Mecha Mania: how your favourite titans stack up in the galactic size chart? (article)

In the vast universe of sci-fi and mecha, where towering robots clash and the fate of galaxies hangs in the balance, size does matter. But how do these metallic titans truly stack up against each other? Let’s embark on a whirlwind tour of some of the most iconic mechs across the multiverse, comparing their size and stature in a way that even the readers of SFcrowsnest might find amusingly enlightening.

First up, let’s talk about the workhorse of the Armored Core series. These customizable units may vary in size, but they’re generally in the ballpark of being able to duck under most overpasses without scraping their heads. Then, there’s the Tripod from War of the Worlds, which makes the Armored Core units look like action figures in comparison. These three-legged terrors tower over cities with the ease of a toddler over a set of building blocks.

Enter the Mark XLIV – Hulkbuster, a suit designed to go toe-to-toe with the Hulk. It’s like putting a tank on steroids and then giving it an Iron Man paint job. On the other hand, the RX-78-2 Gundam stands tall with a sense of samurai dignity, dwarfing the Hulkbuster but still looking up at the Tripods.

The AV-98 Ingram from Patlabor is practically the neighborhood watch of mecha, standing vigilant but not overly towering, ensuring peace without blocking out the sun. Contrastingly, the Plan-1051 Behemoth from Full Metal Panic! is like the Ingram’s much bigger, much meaner cousin who takes the “full metal” part seriously.

Mazinger Z, the granddaddy of super robots, could perhaps high-five the Gundam on equal footing, symbolizing the era when mechs began to step over buildings instead of walking around them. Meanwhile, Gipsy Danger from Pacific Rim could wade into the ocean without getting its cockpit wet, making waves both literally and figuratively.

The Iron Pirate “General Franky” is more of a scrappy brawler, not the tallest, but with enough personality to make up for it. The AT-AT Walker from Star Wars, on the other hand, strolls across battlefields with the grace of a camel on stilts, while its smaller cousin, the AT-ST Walker, scampers around like an overeager puppy.

Metal Gear REX brings a certain nuclear-equipped, sneakiness to the size contest, proving that you don’t have to be the tallest to pack a punch. Then there’s the Space Marine Dreadnought from Warhammer 40,000, encapsulating the phrase “small but mighty,” proving that in the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war, and size isn’t everything.

The AMP suit from Avatar might seem like a lightweight in this heavy metal lineup, but remember, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight. Moving to the stars, the SDF-1 Macross isn’t just big; it’s a city with legs and an attitude, capable of slapping lesser mechs with a lawsuit for trespassing.

Then there’s Unit-01 from Neon Genesis Evangelion, which could arguably play basketball with the Gundam, and Lagann, which might be tiny but has a heart bigger than the SDF-1 Macross. Its evolved form, Super Galaxy Gurren Lagann, basically says, “You think size matters? Hold my beer.”

Big O looks like it could punch the ground and cause an earthquake, while Mechagodzilla from the Legendary series would make traditional Godzilla fans nod in approval at its skyscraper stature. Megazord from Power Rangers is the childhood dream of combining your toys to make something bigger, and the Death Egg Robot reminds us that sometimes, villains do think bigger.

Alteisen is the mech that looks like it skipped leg day but makes up for it with sheer firepower. The VF-1 Valkyrie transforms from a fighter jet to a robot, proving that size can be relative and stylish. Gunbuster is the gym enthusiast of mechs, while the Macross Cannon is basically a floating gun with an identity crisis.

Then we reach cosmic proportions with Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, which makes other mechs look like they’re not even trying. Dekabutsu and Shikoutazer stand as monuments to mech excess, while Ideon and Zenith remind us that in space, no one can hear you compare sizes.

And let’s not forget the Spider Tank from Wild Wild West, which proves that even in the Wild West, bigger was better. Lastly, the Exosuit from District 9 shows that size and power can come in surprisingly compact, prawn-powered packages.

So, there you have it, a size comparison that spans the gamut from the modestly mighty to the cosmically colossal. In the realm of mechs, size is not just a number; it’s a statement. But remember, in the end, it’s not how big your mech is; it’s how you use it that counts.