Sunrise, a Japanese animation studio and subsidiary of Bandai Namco Holdings, has debuted its life-size RX-78 Gundam robot at the Yokohama, Japan docks.
The robot measures 59 ft and is the centerpiece of the Gundam Factory Yokohama, a tourist attraction that is scheduled to open in December of 2020, after being postponed from its original October introduction date due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The robot is capable of walking as it exits a storage area, kneeling and then raising its right arm to point toward the sky.
The iconic Gundam suit is based on the television show “Mobile Suit Gundam,” an anime series that was produced and animated by Nippon Sunrise and premiered in Japan in the 1970s and spanned 43 episodes. The plot follows humans creating a gigantic robot to help battle space aliens that attack the planet.
The Gundam Factory Yokohama consists of two parts: The docks that store the RX-78 robot; and the Gundam Lab that contains dedicated exhibition facilities where visitors can learn about the robot. The Dock consists of a viewing deck that allows visitors to see the head and body of the Gundam from heights between 49 ft and 60 ft.
When open, the attraction will cost visitors 1,650 yen (about $15) for adults and 1,100 yen ($10) for kids. The attraction will remain at the Yokohama docks through March of 2021 when it will either be retired or moved to a different location.
