Gundam Unicorn stands guard over Diver City.
The Gundam robot is back by Tokyo Bay – though not exactly the same.
It’s official. September 24th is the grand opening day for the new giant robot guarding Diver City Mall against alien invasion. The original Gundam statue protected the bayside entertainment district from 2014 until April 2017. And what a good job he did. We weren't invaded. Not even once!
Bandai Namco Holdings Inc., which owns the life-size model from the long-running and wildly popular Mobile Suit Gundam TV series franchise, decided to swap the old Rx-78-2 Gundam statue for a newer version last spring. Why it took so many months to replace, no one is saying.
In mid-August, Unicorn still lacked one arm and its feet.
The new robot, RX-O Gundam Unicorn, is twenty-four meters tall, six meters higher than the original. The ‘V’ horns on its head can open and close into a single piece, hence the Unicorn title. During August and September, visitors could watch as it was assembled piece by piece.
Check out the scale of the robot to one of the workers in the cherry picker. Unicorn is big.
Most of the fencing has already been taken down giving visitors perfect views — and photo ops — of the robot. The photo platform in front of Gundam has reopened and is staffed on weekends for help with the perfect shot of yourself and the ‘bot.
The old Gundam Front theme park on the seventh floor of the Diver City Mall has undergone significant changes as well. Not all for the better. Gone is the Gundam Front exclusive film, oversized Gundam models, and other attractions.
Gundam Base seems aggressively focused on Gundam plastic models without the fun attractions of the old Gundam Front.
Instead, the new Gundam Base is a gallery and store for the show’s iconic Gundam plastic models (GunPla for short in Japanese) with the focus on retail sales. Building and showing off models of Gundam figures is an integral part of being a Gundam fan boy or girl.
Gundam Base is all about GunPla. Some areas allow photos, others do not.
Gundam Base opened officially to the public on August 19th. Website.
Gundam-themed ceramic ware in Japan’s traditional Imari style for sale at the Gundam Cafe.
The Gundam Café and shop remains unchanged outside on the mezzanine at Diver City to the side of the statue. Here, visitors can indulge in character themed lattes, snacks, and unique, Gundam goods.
We are glad to have you , Gundam Unicorn.
