'Life-size' Gundam statue to be put on display in Shizuoka+

SHIZUOKA, Japan, Jan. 5 Kyodo -
A ''life-size'' statue of Gundam, a giant robot from a classic sci-fi animation
series, that became a popular tourist attraction when it was displayed at
Tokyo's Odaiba waterfront last summer will be put on display again in Shizuoka
from July, the central Japan city said Tuesday.

The 18-meter-tall statue will be erected facing the tracks near JR Higashi
Shizuoka station and fans will be able to see it from trains against the
backdrop of Mt. Fuji, the city said.
Although the municipal government has yet to decide on how long the giant
statue will remain on display, an official said it will last for 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 megahit cartoon series that
started 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 models of Gundam but asked the city to display the statue
because its exhibition in Odaiba was more popular than expected.
==Kyodo
2010-01-05 21:38:17