Display of Life-Sized “Moving Gundam” in Yokohama Ends Sunday

Jiji Press

13:51 JST, April 1, 2024

Yokohama, March 31 (Jiji Press) — An exhibition of the life-sized “Moving Gundam” in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, ended on Sunday, with fans of the “Mobile Suit Gundam” popular Japanese television anime series flocking to the venue to say good-bye to the giant model of the robot hero.

The full-size Gundam was displayed at the Gundam Factory Yokohama, a facility opened at Yamashita Pier in the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture in 2020, as one of the projects to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the start of the broadcast of the anime series.

The life-sized Gundam, about 18 meters tall and weighing 25 tons, can move 24 parts of its body, including the arms and legs. It can also take the same pose as that Gundam in the anime takes when leaving for a mission.

The huge popularity of the Moving Gundam led to the duration of the exhibition being extended twice, and the life-sized Gundam was loved by fans and tourists from inside and outside Japan as a new landmark of Yokohama.

At the exhibition venue on Sunday night, an art show using drones was held, and fireworks were set off as special events.

“(The exhibition) was possible because it was held at this place,” Japanese anime director Yoshiyuki Tomino, who produced the Gundam franchise, said at the venue. “This is not the end. I’m confident that the Gundam series will open up the next.”