A life-size Gundam statue will be completed outside of Japan in 2021

You won’t have to visit Japan to see a life-size Gundam statue in the months ahead, although you may still have to book a lengthy trip. Our Engadget Chinese colleagues report that Bandai Namco will debut an 18-meter (about 59ft) Freedom Gundam statue at the LaLaport Mall in Jinqiao, Shanghai, China sometime in 2021. It’s the first large Gundam robot statue to be built outside of Japan, Bandai Namco said.

It’s unclear if this robot will have any movement like the recent Yokohama statue, but it won’t be surprising if that’s the case. These statues have been cultural draws for years in Japan, and movement (however limited) might draw more people. The pandemic complicates matters — it’s unclear how many people will want to venture outside to see a robot statue in 2021. Still, this shows that the desire to see large robots extends beyond Japan’s shores.