Gundam Factory Yokohama has announced the decision to extend the life of the walking Gundam statue, since no one can really come to say goodbye to it thanks to the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic.

In a statement on the website, the organizers cited fan feedback as part of the reason to extend the lifespan of the Yokohama Gundam statue to March, 2023, a whole year after its original closing date.

“The decision to extend the period was made after discussions with the city of Yokohama and other related parties in response to the passionate requests of fans in Japan and abroad who were unable to visit the venue due to the recent situation, such as the declaration of a state of emergency to prevent the spread of the new corona infection”, the statement reads.

“The extension of the event will be followed by a two-month maintenance shutdown period from mid-May, with the reopening of the venue scheduled for mid-July. The details will be announced on the GFY official website as soon as they are confirmed”.

Notice of the extension should bode well for international fans, who can now hope Japan will reopen its borders again to visit the first walking Gundam installation, which features the original RX78-2 Gundam.

Previously, it was announced that the Yokohama Gundam would be closed in March 2022, following the closure of the Gundam Cafes across Japan.

The closure of the moving installation comes as a shock- the display hasn’t been up particularly long, despite easily being the most elaborate of the life-sized Gundam statues.