Moving Toward the 50th Anniversary of the Gundam Series
Growing Global Potential for Gundam IP
Focused on Visual Works
Naohiro Ogata
Director
GUNDAM Strategic Business Group
Bandai Namco Filmworks Inc.
Koji Tezuka
Executive Officer
GUNDAM Strategic Business Group
Bandai Namco Filmworks Inc.
Sparking Enduring Passion Through Visual Works
FY2026.3 was a year in which visual works sparked intense passion for the Gundam series, driving increases in the Group’s overall IP value. With the television broadcast of Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX and the theatrical release of MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM HATHAWAY The Sorcery of Nymph Circe, the Gundam series remained topical and the object of fan passion throughout the year, representing a major marketing success. Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, in particular, served as a gateway to the Gundam IP for new generations while also shocking and enthralling long-time fans. An important part of Gundam visual works strategies going forward will be to live up to the expectations of existing fans while drawing in new and younger fans.
Creating IP Value Synergies Between Visual Works and Other Products and Services
Overall sales of the Gundam series amounted to ¥254.3 billion in FY2026.3, a year-on-year increase of around ¥100.0 billion from FY2025.3. This impressive increase cannot be attributed purely to visual works; we also have to thank the large contributions from the various Gundam products and services promoted through Groupwide coordination.
Today, one of the major strengths of the Gundam IP is the cycle born of its various touchpoints through which fans can be inspired to engage with products and services after watching visual works or can take an interest in visual works because of products and services. Visual works are an effective tool for delivering the Gundam world to a wider audience and spreading interest in the diverse range of Gundam products and services. It is because these visual works continue to live up to the expectations of fans that they continue to trust the Gundam IP and look toward the related products and services with a sense of anticipation. Accordingly, improvements to the value of our visual works will drive up the value of the entire Gundam series while facilitating the development of future visual works and new products and services. The future growth of the IP therefore hinges on the extent to which we can generate synergies between visual works and other businesses.
Over its long history, the Gundam series has given rise to numerous works, characters, and mobile suits. In the past, the sheer breadth of the series made it difficult for prospective new fans to tell where to begin. Today, however, this breadth has become a major strength of the series. In mediums where the volume of works and mobile suits lends itself to more varied approaches toward play, such as in SD Gundam G Generation ETERNAL and the GUNDAM CARD GAME, the assets amassed over the nearly 50-year history of the Gundam series are major source of appeal. The works, characters, and mobile suits that are the most popular among fans can vary by age and region, and everyone’s point of entry into the Gundam world is different. This diversity is a powerful driver spreading the Gundam fandom across the globe.
Supporting Global Deployment Through Information and Localization Platforms
The growth of video streaming platforms is supporting the global deployment of Gundam series visual works by developing the infrastructure needed to allow fans around the world to view new works at the same time. Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, for example, was released with multilingual support to allow overseas fans to enjoy this work at essentially the same time as fans in Japan. However, we realize that simply supplying the visual works is not enough to effectively spread the Gundam fandom across the globe. It is important for us to develop platforms to ensure consistency across the various languages in which the Gundam series is enjoyed by accurately managing the names of works and mobile suits, plot elements, colors, terms, and other such information.
We are currently in the process of developing a global database for managing such information, which will be used to heighten the speed and accuracy of information provision and of product development by licensees and the oversight of these processes. We have also redesigned the GUNDAM Official Website. This website is another important part of the foundations supporting the global Gundam deployment. In the past, we have received comments from overseas fans indicating that they were unsure of where to go for Gundam-related information.
Answering this need, the GUNDAM Official Website acts as a portal that allows fans around the world to access accurate information related to the breadth of the Gundam series, ranging from older works all the way to the most recent releases. This website will thus be a valuable tool for driving the global deployment of the Gundam series
Creating Various Entry Points and New Undertakings Toward the 50th Anniversary
We are approaching an important milestone in the form of the 50th anniversary of the Gundam series in 2029. We do not want this occasion to just be a simple commemorative affair; we aim to make it a massive festival in which fans join in the fun and help pave the path toward the future of the series. On the road to the 50th anniversary, we are preparing various new entry points for the series, including Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM ZERO, the live-action Hollywood film GUNDAM (working title), a remastered version of the original Mobile Suit Gundam, and new Mobile Suit Gundam Wing visual works and Mobile Suit Gundam RG XARX-ZERO, scheduled for rollout in 2027.
The live-action film, in particular, is an ambitious undertaking with significant potential to become the first time many people will encounter the Gundam series. This new Gundam visual work will differ from previous ones, using an expressive medium that is very different from animation shaped by overseas directors, screenwriters, and cast members. By delivering this movie to viewers around the world, we hope to introduce the Gundam series to people who were previously unfamiliar with it. Forming solid connections with new fans for whom this movie served as their entry point and inspiring them to explore other Gundam visual works, products, and services will be an important task going forward.
（https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zt62nsFLqA0）
Partnering with New Creators to Grow an IP That Can Endure for the Next Century
If we want the Gundam IP to continue enduring past its 50th anniversary, we will need to recruit and develop new talent. The Gundam series has continued to evolve with the times by incorporating new expressions and undertaking new initiatives. Recent initiatives have included mobilizing directors still in their 20s* and other efforts to incorporate the sensibilities and ideas of younger generations into the series.
The ability of the Gundam series to maintain its passionate fan base has been a result of our consistent efforts in approaching new generations and regions and exploring new forms of media while adhering to the expressive traditions it was built on. We therefore believe that providing an environment in which new creators can exercise their skills using the Gundam world to create new works and experiences will help the Gundam IP endure over the next century. With a focus on visual products, we will continue to expand the potential of the Gundam IP while connecting with fans around the world.
Naohiro Ogata
There is still so much potential for the Gundam series. By delivering new surprises through visual works and tying them to a diverse range of products and services, I want to shape a future in which Gundam fans around the world feel joy in the fandom.
Koji Tezuka
Our IP axis strategy has continued to evolve. Today, I think we are presented with an unprecedented opportunity to unite the entire Group. By linking various products and services through visual works, we will provide fans around the world with opportunities to discuss their passions with other fans. Everyone is pooling their strengths to make this vision a reality.
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