As the Gundam franchise celebrates over 40 years of celebrated anime, popular toy lines and gunpla models, and even some popular video games, Japan is one step closer to making the giant mecha a reality. Today, the Gundam factory complex in Yokohama amazed fans in a display of its robot's capabilities. One Twitter video caught the giant Gundam in the middle of a mobility test, where it showed a surprising range of movement.
According to recent reports, Yokohama unveiled its life size RX-78 Gundam last August. Unlike its stationary predecessor in Tokyo, this nearly 60-foot-tall robot uses a large endoskeleton to move around. This impressive project even inspired China, which will build its own giant Gundam for 2021.
In anticipation for its October launch event, Gundam Factory Yokohama was testing the robot's movement in the video captured by Twitter user Catsuka. The clip gave fans a first glimpse of the moving robot. While walking for the first time, the Gundam proceeds to move its arms and torso, before slowly getting down on one knee. After it stood back up, the giant mecha slowly raises its arms and tests its hand movement, raising its thumb and index finger. Once it lowered its fist, the robot stepped back into its frame and ended its test. Catsuka also included detailed clips of the Gundam's finger movements and its kneeling.
Social media users are largely impressed with the new Gundam's capabilities. Several Twitter responses jokingly compared the mecha's movements to the similar robots in Pacific Rim, even editing that film's soundtrack into the original video. Other users clamored for more popular mechs to receive a similar adaptation, like the classic Metal Gears. However, one Twitter user reminded the community that Japan already hosts a massive Evangelion replica, which will also open as an attraction to the public in early October.
Nostalgic Gundam fans took the opportunity to share their favorite moments from the franchise's many series, and even show off their favorite robots. While Tokyo now features the popular RX-0 Unicorn Gundam in a plaza, the original RX-78 Gundam is an appropriate choice to commemorate the robot line's 40th anniversary.
However, one Gundam studio has not forgotten fans around the globe. To celebrate the upcoming opening, Sunrise Inc. opened up an event for Southeast Asian fans, where players can run for the chance to win medals designed by Gundam's mechanical designer, Kunio Okawara. Hopefully, Western fans will see some kind of celebration for the positive impact the Gundam franchise has left.
Source: SoraNews24