In Sagamihara City, two new manhole covers are being unveiled. While this would not be newsworthy in most countries, these manhole covers are anything but normal. They’re actually Gundam-themed.
It’s not unusual for manhole covers in Japan to feature unique art. In many cities, the manhole covers have a local landmark or mascot character on them. However, these are some of the first Gundam-themed manhole covers to be installed. Some staple Gundam attractions may be on the way out in Japan, but Gundam is certainly not old news yet.
Sagamihara City has been chosen for these Gundam manhole covers because it’s home to one campus of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). It was here at the Hayabusa robotic spacecraft was developed, which landed on an asteroid near Earth in 2005 and returned with soil samples in 2010.
The Hayabusa was the first craft to both land and take off again from an asteroid, and the first to bring samples back to Earth. That makes the Hayabusa a point of great pride for Japan - and it makes Sagamihara City the perfect location for Gundam manhole covers.
A robot pioneering a space mission is exactly the kind of material that Gundam is all about. It also can help attract tourists to a place in Japan they might be unlikely to visit otherwise. The two manhole covers will be installed near Fuchinobe Station and the main gate of the JAXA Sagamihara Campus. The first will have an RX-78-2 Gumdam flying alongside the Hayabusa. The second will MS-06F Zaku II Gundam along with the SLIM, or Smart Lander for Investigating Moon. Both manholes have "はやぶさの故郷" (Hayabusa no furusato), or “Hayabusa’s hometown,” on the bottom.
Previously the most popular otaku subject for manhole covers in Japan was Pokemon, with plenty of Pokemon covers being installed all over Japan during the past few years. With the launch of the Gundam Manhole Project in August 2021, these are not likely to be the last ones we see. The manhole covers will be on display in Sagamihara City Museum from April 13 to May 8, Midori Ward Office from May 10 to May 20, then Minami Ward Office from May 24 to June 3 before finally being installed. The walk between Fuchinode Station and the JAXA Campus will also be decorated with space-themed artwork on the street, too, so anyone who visits the area can have their own kind of "space walk."
Source: PR Times