Japan Finishes Life-Size Gundam

John Funk

U.N. Owen Was Him?
Dec 20, 2005
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Japan Finishes Life-Size Gundam



Work is wrapping up on the 1:1 scale statue of the eponymous giant robot in the groundbreaking Mobile Suit Gundam anime - standing 59 feet tall in the middle of Shiokaze Park in Odaiba, Japan.

Back in March [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/90122-Namco-Building-Life-Sized-Gundam], we reported that those crazy Japanese were planning on celebrating the 30th anniversary of the classic Mobile Suit Gundam mecha anime ... by building a life-size replica of the titular mech. The finished product - built from fiberglass-reinforced plastic over a steel frame - would tower 18 meters (59 feet) over Odaiba's Shiokaze Park, radiate light at 50 points on the body, shoot mist from other parts, and feature a movable head.

Well, it's finished. And it's awesome.

Though the original RX-78-2 Gundam design looks painfully retro these days, and wouldn't look nearly as cool as, say, a 1:1 replica of the Nu [http://mahq.net/mecha/gundam/z/msz-006.jpg] - shut up, Keane - it has an iconic status in Japanese pop culture like no other. Really, there wasn't ever a choice, here. Maybe a Char Custom Zaku, but then again, how can something be three times as fast when it's standing still?

Mobile Suit Gundam, by Yoshiyuki Tomino, told the story of an interplanetary war between the Earth Federation and the space-dwelling Duchy of Zeon, when young engineer Amuro Ray falls into the cockpit of the prototype Gundam and - upon actually reading the owner's manual - uses it to kick Zeon ass. The series would pioneer the "real robot" genre of mecha anime, featuring giant robots in (relatively) realistic military situations instead of fighting giant magical monsters. It would spawn a franchise largely consisting of angsty teenage pilots and mysterious mask-wearing rivals [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUBMTiIk-qc].

The 18-meter Gundam will stand for two months in Shiokaze Park before being disassembled. By disassembled, they of course mean taken to their secret underground laboratories where they'll finish the design and make it fully functional. We're still onto you, Japan.

Now if you'll pardon me, I need to go have a fanboy freak-out for a little while. Because holy crap, guys. Life-size Gundam!

(Kotaku [http://www.dannychoo.com/detail/mac/eng/image/20078/Assembled+Odaiba+Gundam.html])



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Cpt_Oblivious

Not Dead Yet
Jan 7, 2009
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blitz609 said:
Now, if it was fully operational that would be sick.
Knowing the Japanese it probably is, just their keeping it secret.

As a side note: FREAKIN AWESOME!
 

Fenring

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Sep 5, 2008
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They should do Gundam Wing, that was a good show, I don't remember watching the show with that one.
 

John Funk

U.N. Owen Was Him?
Dec 20, 2005
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CountFenring said:
They should do Gundam Wing, that was a good show, I don't remember watching the show with that one.
Bah, Gundam Wing. For all Treize Khushrenada was awesome, Wing itself was merely "okay."

Mobile Suit Gundam, Zeta Gundam, 0080: War in the Pocket, 08th MS Team, Turn A Gundam, Gundam SEED... all better than Wing, and then some. ;)
 

Keane Ng

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Sep 11, 2008
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CantFaketheFunk said:
Though the original RX-78-2 Gundam design looks painfully retro these days, and wouldn't look nearly as cool as, say, a 1:1 replica of the Nu [http://mahq.net/mecha/gundam/z/msz-006.jpg] - shut up, Keane - it has an iconic status in Japanese pop culture like no other.
Uh, you mean awesomely retro?

And the Nu su- oh, alright. Yeah that's right, I don't even need to say it. Fin funnels = garbage.
 

John Funk

U.N. Owen Was Him?
Dec 20, 2005
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Keane Ng said:
CantFaketheFunk said:
Though the original RX-78-2 Gundam design looks painfully retro these days, and wouldn't look nearly as cool as, say, a 1:1 replica of the Nu [http://mahq.net/mecha/gundam/z/msz-006.jpg] - shut up, Keane - it has an iconic status in Japanese pop culture like no other.
Uh, you mean awesomely retro?

And the Nu su- oh, alright. Yeah that's right, I don't even need to say it. Fin funnels = garbage.
I'm using my psycommu system to crush your head, Keane.
 

super_mumbles

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Sep 24, 2008
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I, for one, welcome our new Japanese overlords

All they need to do now is wire up te insides and its good to go, defending the Earth and what not
 

Destroy Gundam

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Feb 20, 2009
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xmetatr0nx said:
Man, japan really needs to restart their imperilism. They very obviously need something to do.
But Imperialism is boring to watch, and we wouldn't get to see them do stuff like this.
 

bue519

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xmetatr0nx said:
Man, japan really needs to restart their imperilism. They very obviously need something to do.
Yeah who doesn't need another Rape of Nanking.