Gundam Celebrates a Major 40th Anniversary in Mecha Anime Style With New Traditional Kimono Jackets
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First airing over 40 years ago, the original Mobile Suit Gundam anime took a few years to finally receive a sequel. Now, that follow-up anime is winding down on its own anniversary year, and it’s doing so in style — literally.
The STRICT-G fashion brand is teaming up with the Miyata Orimono textile manufacturer to produce a series of haori (traditional kimono over-jackets) based on Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. Featuring various mecha from the anime, it commemorates the 40th anniversary of the Gundam sequel. Combining classic anime with even more traditional Japanese designs, these coats are now available for purchase and mark the perfect way to celebrate the franchise’s latest milestone.
Mecha Fans Can Wear Japanese Tradition With Bandai’s New Zeta Gundam Haori Release
Miyata Orimono is an iconic textile manufacturer known throughout the Fukuoka Prefecture, with the company having been around since 1913. Now, it’s collaborating with Bandai’s STRICT-G (a Gundam-based fashion brand) to produce two haori, a type of Japanese short coat. These are based on Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, the 1985 anime that was also the first sequel to the original Mobile Suit Gundam. One of the haori is based on the Zeta Gundam itself, even featuring a brush illustration of the mecha on the back of the coat. It also has a “dragonfly” pattern — an interesting reference to dragonflies being called the “victory bug” in Japan.
The second haori is the Hyaku Shiki version, which is based on a gold mobile suit from Zeta Gundam. The Hyaku Shiki mobile suit is on the back, with the fabric featuring a wheat threshing pattern. The symbol for wheat threshing represents good fortune, subtly referencing the shimmering sheen of the mecha. Each of these Gundam coats can be ordered for 26,400 yen, or around US$180. Following the initial pre-order schedule, they’re set to also be sold at physical STRICT-G locations, allowing fans to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the classic Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam anime. This isn’t the only Gundam fashion item being sold this year, with the 30th anniversary of New Mobile Report Gundam Wing being celebrated with a Gundam Wing bomber jacket, among other items.
