Giant 1:1 Gundam Statue in Odaiba

16.06.2009 by ADK

Took the Monorail towards Odaiba to see a supposedly gigantic Gundam statue yesterday. Crossing rainbow bridge in the distance there was a cactus and something white-ish: getting closer that would be a maintenance crane and the torso of a robot standing in the middle of a grove by the sea side, the Gundam RX-78-2 in life size.

For once it is built to celebrate Gundam's 30th Anniversary, something called Green Tokyo and to support Tokyo's application for the Olympic Summer Games in 2016. Not completed yet, the official revealing will be on the 11th of July - the exhibition will go on until the 31st of August, during which an estimated number of 1.5-2 million visitors (according to Robot Watch) are expected on site.

We could not wait and went to see it before that and well, judging from a distance (from on the train crossing Rainbow Bridge) the colossus didn't seem like a big deal, but standing underneath it is really something. Nicely shaped details, proper materials (inners are made of steel, outer shell is covered with glass-reinformed plastic plates) and the sheer power the thing seemingly has embedded make it a quite an impressive sight. The surroundings are a bit weird though: The statue was built on a grass field in Shiokaze Park; a place where, when there is not by chance a giant Gundam figure taking an afternoon stroll, hardly any man has gone before or will ever go again. Lots of Otaku around the place this time, also lots of mothers with kids, businessmen, suits, in short: everybody loves Gundam!

Now the robot is still under construction so around base and feet there is a fence that kept one from seeing the statue in full effect. Though at this time it might be easier to grab some good shots than later on, when the 3 million people (3,000,000 ppl / 50 days = 60000 ppl / day, what a ridiculous figure btw) come rushing in and turn the neat grass field into another woodstock experience and fist-fight for the best angle to take a picture. Picture that!

Although such horrible events might occur, we will still go there once more to shoot the machine with another round of shutter clicks once it is officially standing there. Why, you ask? Well that's because Giant-Gundam-Chan also blasts smoke out of not less than 14 spots on its body: ankles, wrists, "satchel" et al, will be illuminated at night, will blind you with more than 50 warning lights attached to it, will emit angry looking light from its eyes and will be able to move its head around horizontally, says Robot-Watch-Chan again. Just from the looks it really seems as if the beast was able to step about any minute: all it requires would be a proper Evangelion-like engine with umbilical cord, as the batteries could probably never ever quench those mechanics' thurst. And if these kinds of associations start popping up in your head, you know it can't be that bad! Yes, you should go!

Getting there: Take the Yurikamome Line from Shinbashi towards the one direction that's there and get off at Daiba. If you're not blind or an idiot you have seen the statue waiting for you in its epicurious garden from the train already. Go there.

Adress:
TEL 5
潮風公園事務所
〒
品川区東八潮1,2

There:

Gundam 30th Anniversary
News on Robot Watch
Shiokaze Site