Full-size Gundam attractions continue to proliferate across Japan and the world. The latest giant robot to stand tall is the full-size Nu (ν) Gundam statue in Fukuoka, Japan. After construction crews temporarily assembled the statue for a limited appearance, footage was recorded by onlookers and local news.
Check out the story via KBC News’ Youtube channel.
Originally announced in September 2021, the full-size Nu Gundam statue is based on the RX-93 Nu Gundam piloted by Amuro Ray in 1988’s Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack. An advanced mobile suit, the Nu Gundam incorporated psycho-frame technology to take advantage of the Newtype abilities of Amuro Ray.
It’s the tallest life-size Gundam statue so far, standing at 24.8 meters (81 feet) tall. It’s quite a bit taller than the life-size RX-78-2 Gundam in Yokohama, which stands at 18 meters (59 feet) tall. It doesn’t look quite the same as the movie mecha though: The full-size Nu Gundam statue follows a variant design, the RX-93ff. The modified design replaces the wing-like array of Fin Funnel remote weapons with a single larger “Long-Range Fin Funnel” weapon. Practically speaking, the change was likely implemented to keep the statue stable. The statue also adopts a tricolor marking scheme evoking the patterns of the original RX-78-2 as well.
The full-size Nu Gundam will form the centerpiece of Gundam Park Fukuoka, a new attraction space with Gundam elements. The statue joins two others in Japan: The life-size animatronic Unicorn Gundam in Odaiba, Tokyo, and the aforementioned life-size “walking” RX-78-2 Gundam in Yokohama. Shanghai, China also hosts its own official life-size Gundam, based on Gundam SEED‘s Freedom Gundam mobile suit.
The full-size Nu Gundam statue will go on display at the Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport in Fukuoka, Japan in April 2022.
