Tsubame Industries, a Tokyo-based startup, has recently introduced a remarkable 4.5-meter-tall robot named ARCHAX, reminiscent of the iconic “Mobile Suit Gundam” from Japan’s beloved anime series. What sets this giant creation apart is not just its striking appearance but also its hefty price tag of $3 million.

ARCHAX, named after the ancient avian dinosaur archaeopteryx, is equipped with cockpit monitors that display images captured by exterior cameras. These monitors allow the pilot, seated inside the robot’s torso, to control its arms and hands using joysticks.

Weighing in at 3.5 tons, ARCHAX boasts two operational modes: the towering ‘robot mode’ and a ‘vehicle mode’ that enables it to travel at speeds of up to 10 kilometers per hour (approximately 6 miles per hour).

Ryo Yoshida, the 25-year-old CEO of Tsubame Industries, shared his inspiration for creating ARCHAX, stating, “Japan is very good at animation, games, robots, and automobiles, so I thought it would be great if I could create a product that compressed all these elements into one. I wanted to create something that says, ‘This is Japan.'”

While Yoshida initially plans to produce and sell five of these colossal robots for enthusiasts with deep pockets, he envisions a broader range of applications in the future. ARCHAX could potentially be deployed for disaster relief efforts or even find utility in the space industry.

Yoshida’s passion for manufacturing began at a young age when he learned welding at his grandfather’s ironworks. He subsequently founded a company specializing in myoelectric prosthetic hands. With ARCHAX, he aims to preserve Japan’s competitive edge in the field of manufacturing while celebrating the nation’s expertise in animation, gaming, and robotics.