Japan Trip Day 4: Odaiba

Finally it is my turn to enjoy this trip. The previous two days were more for me to accompany my sister but today and tomorrow will be my turn to determine the itinerary. Today was reserved for Odaiba as I wanted to see the new Unicorn Gundam that was just erected in September 2017. There is "Gundam Docks at Tokyo Japan" event ongoing at Diver City too. Then I wanted to spend the noon at Oedo Onsen Monogatari until the evening to see the Unicorn Gundam lighted up at night. To continue the trend from previous days, this free and easy trip is really free and easy. We decided that we had no time to go to Oedo Onsen Monogatari. Lol.

The weather and my sickness are still more powerful than the Gundam because I still could not wake up early and reached Diver City at 10am already. It was still early for taking pictures with the various Gundam decorations in Diver City (because of the Gundam docks event) but it was considered late for taking pictures with the Unicorn Gundam. Early means no other tourists at the background at of the photos. Lol.

Life-size Unicorn Gundam

I honestly prefer RX-78 which is more colourful than the all white Unicorn Gundam. Sigh.. I have to be grateful that at least I had visited and had pictures from 2 years ago when the life-size Gundam was still RX-78.

So difficult to take a full picture (because of the horn) because of the sun glare

There was a short show which was basically the transformation to Destroy Mode before reverting back to Unicorn Mode. The show lasted for only about 30s which was kinda meh. So we went to explore the Gundam docks stuff and Gundam Base in Diver City as well as lunch first. I will write about these later on.

When we went out again, the Gundam had become the Destroy Mode so it was another photo time.

Slightly better looking with more colours showing.. still not as nice as RX-78 though

We stayed until the evening as I wanted to see the light shows. There were a few shows at different timing but because of the cold, I just watched for the first one. I had high expectations (moving parts, smoke effects, lighting effects etc) and I was disappointed as the show that I happened to watch was only playing the first Gundam OST and changing lights from Unicorn Gundam. Where is the smoke??

The white colour and red light do not contrast as nicely as the 2D images. I could not take a full picture because there were too many people at the foot.

Since this Unicorn Gundam was newly unleashed, there was an official photo taking opportunity from an elevated makeshift structure so that the Unicorn Gundam looks a bit nicer in the picture. The booth opened after the first show in the morning and noone dared to try. So I just thick skinned to join the non-existent queue first. Lol. Since I was the first in line, I could take picture alone, with my sister, and then my sister alone. We are entitled to 1 shoot with official camera and 1 shoot with own camera. Although in reality the staff were nice and took 2 photos with our own camera: 1 full and 1 zoom-in version.

The official photo costs 1500 yen each and we can download the digital version while in Japan. Since this photo taking opportunity may not be permanent, I decided to just YOLO and take pictures with Unicorn Mode, Destroy Mode, and one more time in the evening. I think by the evening, the guys at the photo printing booth already remembered me. So embarrassing but never mind they don't know me haha.. Sadly the digital photo is a mis-advertisement. What digital copy when the file size is not even 200kb sia.

Gundam docks at Tokyo Japan

This event basically gives Diver City a Gundam make over. There are various 1/10 Gundam models in the shopping mall. Each level is dressed according to a different gundam series: from the lift door, the glass railings, and the pillars. There are giant Haros from the ceiling. And most importantly, there is an exhibition area on various merchandises that Gundam franchise can suck my money.

One of the 1/10 Gundams with Haros hanging from the ceiling

One of the lift doors

Various images from Gundam anime. According to my sister, Iori Sei's expression when holding Wing Gundam model kit reminded her of me.

There is also an activity to collect 5 stamps which are located at each of the 1/10 Gundam Models. I should have done it right from the morning instead of deciding to only do it in the evening as it made running all over the mall and the floors again. After collecting the stamps, I redeemed a mobile cleaner which turned to be about 3cm x 3cm thingy. I was expecting a cloth like to wipe my spectacles or something. Lol. So much for the leg exercises.

While waiting for the evening light show, I googled to see if I missed anything from this Gundam docks event. Apparently there is still a 3D photo booth or at least that was what I thought to be. It was located at level 4 but I did not see it despite going around the mall several times in the morning. After knowing this, I explored level 4 thoroughly and the photo area was located in an area that I just passed by in the morning thinking there were only department store there.

I was actually quite disappointed because I thought it would be a photo booth which would digitally make me as if I am standing on Gundam's hand which is what being shown at the website. It is actually just a giant boards to give 3D effects. Well since I was already there then just made the best of it. There are 3 other boards with effects such as surfing on a bullet which is fired by a Gundam, getting ass kicked by a Gundam, and a Gundam fighting among city buildings. Despite the initial disappointment, at the end I actually was having fun being stupid for photos in a foreign land. The interesting thing was that when I reached there, noone else was actually in the area to take photos. Once I started making a fool of myself, others started to join lol. When I was done and I took the escalator up, there were already queues at each board.

The Gundam Base Tokyo

The Gundam Base Tokyo is located at the top floor of Diver City, replacing Gundam Front Tokyo previously. While Gundam Front Tokyo was previously designed as an experience zone, Gundam Base Tokyo is more like a shop selling every Gunpla models ever made including those from donkey years ago. I was really happy to see so many Gundam Wing stuff although I actually already have some of them haha..

Thinking about luggage space and possibility of more shopping at Disneyland and Akiba, I decided to only buy the limited Gundam Wing Gundam Base version. I only bought 1 although I wanted 2. Haiz.. I also wanted to buy HG 1/144 Vayeate and Mercurius again as my current Vayeate's horn is broken and I assembled Mercurius' planet defensor wrongly. I was also tempted to get HG 1/144 Epyon (which I don't have yet) just so that I can get the mini Zechs figure. I really wanted the HG 1/100 Gundam Wing Custom special edition which I had never ever seen before in my life. The special edition has chrome colour replacing all the white parts in the regular edition. The most tempting one, however, is the HG 1/60 Wing Zero. I don't really like Wing or Wing Zero without the angel wings but it is always a dream to have a big Gundam and this is the only 1/60 from Gundam Wing series. Since I am going back to Japan in May, I tell myself that I still can get these non-limited things subsequently. For now just get the limited edition first as it may be sold out.

I already have the normal version why must they have a clear version T_T 

The Gunpla factory section gets expanded as compared to the previous Gundam Front. Overall, I prefer Gundam Front as there are a things to take photos. No regret that last time I really thick skinned and took photos at the Character Photo Spot with all the Gundam Wing characters. Haha.. Oh almost forget to mention that there are big statues of Iori Sei, Reiji, and Mao which are the only things I took photo with at the Gundam Base.

 After lunch we went to Aqua City as there was Disney Store there. Rainbow Bridge and the replica of Statue of Liberty are just next to it. The post-lunch sugar spike really made me sleepy but the Starbucks were fully occupied. Sigh.. From there, we walked to the opposite direction for Venus Fort. I was still hoping to get a nice cashmere coat from the outlets there but nope. In the end it was my sister who bought a heavily discounted Kipling bag.

In the evening before going back, we went back to take pictures with the Rainbow Bridge again. Fuji Terebi building looks like any other building at day time but turns gorgeous in the evening with changing lights from the windows and music playing. I am surprised that this is seldom being mentioned as something to see at Odaiba.

Fuji TV building in the evenng

By today my whole body is really tired but I am very happy with today especially for the photo taking opportunities. That trumps the little disappointment from not visiting Oedo Onsen Monogatari as I researched and was quite looking forward to it.

For comparison, this is my trip to Odaiba for 2015 :)