Gundam Build Metaverse Teases Return of Previous Gundam Build Protagonists

Sunrise and Bandai Namco has released new information on their upcoming Gundam Build Metaverse ONA miniseries: including a new teaser trailer, key visual, characters, story, staff and Gundam model kits that hints at the return of the Build franchise’s previous protagonists.

Dubbed “Gundam Build 10th Anniversary Dream Battle Project,” Bandai Namco announced Gundam Build Metaverse in March during their Gundam Conference Spring 2023 to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Gundam Build series and as an anime tie to the Group‘s ambitious Gundam Metaverse Project. The three-episode miniseries will stream on Gundam‘s official YouTube channels, Gundam Channel in Japan, and Gundam Info internationally in October 2023. The series is directed by renowned mecha animator Masami Obari.

Story

A new Internet service has been born in the world of Gunpla. Within the Metaverse realm, the user can control their own avatar, interact with other users, play Gunpla Battle, and purchase actual Gunpla. Rio Hojo is a boy who has dove into this new world. Studying Gunpla building techniques in the real world with Seria Urutuski, and absorbing Gunpla Battle know-how from Mask Lady in the Metaverse world, he has been honing his skills day by day. After completing his own original Gunpla, the Lah Gundam, Rio happens to encounter some past champions of Gunpla Battle in the Metaverse realm.

Staff

– Planning: Sunrise

– Original Concept: Hajime Yatate, Yoshiyuki Tomino

– Director: Masami Obari

– Series Composition: Noboru Kimura

– Character Design: Hirona Okada, Yoriko Goto, Ippei Gyobu

– Fumina Design Cooperation: Humikane Shimada

– Character Design Supervision: Kenichi Onuki

– Mechanical Design: Kunio Okawara, Kanetake Ebikawa, Takayuki Yanase, Shinya Terashima, Naohiro Washio, Kotaro Ando(Studio GS)

– Chief Mechanic Animator: Yu Yoshiyama

– Planning Cooperation: Bandai Spirits, Bandai Namco Entertainment

– Production: SUNRISE BEYOND

– Produced by: Bandai Namco Filmworks, Sotsu

Characters

Rio Hojo

A boy who lives in Hawaii and loves Gunpla. He is interested in Japanese culture, Samurai, Ninja and so forth thanks to the influence from his grandfather who came from Japan. His personality is cheerful and positive. He doesn’t fret even when he’s lost a battle as it’s more important to him to have fun.

Rio Hojo(Avatar)

Seria Urutsuki

She is a clerk who works at the neighborhood hobby shop and teaches its Gunpla class. She sometimes appears goofy like when she even puts herself up at the classroom. After Rio begged her, she became the boy’s mentor for Gunpla Building. There are rumors that she used to be a famous Builder.

Mask Lady

Rio’s Gunpla Battle mentor existing in the Metaverse. Her skills are first-rate. She’s also so rigorous she never goes easy in practice battles.

Mecha

Lah Gundam

A Gunpla which Rio built using ENTRY GRADE RX-78-2 as its base. It was customized according to the “Japanese spirit” as understood by the boy who grew up in the Aloha State, and “Lah” in its name means “the sun” in Hawaiian. Even though he was a first-timer, the machine was meticulously finished through repeated trial and error, and Rio’s sunny admiration toward Gunpla Battle was incorporated in it.