Bandai Namco has announced the launch of the 50th anniversary project for Gundam, which has established itself as Japan's representative IP starting with animation in 1979..
On the 15th, Bandai Namco Group announced the launch of the Gundam Project, which will continue until 2029, marking the 50th anniversary of the Gundam series, through Gundam Conference 2026. A variety of contents and events featuring Gundam, including animations, movies, exhibitions, participatory events, and landmarks, will continue throughout the project period.
■ Gundam 50th anniversary video 'Boy and Gundam' & Announcement of 50th anniversary logo
The start of the 50th anniversary project was announced with the prologue movie ‘Boy and Gundam | Mobile Suit Gundam 50th Anniversary -Road to 50-'. This video, which was released for the first time at the conference on this day, was produced by bringing together the main characters and aircraft from the first Gundam and past Gundam series. The development team wanted to capture the memories of generations who grew up with Gundam. It also contained a message that all staff and fans who have participated in Gundam so far will create the future together.
Tsukuro Hayakawa, a young director in his 20s, was in charge of directing the film, which expressed the nostalgia and emotion of the past through sophisticated animation, with Japanese band People One's 'Tower of Monuments' in the background. This shows Bandai Namco's will to create a new future.
At the end of the video, the Gundam 50th anniversary logo was also revealed. The logo was created with the colony and worldview centered around RX-78. The phrase 'Your First Start Here' under the logo symbolizes respect for the fact that each person's First Gundam is different and welcomes new fans who will encounter Gundam for the first time.
■ Gundam Day officially established on April 7 - commemorating the first airing date of Mobile Suit Gundam
Hiroshi Sakakibara, head of Bandai Namco Group's Gundam division, said that Gundam Day was officially registered and recognized after recently applying to the Japan Anniversary Association. April 7th, designated as Gundam Day, is taken from April 7th, 1979, the date Mobile Suit Gundam first aired on TV. At the conference on this day, an anniversary registration certificate presentation ceremony received from the Japan Anniversary Association was also held.
■ Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM ZERO released in theaters | ▶Video
This is a work that tells the story of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM, which has been the highest-grossing film in the Gundam movie series since its release in January 2024 and has even set several award records. It covers the story between Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY and Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM, and the specific release schedule will be announced later. Currently, production is progressing smoothly, and Mitsuo Fukuda, the director of the previous work, and Chiaki Morosawa, who wrote the screenplay, are also participating in this work.
■ Hollywood live-action Gundam director personnel revealed for the first time
Some information about the Gundam live-action feature film starring Sydney Sweeney and Noah Centineo, which is in production, was also revealed at the conference. The movie is currently being filmed in Queensland, Australia. Director Jim Mickle, who delivered his greetings through a video, announced that he is working hard to capture the conflict and war at the core of the Gundam series, as well as the human stories within them.
The movie was co-produced by Bandai Namco Filmworks, Netflix, and Legendary Pictures, and a huge budget was invested. In addition, it is known that an overwhelmingly large set and state-of-the-art filming equipment will be mobilized. As it is a Gundam series, familiar battleships and mobile suits will appear in the work. In addition, Mickle also announced that there would be a aircraft that would appear for the first time through a live-action movie. The detailed delivery schedule for the work has not been disclosed at this time.
■ The masterpiece Mobile Suit Gundam Remastered to be released in 2029
To mark the 50th anniversary, the remaster project for the 1979 TV animation series Mobile Suit Gundam, which is the origin, has officially been launched. Remastering will be done so that many viewers around the world can enjoy the work in a modern viewing environment. There has been no separate announcement regarding the release method, but production is currently in full swing with the goal of 2029.
■ New Mobile Suit Gundam W New video production decision - 'properly long video'
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of its release in 2025, it has been decided to produce a new video for Mobile Suit Gundam W, which has been carrying out various projects such as new PV, events, and re-screening. Naohiro Ogata, director of Bandai Namco Filmworks, said he could not announce what form this new video would take. However, as it is being carried out to commemorate Gundam's 50th anniversary project, he added that it is 'properly long'. Accordingly, it appears that it will be a different type of work than a simple PV or short special news video.
Ogata mentioned the popularity in North America and said that many people chose New Mobile Suit Gundam W as his first Gundam, and that he wanted to create a work that would satisfy fans around the world.
■ Large-scale event Gundam Con to be held at Makuhari Messe in January 2027
The holding of a large-scale fan participation event, GUNDAM-Con, was also announced through the announcement on this day. Gundam Con is the world's largest Gundam event and will be held at the 10/11 Exhibition Hall at the Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Center for three days starting January 9, 2027. Competitions and exhibitions in which fans can directly participate, as well as the participation of various creators, were announced.
Gundam Con will hold competitions for plastic models, card games, and video games, which were previously held individually, simultaneously in one location. Bandai Namco Group's goal is to maximize synergy through this. In addition, he said that there are plans to hold the event sequentially in various parts of the world in the future, and also revealed his intention to develop it into a global regular event rather than a one-time event.
■ Yoshiyuki Tomino Exhibition to be held at the Tokyo National Museum in 2029
An exhibition will be held to look back on the achievements of Yoshiyuki Tomino, the creator of numerous robot animations and the father of Gundam. It has been confirmed that the exhibition will be held at the Tokyo National Museum in 2029, and it will be possible to look back on the trajectory of director Tomino's work from the early Gundam days. Details such as the specific content, scale, period, and actual exhibition name of the exhibition will be announced later.
■ Gundam Landmark starts, aiming for new Gundam facility
Sakakibara announced that a new Gundam landmark project would begin on this day. As the plan is still in full swing, no details have been shared, but it will be produced in Japan with the goal of a new Gundam facility. The host introduced it as a huge Gundam-related attraction and expressed expectations that it would become a popular attraction from overseas.
■ Gundam x Hololive Production second collaboration | ▶Video
The second collaboration between Bandai Namco Group and Hololive Production was unveiled at the conference. This lineup includes a total of six aircraft, including Wing Gundam Zero EW (Subaru Oozora), Unicorn Gundam (Pecora Usada), Providence Gundam (Watame Tsunomaki), Gundam Epion (Calliope Mori), Destiny Gundam (IRyS|Iris), and Gundam Astray Gold Frame Mina Amatsu (Hajime Todoroki). Each aircraft is produced with original coloring that reflects the artist's unique image, and detailed collaboration methods will be revealed later.
■ Local festival Gundam Omatsuri, official expansion - Local festival linked IP activated
In 2024, Gundam-related events that have been held in conjunction with local Japanese festivals such as Fukuoka's Hakata Gion Yamakasa and Sapporo Snow Festival will be made official under the name of the 'Gundam Omatsuri Project'. It is a regional IP activation strategy that ensures that Gundam is loved in each region by presenting Gundam with the region's unique traditional festivals. With formalization, the scale of the event is also scheduled to expand.
■ Odaiba Real Unicorn Gundam Figurine Exhibition Ends at the End of August
The much-loved Unicorn Gundam figurine, which has been in Odaiba since September 2017, is scheduled to be removed after the exhibition ends at the end of August. Ahead of the end of the exhibition, a finale event will be held to apply a new version of decal decoration. In addition, various events before demolition will be released sequentially through the official website.
■ Gunpla recycling, acquired SGS Green Mark certification
The Gunpla (Gundam plastic model) recycling project, which has been promoted since 2021, has acquired the SGS Green Mark, an international environmental consideration and safety certification. Through this project, the Bandai Namco Group has recovered approximately 174 tons of Gunpla and recycled them into plastic models from the Ecopla line. In addition, through the development of new technology, it has become possible to produce Ecopla in various colors by mixing recovered raw materials with existing plastic.
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