If you’ve ever wanted to build a robot but had no idea how, HEBOCON might just be the place for you. It’s a competition for Japanese Sumo-Wrestling robots to determine who can build the most inept, low-tech and just plain stupid warrior android. Thirty One contestants enter the ring, few leave, because they barely functioned in the first place.
Fast Company has a rundown of some the shitty highlights, but you really should just watch above for yourself:
These include a spinning Barbie doll, “attacking through pole dancing,” a tape recorder that must be tilted down a piece of wood to do anything (it has no other way of moving), a robot that does nothing but bang a packet of ramen flavoring on the ground, and most impressively, a highly unsettling centipede-like robot made from a tissue box, which uses vibrating dildos as legs.
The winner was just a large heavy robot that kind of sits there being punished until it’s opponent can’t go on.
The robots may be failures but the short film is winning. It’s been selected to be part of the Japanese Media Arts Festival.
(Photo: プープーテレビ)
