It's been 2 months since I last blogged! I've been busy with a lot of things. But I got to go take a much-valued and wonderful two-week vacation with my loved ones. :)
Today, I went to see the
1:1 scale Gundam in
Odaiba. I wasn't really planning to go, but a friend of mine insisted that I get him the
limited-edition 1/144 HG Gundam RX-78-2 Gunpla that's on sale only there (and he asked for two of them!). So I went... and got tired in a fun way. :D
The Gundam was impressive, to say the least. Well-crafted and quite detailed. However, I didn't get to see its full range of movements. I only saw its head move and some smoke... but from afar, since they only make it move from time-to-time, and I didn't wait for very long.
So what was tiring about it? The lines/queues! There were so many people up and about as it is the summer break holidays here in Japan (yes, including us salarymen). ;)
Starting from the
Yurikamome train station (the driverless train connecting Odaiba to the mainland) all the way to the Gundam park and back, one would have to
line-up,
line-up and
line-up. But I have to admit I'm impressed at the respect and discipline Japanese people have at lining-up and being orderly & organized... unlike where I came from. :P
My longest wait there was the queue to enter the on-site official shop to purchase the Gundam stuff. Took me more than an hour waiting under a hot summer sun just to get in. And guess what, for the limited edition Gunpla, each person is allowed to purchase only one! So I got one for my friend who was probably sitting comfortably in his office chair at that time, while I was sweating in the sun - but now that I think about it, I guess I'm still better off than he is... Hahaha. :D (Jokingly, I just sent him an IM message
telling him I'll definitely charge him 10x the cost of the Gunpla.) I got myself a host of other stuff, like the
RX-78-2 Ecopla (which, I think, is made off recycled materials?), the official 30th anniversary book, a couple of cool G30th metallic stickers, and a plain Gundam fan. :)
On the other hand, the longest line was the queue to enter the Yurikamome train station on my way home. It was probably a kilometer long! In any case, the wait didn't take as long the official shop queue since trains arrive more or less periodically.
All in all, it was a fun but tiring day. I don't especially go on trips these days, so these rare occasions to stretch and get tired from something different other than carrying heavy grocery bags are welcome. :D
Featured above and below are some pics I took of the Gundam (click to enlarge). I tried to take pics where one can appreciate the actual size fo the statue. Hope you enjoy them! :)
A close-up of one of the
decals.
A view from down under. This is actually the final leg of the viewing ("last touch"). :p
A closer look at the booster pack.
Decided to put my list of favorite animes on the side bar. (^^,
