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for the nerds ;)
mecha, or mech, is a science fiction term for a large human-piloted humanoid vehicle. Variants do exist, from ones on treads to animal shapes. The key difference between mecha and robots is that a mecha has a pilot, as enthusiasts are quick to point out.

A large, bipedal machine is not the most flexible of designs, and aside from occasional use in things like heavy construction work, mecha are most often built for combat purposes. As such, their status varies widely between different settings, from one type of unit among others to undisputed rulers of the battlefield.

The distinction between smaller mecha and their smaller cousins (and likely progenitors), the powered armor suits, is blurred; according to one definition, a mecha is piloted while a powered armor is worn. Anything large enough to have a cockpit where the pilot is seated is generally considered a mecha.

East vs. West
Mecha are quite popular in Japanese anime, and by extension manga. In Western entertainment, they are occasionally seen in games, especially the action, strategy and simulation genres, but the most well-known Western context for mecha is BattleTech. The original BattleTech - a table-top strategy game - has been the basis of numerous MechWarrior computer games and a role-playing game. Other products bearing the BattleTech name include a collectible card game, books and an animated TV series. Ironicly, FASA, the company that produced BattleTech was sucesffuly sued for copyright infringment by featuring several mechs that were obviously designs ripped off from Japanese anime.

Though designs vary widely in both eastern and western mecha, there is a general difference in style. Japanese ones tend to be sleeker as opposed to the rougher and more rugged western ones, and it's not unusual for Japanese mecha to perform difficult acrobatic maneuvers while some western machines would have trouble getting up. Hands are much more common on eastern mecha; western designs often just have upper limbs with permanent weapon emplacements.

The word 'mech' is used to describe such vehicles considerably more often in western entertainment. In Japanese, 'mecha' is the more frequent term (see 'Other meanings' below), though in the series themselves they are seldom known as such.


Synonyms for mecha
(list is not comprehensive)

"Battloid" - Robotech
"BattleMech" - BattleTech
"Destroid" - Macross/Robotech
"Exo-Armor" - Jovian Chronicles
"Gear" - Heavy Gear, Xenogears
"Heavy Metal" - Heavy Metal L-Gaim
"MegaDeus" - The Big O
"Mekton" - Mekton
"Mobile Suit" - Gundam
"Orbital Frame" - Zone of the Enders
"Super Powered Tracer" - SPT Layzner
"Variable Fighter" - Macross
"Veritech Fighter" - Robotech
"Wandrung Panzer(Wanzer)" - Front Mission
"Armored Shrike" - Blue Gender

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mech