The film is set in the 2020s, when humanity is under attack by "Kaijus", colossal monsters which have emerged from the Pacific Ocean. To combat the creatures, humanity unites to create the Jaegers: gigantic humanoid mecha, each controlled by two or more pilots whose minds are joined by a neural bridge.
According to Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, the film was heavily influenced by the old Toho tokusatsu monster films like Godzilla as well as classic super robot anime shows like Tetsujin 28-Gou and Mazinger Z.
