Life-Sized Moving Gundam to Land at Gundam Factory Yokohama
Standing at 18 meters, weighting 25 tons and complete with 24 fully functional joints.
A full-scale moving mobile Gundam is set to make its debut at the Gundam Factory Yokohama this October 2020.
Announcing the news at a recent press conference, the Gundam Global Challenge project team revealed some specifics of the life-sized mecha. The Gundam statue will tower at 18 meters (approximately 59 feet) and weigh 25 tons, surrounded by gangways that allow visitors to take a closer look at the robot from the legs up to its face. The mecha will be able to utilize its 24 fully functional joints, however details of what exact movements it can make were not disclosed.
Plans for this moving mobile Gundam dates back to 2014 with the launch of the Gundam Global Challenge project, created in celebration of the anime series’ 40th anniversary. The team consists of creators, engineers and researchers including Mobile Suit Gundam director Yoshiyuki Tomino, Chukyo University School of Engineering professor Pitoyo Hartono and Seiichi Saito, creative and technical director of interactive digital artwork firm Rhizomatiks Co., with robotics and engineering companies like Asratech Corp. and Yaskawa Electric Corp. also providing support.
The 9,000-square meter Gundam Factory Yokohama is located at Yamashita Pier, comprised of a 25-meter-tall Gundam-Dock for the mecha’s maintenance site and a two-story building with shops and an event space. The facility is scheduled to operate on a pre-opening basis during the weekends of July and August, but the Gundam will not debut until October 1. Gundam Factory Yokohama is set to run for a whole year and since its opening will coincide with the Olympics and Paralympics, the facility will also be promoted to foreign media outlets for the games.
Elsewhere in design, take a look at the official LEGO model kit of the International Space Station.
