historical past of the mecha style within the US? And the way would the totally different plots and settings be reconciled right into a (comparatively) cohesive universe?
I requested on Bluesky if individuals had been really fascinated with seeing this little bit of fan wankery from me, and quite a lot of individuals really mentioned “Sure,” to my shock. So right here we go.
Additionally, I used to be impressed by some concepts for others, such because the cool fanart by Chase Burns beneath:
By way of standards for titles, I needed primarily to have works that both originated outdoors of Japan and was accessible within the West…or anime that had been considerably altered to be their very own factor, and have become massively influential within the course of. So whereas anime is more and more a part of mainstream tradition, issues that reached North America comparatively untouched don’t depend for this kind of factor.
Working from this, I feel the most important title to focus the general setting must be Voltron. In combining the 2 anime Golion and Dairugger XIV into Voltron, World Occasions Productions created the notion of a Voltron stationed removed from Earth and near Earth respectively, and this creates alternative to divide the titles concerned into “Far Universe” and “Close to Universe” plotlines to kick issues off. The thought could be that you’d comply with both sides individually, after which the 2 would merge collectively down the street when the stakes are greater.
A whole lot of sequence happen sooner or later (albeit with totally different concepts of what the “future” seems to be like), so it’s not an excessive amount of of a stretch to set all of them in a vaguely superior period of humanity. Nevertheless, there are a couple of sequence I’d need to embrace which are particularly tied explicitly to sure durations—particularly prehistoric instances and the mid-Twentieth century. For that purpose, I’d place these works underneath “Time Displacement.”
And I’m leaving out Robotech as a result of eh.
So right here’s how I’d break down the above three classes.
Far Universe
Lion Voltron: The Galaxy Alliance is the primary governing physique on this SRW. The Lion Voltron is distributed to guard from threats on the opposite facet of the galaxy, and focuses on Planet Arus. This Voltron is particular due to the truth that the enemy Robeasts are magical, which is definitely fairly unusual on this universe.
Transformers: This needs to be G1 Transformers, and the looks would concentrate on the sequence round Unicron and the animated film and thru to the return of Optimus Prime (since you gotta have the Autobot Matrix of Management as an final assault, proper?) Cybertron is underneath Decepticon management and so it can’t be a part of the Galaxy Alliance, however the Autobots do assist the Alliance out. Optimus doesn’t essentially die, and Megatron doesn’t essentially flip into Galvatron, relying on how the missions go.
Problem of the GoBots: In contrast to Cybertron, Planet GoBotron is a part of the Galaxy Alliance. The Gobots are literally cyborgs—people who transformed their our bodies to remodeling machines—they usually had been impressed to take this path by the robots of Cybertron. On this setting, the Transformers have been combating for a very long time, whereas the GoBots are simply now leaving for Earth.
Bionicle: I’ll admit that I don’t know a lot about this sequence, and would want assist making sense of it. What I’ve up to now is: Some (however not all) planets within the Sol Magnis System are a part of the Galaxy Alliance. Nevertheless, they have a tendency to not work together very closely with others. The legend of Mata Nui both immediately or not directly impressed quite a lot of different worlds to create big robots.
Tremendous Robotic Monkey Group Hyperforce Go!: Planet Shuggazoom can be a part of the Galaxy Alliance. Nevertheless, varied components preserve the opposite mecha from intervening in its battles usually. The monkeys do finally change into very keen on Optimus Primal from Beast Wars, nevertheless.
Mighty Orbots: The Galactic Patrol is likely one of the peacekeeping forces of the Galaxy Alliance, and Mighty Orbots was made to cope with threats that the Voltrons can’t get to. Whereas based mostly on Earth, they’re presently within the Far Universe to mount an offensive in opposition to Umbra. Unicron tried to devour Umbra however was really repelled; the 2 don’t get alongside.
Close to Universe
Automobile Voltron: Defends Galaxy Alliance HQ on Earth. “Entrusted with the key of how you can type Voltron.”
The Bots Grasp: Ziv Zulander is an excellent robotic AI developer, and this attracts nefarious forces, together with the Decepticons. Jungle Fiver is made as a result of Blitzy is impressed by Mighty Orbots and Devastator, and Blitzy turns into mates with Daniel from Transformers. Characters from different sequence are very fascinated by the enhance the BOYZZ get from “Laser Time.”
Sym-Bionic Titan: Truly not a part of the Galaxy Alliance, and comes from even additional away. Nevertheless, their planet was visited up to now by Mata Nui, and helped encourage the mixture of coronary heart, thoughts, and physique to mix as one (the know-how is totally different from what Voltron makes use of.)
Megas XLR: Coop constructed Megas XLR in New Jersey, like regular. He’s really mates with Spike Witwicky as some blue-collar dudes. Thinks Ziv is an excellent genius, however doesn’t know him very effectively. He’s all the time getting impressed to place new weapons into Mega due to all of the robotic shenanigans occurring, and this solely grows when Close to and Far universe plotlines merge. Evil Coop has to look in some unspecified time in the future, particularly with the time displacement/time journey elements of the story.
Large Man and Rusty: Large Man was a hero who helped the battle in opposition to aliens and the Decepticons up to now. He fought for the US as a part of the Earth Galaxy Alliance HQ. Ziv Zulander may be very effectively knowledgeable about Rusty, however doesn’t know the key of Large Man. Rob Simmons from Mighty Orbots and Dwayne Hunter strongly suspect one another of being the Orbots Commander and Large Man respectively, however haven’t explicitly confirmed it.
Pacific Rim: Jaegers had been developed purely by people again when different know-how hadn’t been found, they usually wanted two individuals to pilot. The passing of the key of how you can type Voltron helped alleviate this and result in different much less harmful prospects, however Jaegers nonetheless stay one of the best protection in opposition to Kaiju specifically.
Gen:Lock: I admittedly don’t know something about this sequence, aside from that it has quite a lot of huge names for voice actors and that it ended up disappointing just about everybody. Nevertheless, I’d wish to see it get the SRW plot repair therapy. Whereas the sequence takes place on a dystopian Earth, I might see a world the place it doesn’t get fairly that dangerous due to all the opposite issues occurring. Right here, the setting of Gen:Lock would happen on part of the planet reasonably than the complete factor.
Time-Displaced
Dino-Riders: Sure, I’m counting dinosaurs sporting armor as basically big robots. Initially, the Valorians had been working along with the Maximals within the far future, however had been flung again in time by a joint assault from the Rulons and Predacons. In some unspecified time in the future within the story, they handle to repair the Step Crystal, however the interactions with the dormant Transformers in prehistoric instances causes them to leap ahead. Inadvertently, their results on the previous encourage the creation of the Dinobots.
Beast Wars: Due to their nature as Transformers, they don’t must commandeer the native dinosaurs and different animals to battle. Nevertheless, they’re nonetheless impressed by these types. Maximals and Valorians work collectively on prehistoric Earth, they usually type an actual bond earlier than they’re all introduced ahead into the long run to satisfy Gigantor and the Iron Big.
Gigantor: Whereas Tetsujin 28 explicitly takes place in Submit-WWII Japan, Gigantor is initially set within the “future yr 2000.” Nevertheless, for the aim of this SRW, Gigantor nonetheless takes place within the relative previous as an early try at constructing big robots on Earth, and it nonetheless retains the plot aspect of being a weapon meant for destruction that as an alternative turns into a protector of the peace. Large Man is actually a authorities undertaking meant to copy the success of Gigantor. The time journey vortex drags Jimmy Sparks and Gigantor alongside.
Frankenstein Jr: Frankenstein Jr. and Gigantor had been constructed across the identical time. Professor Conroy was acquainted with Jimmy Sparks’s father, and started his work on Frankenstein Jr. to counter Gigantor. Jimmy and Buzz Conroy are glad they’re on the identical facet. The Impossibles are included, and are a part of a selected assault that Frankenstein Jr. can use. They aren’t swept up by the point displacement, however construct a time machine to actively chase after Gigantor, understanding that bother is afoot.
The Iron Big: When flying away as Superman, the warping of the space-time continuum causes the Iron Big to sense an identical mechanical being in Gigantor (a robotic made to be a weapon), and one other sentient robotic in Frankenstein Jr. This causes the Iron Big to warp ahead in time as effectively.
I’m Open to Different Concepts
Clearly that is all only a little bit of fandom thought train, and nothing about this actually issues. I’m additionally much less acquainted with some sequence, so any kind of suggestions is A-OK by me. Heck, anybody who needs to make use of this as a base for their very own concepts—or tear it to shreds and do one thing they discover higher—is welcome to take a swing.
