Editing Mecha (section)

{{Short description|Humanoid walking vehicles in science fiction}}
{{About|the term used in science fiction, video games, anime, and manga}}
{{Redirect|Giant robot|other uses|Giant Robot (disambiguation)}}
{{Redirect|Mech}}
{{Distinguish|Mecca}}
[[File:クラタス・Maker Faire Tokyo 2012 (1).jpg|thumb| [[Kuratas]], a mecha made by [[Suidobashi Heavy Industry]] at the [[Maker Faire]] [[Tokyo]] (2012)]]
In [[science fiction]], {{Nihongo|'''mecha'''|メカ|meka|lead=yes}} or '''mechs''' are giant robots or machines, typically depicted as piloted, [[humanoid]] walking vehicles. The term was first used in [[Japanese (language)|Japanese]] after shortening the English loanword {{nihongo|[[wikt:mechanism|'mechanism']]|メカニズム|mekanizumu}} or {{nihongo|[[wikt:mechanical|'mechanical']]|メカニカル|mekanikaru}}, but the meaning in Japanese is more inclusive, and {{nihongo|'robot'|ロボット|robotto}} or 'giant robot' is the narrower term.

Real mechs vary greatly in size and shape, but are distinguished from [[vehicle]]s by their biomorphic appearance, and are often much larger than human beings. Different [[Genre#Subgenre|subgenres]] exist, with varying connotations of realism. The concept of [[Super Robot]] and [[Real Robot]] are two such examples found in Japanese [[anime]] and [[manga]].

Real-world piloted robots or non-robots [[Robot locomotion|robotic platforms]], existing or planned, may also be called "mechs". In Japanese, "mechs" may refer to mobile machinery or vehicles (not including aircraft, cars, motorcycles and HGV) in general, piloted or [[Mobile robot|otherwise]].