Gundam devastates fans with news about Japan’s lifesize statue

If you wanted to see a Gundam in real life, you only have a few weeks to get to Japan, because the lifesize replica is about to shut.

Given that it’s been going since 1979, Gundam is a staple franchise in Japan. We’ve gotten numerous anime shows and anime movies from the universe, following an array of characters caught up in a space war between various colonies and Earth in the far future.

Though the protagonists change – and occasionally the timeline too – the base concept of cool looking robots blowing each other up remains constant. Creator Yoshiyuki Tomino’s work was hugely influential, kicking off the mecha trend in earnest, leading to Japan building a Gundam that can actually move for visitors.

Sadly, though, if you hadn’t alreayd checked out the real life Gundam, you’re about to be out of luck.

Japan’s lifesized Gundam is being closed down in March 2024

Gundam Factory Yokohama revealed in February that the exhibit would be closing on March 31, 2024. No specific reason was given, and tickets are on sale for the last month now, so if you’re going to be there, it’s best to book in advance.

Although the company doesn’t specify why this is happening, we can speculate that costs associated with maintenance probably mounted up, alongside a desire for the space to be used for other reasons. The Gundam is 60 feet tall, making it an incredible eyesore, and something that needs a lot of attention to make sure everything is behaving appropriately.

The design is based on the RX-78-2 Gundam, the original mecha from the first series. This design has appeared throughout the franchise in various incarnations, echoing the blue, red, and yellow on white color scheme. It’s an appropriate place to start if we’re building mecha – though it looks like my dream of seeing two of them fight in real life have been shot down. (For now.)

The timing here is conspicuous, since Gundam Seed Freedom just became the highest-grossing film from the property. Perhaps different celebrations are in store to commemorate Gundam’s legacy – I’m just not sure any will live up to this.