By JONATHAN SNYDER | Stars and Stripes | Published: April 22, 2021 When it debuted in 1979, the anime show “Mobile Suit Gundam” captured the world’s imagination with its giant, weaponized, mechanical robots fighting in a space opera. With the show’s popularity came the sale of model kits, of which toymaker Bandai Co. has produced more than 700 million as of May, the 40th anniversary of the kit launch. Now it’s possible to experience the Gundam phenomenon in life size. Gundam Factory Yokohama, an entertainment complex at Yamashita Pier, opened its doors in December. Its centerpiece, a Mobile Suit Gundam, stands nearly 60 feet tall and comes to mechanical life several times a day with various poses, smoke, lighting and sound effects.