Gundam Series—Continuing to evolve as it welcomes its 45th Anniversary

In April 2024, I was appointed as the fourth Chief Gundam Officer. I was appointed as CGO in the same year as the 45th anniversary of the Gundam series. In my new role, I will strive to enhance the global recognition of Gundam and maximize the value of the Gundam IP from a long-term perspective, as we move toward the next milestone for the series.
On a Groupwide basis, net sales from the Gundam series have grown from ¥78.1 billion in FY2020.3, to ¥145.7 billion in FY2024.3, making for an increase of 187% over a five-year period. Over the course of the past five years, performance of the series in the Japanese market continued to be solid. In addition, we promoted global efforts such as providing visual works and holding events, thereby enhancing Gundam’s level of recognition worldwide. As a result, sales of Gundam products and services increased significantly, centered on Gundam model kits. This means we are now within sight of reaching our target for net sales in FY2026.3 of ¥150.0 billion, which we adopted at the 2nd GUNDAM Conference, which was held in 2021.
In FY2024.3, we acquired a large number of new fans through the releases of visual works such as the animated TV series Mobile Suit Gundam THE WITCH FROM MERCURY and the theatrical film Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM. Recently, in particular, the widespread popularity of streaming platforms in Japan and overseas and the increase in multilingual viewing options have led to an expansion in the online distribution of Japanese anime. This in turn has boosted Gundam’s worldwide level of recognition. Furthermore, one of the most iconic initiatives we implemented that draws on the world view of Gundam was the establishment of life-sized Gundam statues. In 2009, we set up our first life-sized Gundam statue in Shiokaze Park, in Tokyo. The statue received a tremendous response, attracting nearly 4.15 million people over a period of 52 days. After the establishment of the first statue, we set up statutes in other locations, not just in Japan but also in cities like Shanghai, China. As an initiative for communicating the world view and appeal of Gundam, these statues contributed greatly to the performance of the series. These kinds of innovative initiatives, centered on visual works, also helped raise the level of recognition for the Gundam IP.

Accelerating growth of global businesses

As with the Group’s Mid-term Plan, North America and China have been positioned as key markets in the global rollout of Gundam. While the level of recognition of Gundam in Asian markets has been comparatively high for some time now, the size of our business in China has been gradually expanding, and thus we can expect further development moving forward. We will further expand our level of recognition in North America. Considering the depth of the market and trends among consumers, there is great potential in this region. Looking ahead, we will seek to deepen connections with fans through such efforts as the promotion of Gundam model kits, which continue to perform well, the release of visual works, the opening of stores, and the rollout of sales promotions utilizing social media. In addition to the upcoming Mobile Suit Gundam Requiem for Vengeance, which will be released worldwide this fall, progress is being made with the live action Gundam Hollywood production, and these visual works will serve as an excellent opportunity to enhance recognition in North America.
Although we expect to continue to see steady growth in Japan, expanding the global rollout of Gundam will be indispensable in ensuring the sustainable growth of the series. We will therefore draw on the collective strengths of the Group to do so by promoting collaboration under the ALL BANDAI NAMCO concept. Furthermore, we will need to promote multilingual fan communication in the future in a manner that is even easier to understand. To that end, we will engage in comprehensive marketing activities that give consideration to local cultures and preferences so that we can better assess the types of visual works, products, and services desired in each region and strategically roll them out accordingly. By doing so, we will push ahead with efforts to expand our fan base across the globe.

Creating the future of Gundam together with fans

To celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Gundam series, we are holding the GUNDAM NEXT FUTURE—ROAD TO 2025 event across Japan. Held in preparation for the upcoming Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, this event demonstrates our desire to create the future of Gundam together with fans. As part of our efforts to do so, we will utilize certain messages for Gundam submitted by fans in initiatives related to GUNDAM NEXT FUTURE PAVILION, an exhibit we will hold at Expo 2025.
We want GUNDAM NEXT FUTURE PAVILION to serve as a place for forging connections with fans through Gundam and considering the future together with them, in accordance with the Group’s Purpose—“Fun for All into the Future.” Additionally, the pavilion will feature a life-sized Gundam statue created from materials reused from the life-sized moving Gundam exhibited at GUNDAM FACTORY YOKOHAMA. The approximately 17-meter-tall stationary statue will be made to strike a pose kneeling down on one knee and extending one arm upward, thereby conveying the idea of reaching toward both space and the future. We ask that you look forward in anticipation to GUNDAM NEXT FUTURE PAVILION, a collaborative initiative with Gundam fans.

Striving to further evolve the Gundam IP

The Gundam series has a history spanning over 45 years, and each fan has their own visual work that they call their favorite. Also, with its long history and diverse lineup of visual works, the first Gundam work that fans experience differs by factors such as country, region, and age. Taking this into account, we have continuously produced visual works with diverse world views, thereby giving depth and richness to Gundam as an IP. I believe this is why fans continue to love the IP even to this day.
We will continue to pursue a broad range of efforts with a view to the future of Gundam, including further enhancing branding activities, promoting business rollouts in an even wider range of categories, and deepening collaboration with external partners. Working toward the upcoming 50th anniversary, my mission is to convey the appeal of Gundam and further advance the IP on a global scale.