New project aims to deliver a working Gundam to the world

In Tokyo’s Odaiba district, a giant statue looms large. It’s Gundam, protector of all that need protecting. The wildly popular franchise has spawned endless avenues for fandom, but one thing remains missing; we still don’t have a working Gundam. That may change, though, as fans look to build an actual working Gundam.



If you’re not familiar with Gundam, or just haven’t seen the statue in Tokyo, it’s six stories of awe-inspiring awesome. A working model is currently being imagined by fans and interested companies alike. Can they build a walking robot the size of an apartment complex, though?

The Gundam Global Challenge, which is the official name of this conglomerate of fans and business entities, aims to find out. To commemorate the 40th anniversary fo the franchise, they’re asking experts from around the globe how this can be done, and encouraging their involvement and support.

The current statue weighs in at 35 tons. Parts needed to make it move would add quite a bit of bulk, and even if engineers were able to use lighter materials for the moving model — it would likely put that 35 tons lost right back on, and that’s a lot of weight. A study was done in 2008 that estimated a working Gundam would cost $724 million — without labor. Today, that bill would likely top $1 billion.

Source: PC World

