The giant Gundam statue in Odaiba, Tokyo, is complete. And I make no reservations in saying that it is undoubtedly one of the coolest things I have ever seen.
This is Part 2 of what’s looking to be a three part series. Click here for Part 1, which contains photos from an earlier stage in the construction proces, as well as some background information on the project.
Where there was once nothing more than a mere pair of legs (albeit, a very cool pair of legs), there now stands a towering tribute to every young boy’s giant robot fantasy. And probably those of a few thousand fully grown men too, this being Japan and all.
Photos don’t do the actual sight any justice, but I hope that they will at least convey a sense of the meticulous detail that has gone into the statue’s creation.
The Gundam’s booster back pack, complete with two sheathed beam sabers.
And a few more shots from the front. It’s a pity that the weather was overcast, as a nice blue sky would have contrasted far better against the statue’s white figure. But it’s the rainy season now in Japan, so I guess that’s just how it’s going to be for a while.
Nevertheless, you get the idea. It’s a striking sight.
Notice the light points on the shoulders, wrists and other places.
Seeing it with your own two eyes, all you can think of is how much you simply want it to move.
The machine greets its fans.
The most commonly uttered phrase I heard as I walked around the statue was sugoi, ne!, which more or less translates here to, “amazing, isn’t it?”. I guess that means it gets a thumbs up from the locals.
Until next time…
As impressive as it looks here, what I’ve covered so far is only half the spectacle. I’ll be making another trip in the near future to catch the Gundam lit up at night, which should make something that is already quite ridiculous even more so. I can’t wait.
P.S. Stay tuned for Part 3, the final part in this series.
Giant Gundam in Odaiba – Part 1 – if90
Giant Gundam in Odaiba – Part 3 – if90
Gundam 30th Anniversary Event – Official Website (Japanese only)
16/06/09 at 9:33 am
Really cool Shu! It looks awesome completed. I gotta say, in the photo where he’s greeting the fans, it looks like he’s preparing for battle…. and I think he’s going to win ;)
Is it big enough to see from back on the mainland from any of the other districts?
Does it’s head move at the moment, or is that for stage 3? or alternatively did I just make that up ;)
17/06/09 at 12:39 am
Hey Al! Good question about being able to see it from across the water. I was wondering the same thing myself, so the last time I went to the Regional Immigration Office in Shinagawa (which is on a block of land directly opposite Shiokaze Park where the Gundam is), I thought I’d be able to see it and get a few photos. But alas, the entire waterfront strip there is a sprawling container dock that’s off-limits to the public, so unfortunately I wasn’t even able to get near the water for a look. Actually, you can see some of the orange/white container cranes poking up in the background in the second last photo. There may be some other vantage points I haven’t sussed out yet, though!
Also, I think the head can move now, but only at night time when they “flip the switch” on the lights and power the whole thing up.
17/06/09 at 9:15 pm
That is too awesome. Does it move at all? Puts anything Brisbane has to shame. What do we have? Stefan’s glory pole light extravaganza… :(
22/07/09 at 7:12 pm
[...] part series. Click here for Part 1, which looks at an early stage in the construction process, and click here for Part 2 which shows the completed statue before the official [...]