Japan’s Life-Size Unicorn Gundam Officially Says Goodbye After Nearly Nine Years
Image by Charlotte DavisTokyo’s life-size Unicorn Gundam has received an emotional final send-off, with thousands of fans gathering in Odaiba as the landmark prepares to disappear after almost nine years.
The “Life-Size Unicorn Gundam Statue Final Ceremony” was held outside DiverCity Tokyo Plaza on August 29, just two days before the RX-0 officially reaches the end of its long-running public display.
Originally unveiled in September 2017, the statue replaced Odaiba’s earlier life-size RX-78-2 Gundam and went on to become one of the most recognizable Gundam attractions in Japan, drawing visitors from around the world throughout its run.
Based on Banagher Links’ RX-0 Unicorn Gundam from Mobile Suit Gundam UC, the statue became particularly popular for recreating the mobile suit’s transformation from Unicorn Mode into Destroy Mode through moving armor components, an opening V-fin and illuminated Psycho-Frame sections.
Its final months have seen the landmark transformed into “RX-0 Unicorn Gundam Ver. TWC FINAL,” adding new markings designed by mechanical designer Hajime Katoki as part of the wider farewell celebrations.
Those celebrations reached their peak during the August 29 ceremony, which went ahead despite light rain and opened with the Unicorn Gundam transforming into Destroy Mode in front of the assembled crowd.
Voice actor and longtime Gundam fan Genki Okawa hosted the event, beginning with a look back at the history of Bandai’s life-size Gundam projects and how the concept has expanded since the first RX-78-2 statue appeared in Odaiba’s Shiokaze Park in 2009.
That original statue attracted approximately 4.15 million visitors during its 52-day display, with later projects bringing full-scale Gundams to locations including Shanghai, Fukuoka and the Osaka-Kansai Expo.
The ceremony then turned its attention back to the Unicorn Gundam itself, revealing some of the challenges involved in creating a structure capable of reproducing the RX-0’s transformation while remaining safe enough to stand outdoors for years.
Particular attention was paid to the opening V-fin, which was said to have required considerable engineering work to reproduce the movement seen in Mobile Suit Gundam UC without compromising durability or safety.
Fans also learned that poor weather contributed to the statue taking around two and a half months to assemble on-site, while it was also explained that the “TWC” used in its current name stands for “Tokyo Waterfront City,” referring to the wider waterfront area where the statue has spent its life.
The farewell then shifted from Gundam history to music, with composer Hiroyuki Sawano and singer SennaRin taking the stage for a special live performance beneath the statue.
Sawano has provided music for Mobile Suit Gundam UC, Mobile Suit Gundam NT and the Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway series, making his involvement particularly fitting for the final night of a landmark so closely associated with his work.
The pair performed “yet.,” a new Japanese-language version of Gundam UC insert song “Sternengesang,” alongside “ENDROLL” from the latest Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway movie.
The performance was synchronized with footage projected across the exterior of DiverCity Tokyo Plaza, while the Unicorn Gundam’s Psycho-Frame lighting changed color alongside the music.
Sawano and SennaRin then performed “Cage enD,” a special rearrangement of the statue’s long-running theme song “Cage” created specifically for the farewell.
The final section of the ceremony brought back “UNICORN GUNDAM Statue – BEYOND POSSIBILITY -,” the exclusive animation created for the statue’s final 10 days and designed to synchronize with both the RX-0 and the huge WALL-G projection behind it.
The production combines footage from Mobile Suit Gundam UC with material created for the statue throughout its nine-year history, effectively turning the final performance into a retrospective of the landmark itself.
Fireworks erupted as the presentation reached its conclusion, drawing one of the biggest reactions of the evening before the ceremony appeared to have reached its end.
Bandai had one final surprise prepared, however, with newly recorded farewell messages from Banagher Links voice actor Koki Uchiyama and Haro voice actor Ryo Hirohashi playing alongside the closing footage.
Their messages were followed by applause and calls of “thank you” from fans gathered around the plaza, bringing the official ceremony to an end while the Unicorn Gundam remained illuminated above the crowd.
The farewell follows several weeks of commemorative releases and special events surrounding the statue, including exclusive merchandise, the new Ver. TWC FINAL presentation designed by Hajime Katoki and a huge 1/48 Gunpla kit recreating its final appearance that will go on sale imminently.
Image by Charlotte DavisThe life-size Unicorn Gundam itself will remain publicly accessible outside DiverCity Tokyo Plaza through August 31, and as yet Bandai has not yet confirmed any plans regarding any potential replacement.
Fans unable to attend the ceremony in Tokyo can also watch the complete farewell through the archived broadcast on the official Gundam YouTube channel.
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