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We’re sure everyone’s first choice for mode of transportation would be giant robot, but there are times when you need something more practical to get from Point A to Point B. Being behind the wheel of a four-door hatchback doesn’t mean you have to give up your mecha jock daydreams, though, thanks to the newest collaboration between Toyota and anime franchise Gundam.

The automaker has just released not only a special model inspired by charismatic anime villain Char Aznable, but also an awesome anime commercial for it that has higher production values than the original Mobile Suit Gundam TV series.

Despite the exalted status it now enjoys as one of the true classics of Japanese animation, 1979’s Mobile Suit Gundam isn’t the prettiest anime to look at. Between its age and limited budget, the show doesn’t always do justice to the epic scale it was aiming for.

Decades later, though, it’s a lot easier to find the time and money to put together a slick piece of Gundam animation, and this commercial for the Char Custom Auris II has as much polish as a freshly waxed car.

As the ad opens, we see Char cruising down the highway, musing to himself that “As to be expected, the cockpit seat designed just for me supports me splendidly.”

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▼ It’s always safety first for the helmet-wearing Char.

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But the Red Comet’s leisurely drive through the mountains comes to a halt when consort Lalah Sune informs him that enemy forces are nearby. Char’s eyes flash crimson as he mashes the accelerator and revs up the Auris’ optional turbocharged engine, possibly increasing his speed by three times in the process.

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But even though he’s in the middle of responding to a combat alert, Char still makes time to pull off a sweet four-wheel-drive donut as he pulls into the hanger, all the better to show off the car’s exclusive body kit, wheels, and graphics that set it apart from non-anime-themed Auris models.

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▼ Apparently Zeon offers valet parking.

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Then it’s off to go fight Amuro (or, more likely, half-heartedly fire laser blasts at him while spouting philosophical statements). But while the Zaku mobile suit that appears in the ad exists only in the world of anime, the Char Custom Auris II is really being sold by Toyota at prices starting from 3,216,437 yen (approximately US$27,000).

▼ Photos of the actual car and its eye-catching custom interior

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Complete specs and trim level information can be found here on the official Char Custom Auris II website. The site also has information about scheduling a test drive, although we recommend refraining from making “pew pew” beam rifle noises or cackling like a megalomaniac space soldier while the dealer is in the car with you.

Source: Hamster Sokuho
Top image: YouTube/toyotajpchannel
Insert images: YouTube/toyotajpchannel, Toyota