SHIZUOKA (Kyodo) A "life-size" statue of a Gundam robot from the classic science-fiction franchise of the same name that became a popular tourist attraction when it was standing in Tokyo's Odaiba waterfront area last summer will be displayed in Shizuoka starting in July, city officials said Tuesday.
The 18-meter-tall statue will be facing the tracks near JR Higashi Shizuoka Station and fans will be able to see it from trains against the backdrop of Mount Fuji, the city said.
Although the municipal government has yet to decide how long the giant statue will remain on display, an official said it will be a few months at least.
The statue, which can move its head and emit light and mist from all over its body, is the same size as the robot depicted in the franchise's first "anime" series that debuted in April 1979.
When it was on display in Odaiba's Shiokaze Park between July 11 and Aug. 31, the statue drew huge crowds, including avid "Gundam" fans from the United States, China and other countries on group tours.
The statue was put on display to commemorate the 30th anniversary of TV broadcasts of the "Mobile Suit Gundam" series as well as to promote Tokyo's bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games, which failed in October when Rio de Janeiro was chosen by the International Olympic Committee.
The statue was subsequently dismantled.
Its owners said they had considered transferring it to a factory in Shizuoka that produces plastic Gundam models but asked the city to display the statue because its exhibition in Odaiba was more popular than expected.
