The anime world's massive event, Niconico Chokaigi, wrapped up its two-day run last weekend (April 26-27), drawing in huge crowds. Beyond the countless booths dedicated to games, anime, and manga, numerous cosplayers also showed up to flaunt their incredible creations.
Among them was the delightfully quirky cosplayer Ikunokumin ( @ikunokumin ), who brought a truly vintage piece to life: the "Pioneer" Chinese Cannon model kit. This hilariously absurd relic, over 20 years old, instantly became a magnet for photographers and attendees, sparking conversations both at the event and across the internet.
For those unfamiliar with this piece of internet history, the "Pioneer" was an early bipedal humanoid robot developed by China's National University of Defense Technology in 2000, which caused quite a stir at the time. When news of it reached Japan, the parody website "Samurai Damashii" seized the opportunity, creating a slew of fan-made content. Its distinctive crotch-level leg joints, in particular, were hilariously reinterpreted as a "Chinese Cannon," and the robot was jokingly dubbed a masterpiece from the People's Liberation Army, blending China's historical might. It quickly became a legendary internet meme.
▼ Images of the original "Pioneer" robot & a screenshot from the parody site "Samurai Damashii"
Back then, Aoshima even released a model kit of the Pioneer as a bonus with NetRunner magazine!
Cosplayer Ikunokumin crafted the Pioneer costume themselves, designing it like a robot exoskeleton. Given the original's minimalist design, the construction wasn't overly complex, focusing mainly on ensuring mobility.
Here's how it looks when worn – just throw on some all-black clothing underneath!
And of course, the classic firing pose!
The video shows impressive freedom of movement, though the cannon barrel in the crotch does sway along, which is... awkwardly hilarious, to say the least! www.
Ikunokumin's Pioneer cosplay quickly went viral on X, with many expressing disbelief that this "ancient artifact" (??) was making a comeback in the Reiwa era.
However, plenty of people also remarked on how incredible it was that, after more than two decades, everyone still remembered this meme-worthy "Pioneer" robot. It clearly holds a special, nostalgic place in the hearts of many Japanese fans. Major props to Ikunokumin for resurrecting this thing like a "special grade cursed object" and bringing it back to the Reiwa era!
via： X 帳戶いくのくみん