News
Life-Size Unicorn Gundam Statue Debuts on September 24 With 'Transformation'
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
The Gundam.info portal site announced that the life-size RX-0 Unicorn Gundam statue in front of the DiverCity Tokyo mall will debut with a public demonstration of its "transformation" feature on September 24. As with its animated counterpart in the Mobile Suit Gundam UC anime, the 19.7-meter (about 65-foot), 49-ton statue on the artificial island of Odaiba will be able to transform between its normal "Unicorn Mode" and "Destroy Mode." This will involve the movement of panels and other parts in over 50 locations on the statue's body (including the shoulders, knees, and back) as well as lights in those same locations. Below is a concept image of the new statue.
The statue is formally named "RX-0 Unicorn Gundam Ver. TWC (Tokyo Waterfront City)." It will feature new decals by mechanic designer Hajime Katoki.
This promotional video of the Perfect Grade 1/60 RX-0 Unicorn Gundam plastic model kit demonstrates the "transformation":
Videographer "darwinfish105" posted a video of the statue under construction:
As with the previous life-size RX-78-2 Gundam statue, the giant Wall-G presentation setup will projects videos onto the outer wall of DiverCity Tokyo behind the statue. A new shop for Gundam goods will also open on the same day as the statue's debut, and will have a mini-corner for Gundam UC goods. A dedicated photo deck will also open, and Bandai Namco Entertainment is offering a smartphone camera app that uses augmented reality features to overlay a rendering of the statue over the environment.
The previous statue, which portrays the iconic RX-78-2 mobile suit piloted by protagonist Amuro Ray in the first Mobile Suit Gundam series, was unveiled at Odaiba's Shiokaze Park in 2009, where it stood for 52 days. 4.15 million people visited the statue. The statue was then relocated to Shizuoka City in 2010, where it stood from July 2010 to March 2011, this time holding a beam saber in its right hand. In 2012, the statue was dismantled and rebuilt at its current location, where it stood until it was taken down on March 5. The statue could move its head and automatically "open" its cockpit to reveal a screen inside.
The "Gundam Front Tokyo" attraction previously located in the seventh floor of the DiverCity Tokyo also closed on April 5.
