Summary
- Japanese brand Uniqlo released new Gundam shirts commemorating the 45th anniversary.
- The shirts feature designs from various Gundam eras and are available in unisex sizes.
- The collection includes limited edition shirts drawn by mechanical designer Kunio Okawara.
A lot of us grew up with Gundam, so it may not come as much of a surprise that the franchise is celebrating its 45th anniversary. As you can imagine, that means there will be plenty of things to commemorate this huge anniversary in Japan, where Gundam remains incredibly popular across generations. Whether it’s the anime, video games, or even just building models, Gundam remains a big part of Japanese pop culture, as it has for the past 45 years.
To celebrate such a big achievement for the franchise, Japanese affordable fashion brand Uniqlo has announced a range of special new t-shirts. These new designs are from across the eras of Gundam, with a little something to appeal to most fans regardless of when they joined the fan base. The shirts were launched on the official Japanese Uniqlo website this week, and are set to go on sale in Japan on April 14th, 2025.
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New Gundam Shirts at Uniqlo
These Designs Celebrate 45 Years of Gundam
There are four special Gundam designs in total for the Uniqlo 45th anniversary collection, the latest in the brand’s pop culture range. All four are t-shirts in a unisex cut, which means that anyone can wear them. The first design is on a white base, and comes from The Witch from Mercury. It has the characters on the front of the shirt, and the quote, “If you run, you gain one. If you move forward, you gain two,” printed on the back. The other white shirt has a small logo reading “Mobile Suit Gundam 45th” on the front to celebrate the anniversary, with a large print on the back of the Gundam suits done in a classic style.
There are two black shirts as well. The first design is based on Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom, with the model names ZGMF-X10A, ZGMF-X20A, and ZGMF/A-262B on the front and screen prints of them on the back. It also has the words “Freedom Gundam,” “Strike Freedom Gundam,” and “Strike Freedom Gundam TypeII” spelled out on the back, along with a small “Gundam Seed Series” text. The last shirt has the most classic design, with the original Gundam logo and classic art of the main models on the front, with nothing on the back.
The Uniqlo website describes this special range of t-shirts as (translated from Japanese):
This limited edition collection features illustrations specially drawn by mechanical designer Kunio Okawara, one of the creators of the giant robot Gundam, as well as the first in the series, Mobile Suit Gundam, the Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Series, whose movie was released in 2024, and the worldwide hit Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury. The limited edition collection includes Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, which was a huge hit around the world.
Each of the shirts is listed at ¥1,990 ($13.67 USD), and is available in sizes XS to 4XL. The shirts will go on sale in Japan on April 14th, though there is a note on the website that this release date may vary by store.
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Gundam Celebrates 45th Anniversary
Almost a Half-Century of Gundam Action
Gundam began in April 1979 with Mobile Suit Gundam, and really defined what went on to become the mecha anime genre by setting a precedent for giant fighting robots. The idea has been adapted into many famous stories, including other anime like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Full Metal Panic, along with Western media like Pacific Rim. Gundam‘s influence cannot be understated, especially in Japanese media, but in international media, too. The franchise went on to include many more anime series, along with movies, video games, and more.
The most recent major Gundam entry is Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, a series that aired from 2022 to 2023. Upcoming entries in the series include Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, which is set for release in the Spring 2025 Anime Season, and Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans: Urðr-Hunt, which has been announced but does not yet have a release window. The Gundam franchise may be nearly half a century old, but its still going strong and showing no signs of slowing down.
While these new 45th anniversary Gundam shirts at Uniqlo have not been announced internationally yet, there is a good chance that they will come to Uniqlo locations around the world. The Japanese website does not say anything about them being exclusive designs for Japan, so while there may not be an exact date yet, fans can remain hopeful that they are coming soon. Gundam is popular enough internationally to warrant selling them abroad, so an international release date is inevitable.
Watch Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury now on Crunchyroll.
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Source: Official Website