New official Gundam stores to open in six cities in Europe, Asia and Australia
THE GUNDAM BASE POP-UP WORLD TOUR will bring dedicated Gunpla stores to a number of cities around the world.
This global tour brings the experience of Japan’s flagship GUNDAM BASE stores to fans in areas without one, and the international leg of its tour has now begun.
This follows the opening of the world’s largest Gunpla store in Osaka as part of the Japanese leg of THE GUNDAM BASE POP-UP WORLD TOUR.
The international tour begins in Guangzhou, China, and will continue its journey to multiple cities across Asia, Europe, and Australia throughout the year.
Gunpla, a portmanteau of “Gundam plastic model,” are model kits depicting the mecha and characters from the immensely popular “Mobile Suit Gundam” franchise, which first premiered in 1979.
These kits are produced by BANDAI SPIRITS and have become a global phenomenon, with millions of kits sold worldwide.
The GUNDAM BASE stores in Japan serve as a central hub for this hobby, offering a vast selection of kits, dedicated building areas, and unique limited-edition merchandise.
The pop-up tour is designed to replicate this experience for fans who do not have access to a permanent GUNDAM BASE location and the first international stop is at Zhengjia Square in Guangzhou, China.
Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase a wide range of exclusive Gunpla, including event-limited items and pre-sale products from the world tour.
A highlight of the merchandise lineup is the “MG 1/100 Gundam Base Limited Gundam Astray Red Frame [Recirculation Color/Neon Pink]”.
The Astray Red Frame is a popular mobile suit from the “Mobile Suit Gundam SEED ASTRAY” manga, known for its samurai-inspired design and signature katana.
This special edition Master Grade (MG) kit, which is a larger and more detailed model at 1/100 scale, features a striking neon pink internal frame and dark-toned armor, created with “Recirculation Color” plastic, an eco-friendly material made from recycled runners.
Visitors to the stores will receive an exclusive promotional card for the new Gundam Card Game as well as a paper bag featuring THE GUNDAM BASE POP-UP WORLD TOUR when they make a purchase.
As well as its stint in Guangzhou which ends on July 13th, the tour will travel to over 20 cities.
The confirmed schedule for the first few months includes:
- GUNDAM BASE POP-UP WORLD TOUR Paris, France
- The tour will be a part of the Japan Expo Paris event at the Parc des Expositions de Paris-Nord-Ville Villepinte from Thursday, July 3rd, to Sunday, July 6th.
- GUNDAM BASE POP-UP WORLD TOUR Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- From Friday, July 4th, to Sunday, July 13th, the event will be held at the INCUBASE Arena Malaysia in Fahrenheit88.
- GUNDAM BASE POP-UP WORLD TOUR Singapore
- The event will take place at L2 South Gateway Garden within the JEWEL mall at Changi Airport from Friday, August 1st, to Sunday, August 10th.
- GUNDAM BASE POP-UP WORLD TOUR Sydney, Australia
- Fans in Australia will be able to attend the pop-up at the Broadway Sydney Shopping Centre from Tuesday, September 23rd, to Sunday, October 12th.
- GUNDAM BASE POP-UP WORLD TOUR Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- The tour will visit the Pier-2 Art District B6 Warehouse from Saturday, December 20th, to Sunday, December 28th.
The currently announced cities are only 6 of the over 20 cities that THE GUNDAM BASE POP-UP WORLD TOUR plans to visit.
The rest of the cities that will be visited by the tour are expected to be announced later in the year.
Source: Official Website
Images: © Bandai Namco, BANDAI SPIRITS
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