Mobile Suit Gundam’s Life-Size Mech Announces Return to Japan

Three years ago, Gundam fans were left to mourn after one of the anime’s greatest tributes was taken down. 2016 marked the year Japan took down the life-sized RX-78 Gundam, leaving Tokyo’s Odaiba district a bit emptier than usual. For years, fans have been left wondering when the mech would return, and it seems their patience is paying off.

Not long ago, reports went live from Japan (via Sora News 24) confirming the return of the RX-78 Gundam. Not only has the iconic status gotten some serious upgrades, but it will be ready to hit up a new city in October 2020.

For those needing a little refresher, the RX-78 Gundam was taken in for upgrades years ago thanks to the Gundam Global Challenge. It was there the statue’s builders asked fans to submit their own plans for upgrading the suit. The brand wanted to make this iconic mech move, and that goal has finally been met. The Gundam Global Challenge has almost come to an end, so fans are eager to see how the suit functions nowadays.

As for the Odaiba district, Gundam fans were not left hollow for long. Less than a month after the RX-78 was removed, Sunrise installed a massive RX-0 Unicorn Gundam which wowed fans. Until now, the new suit has drawn the most Gundam tourism, but this returning mech may change that.

According to a new video breakdown, the RX-78 will return at the Yokohama harbor near Yamashita Park. It is there the suit will be erected alongside a new Gundam Factory store. The store will have plenty of Gundam-related activities planned throughout the year, and it will show fans how this overhauled suit was built. Currently, tickets for the attraction are not yet available, but Gundam fans can nab them starting this July.

Would you care to pilot a Gundam suit this big…? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!

Mobile Suit Gundam is one of the most popular franchises in the world, and that popularity is only expected to grow as Sunrise continues to release new projects for the franchise. This includes new anime based in the original Universal Century storyline, which will next see a film trilogy based on the Hathaway’s Flash novels, a returning anime for its SD Gundam spin-offs, and even a live-action movie coming to the West co-produced by Legendary.