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Life-Size Gundam Attraction's Details Revealed Online (Updated)

The official website for Gundam Crisis has opened its story, download, and "Gundam Mania II" shop sections with more details on this amusement park attraction that will feature the first 18-meter (59-feet), life-size Gundam model. The attraction will open at Fuji-Q HighLand, the theme park located at the foot of Japan's Mt. Fuji. It will include all-new 3D CG mechanical animation and 2D character animation from the same Sunrise staffers that worked on Fuji-Q's Gundam the Ride attraction, the Gundam Evolve DVD videos, and the SD Gundam Force television series. The staff also includes Gundam experts to ensure the attraction adheres to previous "Gundam History."

The story takes place during the first Mobile Suit Gundam series' One Year War, when the title Mobile Suit robot RX-78-2 Gundam is hangared at the Solomon space fortress for an upgrade. The Earth Federation engineer Dr. Mosk Han is applying magnetic coating to Gundam's joints to improve its maneuverability. The attraction visitors play Han's team members as they are given mission objectives on "VQ Divider" handheld digital tablets and ordered to rush the Gundam's upgrade in time for the battle "outside." Only the visitors who complete the upgrade mission can enter the Gundam's cockpit.

The battle animation will include Jack Bayard (the star of the previous Gundam the Ride attraction) and other pilots of the mass-produced GM mobile suits; a modified, three-armed Ball maintenance pod; Saberfish fighters; and the MSN-01 High Mobility Psycommu System Zaku (the predecessor to the MSN-02 Zeong mobile suit used by Gundam's main antagonist Char in the final battle of the war).

Kenichi Suzuki, the director of Gundam Evolve 8 and 14 and CG technical director of SD Gundam Force, directs a script by Kazuho Hyodo (Gundam Seed Destiny). Fan favorite Hajime Katoki (Gundam 0083, Gundam MS IGLOO) is designing the new and revamped mechanics.

The website offers a VQ-Divider-inspired applet for fans' personal blogs as well as wallpaper, and a preview of the limited goods that will be offered in the Gundam Mania II souvenir goods shop. The website also offers a teaser image of the the life-size Gundam's feet.

Source: Gundam.info

Update: MSN-Mainichi Daily News hosts a bird's-eye view of the attraction's Gundam figure. [Editor: The link has since expired.] Thanks, kiyoko. Yahoo! News Japan also has a bird's-eye view. Thanks, enjin2000.

Images © Sotsu, Sunrise © Fujikyuko Co., Ltd. & © Fujikyu HighLand. All rights reserved.