Just in time for Mother's Day

April 7, 2005 4:42 PM

Star Wars geeks lined up months in advance blocking the door to your favorite taqueria? Clear the sidewalks with your new Imperial Walker (.wmv) from Sakakibara Machine Co. of Gunma, Japan.
posted by planetkyoto (16 comments total)

the link doesn't work.
posted by meanie at 4:48 PM on April 7, 2005

Stolen from gizmodo.
here
posted by Baby_Balrog at 5:00 PM on April 7, 2005

Would have made the same comment the last time this was posted but it slipped my mind:

What good is a "walker" if the giant feet have wheels
the slide along the ground?

The whole walking thing is just to bypass sending power to the wheels?
posted by StickyCarpet at 5:05 PM on April 7, 2005

The video link doesn't work? Seems OK here.

Actually, I got it from a Japanese language site, didn't know it had already been been posted on your side of the world.
posted by planetkyoto at 5:10 PM on April 7, 2005

link no work.
posted by 1016 at 5:29 PM on April 7, 2005

Amusingly, there's a phalanx of Star Wars fans lining up outside the famed Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. here in L.A. -- despite the fact that the premiere will actually take place a mile away at the Arclight on Sunset Blvd. (Apparently the Chinese Theatre geeks scoff at reports of an Arclight premiere, believing this is just part of a nefarious plot to steal their awesome places in line. Heh.)
posted by scody at 5:50 PM on April 7, 2005

Die, infernal Windows Media! Other than that, looks cool.
posted by fungible at 6:02 PM on April 7, 2005

Well, the problem with the Arclight is that it's all reserved seating with online ticket sales available, ergo waiting in line doesn't get you anything.
posted by BrotherCaine at 6:15 PM on April 7, 2005

StickyCarpet, you'r right, it's not exactly a technical marvel, just a 250cc (motorcycle?) engine runing some hydraulic pistons and air guns.

Hopefully this Coral cache of the video will work at some point.
posted by planetkyoto at 6:34 PM on April 7, 2005

The only thing that would have made this contraption interesting is if the engineer feller had figured out a way to make it really walk. Seems he didn't. After the first 10 seconds, it's just nurf gun target practice.
posted by squirrel at 6:37 PM on April 7, 2005

Somewhat similar to an AT-ST. I was hoping someone had built a life-size AT-AT, even if it did not move. I would love to have one standing in my back yard, towering over the surrounding houses and trees. Sign on fence: "Beware of Imperial All Terrain Armored Transport." With an arrow pointing up towards the sky. Or maybe one of those security signs in the front flower beds by the house: "This home protected by AT-AT security systems. That means the fucking huge metal dinosaur in the back yard, rebel scum."

Then again, since AT-AT stands around 50 feet tall, building a life-size replica would be quite an undertaking. Hmm. Half-size might still be impressive enough. Someone needs to do this. Yes.
posted by weretable and the undead chairs at 7:48 PM on April 7, 2005

The number to the pay phone outside Mann's Chinese is [phone], give it a call. They could probably use the entertainment, they've got quite a while to wait.

The line squatters aren't as dumb as you may think, the last two Star Wars movies premiered at Mann's Chinese after many official announcements that they would not.
posted by cali at 9:10 PM on April 7, 2005

90% of the video is showing off the "guns", with just a hint of the thing actually moving around.

/move along, nothing to see here
posted by zardoz at 10:29 PM on April 7, 2005

I'm with weretable and the undead chairs even though I know my girlfriend wouldnt understand...
posted by 13twelve at 3:52 AM on April 8, 2005

Stolen from gizmodo.

How the hell can you steal a link?
posted by cmonkey at 8:32 AM on April 8, 2005

Sorry. You can't. I don't know what the hell I was babbling about.

I just got sick of looking at my favorite sites and seeing the same thing over and over again.

Has nothing to do with anyone but me.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 10:28 AM on April 9, 2005