Gundam Franchise Hits Nearly $1 Billion Last Year

Bandai Namco reportedly generated over 131.3 billion yen from Mobile Suit Gundam

According to the latest financial report from Bandai Namco, the Gundam franchise has experienced significant success over the past year. Specifically, the franchise has generated sales of 131.3 billion yen, equivalent to $976 million, an increase from $755 million the previous year. The toy and model kit division accounted for nearly half of these sales.

This growth is largely attributed to the popularity of The Witch from Mercury anime and its related model kit and figure sales. It's worth noting that this new sales data is almost double that of the Gundam franchise's performance in 2014. In contrast, the Naruto franchise only made 18.7 billion yen, or about $139 million, in the same period.

While many focus on other Japanese intellectual properties, the Gundam franchise must be more noticed and understood. Hopefully, these new figures will draw attention to the fact that this long-running mecha franchise is still relevant and successful. Those interested can watch Gundam: The Witch from Mercury on Crunchyroll.