Bandai Namco has announced the launch of the 50th anniversary project for Gundam, which has established itself as Japan's representative IP since the animation began in 1979.

On the 15th, Bandai Namco Group announced the launch of the Gundam Project, which will continue through 2029 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Gundam series, through Gundam Conference 2026. Various content and events featuring Gundam as the protagonist, including animations, movies, exhibitions, participatory events, and landmarks, are scheduled to continue throughout the project period. ■ Gundam 50th Anniversary Video 'Boy and Gundam' & 50th Anniversary Logo Announcement The prologue movie 'Boy and Gundam | Mobile Suit Gundam 50th Anniversary -Road to 50-' signaled the start of the 50th anniversary project. This video, unveiled for the first time at the conference on this day, was produced with a composition that brings together the protagonists and mobile suits from the original Gundam to the successive Gundam series. The development team aimed to capture the memories of the generation that has grown up with Gundam. It also conveys a message that all the staff and fans who have participated in Gundam so far should build the future together. The direction, which expresses the nostalgia and emotion of the past through sophisticated animation set against the backdrop of the Japanese band People One's 'Golden Tower,' was handled by the young director in his 20s, Tsukuro Hayakawa. It can be seen as embodying Bandai Namco's determination to envision a new future. At the end of the video, the Gundam 50th Anniversary logo was unveiled. The logo was created centering on the RX-78 and incorporating the colonies and the worldview. The phrase 'Your First Start Here' below the logo carries the meaning of respecting the fact that everyone has a different First Gundam, and welcoming new fans who will encounter Gundam for the first time. ■ April 7 Officially Established as Gundam Day - Commemorating the First Airing Date of Mobile Suit Gundam Sakakibara, Head of the Gundam Business Division at Bandai Namco Group Hiroshi announced that he recently applied to the Japan Anniversary Association, and Gundam Day has been officially registered and recognized. April 7, designated as Gundam Day, is derived from April 7, 1979, the date of the first TV broadcast of Mobile Suit Gundam. A ceremony to present the anniversary registration certificate received from the Japan Anniversary Association was also held at the conference on this day. ■ Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM ZERO Theatrical Release This is a prequel to Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM, which became the highest-grossing theatrical Gundam series and set numerous awards following its release in January 2024. It covers the story between Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY and Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM, and specific details such as the release schedule will be announced later. Production is currently proceeding smoothly, and Mitsuo Fukuda, the director of the previous work, and Chiaki Morosawa, who wrote the screenplay, are participating in this project as well. ■ First Announcement of Hollywood Live-Action Gundam Director Some details regarding the live-action Gundam feature film starring Sydney Sweeney and Noah Centineo, which has begun filming, were also revealed through a conference. Filming is currently in full swing in Queensland, Australia. Director Jim Mickle, who delivered a greeting via video, announced that he is striving to capture the core themes of the Gundam series—conflict, war, and the human stories within them. The film is a co-production between Bandai Namco Filmworks, Netflix, and Legendary Pictures, featuring a massive budget. Furthermore, it is known that sets of overwhelming scale and state-of-the-art filming equipment are being utilized. As befits the Gundam series, familiar battleships and mobile suits are expected to appear in the work. Mickle also teased that there will be a mobile suit making its first appearance in a live-action film. The detailed release schedule for the work has not yet been disclosed. ■ Original Work Mobile Suit Gundam Remaster to be Released in 2029 To mark the 50th anniversary, the remaster project for the original 1979 TV anime series Mobile Suit Gundam has officially launched. The remaster is being carried out to allow many viewers around the world to enjoy the work in a modern viewing environment. Although the release method has not been separately announced, production is currently in full swing with a target release date of 2029. ■ Production of New Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Video Confirmed - 'A Truly Long Video' It has been decided to produce a new video for Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, following various projects such as new PVs, events, and re-screenings that have been underway to mark the 30th anniversary of its release in 2025. Bandai Namco Filmworks Director Naohiro Ogata stated that he could not announce the specific format of the new video. However, he added that, given the project is being undertaken to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Gundam, it will be "truly long." Accordingly, it appears that this will be a work of a different form from a simple PV or short special video. Ogata mentioned the popularity in North America, stating that many people cited Mobile Suit Gundam Wing as their "First Gundam," and expressed his desire to create a work that would satisfy fans worldwide. ■ Large-scale Event Gundam-Con to be Held at Makuhari Messe in January 2027 The hosting of the large-scale fan-participation event Gundam-Con was also announced on this day It has been revealed. Gundam Con, the world's largest Gundam event, will be held for three days starting January 9, 2027, at Exhibition Halls 10/11 of Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Center. Competitions and exhibitions where fans can participate directly, as well as the participation of various creators, have been announced. Gundam Con will bring together competitions for plastic models, card games, and video games—which were previously held separately—into one location. Bandai Namco Group's goal is to maximize synergy through this. Furthermore, they announced plans to hold the event sequentially in various parts of the world in the future, revealing their intention to develop it into a regular global event rather than a one-off occurrence. ■ Yoshiyuki Tomino Exhibition to be Held at Tokyo National Museum in 2029 An exhibition looking back on the achievements of Yoshiyuki Tomino, the creator of numerous robot animations and known as the father of Gundam, will be held. It has been confirmed that the exhibition will take place at the Tokyo National Museum in 2029, and it will allow visitors to look back on the trajectory of Director Tomino's work, which has continued from the early days of Gundam. Specific details regarding the exhibition's content, scale, duration, and actual name will be announced later. ■ Gundam Landmark Launched, Aiming for a New Gundam Facility Sakakibara announced on this day that the new Gundam Landmark project is starting. As planning is still in full swing, detailed information has not been shared, but it will be constructed in Japan with the goal of becoming a new Gundam facility. The presenter introduced it as a massive Gundam-related attraction, expressing anticipation that it would become a destination visited even from overseas. ■ Gundam x Hololive Productions Second Collaboration | ▶Video

The second collaboration between Bandai Namco Group and Hololive Productions was unveiled at the conference. This lineup consists of a total of 6 mobile suits, including Wing Gundam Zero EW (Subaru Oozora), Unicorn Gundam (Pekora Usada), Providence Gundam (Watame Tsunomaki), Gundam Epyon (Calliope Mori), Destiny Gundam (IRyS|Iris), and Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu Mina (Hajime Todoroki). Each mobile suit will be produced with original coloring that reflects the artist's unique image, and the detailed method of collaboration will be revealed later. ■ Regional Festival Gundam Omatsuri, Official Expansion - Activation of IP Linked to Regional Festivals Gundam-related events that have been held in conjunction with regional festivals in Japan, such as the 2024 Hakata Gion Yamakasa in Fukuoka and the Sapporo Snow Festival, will be officially launched under the name 'Gundam Omatsuri Project'. This is a community-oriented IP activation strategy designed to ensure Gundam is loved in each region by showcasing Gundam alongside unique local traditional festivals. With the official announcement, the scale of the event is also expected to expand. ■ Odaiba Life-size Unicorn Gundam Statue Exhibition Ends at End of August The Unicorn Gundam statue, which has been located in Odaiba since September 2017 and has been much loved, is scheduled to close its exhibition and be dismantled at the end of August. Ahead of the exhibition's conclusion, a finale event will be held to apply a new version of the decal decoration. In addition to this, various events prior to the demolition are scheduled to be revealed sequentially through the official website. ■ Gunpla Recycling Acquires SGS Green Mark Certification The Gunpla (Gundam plastic model) recycling project, which has been underway since 2021, has acquired the SGS Green Mark, an international certification for environmental consideration and safety. Through this project, the Bandai Namco Group has recovered approximately 174 tons of Gunpla and recycled them into Eco-Pla line plastic models. In addition, through the development of new technology, it has become possible to produce Eco-Pla in various colors by blending recycled materials into conventional plastics.