Gundam Models Recreate Kill Me Baby Ending Song's Dance [via AnimeNewsNetwork]

Dance originated as bonus for Kaduho's original 4-panel comedy manga

An unnamed person recreates the dance steps from the ending animation of the Baby, Please Kill Me! comedy anime series — with Mobile Suit Gundam AGE models. The dance originally appeared as a bonus on the cover for the first volume of Kaduho's original four-panel manga:

The charts demonstrate the 16 steps that the characters Sonya and Yasuna perform for the ending theme song "Futari no Kimochi no Honto no Himitsu" (The True Secret of the Pair's Feelings).

The manga follows Sonya, an assassin girl who goes to school between missions, and her fearless yet not-so-smart friend Yasuna. Joining them is Agiri, a ninja in Sonya's organization. The manga series launched in Manga Time Kirara Carat in 2008 after the magazine ran a one-shot early version of the story. The fourth compiled book volume shipped in Japan on January 27.

Info via AnimeNewsNetwork, 0takomu

Chinese Anime/Disney-Lookalike Videos: The Story Behind Them [via AnimeNewsNetwork]

2009 service turns kids into stars of CG videos, claims "no copyright concerns" over Gundam, Disney images. 
*So thats what this video was about...*

The Chinese service Xu You Ji lets parents pay to have their children turned into 3D models and animated in their own CG action-adventure shorts. The children also dub their own voices into the work. The custom video service debuted in 2009, but recently garnered attention because of one of its videos, featuring Gundam models and other anime elements, was posted online this week.

The company's FAQ page claims the following regarding copyrights:

We design and develop our own animation with their own copyrights. They do contain elements of popular titles, but all are adapted ourselves so there is no copyright concerns.

The service costs about 1,738 yuan (about US$275) to make a custom short.

The company's YouTube channel features a demonstration video and two sample shorts, with one short containing footage directly from Disney and Pixar's Finding Nemo film and a cover of a song from Disney's The Little Mermaid film (at the 3:10 mark):

Via AnimeNewsNetwork

AKB48 CD Single Cover Recreated with Gundam Models [via AnimeNewsNetwork]

Team from Fukushima customizes 12 Gundams to match idols from hair to shoes.

For last year's 14th All-Japan Ora-Zaku Contest, a team from the Real Robot Modelers collective recreated the all-female idol group AKB48's "Iiwake Maybe" CD single cover — with Gundams. The team customized each Gundam to match each AKB48 member, from hair style down to shoes.

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NHKEテレ Aring Bandai Factory & Office Tour Documentary On 1/7

On Jan 7th, the japanese TV channel 'NHKEテレ' will broadcast "Dream Office Tour - Cutting-Edge Plastic Model Technology".  A documentary showing what goes on inside the Bandai factory and office.  See how Bandai's Gundam rose to fame with 400 million gunpla units sold worldwide, using the latest technological advancement in plastic model manufacturing.

Official Link (includes Preview Video): http://www.nhk.or.jp/kaisha/schedule/index.html

Ken Iyadomi on Bandai Entertainment's Downsizing [via AnimeNewsNetwork]

Ken Iyadomi on Bandai Entertainment's Downsizing - news via AnimeNewsNetwork

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Ken Iyadomi is no stranger to the American anime business. Having been at Bandai Entertainment since its inception in 1996, and VHS anime publishers LA Hero and Manga Entertainment before that, he's seen a lot of changes in the business.

Unfortunately, his latest announcement is one he'd rather not be making. On January 3rd, the publisher is announcing that it will cease to release new DVD and Blu-ray releases in North America, effectively ending its 13-year run in the market. The majority of the division's contractors and three of their five full-time staff members will be laid off, and all releases scheduled after the end of January have been cancelled.

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Bandai Entertainment to Stop Releasing New DVDs, BDs, Manga [via AnimeNewsNetwork]

N. American firm to still offer existing releases, shift focus to licensing in February [via AnimeNewsNetwork]

Bandai Entertainment, the subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings (USA) that handles anime and manga in North America, will stop offering new DVD, Blu-ray Disc, and manga releases next month. It will continue to distribute in its existing catalog lineup, but it will no longer produce and distribute new releases as of this February.
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Custom Cockpit For PC - WOW!

This custom cockpit looks to be made for playing flight simulators.  It would be equally awesome if there was a good Gundam simulator game to go with it.  Dream on...

Image from weibo.com/1664677185

Gunpla Builders World Cup 2011 [GBWC] Championship - December 25th 2011 @ Hong Kong

Gunpla Builders World Cup 2011 [GBWC] Championship is scheduled to be held @ Discovery Park Hong Kong [Hong Kong] on December 25th 2011.  The schedule of the event will be the examination phase between 11:00am-1:00pm, and the award ceremony between 4:00pm - 5:30pm.

Images of the Junior Course & Open Course Finalists

GBWC Championship PDF: http://www.bandai.co.jp/press/images/3/63584.pdf

1/1 RX-78-2 Gundam Statue @ Diver City Tokyo (Odaiba) - Time-Lapsed Videos

1/1 RX-78-2 Gundam Statue @ Diver City Tokyo (Odaiba)
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The 1/1 Scale RX-78-2 Gundam statue will once again be standing tall in Japan!  Starting from Spring 2012 thru March 2013 , the 1/1 Gundam will be on display in front of Diver City Tokyo (Odaiba, Tokyo).

Statue to return to Odaiba island next spring after nearly 3 years away

The self-described "Gundam videographer" darwinfish began streaming new time-lapsed footage of the 1/1-Scale Gundam reconstruction at Odaiba. The video features work being done on the upper body and torso. The statue is being rebuilt at Diver City Tokyo, a complex under construction on the island by Mitsui Fudosan and Fuji TV.

The life-size statue first stood at Odaiba in July of 2009 and attracted 4.15 million visitors before it closed the following month. The statue rose again in Shizuoka — the self-described "model capital of the world" and the home of Bandai's plastic model factories — from July of last year to March of this year. The statue did return to Tokyo in August — in disassembled parts — as a charity drive after the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake (Higashi Nihon Daishinsai) disaster.

The same YouTube user has posted several other videos chronicling the reconstruction of the Gundam since construction began a few weeks ago.

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Gundam AGE to Have Side Project Aimed at Grown-Up Fans [News via AnimeNewsNetwork]

Bandai Hobby's Toshiaki Baba reveals project in early stages to satisfy UC fans 

In the 19th issue of Futabasha's Great Mechanics magazine that shipped on Thursday, Bandai Hobby staff member Toshiaki Baba revealed that a side project of Mobile Suit Gundam AGE is now in the early stages for existing Gundam fans.

Baba emphasized that the project is for grown-ups, and that the staff intends to make it a "thoroughly dark" story that "even fans of [the first Gundam anime's] Universal Century timeline can be satisified with." He did not specify what medium that project will be in.

Baba and Great Mechanics' interviewer were discussing how the main Mobile Suit Gundam AGE project has major elements aimed at children, such as the manga in Shogakukan's Monthly Corocoro Comic magazine.

Sunrise, the anime studio behind the Gundam franchise, is collaborating with game developer Level-5 and its president, Akihiro Hino, on Gundam AGE. The anime premiered on October 9.

Info from AnimeNewsNetwork

GUNPLA EXPO HONG KONG TOUR 2011 - Image Gallery

GUNPLA EXPO HONG KONG TOUR 2011

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Gundam AGE 2nd Generation - MS & Character Images

Mobile Suit Gundam AGE will begin airing its 2nd Generation starting in Jan. 2012.  The key visuals below display the second main character 'Asemu Asuno' and his father 'Flit Asuno'.  There is also a third mysterious young character that resemble a lot like the 'White Wolf'. 

In the 2nd Generation, Flit continues to further analyze the capability of his Gundam from previous battle data, and creates a next generation Gundam, the 'AGE-2 Normal'.

Gundam AGE 2nd Generation MS & Character:

Gundam AGE-2 Normal

Asemu Asuno, Flit Asuno, and ???

Images from http://www.gundam.info/topic/6457

Gundam AGE AG Campaign - Singapore

Want an exclusive Gundam Age Poster? Or a cool exclusive Gundam Age clear folder?

If you're in Singapore, simply follow these instructions to redeem!

• While stocks last. Terms and conditions apply.

• Redemption period starts from Nov 2011 - 31 Jan 2012.

• Each successful redemption entitiles you to take part in an upcoming lucky draw and stand a chance to win exclusive prizes. More details of the lucky draw shall be revealed at a later date.

• For more enquiries, e-mail to sttgundam@gmail.com.

Info from Gundam.Info

Gundam's Yasuhiko, 6 Other Creators Visit Quake-Hit Sendai [News via AnimeNewsNetwork]

Manga artists, publishers contribute during 'Comic Festival in Tōhoku' recovery event

News via AnimeNewsNetwork

A group of seven manga and anime creators are appearing on Saturday at the Sendai International Center in Miyagi Prefecture, an area heavily affected by the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake disaster. The purpose of the "Comic Festival in Tōhoku" event is to support recovery efforts in the quake-hit Tōhoku region.

Yoshikazu Yasuhiko (Mobile Suit Gundam), Norifusa Mita (Dragon Zakura), Ranjō Miyake (Imuri), Aruto Asaka (Aki no Douwa), Kimidori Inoue (Kanashii Ningyo-hime), Masahiko Kikuni (Heartbroken Angels), and Hideo Shinanogawa (Virtus) are speaking at the event.

Asaka and Inoue are residents of the Tōhoku, and Mita is from the region's Iwate Prefecture. Kikuni, Shinanogawa, and Miyake are speaking about their involvement with the charity comic app Bokura no Manga (Our Manga). Representatives from the editorial departments at the Koudansha and Shogakukan publishing companies who distribute the creators' works will also attend.

An exhibition of illustrated messages from about 500 manga artists will be held at the Sendai AER building on Saturday and Sunday. Another part of the exhibit will display 22 new manga artists' personal experiences in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Until the end of January, people who buy select items from bookstores collaborating with event will receive one of ten special postcards with images from popular manga. Represented manga will include Yasuhiko's Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Gosho Aoyama's Case Closed (Detective Conan), and Chika Umino's March comes in like a lion. Purchasers will be eligible to receive one of 500 special prizes selected in a lottery.

Sources: Comic Natalie, Anime Anime Japan  [News via AnimeNewsNetwork]

Image © Comic Festival in Tōhoku

Gundam Papercraft: 7-Foot Tall RX-178 Gundam Mk-II

A fan made 7 Foot tall RX-178 Gundam Mk-II made form 1,250 parts from 720 pieces of paper. 

Modeled by Lesko

This is truly an amazing work!  The entire build is supported by 12 piece of support frame, and weight 10 pounds.

VIEW VIDEO from Lesko

Source: Blastr.com  (Thanks for the link FreakLantern2814!)

Gunpla Expo World Tour Japan 2011 Starts Tomorrow In Japan

Gunpla Expo World Tour Japan 2011 (UDX Akiba Square, Japan; Nov 4th -6th, 2011)

Image from Bandai Hobby Site

Gundam Perfect File 005 - Scanned Images

DeAgostini: Gundam Perfect File 005

Image from A.E.Media

Gundam UC Episode 4 Theme Song [B-Bird] by Earthmind Single Relelease Info

Gundam UC Episode 4 Theme Song [B-Bird] by Earthmind - Single will be release in 3 types of packagings:

B-Bird Limited Edition [Anime Edition]  (Release Date: Nov 30th 2011, Price: 1575 yen)

- Speicial booklet + Gundam UC sleeve case  *Limited release ends on Dec 31st 2012 *

B-Bird Limited Edition [CD + DVD]  (Release Date: Nov 30th 2011, Price: 1575 yen)

- CD + DVD [B-Bird Music Video]

B-Bird [Regular Single Release]  (Release Date: Nov 30th 2011, Price: 1223 yen) 

Single to include the following songs:

1. B-Bird

2. Kaleidoscope
3. Nostalgia
4. B-Bird -Movie Mix-

Source: Amazon.co.jp

Gundam's Okawara Designs City's Image Mascot [via AnimeNewsNetwork]

Character creator Jet Inoue collaborates to design nashi pear robot character

Kunio Okawara, mechanical designer of many Gundam projects including the first television anime series, has created a robot mascot character for Inagi City in Tokyo Prefecture.

At the city's request, Jet Inoue, an episode director for the Gintama and SD Gundam Force anime, collaborated with Okawara to create the nashi pear robot mascot. The nashi fruit, a large apple-shaped pear, is a specialty of Inagi. Local citizens will choose a name for the new character who was introduced to the public on October 22.

Okawara also designed a robot mascot character for Minami Uonuma City in Niigata Prefecture earlier this year. The old lady robot Basama Robo's ultimate weapon was kirizai, a local specialty food made up of minced pickled vegetables and fermented soybeans (natto).

Source: AnimeNewsNetwork