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I love Tokyo’s awesome, full-scale statue of Gundam as much as anybody. I try to at least stop by and say hello to Japan’s most famous giant robot whenever I’m in Odaiba, and when time permits, I’m happy to sip a beer or munch on a pretzel from the adjacent shopping center as I stare up at the 18-meter (59-foot) tall mecha.

As I mentioned before, though, it has always seemed a little ironic that the monument is stationary. After all, the series is called Mobile Suit Gundam. Shouldn’t he be moving?

Actually, in a few years, he just might.

Sunrise, the animation studio behind all things Gundam, recently announced the Gundam Global Challenge. No, it’s not an international Gundam model building competition. Nor is it a sequel to the wacky Street Fighter II-inspired Mobile Fighter G Gundam anime in which robots representing different countries squared off for a one-on-one tournament.

▼ Sorry, sassy Swedish sailor suit Gundam. You had your chance.

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Instead, it’s a far-reaching brainstorming project with one goal: make the Gundam statue move. It’s been five years since the Gundam statue was completed, and like any good piece of hardware, Sunrise thinks it’s due for an upgrade.

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But while the franchise originated in Japan, in the decades since its debut the Gundam franchise has picked up fans all over the world. That’s why Sunrise isn’t limiting its search for ideas to just Japan, and is asking the international community for its input. “We are looking for the most advanced techniques and inspired thinking, without regard to field of expertise or nationality,” the company asserts on the project’s Japanese website.

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Sunrise will begin taking submissions, in the vaguely defined categories of real and virtual entertainment, starting in late July. Writing up your idea in English is apparently fine, given that the project also has an English-language website here. If inspiration hasn’t struck, don’t worry. The deadline isn’t until February 27 of 2015, at which time the organizers will sift through the proposals before selecting and announcing which hold the most promise.

If your aptitude lies in fine-tuning concepts rather than developing them from the ground-up, Sunrise will also be asking for revisions or improvements to the first batch of ideas between the fall of 2015 and February of 2016.

Once all that’s done, practical planning will get underway, with actual construction hopefully commencing sometime in mid-2018. If everything goes according to Sunrise’s timeline, Gundam should finally be moving in the summer of 2019. Considering that’s just a few months after Gundam turns 40, it’ll be good to see him still maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle.

Sources: Jin, Gundam Global Challenge
Top image: Sokuup
Insert images: Wikia, Gundam Global Challenge