According to Bandai Namco, sales of Mobile Suit Gundam kits known as Gunpla continue to soar despite pandemic-related supply chain issues.
Models for the Mobile Suit Gundam The franchise, also known as Gunpla, has continued to sell incredibly well despite supply chain issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Gamebiz, Bandai Namco Holding’s third-quarter sales results reveal that in Japan, toy sales from April to December 2021 increased by a total of 9.7% compared to last year. The company plans to expand the production area of its new factory in Shinkan to strengthen its product portfolio and meet the growing demand for Gunpla.
the original Mobile Suit Gundam The animated series from studio Sunrise, now known as Bandai Namco Filmworks, debuted in April 1979. Set during the futuristic Universal Century, the story explores the war between the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon based in space and follows the adventures of protagonist Amuro Ray, the teenage pilot of the iconic RX-78-2 Gundam. The first Gunpla kits were released in 1980 with over a million units shipped within six months.
Mobile Suit Gundam is one of the largest and most influential multimedia franchises of all time; beyond the original anime, there have been a host of other anime series, manga, and tie-ins to movies, video games, and, of course, toys. There are also several tourist attractions across Japan that celebrate the franchise, including life-size statues of the RX-78-2 Gundam and a redesigned version of the Nu Gundam (RX-93 ν Gundam), located in Yokohama and Fukuoka respectively.
Additionally, the new Gundam Park attraction is set to open in Japan’s LaLaport Fukuoka mall in April. It will consist of three Gundam-themed stores, which will include spaces dedicated to building Gunpla and a range of games where players can win limited edition prizes.
The Witch of Mercurythe latest anime series set in the world of Mobile Suit Gundamis set to debut later this year, while the latest film, Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan’s Island, had an official premiere date in Japan on June 3. However, Bandai Namco Filmworks has more projects in development than those related to its iconic franchise. Most notably, the studio is teaming up with automotive brands like Honda and Nissan to create new racing anime, Hi-Drivers. A trailer for the upcoming series was released earlier this month, giving fans a preview of what’s to come. more details on Hi-Drivers will be revealed at the AnimeJapan Expo at the end of March.
Numerous Mobile Suit Gundam the series are available to stream on Hulu, Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Funimation.
Source: Gamebiz, via Anime News Network
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