You know, before I even get into any sort of description of the Gundam Café I just learned about, I’m going to voice my bafflement over one little facet in this whole thing. There’s apparently a dish called “Gun-Pla-yaki” that’s a giant fried item shaped liked the first Gundam model kit. Now, I don’t know exactly what’s been fried for this dish - - it could be fish, it could be bread, it could be cheese, for all I know. Really, if it’s made of any one of those things, then I have to say that’s one of the most bizarre “pop” dishes I’ve ever heard of. Weirder, even, than the fried Oreos I’ve seen at county fair. Seriously - - a fish stick shaped like a giant robot? I can’t say if that makes it more or less appetizing.
Anyway, that “Gun-Pla-yaki” (whatever it is) will be served along with rare coffee at the Gundam in Tokyo’s Akihabara neighborhood, following its opening on the 24. This isn’t the first Gundam café, but the first two have closed. Presumably this one will also be a store for Gundam merchandise and such, though…
I’m sorry. I’m just flabbergasted. Fried food shaped like a Gundam. I mean, MAYBE if it’s like those flat chicken tenders that’re sometimes shaped like dinosaurs or stars at BK. But still…
The other bit of Gundam news is that Go Go Yubari, the Crazy 88 killer chick who was so nasty with a meteor hammer in KILL BILL VOL 1, is singing the theme song for that new GUNDAM UC movie. The real name of the actress is CHiAKi KURiYAMA's and this song, “Ryusei No Namida", is her first swing as recording artist. You can download it at iTunes now, though I’d caution you against leaving negative comments unless you’d like a good spiked ball to your skull. And thanks to ANN and Sunrise for these scoops.
-- Tom Pinchuk is the writer of UNIMAGINABLE for Arcana Comics and HYBRID BASTARDS! for Archaia. Pre-order the HYBRID BASTARDS! hardcover now on Amazon.com.
