Amin Abbas

DUBAI: Japanese UAE-based bookstore Kinokuniya collaborated with Bandai to open the Gundam pop-up store at Dubai Mall.

The pop-up features exclusive Strict-G and Gunpla products such as t-shirts, hoodies, handkerchiefs, Shirakawa Darumas, caps & Protex suitcases along with a human-sized STRICT-G: 1/12 MS-06 ZAKU II [MASTERMIND JAPAN VER.] statue.

A representative of Kinokuniya told Arab News Japan that Strict-G products are being sold in the Middle East for the first time.

“As the store is open until the end of January, we hope many Gundam fans come to our Dubai store and get rare items,” the representative said.

The human-sized statue was created through a collaboration between Mastermind Japan & Strict G to produce a series of an all-black molded Gunpla while incorporating the signature Mastermind Japan “Skull and Bones” design. The statue was released in March 2018.

The human sized Gundam Dubai Expo 2020 statue, which was featured on the first day of the exhibition at the Japan pavilion, is on display at the bookstore in Dubai.

The original Gundam series mechanical designer, Kunio Okawara, illustrated a new rendition of the classic RX-78-2 Gundam for the Expo.

Kinokuniya also received the special Gundam Dubai Expo 2020 ver. HG 1/144 Gunpla model kit. The Japan-based retailer is the only place to sell the special kit in the UAE.

The kit is based on the HG 1/144 RX-78-2 Gundam released in 2015 and includes Japan-inspired marking stickers designed by Okawara.

Kanji characters are used for the sticker design to create more of a Japanese feel. The gunpla will also include Beam Rifle, Beam Saber, and Shield as accessories. The packaging includes a special leaflet including an interview with Okawara about Gundam and its specifications.

Announced in 2019, the Mobile Suit Gundam series had the honor of being appointed as one of the Japan Pavilion ambassadors for the Dubai Expo 2020.