Giant Gundam statue in Osaka, Japan gets completed despite complaints about “lame” pose 

Not everyone is keen on the new life-size RX-78F00/E Gundam that now stands beside the Gundam Next Future Pavilion in Osaka, Japan. While the 16.72-meter, 49.1-ton statue is similar to the dismantled life-size statue that was in the now-closed Gundam Factory Yokohama (the new statue reuses parts from the old one), it’s the RX-78F00/E Gundam’s one raised arm and kneeling pose that some people find silly: 

The new Gundam statue is part of the upcoming World Expo, which will be held in Osaka, Japan next year. While the Gundam’s pose and the appropriately Expo-themed “Life Is Spreading Into the Future” tagline behind it are supposed to inspire optimism about the future and exploring space, some (like former Monster Hunter producer Shintaro Kojima and game director Hideki Kamiya) have taken to calling the statue “lame”. Others have gone a step further and compared the pose to everything from a bowler to a petrified Marcille from Delicious in Dungeon. 

Corny pose and tagline aside, the RX-78F00/E Gundam is a stationary statue without any moving parts. When compared to something like the transforming RX-0 Unicorn Gundam statue in DiverCity, Tokyo, it’s understandable why people would view the RX-78F00/E Gundam as “lame”. Despite these complaints, the RX-78F00/E Gundam was recently completed. The head was the last part to be attached, with a Shinto blessing ceremony held to pray for the statue’s safe installation. 

As part of Expo 2025, the Gundam Next Future Pavilion will combine futuristic technologies and the Gundam franchise to create a place where people can look forward to the future together. Both the pavilion and the RX-78F00/E Gundam statue will be open to visitors from April 13, 2025 to October 13, 2025. If you want to keep up to date on the exhibit (or make reservations), Bandai Namco has a dedicated webpage for the Gundam Next Future Pavilion.