The Japanese love their giant robots, whether they be Gundam, Macross, Robotech, Transformers, or the one that started it all — Gigantor. The fine people of Kobe, Japan have decided to honor the robot and its creator Mitsuteru Yokoyama, by erecting a 59-foot tall statue of the big blue guy flexing its metal muscles.

The 70-ton behemoth will cost $135 million Yen (just over a million U.S. dollars) and is expected to be complete in 2008. It is hoped the life-sized statue will increase tourism to the area. No word if rabid fan-boys visitors will be allowed to climb inside and stomp across the city.— Stephen Schleicher

Asahi, via Newsarama