Ryo Yoshida has monster-sized dreams for his driveable, "Gundam"-like robot, even though its huge size makes it hard to park and the $3-million price tag will crush most wallets.

An imposing 4.5 metres (14.7 feet) high and weighing 3.5 tonnes (7,716 pounds), "Archax" can be moved and operated by a pilot who clambers up to the high-tech cockpit.

"I want to make people's dreams come true, the dream people once had as a child, which is to get on board a robot and control it just like science fiction movies," said Yoshida, CEO of the start-up Tsubame Industries.