If you visited Japan recently, you may have noticed the titular giant Gundam which guards the DiverCity Tokyo Plaza against impending Godzilla attacks is missing. Why? Well, it was torn down earlier this year to make room for its bigger, badder giant robot.
Giant mecha have been an attraction for the country since 2009, with the most famous model being the RX-78-2 Gundam. Not only has it been fitted with various weapons, but it also has steam spewing from its chest cavity and is lit up like a robotic Christmas tree every single night.
So what could top an 18-meter tall Gundam? Why, a 24-meter tall Gundam, that’s what! And one that moves. Exhibit A from @ShonanPai on Twitter:
実物大ユニコーンガンダム立像、ツノ（Vアンテナ）の開閉動画。
ツノ割れ→ユニコーンモード→ツノ割れ。
ちょっとアップにし過ぎた。手持ち撮影なので揺れます。
劇中の変身と同じくらいかな、結構速いですね('д')#実物大ユニコーン進捗 pic.twitter.com/tPSxPIKpTk— 湘南パイ (@ShonanPai) August 2, 2017
and more mecha moving goodness:
何度もアンテナが開閉してました。
こちら、運良く撮れたムービーです。歩道からも普通に見られる位置なので、通りすがりの方も興味深げに写真撮られてました。
これからも開閉テストは行われるんじゃないかと思います。#実物大ユニコーン進捗 pic.twitter.com/8vFpIBG8XV— よっくん (@yoshi115t) August 1, 2017
The 1/1 scale replica of the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam is currently being built where the RX-78-2 Gundam once stood. According to reports from bystanders, the lifelike Gundam already has a working model of the mobile suit’s iconic horn.
For those without the time or patience to watch anime, the Unicorn Gundam’s distinguishing features stem from its ability to transform into Destroy Mode. When this happens, the Gundam’s drab white paint job makes way for glowing red plates and the single antenna transforms into a v-shaped fin. The whole robot becomes a lot bigger and looks like it is covered in a slew of really mean varicose veins.
It’s safe to assume that the rest of the Unicorn Gundam’s parts will be moving as well (we hope). While it isn’t as classic a model as its predecessor, the Unicorn Gundam is known by a wide audience and, let’s face it, seeing any giant robot in real life is enough for non-fans to break out their cameras.
Considering that the 40th anniversary of the Gundam franchise is in 2019, this is going to be a fine way to celebrate nearly half a century of massive goateed space robots. Who’s up for a road trip?
