Entertainment News

The Gundam supporting Olympic marathon champion Mizuki Noguchi in her home town of Ise, Mie Prefecture. (Mainichi)

ISE, Mie -- A 4-meter-high Gundam statue holding a banner wishing good luck to Ise-native and reigning Olympic women's marathon champion Mizuki Noguchi has been set up at a shopping center here.

The banner bears a message wishing Noguchi success at the Beijing Olympics, where she will attempt to repeat her gold medal-winning performance at the Games in Athens four years ago.

The statue has been erected at the Takayanagi shopping center in Ise, and was provided by a local Ground Self-Defense Force base, which made the statue of the popular anime character in parades and other similar events.