Sitting on a dock in the bay, watching the tide, 18 meters high (that’s 59 feet). Gundam In Yokohama. The key word is organism wasLike that Gundam Yokohama has left the port for good.
But so what Gundam?
For the uninitiated, it’s a 45-year-old Japanese military science fiction franchise dating back to 1979 about giant humanoid robots (piloted by humans). Think Japanese Star warsThe Millennium Falcon is not a ship but rather a giant robotic suit that can be piloted by a person, hence the term Mobile Suit Gundam. They are not exactly sensitive as such Transformers either.
So, what’s in a name? Well, word Gundam Literally can be divided into two parts – gun And the dam.
At first in keeping with the military themes of the plot, creator Yoshiyuki Tomino played around with names like this. Guntank And Gundom (Guns and Freedom). Now these mechs (mechanized units) are powerful, but Gundam He didn’t say exactly how strong he was.
Like a hydroelectric dam holding back water, the unit holds back wave after wave of enemies. And so, the word Gundam was coined. Note that in all cases Gundams Mobile suits, not all mobile suits Gundam.
The Gundam The mythos is as vast and far-reaching as space, in the four decades that the franchise has flourished, there have been over 50 anime series, original video animations, films, and spin-offs in addition to novels and manga. It doesn’t even count GunplaPlastic model kits are proudly displayed on the shelves Gundam Enthusiasts.
Back to the beginning, the first one Gundams (and probably the most iconic) is the RX-78-2 Gundam Pilot by Amuro Rey. When you think GundamThe RX-78-2 is the first that comes to mind with its yellow, red, white and blue, sleek and simple design.
The Gundam It is located in Yokohama, RX-78F00 Gundam Affectionately referred to as the Yokohama Gundam, it was modeled after the RX-78-2. The Yokohama Gundam was the world’s only moving object GundamIt is the largest moving robot the earth has ever seen.
Creating life-size movement Gundam It was a great achievement. moving Gundam The RX-78F00 had collaborators from various industrial companies working on it to build each component that brought it to life. Because the team quickly realized that Gundam Humanoid in structure, moving Gundam It means it should be able to walk.
For a normal (human-sized) robot, putting one foot in front of the other is a fairly easy task; But this is impossible for an 18 meter tall robot.
The Gundam A monster, it needs to move slowly, it needs to hang in the air for a long time. There is also the added effect of gravity at play. Keeping its feet high, the Gundam Its foot inevitably rolls over before hitting the ground again. The Gundam After all, heavy. With the materials currently available, there is no way to build Gundam No lighter.
So, it was decided Gundam To stay upright and execute its movements, it needs a frame. Thus, Gundam Doc (G-Doc) was created; This structure provides the necessary support Gundam Need to stay upright.
So basically the Gundam Moves – gracefully, one might say – and re-creates sequences hitherto confined to the realm of fiction. It may not be able to literally walk and cover great distances but it still embodies a spirit. Gundam.
There was also an apology letter from Tomino (the creator) at the entrance to the Yokohama Gundam factory, explaining the difficulties in obtaining the move. Gundam To the point it reached, and so on movesIt’s not enough to move
“I’m disappointed that we couldn’t do something like walking on two legs. So, I’m asking you all for a favor. For those of you who want to see a Gundam move like a vehicle, look at this Gundam and realize that there are a number of issues that need to be addressed. And then come up with suitable solutions…Even if we can make a humanoid robot this size move slowly, that slowness suits it and this Gundam feels very kind and gentle.
There is a very long line to get in inside Gundam factory to see this kind and gentle monster. It snakes at least three times as ticket holders eagerly await entry to the premises. The franchise itself is four decades old, with visitors ranging in age from grandmothers to grandchildren (babies are also brought in to see Gundam) The line slowly unravels but the sun shines brightly in the early afternoon during sakura season, making it warm and pleasant. No one is complaining.
Finally entering through the entrance, the RX-78F00 stands sentinel on his dock and all visitors dash to stand front and center. For obvious safety reasons, a barrier was erected to prevent the crowd below from getting too close. Gundam. There is a sea of selfie sticks, phone screens and cameras. But Japan being Japan, no one will push you, even if there is a large crowd. An LED signboard on the dock indicates Gundam is on standby.
Proclaimed, The Gundam Will start trial soon. As the 10-minute countdown begins, a thrill of anticipation falls through the crowd. Most of the crowd now have their phones in the air, arms probably starting to hurt, eight minutes in.
When the timer hits zero, the dock opens, the Gundam moves forward.
The eyes light up and it comes to life.
The crowd goes wild.
The Gundam’s Movements are fluid, precise and graceful. The fact that it’s rooted to the dock is irrelevant and forgotten. For all intents and purposes, Yokohama Gundam is the real deal. The closest humanity has come to building a functional giant humanoid robot. The cockpit opens and we briefly see Amuro Ray piloting it Gundam.
For 11 minutes, the audience watches with rapt attention. The atmosphere is emotionally charged, with the Gundam factory closing soon and Yokohama Gundam being further boosted with it.
The experiment comes to an end. The RX-78F00’s eyes are dim and it looks to the horizon. Birds overhead and the Gundam Returns to standby. It was a poignant scene, the Gundam’s Eyes glued to the horizon, creating a lonely and melancholy feeling that everything is coming to an end.
all around GundamPeople wander around their greens Harrow (A Gundam mascot) popcorn buckets enjoying the spring breeze. Most stick around to watch the next sequence because Gundam Factory is like Hotel California – you can always enter but you never want to leave.
Another highlight of the Yokohama Gundam Factory is the Gundam Academy located on the premises. Gundam Academy explains exactly how the RX-78F00 came to be. The academy gives one a behind-the-scenes look at the development and design process of every moving part. Gundam.
There’s also Mr. Build, a robot that sits inside and builds patiently and continuously Gunpla After Gunpla. It deftly and accurately assembles plastic models, attaches head to torso and so on. Finally, when the model is complete, it joins its brethren, the miniature RX-78F00s lined up neatly. Visitors applaud enthusiastically as the little robot completes its task before moving on to do the next mini-RX-78F00.
Yokohama Gundam engineering is amazing. Building something on such a large scale and making it move is a feat that pushes the boundaries of the technology we have today. It doesn’t matter if it needs a support dock or can’t walk. This is still an achievement. It’s sad that it won’t last forever.
Of course, Gundam Factory was never intended to be a permanent attraction from the get-go. Handling a huge robot is not an easy task and safety concerns are another thing to keep in mind. This is also combined with the fact that it sits on prime real estate, Yamashita Wharf. Proximity to the ocean means high salt concentrations in the air will inevitably cause corrosion and damage. The RX-78F00 has received an extended lifetime lease due to Covid-19 and pandemic-related restrictions on public gatherings.
Like cherry blossoms, one could say that there is beauty in impermanence. You definitely appreciate more when you know it won’t last forever.
Perhaps using the Yokohama Gundam as a foundation would be even more advanced fully functional Gundam To come in the future. A Gundam Their soles are not weighed down by gravity.