Japan Is Building a Real-Life Giant Gundam Robot

In case you’re not familiar with the Japanese Gundam franchise that’s been going strong since the late 1970s, it’s all about the Earth versus other factions and, most importantly, giant walking robots. If it’s about giant robots–whether it’s Robotech, Macross, MegaBots, Robot Jox, Pacific Rim or anything else–it’s based on the cult phenomenon that is Gundam. After more than four decades as fiction, Gundam is getting a real lease on life with a giant, walking robot based on the source material. For the record, Tokyo’s Odaiba neighborhood has had an enormous statue in honor of the Gundam movement that’s been sweeping the nation for decades, but now it’s finally time to turn to turn it into a real, functioning robot. The Gundam Factory Yokohama is open for special events and experiences from July of this year to October of 2021, so you should probably start planning your trip now if you want to catch the real life robot in person.