Gundam Lantern, 1:1 scale, lights up Taiwan lantern festival

As part of a celebration for the Lantern Festival, a Chinese festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunar year, the Taiwanese district of Jiayi put up a 1:1 scale model of the original Gundam in lantern form. Traditionally, an animal lantern is used as the central display, but this year a competition was run and as you can see, the RX-78 Gundam lantern won out. Not that the citizens had any choice in the matter: paper sheets have never looked so formidable. It still does "NOT!" top our Engadget pumpkin though.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 5th 2007 1:52AM]

I've never been more proud to be Taiwanese.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 4th 2007 3:59PM]

I want one

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 4th 2007 3:59PM]

Totally... frickin'... AWESOME!

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 4th 2007 4:03PM]

all i have to say is, jeez louis

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 4th 2007 4:13PM]

Wait, I just checked--It actually does top the Engadget pumpkin.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 4th 2007 4:20PM]

Hahaha awesome...

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 4th 2007 4:38PM]

HaD pumpkin > engadget pumpkin.
http://www.hackaday.com/2006/10/31/happy-halloween-extra/

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 4th 2007 4:50PM]

Gundam Lantern > (HaD pumpkin x Engadet pumpkin)

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 4th 2007 4:59PM]

Wait ... is that the Engadget logo on the left foot?

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 4th 2007 5:39PM]

This will save Taiwan from Mainland reunification.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 4th 2007 6:22PM]

this is actually in CKS Memorial Hall, Taipei, not Jiayi.
more photos here
http://www.mobile01.com/topicdetail.php?f=181&t=288059&last=2416913

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 4th 2007 6:56PM]

AWESOME lantern but according to Andy Wang's link, it can't possibly be 1:1 scale. Maybe 1:3 ?
There's a pic of a guy hugging a Gundam leg. The leg is too small compared to the guy. Unless the guy is a giant or something. haha.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 4th 2007 6:58PM]

the scale is actually 1:2.5 not 1:1

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 4th 2007 7:38PM]

@ Mike: The designs on the Gundam are random spirals.

@ the article:
Oh you crazy Asians!

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 4th 2007 8:00PM]

Mother of God... That is freakin' awesome. Note to self: Go get giant Gundam, invite all car-carrying Asians in area to my house, and take pictures of the white guy while asking him if he's Clint Eastwood!

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 4th 2007 8:09PM]

From the Taipei Lantern Festival at C.K.S. Memorial Hall (as the hall is known as of now). The Gundam was not the central display. It was one of hundreds of side displays. Maybe one of 50-75 large displays. The central display was a PIG (year of the pig) surrounded by Taipei city scape.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 5th 2007 2:05AM]

Zeek Zion!

[jaalin Posted Mar 4th 2007 8:32PM]

there's a christmas tree up its bum

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 4th 2007 11:28PM]

I, for one, would like to welcome our lantern overlords.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 5th 2007 12:20AM]

GIMMIE! GIMMIE! GIMMIE!

[peepeeland Posted Mar 5th 2007 12:28AM]

Hoooly shit.

Also, in the larger shot, Gundam is saying, "You see, when I was your age..."

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 5th 2007 8:17AM]

Is there video of this thing??? This is amazing.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 5th 2007 3:40PM]

Needs more Zeon.