Guillermo Del Toro’s ‘Pacific Rim'

[PetarB]

Oh wow, now we're getting crazy - I quite like that Russian Jaeger!

In fact some design elements look like it could come from some of the Kaiju shows of the 80s.

I look forward to seeing more designs!

[anime52k8]

first one's pretty Meh IMO. The Russian one has a cool upper body. kind of reminds me of big O.

[BeyondTheGrave]

Im with anime 52k8

Not seeing anything that wows me.

[UN Spacy]

Can't wait...GDT has hardly let me down.

[azrael]

Getting that Transformers Alternator-vibe from this one. With a bit of Code Geass. Those disproportionate legs and those feet...I've seen that foot design somewhere...

[Phyrox]

All three of these giant mecha are so forgettable that I have already forgot what they look like.

This is gonna have to be an actual "good movie," to get me out of the house for it, because seeing those designs in action is certainly not gonna do it.

[505thAirborne]

That head reminds me of Briareos from APPLESEED.

[azrael]

And more viral stuff.

French memo:

[EXO]

Sacrebleu!

[PetarB]

Okay, I really like the variety of mecha. I'm pumped. I want to see them in action!

[renegadeleader1]

The more I see of this the more I'm reminded of Godannar.

[DarrinG]

Lower half reminds me a lot of Iron-man. But the big chested super-hero style form does fits well with fighting evil monsters.

Sooo, you gonna back that up or was that just you showing us how big of a hating douche you are? There must be a Comic con near you, go, go, go, go get them to draw you a pretty picture!!

Hearing the pronunciation of the evil creatures name makes me think about this guy:

So I am ripping these designs for what they are - forgettable trash - and you call someone else on these boards a "hating douche". Thought we could have our own views, especially about Sci Fi without getting called childish names.

So if someone on here REALLY likes these bots and that rubs me the wrong way I can start hurling insults?

Not just a comic con fan, I'm saying I could find better ideas / designs being sketched in a local high school study hall. These are shockingly bad IMO.

If that somehow offends you personally and you have to lash out at me I feel bad for you...

[the white drew carey]

So if someone on here REALLY likes these bots and that rubs me the wrong way I can start hurling insults?

I think these designs are awesome and, DarrinG, I'm going to gently massage your funny bone.

...

...

Let me have it!!!

In all seriousness, these designs are... meh. I can see where the criticism lies. A lot of the boxy nature of them (especially the arms and legs of the Russian one) remind me of the homegrown battlemechs from Battletech... and not in a good way.

We have yet to see them in action, and that may redeem the designs. But for right now, I am still hoping for the best because GdT is one of my favorite directors.

[sketchley]

I full agree that we have to wait and see how they look in action. The main reason being: what context are we going to see them moving? Will they be in scenes chockablock full of detail, where their big, boxy shapes will make them visually obvious and able for us viewers to follow the action? Do their opponents have a completely different design theme? (ie round shaped enemies vs square shaped heroes?)

That said, I'm not really that excited about this movie overall (I've seen one too many summer blockbusters), and the static designs look rather pedestrian...

[renegadeleader1]

The original Mazinger isn't that much to look at either...

[Kurisama]

Looking at those mech pics again - it's obvious they'e showing the un-sub-d'd, low-poly versions of the mechs.

I'm confident, that at the very least - as a GDT movie, it'll be at the very least a visual feast.

[DarrinG]

OK OK - I will wait to see what they look like in action. I was just taken off guard. Thought with all the wait and build up the designs would strike me better right off the bat.

I googled 'mecha design' and this freelancer is the very first image. It could start all types of opinion debates, but for me I would hire this guy over whoever they have sketching on the set of PR...

[Kurisama]

Thats not bad, but I can already see limitations and problems with articulation/range of movement - mainly in the arms and torso. But then again, that could be a plot device or artistic direction.

Like I said, wait and see - wait and see

[wm cheng]

What you're seeing and criticizing is the result of "many hands" at work and the results of enumerable meetings with comments from every executive in the industry. That is the unfortunate reality of a "Hollywood" movie nowadays. Everyone who has a say (or stake) in the film will always put his/her "stamp" on the designs - regardless if its educated or not. That's why there is little coherence in today's Frankenstein designs - we are not a monolithic culture like Japan was in the 70s and 80s. So one must always take that into consideration when comparing designs. I'm just surprised that it's really Guillermo's uniquely "Mexican/Spanish" take of giant robots that has still come through this horribly reductive process - and its just slightly different to the mainstream Hollywood robots out there! (which is a remarkable feat if you ask me!)

Trust me, anyone can design in a vacuum, it's precious few that can survive the arduous process through production. (unless you've got a powerful dictator with good taste like Steve Jobs on your side)

[DarrinG]

Great post - I agree. So yes, its easy to throw stones at these PR bot designs, but we have no idea the great ones the suits rejected on the way to the finals.

"A committee is a cul de sac where great ideas are lured down and quietly strangled..."

[azrael]

Shades of Gunbuster???

[renegadeleader1]

Looks more like a stretched out guncannon.

[Mr March]

I agree with WM Cheng. Given Del Toro's tastes and previous oeuvre, these robots are very much in line with what I would expect from him as a visualist. And it is amazing that he was able to get these designs to look like a combination of his pseudo-steampunk sensiblities and super/real robots from the golden era of anime. I wasn't expecting mecha from Macross, Gundam, Five Star Stories or Evangelion in Del Toro's new film; he's clearly taking more inspiration from Godannar, Mazinger, Gunbuster and the like with sprinkled elements of modern mecha design, both east and west. We were never going to see an Iron Man-like design in something like Pacific Rim and I think those that were expecting that level of slick-cool from the PR mecha didn't really understand Del Toro's style.

Edited November 29, 2012 by Mr March

[DarrinG]

Yep - let's give this a chance before we overreact...

[Knight26]

I am liking what I see so far because as stated it is a nice mix of old school anime super robots with enough new school tech to make them more believable to a modern audience. That being said WM Cheng is right, designing any large hero (character, alien, robot, plane, etc...) goes through a huge committee process now with everyone putting their say in. What this does give me hope for is a future mecha show more like macross with more realistic robots, and not the bayformer type crap designs. I definitely want to see them in motion before I make final judgement, but I like what I am seeing so far. Of course I still like the designs from Robot Jocks too, but that may just be the nostolgia talking.

Also in regards to designing in a vaccuum, like WM Cheng said these aren't the days anymore when a mecha designer can go in and make a design that sees minimal changes before it hits the screens. You will have have movie execs, directors, producers, toy companies, marketting people, etc... all throwing their two cents in towards the designers hat.

[Twoducks]

They said we where getting about six robots, only two to go then.

So I am ripping these designs for what they are - forgettable trash - and you call someone else on these boards a "hating douche". Thought we could have our own views, especially about Sci Fi without getting called childish names.

So if someone on here REALLY likes these bots and that rubs me the wrong way I can start hurling insults?

Not just a comic con fan, I'm saying I could find better ideas / designs being sketched in a local high school study hall. These are shockingly bad IMO.

If that somehow offends you personally and you have to lash out at me I feel bad for you...

Well, a lot of people have posted their dislike here too BUT they used this things we adults call "arguments". I myself am not 100% sold on them and have expressed what rubs me off. Hating douches just type “that sucks” and call it a day… just like you did… I expect a bit more out if this forum.

And, btw, I have touched the right buttons on you because you got of your ass and actually wrote a real reason: "forgettable". Bare minimum mind you but better than just “trash”. And you even went to the trouble of actually googling an image of a design you consider that does not "suck" (it still isn’t something made by “a random fan at a comic con” but internet hyperbole whatever).

Next time you should do that without the need of being called out first.

[anime52k8]

Also in regards to designing in a vaccuum, like WM Cheng said these aren't the days anymore when a mecha designer can go in and make a design that sees minimal changes before it hits the screens. You will have have movie execs, directors, producers, toy companies, marketting people, etc... all throwing their two cents in towards the designers hat.

And that's too bad, but good intentions =/= good designs. All the designs so far have been haphazard and muddled with too many disparate aesthetics going on at once. it's unfortunate that it's an unavoidable product of the present state of design processes but that in no way changes how I feel about the designs when I look at them.

I want to like these, I honestly do, and there are design cues that I really do like. But there's so many elements I don't like and it's all put together in a way that feels careless and doesn't impress.

[DarrinG]

They said we where getting about six robots, only two to go then.

Well, a lot of people have posted their dislike here too BUT they used this things we adults call "arguments". I myself am not 100% sold on them and have expressed what rubs me off. Hating douches just type “that sucks” and call it a day… just like you did… I expect a bit more out if this forum.

And, btw, I have touched the right buttons on you because you got of your ass and actually wrote a real reason: "forgettable". Bare minimum mind you but better than just “trash”. And you even went to the trouble of actually googling an image of a design you consider that does not "suck" (it still isn’t something made by “a random fan at a comic con” but internet hyperbole whatever).

Next time you should do that without the need of being called out first.

Admittedly - It was an emotional reaction. I was shocked and let it fly.

I have still not warmed to them at all. But like a few have stated, I would not want to be the one who had a great design that tried to get it through all the suits and committees onto the screen.

Disctrict 9 managed to IMO, but obviously Del Toro is going for something else. I'll try not to let MW down next time, even if I'm short on time with my comments...

Edited November 29, 2012 by DarrinG

[PetarB]

I am still rather amazed we are getting a big budget mecha-pr0n movie.

All of us are here because we like such things.

No movie is perfect, for a variety of reasons, but I have seen enough to get me excited. And Guillermo has earned plenty of trust in my book, from Blade to Hellboy he's always delivered an entertaining ride for me.

I'm really looking forwards to this!

[Greyryder]

I'm really liking that Striker Eureka. Between it's overall aesthetics, very human like proportions, and melee weapons it's hitting on all cylinders, for me.

Given this film's inspirations, I wonder if we'll see a live action Itano Circus, at some point.

[Lobizon]

China’s Crimson Typhoon

[the white drew carey]

It's the new Omega Supreme!

[Marzan]

While the mecha designs haven't exactly blown me away, we have to remember that we're used to hardcore mecha-centric anime, were the designers and animation teams have been doing and refining it for years and the directors and producers are well versed in the matter. You can't expect a Hollywood big studio committee's to have that kind of sensibility and appreciation. At the end of the day, I'm curious if we'll see a lot of closeups and detail from these, or if it will be more of a blurry 'Cloverfield' kind of deal.

I'm very pleased to see a lot of international flavour in this film. Designs from several countries, viral stuff in languages other than english... I think Del Toro will make something enjoyable out of this.

[sketchley]

The Crimson Typhoon is the first one I like. Balanced, and actually reminiscent of some mecha.

[Kelsain]

I, for one, have learned to be wary of the crimson typhoon.

Sorry - had to go there!