Gundam is already warming up the engines for its massive 50th anniversary in 2029, and Bandai Namco is not waiting until the last minute. During the Gundam Conference Spring 2026 livestream, the franchise revealed a wave of anniversary-related plans, including a new animated short, a dedicated Gundam-Con event, an official-ish Gundam Day, and a major update on Tokyo’s life-size Unicorn Gundam.
For Malaysian and SEA fans, this is the kind of roadmap worth watching early. Gundam is not just an anime brand here — it is Gunpla shelves at local hobby shops, convention booths, mall pop-ups, Shopee hauls, and that one friend who says he is “just panel lining” before disappearing for six hours.
A new short kicks off the Road to 50
The livestream premiered A Boy With Gun dam, a prologue video for the franchise’s Road to 50 anniversary project. The short is directed by Tsukuro Hayakawa and follows three generations of Gundam fans, which is honestly the most Gundam thing ever — because this series really has been passed down from older fans to younger ones.
The music comes from PEOPLE 1, and the video includes English lyric subtitles that viewers can turn on. That is a small but important detail for international fans, especially in SEA where Gundam fandom is huge even outside Japan.
Gundam-Con is happening in Japan first
The first Gundam-Con will be held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba from January 9 to 11, 2027. Entry will require paid passes, and those passes will be distributed through a lottery system.
The event is set to feature booths, tournaments, merchandise, and music. More details are expected this summer.
Makuhari Messe is already familiar territory for fans who follow Tokyo Game Show and other major Japanese pop culture events, so Gundam-Con sounds like it could become a proper pilgrimage event. If you are a Malaysian fan planning a Japan trip in early 2027, this one might be worth building the itinerary around — assuming the ticket lottery gods don’t troll you.
The good news: Gundam-Con is also planned for other regions around the world after the Japan event. No SEA stop has been announced yet, but if Bandai Namco is serious about global Gundam fandom, Southeast Asia should absolutely be in the conversation. Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines all have strong Gunpla and anime communities.
April 7 becomes Gundam Day
Starting in 2027, April 7 will be recognised as Gundam Day by Japan’s unofficial Japan Anniversary Association. The date is not random: the original Mobile Suit Gundam TV anime first aired on April 7, 1979.
Expect brands, hobby shops, and maybe even local anime communities to start using that date for promos, screenings, Gunpla build sessions, or anniversary content. If Malaysian retailers are smart, April 7 could become a nice yearly excuse for Gunpla deals. Just saying.
Odaiba’s Unicorn Gundam is coming down
One bittersweet update: the life-size RX-0 Unicorn Gundam at Diver City Tokyo in Odaiba will be taken down at the end of August 2026. Before it goes, the statue will receive updated “finale version” decals.
The 1/1-scale Unicorn Gundam has been standing there since September 2017, and for many SEA tourists, it has been one of the must-see anime landmarks in Tokyo. If you have been delaying that Odaiba photo session, bro, the deadline is real now.
More anniversary projects are coming
The franchise also has a remaster project in development, beginning with the first TV series. That is a smart move because the 1979 original is essential Gundam history, but younger fans can find older animation harder to jump into.
A Gundam Landmark Project is also in the works, described as a Japan-based facility meant for fans from around the world. On top of that, Tokyo National Museum is planning a 2029 exhibition focused on Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino.
The livestream also shared more on the Gundam collaboration with Hololive Productions, including new visuals and more participating talents. Several Hololive English members will be involved, which should help the campaign travel far beyond Japan.
Bottom line: Gundam’s 50th anniversary build-up is starting early, and it already looks big. For SEA fans, the main things to watch are Gundam-Con’s global expansion, possible regional activations, and whether local Gunpla communities turn Gundam Day into something special.
Source: Anime News Network