The giant life-sized Gundam in Yokohama was something I’ve always wanted to see since it was completed, but the pandemic made it impossible for the 3 years that Japan shut off it’s borders to most of the world. The last time I saw another giant Gundam was way back in 2009 in Odaiba, back when I was still living/working in Tokyo, and I remember just how impressive it is. But what makes this one in Yokohama even more impressive is that it actually moves !

A few different types of tickets were sold, with the most expensive ones allowing one to get real close and personal to the Gundam unit up on the gantry, but those were no longer available when I visited.

(above) The Gundam was already visible from a far distance before I entered the actual factory.

(above & below) The Gundam strikes a victory pose; the entire unit is capable of movement and goes through a few different poses for every scheduled session.

Here’s a video of it taking a bow – pic.twitter.com/ryhqG11Tww

— blauereiter (@blauereiter) August 2, 2023

(above) An autograph and message by the creator of Gundam, Yoshiyuki Tomino. I met Tomino-san a long time ago in 1998 when he came to my hometown of Singapore for an animation festival.

(below) The impressive scale of the Gundam unit becomes more apparent when framed by the tiny humans around it.

To the best of my knowledge, the Gundam Factory will be open to visitors until March 2024, so head on down if you are in Tokyo to see this amazing giant mecha.


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