Just when you thought it was over, it refuses to die and take the path to extinction. And that might just be the theme of the fourth installment of the famous, or infamous for some, Transformers live action film which is tipped to carry the title “Transformers: Age of Extinction”. And if the guesses are […]
AMP is a pretty engaging sci-fi short written and directed by Adam Marisett for Triton Films. It’s set in a world where giant robots can be your best friend and giant robot dogs can be your worst enemy. Basically, it’s the kind of dystopian war where technology is awesome.
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This week the folks at Summit Entertainment have released what they’re calling a “Final Trailer Preview” for the upcoming sci-fi film Ender’s Game. This trailer shows many of the key elements involved in telling the Ender’s Game story, aiming to entice both those new to this story environment and those that are fans of the […]
The real-life Tatooine may not have two suns—but it has unlocked the secrets of a geomorphic mystery.
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Just a few days ago, we reported that Independence Day 2 would be arriving on July 3, 2015, but that was only half of the curiosity. Many of us have been wondering who out of the original cast would show up for the sequel of the classic 90s sci-fi thriller. It turns out that Will
The sequel to the classic sci-fi thriller Independence Day is coming, and it has a release date. 20th Century Fox has announced that Independence Day 2 will be arriving in theaters on July 3, 2015. Director Roland Emmerich will return to direct the sequel, but none of the original cast members have committed to the
Japanese Robot Art – It’s Good, Man!
Illustration, product packaging, statues & sculpture, and even some transhumanist pin-ups; for decades Japan’s been pounding out the robot art like nobody’s business. Last week’s robotics piece examined the artistic legacy influence of giant Japanese robots on the upcoming film Pacific Rim, but this week it’s just cool robot art for the sake of looking at cool robot art.
Some readers might just see the shiny, and that’s cool – some might find a new robo-wallpaper or screensaver, and that’s fun – or, as happens more than one might suspect, the exploration and enjoyment of sci-fi imagery and entertainment can result in actual factual inspiration.
Art Can Make Science, The -Fi Drives the Sci-
A guy named Martin Cooper, inspired by the communicators from the original Star Trek series (60s), went on to lead the Motorola team that invented the first mobile phone (70s). The Panasonic/ActiveLink exoskeletal Power Loader & Power Loader Light look a whole lot like the safety-yellow power loader from Aliens. The 1959 novel Starship Troopers has been cited as a major inspiration for those working on real-life badass robot suits. Sikorsky’s helicopters & Lake’s early submarines were heavily inspired by Jules Verne. It goes on.
Art & The Contemporary Robotics Revolution
The social and economic significance of the ongoing explosion in practical robotics shows a lot of parallels to the communications boom and media upheaval centered around the rise of the internet – in all likelihood, it’s not going to slow down. At all. And one has to wonder how many Gen-X roboticists fell in love with their field as children playing, watching, reading the Transformers, Voltron, Gundam, Star Wars, etc. Certainly went that way with at least one dorky keyboard pounder, as well.
Whatever the result, humans need art – and those of use with deep-seated robo-geekery proclivities, we need robot art. And so, enjoy the four forms below, and see the links at the bottom if you need a little more enjoyment, something that’ll look cool on your laptop or phone, and if the imagery below inspires you to invent, kindly link here when you go public, yeah?!
Form #1 – Illustration Because Illustration:
Doesn’t have to be a whole lot of practicality to robot art, just looking good is good enough. The main image above and the first work below is that of Toshiaki Takayama, who goes all kinds of robo-cyborgy on humans and dragons and other imaginary stuff:
Another great illustration is this Gundam going all robo-rage on… something, via Concept Robots, artist unfindable:
Form #2 – Transformers Box Art:
Now, this is also illustration, but for marketing and product packaging, of course. These images, perhaps modern vintage, were included on the 80s Transformers packaging. With plastic & metal toy in hand, these were the mind’s landscape.
In Japan it was this:
And across the Pacific:
Form #3 – Statues & Sculpture:
The most well-known and pun-intended visible robot statue is the life-size, 1:1-scale Gundam that pun-intended pops up from time to time around Tokyo. Ironically, this is Gundam Suit is, well, Mobile. The attention to detail is fantastic:
And just how big is the 1:1-scale Gundam? Could ask this dude:
Form #4 – Japanese Robot Art for Big Boys & Girls (CAUTION – the link below will deliver some NSFW):
For those who’d like a little more, ummm… nudity and sexuality in their robot art, a good place to begin is the work of nasty robot airbrush wizard Hajime Sorayama. His iconic and widely recognizable work was transhuman before transhumanism was cool, but his name isn’t exactly household. Below is a pretty mild sample, but if you’re like, you know, into that sorta thing, jump through the link down there – but not at work or in front of grandma:
Thanks for viewing – if you’ve got a favorite Japanese or otherwise nationalitied artist who represents with the robot art, let us and other readers know down below.
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Reno J. Tibke is the founder and operator of Anthrobotic.com and a contributor at the non-profit Robohub.org.
Image Sources: Toshiaki Takayama at deviantART – Gundam Gallery at Concept Robots & Blog of DARWINFISH105 – Transformers Box Art at Botch the Crab – Hajime Sorayama’s Beleaguered Website (Google Image Search is better)
Check out these awesome window shades that put spaceships on your window and at the same time help isolate you from sunlight, with only your action figures and DVD collections to keep you company. I kid. I would love to have these on my window too, since I’m a huge science fiction nerd too.
You can choose from a variety of blinds that feature wireframe images of some of the most famous ships in sci-fi.
There is a TARDIS, the Millennium Falcon, the USS Enterprise, a Klingon Bird of Prey, a BSG inspired Viper and Boba Fett’s Slave I ship. But which do you choose? They are all amazing. Maybe if you have enough windows, you can have them all.
They cost £99 (~$152 USD) and up over at DirectBlinds, depending on the size of your windows, and any options you add.
Now that you’ve seen these, you’ll want to redecorate and try to convince your wife that spaceships will look good in your windows.
If you want to take a peek at the set of the movie Surviving Humanity, here it is. If you’re wondering what the heck Surviving Humanity is about, don’t worry. It’s fantastic. It’s a sci-fi porno that stars James Deen, Sinn Sage and Andy Sand Dimas. More »
Here’s an argument to end all arguments: what’s the best weapon from a science fiction movie or fantasy movie or comic book or action flick or any type of movie where make believe weapons get invented? Is it the trusty light saber? Perhaps you’d rather trust yourself with Thor’s hammer. Or maybe even the ring from Lord of the Rings? Are you bold enough to pick Wolverine’s claws? You get the point. What’s the best weapon our human brains have ever thought of. More »
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