Japan's Life-Sized Gundam Returns With Active Weaponry

John Funk

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Dec 20, 2005
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Japan's Life-Sized Gundam Returns With Active Weaponry



The good news: The full-scale, life-size Gundam will be rebuilt in Japan. The better news: It's going to have a lightsaber this time around.

Last year, we here at The Escapist faithfully reported on the incredibly awesome oddity that was the 1:1 scale statue of the iconic RX-78-2 Gundam being built over in Japan to deconstruction [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/90122-Namco-Building-Life-Sized-Gundam]. Why, you ask? Because it was badass.

Even though the life-size Gundam was taken down in September after just a few short months on display, something that cool couldn't be kept down forever. We'd heard that the Gundam would be Bandai press release [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/97060-Japans-Life-Sized-Gundam-to-Make-a-Return], the iconic giant robot will be erected in front of the JR Higashi-Shizuoka railway station in Shizuoka - one of the busiest train stations in the world.

It won't be exactly the same RX-78-2 Gundam seen in Odaiba's Shiokaze Park, however: This new iteration of the statue will be holding one of the series' standard beam sabers (think giant mecha-size lightsabers). What's really cool about this is not only will the beam saber light up at night, but the new display pedestal will actually be designed in such a way that it looks like the saber is cutting through the stone.

Shizuoka has a special connection with Bandai's Gundam franchise, as it is home to the massive factory that produces all of the popular plastic model kits of the franchise's various giant fighting robots. So, in a way, those little models (16 of which are adorning my desk here at Escapist HQ) are getting a very, very big brother.

The groundbreaking 1979 anime series very special place in Japanese pop culture [http://www.amazon.com/Mobile-Gundam-Trilogy-Anime-Legends/dp/B003BI77MW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1278963783&sr=1-1].

Now, while I need to maintain a level of professional decorum as a news writer here, I hope you'll forgive me this one outburst of fanboyish joy:

YESSSSSSS! THIS IS F*CKING AWESOME!

Thank you.

(Via Ngee Khiong [http://ngeekhiong.blogspot.com/2010/03/11-scale-gundam-rx-78-2-with-beam-saber.html])

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AboveUp

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May 21, 2008
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gsdoffwiejfoiwejfoiwjsl *takes a moment to collect himself*

HOLY SHIT I NEED A TICKET TICKET TO JAPAN. No need for a hotel room, I'll just sleep on the street anywhere near it.
 

Zeraki

WHAT AM I FIGHTING FOOOOOOOOR!?
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Feb 9, 2009
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This is... I just... WOW!

I really, really REALLY want to see this thing now.
 

fix-the-spade

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Feb 25, 2008
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Ok, that's cool.

Is this one going to be permanent? They shouldn't have pulled the last one down.
 
Dec 14, 2009
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AboveUp said:
gsdoffwiejfoiwejfoiwjsl *takes a moment to collect himself*

HOLY SHIT I NEED A TICKET TICKET TO JAPAN. No need for a hotel room, I'll just sleep on the street anywhere near it.
There's only one thing for it...
We'll have to sell our bodies to discerning Japanese gentlemen in order to afford it.

A normal lightsaber is awesome. But one being held by a giant robot? That's a whole other scale of epic amazingness.
 

Cpu46

Gloria ex machina
Sep 21, 2009
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THIS IS FREAKING EPIC!!!

I want one of these for my backyard
 

Amnestic

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Aug 22, 2008
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*looks down*

And now I need to change my underwear.

Japan moves one step closer to a real giant mecha army. Surrender your allegiances now guys.
 

Daemascus

WAAAAAAAAAGHHH!!!!
Mar 6, 2010
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I know what i want for Chrismas!! If only it really worked...

If Japan ever makes real mechs we are so screwed.
 
Dec 14, 2009
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Amnestic said:
*looks down*

And now I need to change my underwear.

Japan moves one step closer to a real giant mecha army. Surrender your allegiances now guys.
Come now, if Call of Duty has taught us anything, it's that come rain or shine... and Japanese mechs... Cpt. Price and the S.A.S. will save us all.
 

The Rascal King

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Aug 13, 2009
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That is indeed fucking awesome!

Now we need some Zeon vs Federation battles in the streets of Tokyo

Hop to it Japan
 

Et3rnalLegend64

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Still waiting for Tallgeese III so I can jack it for myself. If that fails and someone... *coughFunkcough*... gets it before me, then I'll settle for 00 Raiser (Blasting Zone ftw) or EZ-8
 

GloatingSwine

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Excellent!

Now all we need to do is get it to transform into a plane, and Mankind's apotheosis is at hand!