Gaiking

In a sense, of course, the classic mecha of Japanese manga/anime/film aren’t robots in the sense that they function as autonomous, self-motivated mechanisms. They are, like cars, piloted by ordinary flesh-and-bone humans — and as such are merely vehicles or exoskeletal enhancements. Yet subjectively, in the fictional world, the mechanisms themselves tend to acquire personalities, [...]

Robo Music

“The Robots” by Kraftwerk (1977) “The Humans Are Dead” by The Flight of the Conchords: “Harder Better Faster Stronger” by Daft Punk: “I Am The Robot” by My Robot Friend: “My Friend Robot” by Regurgitator: “Robot High School” by My Robot Friend: “S.E.X.Y. R.O.B.O.T.” by The Pinker Tones: “I, Robot” by the Alan Parsons Project: [...]

The Blonde’ll Get the Robot Every Time

Sex Kittens Go to College [aka The Beauty and the Robot] (US-1960; dir. Albert Zugsmith) was a piece of fairly harmless comedic sexploitation starring Mamie Van Doren, Tuesday Weld and Bridget’s sister Mijanou, dressed out in classic 1950s pointy bras and tight sweaters. Mamie Van Doren plays a brilliant science professor who is promoted to [...]

Robot Scientists

The creation of machines that can “think” independently (as least as independently as grad students) and do their own scientific research and development would be a major step toward the creation of the sort of artificial intelligence that we frequently see in SF films and stories, right? Welcome to the New World! Note that the [...]