Japanese actress Rinko Kikuchi is set to star opposite Charlie Hunnam (“Sons of Anarchy”) in director Guillermo Del Toro’s mecha-influenced robot movie Pacific Rim. Written by Travis Beacham (Clash of the Titans), the film revolves around human-piloted robots built to defend the earth against giant alien creatures.

Kikuchi, best known for her Oscar nominated performance as a horny nude teen in Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s Babel, will play a robot pilot who teams up with Hunnam after both of their copilots are killed in action.

Pacific Rim marks Del Toro’s return to directing since helming 2008’s Hellboy II: The Golden Army. Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures have set a July 1, 2013 release date.