2nd Gundam Conference, New Gundam Movie, Eco-Pla Recycling, Gundam Educational Support

 On Wednesday, September 15, 2021, the BANDAI NAMCO Group held the "2nd Gundam Conference" to introduce a new Gundam strategy up to 2025, which marks the 45th anniversary of Gunpla.

Following the first session, the presenter was Bandai Namco Entertainment Takashi Fujiwara CGO. The announcement was made in line with the "1st Gundam Conference" held in June 2021.

The first presentation was about "strengthening the Gundam strategy by crossing the group". Three items were listed: (1) global topic creation strategy, (2) domestic revitalization strategy, and (3) target-specific & MD-linked work development strategy, and specific measures were introduced for each item.

1. Global topic creation strategy

Gundam elected as PR Ambassador for Dubai International Exposition

It was announced that Gundam will serve as the PR ambassador for the Japan Pavilion at the Dubai International Exposition, which will be held from October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. 

There is also a Gundam corner inside the building, where Gundam will be introduced as one of the Japanese cultures, and Gundam designed with a Japanese motif will be commercialized as a Gunpla and will be sold at Gundam bases around the world. In addition, it was reported that an exhibition project called "GUNPLA SHOWROOM DUBAI" will be held during the Expo in Dubai.

HG 1/144 RX-78-2 Gundam [PR Ambassador of The Japan 2020 Pavilion, Expo 2020 Dubai]

Announcement New full-scale Gundam statue - RX-93 ff ν Gundam

It was reported that the next full-scale Gundam statue was decided to be the new model "RX-93 ff ν Gundam" based on the "RX-93 ν Gundam". 

The location will be "Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport Fukuoka," which is scheduled to open in Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, and will be officially opened to the public in the spring of 2022, when the facility will open. Furthermore, at this "Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport Fukuoka", a new Gundam spot "Gundam Park Fukuoka" will be born, and it will become an unprecedented "Gundam complex space" that combines open space and entertainment facilities with Gundam elements. That is.

"RX-93 ff ν Gundam" installed in LaLaport Fukuoka. The points are the new long range fin funnel and the tricolor markings that Director Tomino put in his wish for peace. It is said that gimmicks unique to ν Gundam are also prepared, so I am looking forward to the follow-up report.

2. Domestic revitalization strategy

Gundam Manhole Project started

As a progress of the "Gundam Manhole Project" announced at the 1st Gundam Conference, it was reported that on August 1, 2021, a manhole for Gundam and Char's Z'Gok was set up in Odawara City. In addition, Gundam's staircase art was installed in the underground shopping mall of Odawara Station, and discussions are underway with local governments in Hokkaido, Tochigi, and Kanagawa prefectures as the next installation area, and it is planned to continue expanding nationwide. Was also conveyed.

Gundam World 2021 Contrast dates and locations decided

The schedule of the event "Gundam World 2021 Contrast", which will be implemented toward domestic high targets, has been announced and will be held at Nagoya Parco from December 24, 2021 to January 16, 2022, and will be touring the whole country in the future. I was told that it was planned. This event is an unprecedented event that contrasts the two works of "Mobile Suit Gundam" and "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED" and focuses on the growth of the hero's heart.

3. Target-based & MD-linked work development strategy

New movie "Mobile Suit Gundam Cucuruz Doan's Island" to be produced

The famous episode of "Mobile Suit Gundam", the work "Mobile Suit Gundam Kukurus Doan no Shima" that depicts the 15th episode "Kukurusu Doan no Shima" from a new perspective will be released in theaters in 2022 by director Yoshikazu Yasuhiko. Was told.

"Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Urdr Hunt" and "Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans G" will be released

"Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans" TV series staff reassembled and worked on the latest work "Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Urdr Hunt" and "Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans" smartphone app "Mobile" that you can enjoy the world view in the game Warrior Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans G ”was announced to be delivered in the spring of 2022. In addition, along with the distribution, "Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans" special edition is scheduled to be broadcast 9 times in total, and it was also reported that a part of "Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Urds Hunt" will be released in the program. ..

New TV series "Mobile Suit Gundam The Witch from Mercury" to be aired

As the latest work of the Gundam series numbering work, it was announced that "Mobile Suit Gundam The Witch from Mercury" will be aired in 2022. It is said that it will be a work aiming to acquire teenage users all over the world who will support Gundam in the future.

The next presentation was about "GUNDAM UNIVERSAL CENTURY DEVELOPMENT ACTION" (GUDA), a project to think about sustainable activities through Gundam. The first announcement was about "environment" activities, and it was reported that the electricity used at Gundam Factory Yokohama was switched to "Minna Denryoku" renewable energy.

Everyone supplies the electricity generated at the Yokohama City Wind Farm "Hama Wing" to Gundam Factory Yokohama through electricity.

In addition, the "Gundam Recycling Project", which aims to collect and recycle runners from Gunpla fans, announced that it plans to collect about 10 tons of runners in the year from April 2021. It was also reported that a "Gundam Recycling Strategy" will be held this fall in order to raise awareness of recycling through Gunpla.

In this "Gundam Recycling Strategy", "Eco-Pla" using recycled materials will be distributed free of charge for about one month from October 20, which is the day of recycling, and the runners who have finished making will actually be put in the collection box. The idea is to provide an opportunity to learn about recycling by having them included. At the finale of "Gundam Recycling Strategy", it was also announced that the runners collected from all over the country will be gathered together and an installation exhibition will be held at Shinjuku Sumitomo Building Triangle Square.

Regarding "creation," which is the second theme of GUDA, the progress of "Gundam Open Innovation," which seeks new ideas and technologies to address various social issues such as population issues and global environmental issues, was reported and exceeded expectations. It was reported that the application was received and that the application period will be extended to October 15th. In addition, the results of the selection will be announced at the 3rd Gundam Conference.

This is a photo of the runner collection box.

Subsequently, it was reported that the third theme of GUDA was "education," and two initiatives were announced for the new project "Gundam Educational Program," which aims to utilize Gundam for education.

Gundam Educational Support

A hands-on program where researchers, engineers, and staff who have been involved in the production of Gundam Factory Yokohama, in front of the 18m "moving Gundam," will create opportunities to think about the joy of manufacturing, future careers, programming, and so on. In cooperation with the Yokohama City Board of Education Secretariat, we are recruiting schools that wish to attend from this fall for Yokohama City elementary schools, junior high schools, compulsory education schools, and special needs schools.

Gunpla Academia

An on-demand lesson package that allows you to think about the joy of manufacturing and the global environment through Gunpla. The purpose is to raise interest in excellent technology and sustainable activities through the Gunpla assembly experience and videos that introduce the equipment and production process of the hobby center, and the ingenuity and efforts of people involved in production. It will be announced to elementary schools nationwide from September 2021 and will be implemented from October.

At the end of the conference, a talk session was held inviting Mr. Yoshihiko Koga, an emeritus professor at Kyorin University, who is a leading expert in brain research and a psychiatrist, to delve into the theme of GUDA. "I didn't know much about Gundam until yesterday, and I was soaked almost overnight," said Mr. Koga. "(Considering living in a space colony) there is nothing in space, so it is important to cherish resources. If that happens, of course, it will be reused and circulated, and one of them will be linked to sustainability. " ..

About stress caused by corona sickness "I think that when you make a Gunpla, you will definitely be absorbed in it. It is said that being absorbed in it so much that you forget about yourself is a very good way to get rid of stress. I think Gunpla is a great way to get rid of the stress of the existing corona, "says Koga.

At the end of the talk session, the "2nd Gundam Conference", which included a lot of content such as announcements about new movies and new TV series, ended. The next event is scheduled for next spring.

Related Article

• 1st Gundam Conference, Gundam Bussiness Strategy 45th Anniversary
• 2nd Gundam Conference, New Gundam Movie, Eco-Pla Recycling, Gundam Educational Support