SDCC 2025: Bandai Namco Celebrates 30 Years Of ‘Gundam Wing’

Walking around the Bandai Namco booth at Comic-Con International: San Diego led to an interesting time warp. Within its Gundam display was a sign celebrating 30 years of Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, or, as it is know in Japan, New Mobile Report Gundam Wing. By either name, its Gundam designs reinvigorated the brand and finally brought attention to the venerable giant robot animated series in the US.

Airing on Cartoon Network, kids of all ages were introduced to a group of young men tasked with altering the course of a war around Earth — and its nearby orbit — by using giant robots known as Gundams. The nominal leader of the team, Heero Yuy, exemplified the burnt-out but smoldering protagonist 1990s hero archetype. The others, meanwhile, more readily mapped to key traits: the brain, the fighter, etc. But each used a distinctive Gundam that, ultimately, also reflected their personality. The show won viewers and, soon, the audience could find Gundam Wing model kits in stores outside of their local Little Tokyo or Japantown.

For this reporter, it was an amazing thing to be confronted with the revelation that he saw Gundam Wing all that time ago. But that sense of nostalgia is buffeted by the notion that Gundam — and Gundam Wing itself — is evergreen. And the models on display, including the large-scale Gundam Wing Zero from Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz prove the Gundam aesthetic is here to stay.

Meanwhile, in a display case at eye level, the company highlighted figures of the other Endless Watlz Gundam designs. An original Gundam Wing could also be found within the booth.

Yes, I realize I missed taking a photo of Gundam Sandrock! And since the Tallgeese is one of my favorite antagonist mobile suits, I had to snap a photo of it. The company also proudly displayed a prototype for an S.H.Figuarts figure of Heero in his classic pose:

Elsewhere in the booth, Bandai Namco also featured some mobile suits from the more recent Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX series and a display of their upcoming Gundam Assemble miniature game that we’re sure Anton will want to learn more about.

From what the rep at the booth told me, GQuuuuuuX has an interesting premise. It is set in a reality where Char Aznable obtained the original Gundam and White Base during the initial raid on Side 7. Altering the Gundam to better suit his own self-image (the red mobile suit above), he won the One Year War for Zeon, but vanishes at the war’s conclusion. Five years later, two young students on Side 6 encounter Char’s missing Gundam and a new generation of mobile suits meant for use by Newtypes. Underground fights, Space Police, and more ensues.

I’ll be honest. Since I gravitated the Universal Century shortly after watching Wing, it sounds like the sort of Gundam show I want to watch.

And, I think, visiting the booth has reawakened the Gunpla maker in me. After Wing‘s initial airing, I found a Gundam Wing model kit to build and, like LEGO, it was a fun meditative act. It might be time to rebuild the Wing Custom, I think. Or maybe I’ll just splurge on one of these higher end possible figures.