Gundam is collaborating with streetwear brand Supreme to release a new model of the iconic RX-78-2.
The new model kit was unveiled on Supreme's website. The Master Grade 1/100th scale Gunpla kit features the original Mobile Suit Gundam's flagship mecha, the RX-78-2 Gundam, rendered in a transparent red plastic. The model kit's red outer shell houses an inner frame that is made entirely out of recycled plastic. The Gundam's shield is adorned with Supreme's iconic logo, and the kit will also include decals of the logo in various sizes so fans can customize the branding on their new mobile suit. The announcement of the Gunpla kit was accompanied by a stop-motion animated short starring the mobile suit, which was posted to the clothing company's Instagram account. Limited quantities of the Gundam will go on sale on Dec. 16.
Gundam's new Supreme collaboration is the second time this year that the venerable mecha franchise has collaborated with a fashion company. Earlier this year, Bandai teamed up with Nike to release two sneakers based on the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam and its sister unit, the Banshee Gundam, which both appeared in 2010's Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn anime. That team-up also resulted in the creation of two new model kits of the Unicorn and Banshee, both of which were similarly recolored and branded with the Nike logo. Predictably, the model kits sold out quickly as they were snatched up by both sneaker and Gundam collectors.
Supreme was founded by designer James Jebbia in 1994. The brand creates clothing inspired by hip-hop and skateboarding subculture, and is now valued at over $1 billion USD, with 14 locations around the world.
Putting together the new Supreme Gundam kit should help fans of the Universal Century kill some time until the release of the second part of Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway, which appears to be a few years off. The second part of the Hathaway's Flash trilogy apparently won't be released for some time, as the movie's producer recently warned fans that the movie might not be ready until 2024 at the earliest. The first movie in the series was released in Japan earlier this year, where it pulled it in the series' best box-office performance since 1988's Char's Counterattack. The movie was released internationally exclusively through Netflix just weeks after its Japanese premiere. Netflix is also producing a live-action Gundam movie, and recently revealed the first image from its adaptation.