A perceptual study of robot design in the Japanese robot anime series, “Mobile Suit Gundam”

Abstract

This study focused on the impressions of robot design in the Japanese robot anime series, “Mobile Suit Gundam”. In Experiment 1, the impressions of robot design were measured using semantic differential method. Results of the factor analysis showed that the impressions of the robot design were illustrated by a three dimensional space, which was spanned by “Massiveness”, “Coolness” and “Roundness”. “Moe” is one of the most important keywords in robot design. The results of a multiple-regression analysis showed that Moe was felt deeply for a massive, cool and box-shaped robot. In Experiment 2, the differences between robots of scale models and super-deformed models were investigated. The results showed that the scale models were designed to be cool and the super-deformed models were designed to be cute.