A New Film and Kneeling Statue at Osaka Expo Gundam Pavilion

Experience a ‘New Universal Century’ with All Your Senses

A new film from Bandai Namco Holdings titled Gundam: Next Universal Century will screen at its Gundam Next Future Pavilion during Osaka Expo 2025.

Main visual of Gundam: Next Universal Century. (© Sōtsū/Sunrise)

Set in the year 2150, the story follows a tour departing from Yumeshima (the location of Expo 2025) to visit the massive space station Star Jaburo. The journey is guided by the small robot Haro, introducing visitors to mobile suits being utilized peacefully in space. However, an unexpected anomaly occurs to the space debris during a removal operation, drawing the tour into an unforeseen crisis.

The film is directed by Tsujimoto Takanori, known for his work on Ultraman Arc, and features a cast of renowned actors, including Hamada Gaku, Tsuchiya Tao and Saitō Takumi. When offered the project, Tsujimoto was juggling multiple commitments but eagerly accepted, stating, “There’s no way I could turn down a Gundam project.” Reflecting on his experience, he added, “I never imagined I would get to be involved in Gundam in my directing career. It’s like a dream come true.”

Clockwise from top left: Haro, the beloved mascot of the Gundam series; familiar mobile suits appear with new designs; Gundam equipped with the Glass Feather, a solar panel wing on its back. (© Sōtsū/Sunrise)

The pavilion features high-resolution visuals on a large screen, while Sony’s haptic feedback technology embedded in the flooring enhances the immersive experience by transmitting vibrations throughout the body. This combination allows visitors to fully immerse themselves in the world of Gundam. Tsujimoto said, “The pavilion itself is designed as a walk-through attraction, creating an atmosphere similar to a live concert. I hope visitors will feel as if mobile suits truly exist and enjoy that sensation.”

A Life-Sized Gundam for Close-Up Experience

The life-sized Gundam statue in front of the Expo pavilion stands in a distinctive pose, kneeling on one knee with its arm raised high—a symbolic gesture representing the phrase “To outer space and the future.” While this design choice sparked mixed reactions among fans, it has also become a talking point.

Having visited the site multiple times, Tsujimoto initially questioned the pose but was won over when seeing the statue in person. “To be honest, I wondered why it was posed this way, but you can see the Gundam’s face incredibly up close! It’s like it’s come down to meet us,” he remarked. The kneeling posture allows visitors to observe the figure from a closer vantage point than a traditional standing statue, making it possible to appreciate intricate details and textures. Tsujimoto even took a commemorative photo mimicking the Gundam’s pose.

A 1:1 Gundam statue photographed by the editorial team on January 17, 2025. (© Sōtsū/Sunrise)

The life-sized Gundam statue illuminated at night. (© Sōtsū/Sunrise)

The Gundam featured in the new film, equipped with the Glass Feather on its back, will be released as a Gundam model kit starting in April.

The Expo 2025 Gundam model incorporates chemically recycled resin in some parts, utilizing collected and repurposed plastic runners, the plastic frames that hold model kit parts before assembly. Celebrating its forty-fifth anniversary this year, Gundam kits have surpassed 800 million units shipped, and this new initiative reflects Bandai Namco’s commitment to sustainable manufacturing, aligning with Expo 2025’s theme of Designing Future Society for Our Lives.

The model, officially known as Expo 2025 1/144 RX-78F00/E Gundam (EX-001 Glass Feather Backpack) Chemically Recycled Ver. (© Sōtsū/Sunrise)

Other Expo 2025 commemorative merchandise includes a plushie of Haro, who serves as the guide in the film, as well as crane game prizes featuring the kneeling Gundam statue, among many other goods.

Coinciding with the Expo’s duration, The Gundam Base Pop-Up World Tour in Osaka will open at the Daimaru Umeda department store, directly connected to Osaka Station. Featuring model kits as well as figures, cards, and miscellaneous goods, this store provides another opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in the world of Gundam, making a trip to both Yumeshima’s Expo site and Osaka Station an ideal Gundam-themed experience.

Haro plush toys sit in front of a Gundam crane game prize at top left. (© Sōtsū/Sunrise)

Exhibit celebrating the forty-fifth anniversary of Gundam model kits at Gundam Next Future Final. (© Sōtsū/Sunrise)

The Life-Sized GQuuuuuuX Head was also displayed for the first time at Gundam Next Future Final. (© Sōtsū/Sunrise)

(Originally published in Japanese. Report, text, and photos by Nippon.com. Banner photo: The Gundam Pavilion at the Osaka-Kansai Expo site on Yumeshima, photographed in January by Nippon.com. © Sōtsū/Sunrise.)