Much like the non-permanent Gundam statue that stood 18 meters in Tokyo Japan to mark its 30th Anniversary, another surprising statue is nearing completion. Kobe, Japan has assembled a 18 meter statue of Tetsujin 28 as a symbol of the city’s revival after the 1995 Kobe Earthquake. Biggest difference between the two statues is that the Tetsujin 28 statue is a permanent fixture for the city. It is currently set for completion in September with a ceremony on October 4.

It is under construction at Wakamatsu Park in Nagata Ward, one of the hardest hit by the temblor. The creator of Tetsujin 28 Mitsuteru Yokoyama is a highly recognized figure from Kobe.The story of Tetsujin 28 revolves around a giant robot controlled by Shotaro Kaneda, the twelve-year-old son of Tetsujin’s developer, put to work stopping criminals and enemy robots. To most, the series is well known in America as Gigantor. Check out the video and images below.

Thanks to ANN for the heads up!