Amin Abbas

DUBAI: BANDAI SPIRITS Co., LTD has officially launched the ‘Gunpla Showroom Dubai’ exhibition at The Dubai Mall, showcasing large scale Gundam statues, model kits and workshops, while simultaneously celebrating Japanese culture.

Gundam was appointed the role of the ambassador for the Japan pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai, and BANDAI SPIRITS CO is promoting Japanese culture through exhibiting the joy of monodukuri (creating and crafting) to people around the world through Gunpla.

The exhibition’s main features are as follows:

• Exhibiting 1/10 Scale Standing Gundam RX-78-2 statue (total height: approximately 1,800 mm) where local Gundam fans who are visiting the mall and those who developed an interest in Gundam at Expo 2020 Dubai will be able to experience the design and the powerful appeal of Gundam up close and in person.

• Showcasing various Gunpla model kits for those who are encountering Gundam and Gunpla for the first time to be able to experience the appeal of Gunpla, including the fun of simply looking at different Gundam plastic models, understanding the forms and mechanical details of Gundam that connect the animated world of Gundam with the real world, and customizing plastic models to create unique and original Gunpla.

• Gunpla assembling workshop free of charge for visitors who wants to experience the fun of assembling a Gunpla model kit. The workshop is intended as an opportunity to experience the joy of creating and crafting by actually assembling a Gunpla.

• Collaboration with Kinokuniya Book store at The Dubai Mall Dubai with standing statue HG 1/144 RX-78-2 GUNDAM (PR Ambassador of the Japan Pavilion, Expo 2020 Dubai) plastic model, which was specially designed by mechanical designer Kunio Okawara to commemorate the appointment of Gundam as “PR Ambassador of the Japan Pavilion, Expo 2020 Dubai”. The statue is being featured at Dubai’s Kinokuniya Book store since early October till late February 2022 along with selling the special Gundam Dubai Expo 2020 ver. HG 1/144 Gunpla model kit exclusively at the book store.

Speaking exclusively to Arab News Japan, Tomoaki Ishikawa, a representative from BANDAI SPIRITS CO, discussed the challenges that were faced in the process of organizing the ‘Gunpla Showroom Dubai’ exhibition at The Dubai Mall.

“It’s the first time we hold an event in the UAE. We actually didn’t know how to find the location, how to manage the event, and so on. Also, due to COVID-19, we were not able to have a business trip to Dubai during the last two years. So, we couldn’t obtain physical market research,” Ishikawa said.

“As a result, the management of The Dubai Mall has allowed us to hold ‘Gunpla Showroom Dubai’, which is our official agent and their partners gave us help to hold it and manage it. On one hand, the display space was small and we had no choice to omit a sales booth. We needed to prepare an opportunity that customers can purchase GUNPLA. That’s why we have asked the Kinokuniya Book store  in Dubai, which is close to the ‘Gunpla Showroom Dubai’ to have a special space for the sale of Gunpla model kits.”

“I believe that we would not have been able to hold the Gunpla Showroom Dubai without the big support that was received from our partners. I really appreciate their help.”

The showroom was received with enthusiasm from the public, Ishikawa said, adding that they were pleased to see photos of people trying to build the GUNDAM model at the exhibition.

For this special occasion, the official international Gundam YouTube Channel, Gundam Info has started streaming the complete feature-length trilogy comprising “Mobile Suit Gundam I,” “Mobile Suit Gundam II: Soldiers of Sorrow,” and “Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space” in the UAE with English subtitles for a limited time from October 1 to December 31.

The Gunpla Showroom Dubai will remain operating from October, 2021 to March 31, 2022, concurrently with Expo 2020 Dubai.