FUKUSHIMA -- A "beam rifle" that was held by a 2-meter-tall iron statue, which depicts a robot from the Japanese anime series "Mobile Suit Gundam," has been stolen in Fukushima.
The statue, which stands by a roadside in the city's Hiraishi district, is affectionately called "Hetare (Lame) Gundam" because of its round-shaped, bench-legged appearance.
On May 3, a man who visited the area found that Gundam was not holding the rifle, and the district mayor reported it to the Fukushima Police Station.
The statue was built in Fukushima by an amateur artist, who made the rifle out of iron, in 2010. The artwork has been popular among some Gundam fans as the statue "projects perfect cowardness," and is repainted whenever it rusts.
"The statue has been loved by many people since it was built 10 years ago. It's so sad," the district mayor said. "The artist passed away a year after he made Hetare Gundam, which is his posthumous work. We want that gun back as soon as possible."
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