Gundam

Gundam (Japanese: ガンダムシリーズ, Hepburn: Gandamu Shirīzu; lit. Gundam Series) is a Japanese Mecha military science fiction media franchise. Created by Yoshiyuki Tomino for Sunrise (now a division of Bandai Namco Filmworks), the franchise features giant robots, or mecha, known as "Mobile Suits", typically including a prominent one carrying the name "Gundam". The franchise began with the premiere of the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam on April 7, 1979, which defined the "real robot" mecha anime genre by depicting giant robots (including the original titular mecha) within a militaristic setting. The popularity of the series and its merchandise spawned a multimedia franchise that includes over 50 TV series, films, and original video animations (OVAs), as well as manga, novels, and video games, along with a multimillion industry of plastic model kits known as Gunpla, which accounts for 90 percent of the Japanese character plastic model market. Academics in Japan have also taken interest in the series; in 2008, the virtual Gundam Academy was planned as the first academic institution based on an animated TV series. As of 2026, the Gundam franchise is fully owned by Bandai Namco Holdings through its anime production and distribution subsidiary Bandai Namco Filmworks (via Sunrise). The Gundam franchise had grossed over $5 billion in retail sales by 2000. In the first quarter of fiscal year 2026 (April–June 2025), the Gundam franchise generated approximately ¥65.4 billion (approximately US$443 million) in IP-related revenue, making it Bandai Namco's highest-earning intellectual property during that period, driven by successes across streaming, model kits, theatrical releases, and experiential tourism initiatives.