So the Japanese are building a Gundam...

[Shao Feng-Li]

Actually it was an anime first, but I hear the manga version is pretty good too.

Edit: Uhhh, unless you were talking about 20th Century Boys, in which case I retract my statement. XD

The latter.

[Fish and Chips]

Back on topic...

Not sure what to think about this really. It's a giant robot statue, which is awesome in and of itself, and for a long standing staple of Japanese culture no less. This is Gundam, it's practically the Japanese equivalent of Star Wars. Leaving it up for only a couple months though, doesn't seem terribly useful; especially if you prefer the possibility of them combining the funds for the statue with the budget for the current Gundam series planned (arguably a much more fitting tribute). However, knowing how the Japanese Anime market works, I doubt they'd get sufficient return on their expenses, since the main financial draw for most Anime is the merchandise, not DVDs.

Though all things considered, the Japanese do love their limited printings and brief windows, so perhaps the short two month time span is just exclusive and prestigious enough to draw enough traffic to Odaiba to justify the cost.

[ich1990]

Maybe we can have The Statue of Liberty fight against it.

I would pay money to see that.

[ShiroiHikari]

Though all things considered, the Japanese do love their limited printings and brief windows, so perhaps the short two month time span is just exclusive and prestigious enough to draw enough traffic to Odaiba to justify the cost.

Most likely.

And honestly, building a full-scale statue is probably cheaper than making a new TV series, and you're absolutely right about anime in and of itself not being profitable in the first place. Merchandising, merchandising, merchandising.

[minakichan]

Thankfully, the Gundam is only 18 meters tall.

IT WILL WORK.

Also: totally got a nosebleed when I heard about this. Anyone else?

[Sae-chan]

XD That is awesome. Too bad I'm not going to be going to Japan anytime soon. >.>

[Paul]

Well, I read in the Magazine "Anime Insider" that the Japanese are crazy! (They said it, not me.) They said that in the reflection they Japanese do really weird things. In reality, I like to believe the Japanese are actually trying be influenced by Westerners, like an article I read suggested.

Can building the Gundam increase revenue? You betcha! They may be crazy, but they are smart people. I would say the statue stays up longer than two months, and I would predict a flood of Americans and other foreigners with $$$$ will go to see this thing because people are people and they like to participate. It may be the very shot in the arm for Japan during a world recession too.

As for Gundam Vs. Statue of Liberty.... no disrespect to either country but bring it on! I would love to see it.

[minakichan]

Again.

The RX-78 is 18 meters tall.

Lady Liberty is nearly double that height at 34 meters from heel to top of head.

A fight between the two would be like a six year old kid fighting a grown adult.

Granted, the six year old kid has guns and swords and stuff, but still...

[Kaori]

That's amazing; I love the Japanese. It would be nice to take a trip up to Tokyo to see this, but it seems unlikely that I will be able to.

On the Statue of Liberty: actually, there's already a small one conveniently located in Odaiba, modeled after the French Statue of Liberty. But since it's rather small, having that one fight the Gundam would be like a two-year-old fighting an adult, the adult being the Gundam.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Maybe we can have The Statue of Liberty fight against it.

Or even better: LIBERTY PRIME.

[KagayakiWashi]

Ok, howabout the Lincoln Memorial?
I mean....the statue in the Memorial. The Memorial is a UFO.

[EricTheFred]

Heh. The only thing I ever liked about the old 'We built this city' music video (Jefferson Starship) is when the memorial-sized Lincoln stands up out of his chair and sings 'Rock and Roll!' (with a fist pump, if I remember correctly.)

[rocklobster]

Any ansgst ridden teen boy pilots around to control that thing? Cause we know how good they are at Gundams!

[KagayakiWashi]

Any ansgst ridden teen boy pilots around to control that thing? Cause we know how good they are at Gundams!

I've played enough Tech Romancer and Virtual On to know the basics of piloting a mech, and while I'm not a teenager, I've got a "sorta good guy-sorta bad guy" mask. I'm qualified. My insurance is low too.

[KhakiBlueSocks]

Any ansgst ridden teen boy pilots around to control that thing? Cause we know how good they are at Gundams!

Bah! You and your ansgst ridden teenage boys! What we really need here is a "reluctant hero" pilot--someone who doesn't really wanna do it, but will do it anyway "if he gotta"...

[EricTheFred]

Nonononononono, the latest thing is troubled moe-female pilots who somehow demonstrate an unbelievable aptitude for combat.

[Fish and Chips]

Any ansgst ridden teen boy pilots around to control that thing? Cause we know how good they are at Gundams!

How do you pilot a statue.

[Nate]

Hey McFly, you can't pilot a statue...unless you've got POWER!

[ShiroiHikari]

Hey McFly, you can't pilot a statue...unless you've got POWER!

XD

[KhakiBlueSocks]

How do you pilot a statue.

Hey, they did it in Ghostbusters II with an NES controler, the song "Higher and Higher" (The Howard Huntsberry version, not the original Jackie Wilson version), and buckets upon buckets of positively charged Mood Slime!