The phenomenon then spread to popular culture abroad with cartoons like "Voltron" -- originally from Japan but a hit in the U.S. -- and movies such as 2013's "Pacific Rim." "With robotic designs for the newer films I worked on, I was trying to bring more realism in terms of how a fictional design functions mechanically; whether it's believable enough, how it's structurally built," he says. Bulgarov's other recent projects include designing the Lamborghini Transformer "Lockdown" and the robotic body suit for the latest "Robocop" reboot. However, unlike these fictional enterprises, Method-2 has some very real aspirations. Built by South Korean company Hankook Mirae Technology, which translates to Korea Future Technology in English, the company says its goal with the Method-2 prototype is to develop technology that can be put to use in a variety of real-world scenarios. "Media don't usually mention is that for the past few years I have been less involved with films and more with real-world products," says designer Bulgarov.

That real, life-sized mech Korean company Hankook Mirae debuted recently isn't just for show. Its designer, Hollywood SFX veteran Vitaly Bulgarov, has posted a video on Facebook showing the robot taking its first steps. And, yes, it had a pilot on board. The 13-feet-tall, 1.3-ton machine was created to work in extreme conditions where humans cannot go unprotected. It won't be able to go on rescue missions anytime soon, though -- not without a power source that's portable enough.