It's all happening!

The giant robot battle is coming! Finally!

US-based MegaBots builds giant piloted robots. So does Japan's Suidobashi Juko. Don't ask why; I think all the engineers are just Gundam fans with a lot of time on their hands. There's really only one practical purpose: to make the robots do battle, to prove which one is mightiest.

And now, at long last, that's going to happen. MegaBots issued the challenge and Suidobashi doubled down: they're going to fight, but it's got to be melee combat. The video reply is priceless:

Megabots, thank you for issuing the video. On behalf of Japan, we accept your challenge. But on one condition: That melee combat be a part of the fight. Organize the duel, Megabots, and we'll be there to battle it out. This duel stands to go down in history as the world's first giant robot battle.

As I said in a recent interview, my favorite cartoon growing up was TranZor Z. To be honest, it's not great. It was the premise that hooked me: a boy has this hovercraft in his garage, which in fact is the brain/cockpit of the giant robot TranZor Z. The plot of every single episode is basically summed up in the opening credits. Boy flies hovercraft, boy pilots giant walking death machine, boy fights monster of the week. That was the formula and I loved it.

MegaBots and Suidobashi are taking one epic metal-booted step toward making the dream come true.  I'm going to wait to see who's the last robot standing, then call the winner and ask what kind of financing they need to turn the cockpit into a hovercraft I can park in my garage.