Hooray for the double celebration XD
The official website is now up, with an introduction movie uploaded as well. But again, my browser is too slow in loading that movie, so I didn't get to watch it yet.
For your information, the very first Gunpla released was 1/144 Gundam RX-78-2, which was out in the market in early 1980. And amazingly, you can still get this kit in certain stores. ^^
In 1999, Bandai paid homage to this kit by releasing the First Grade version, with all runners molded in a single color and used hinge joints instead of polycaps. Of course that was part of Gundam 20th Anniversary celebration as well.
This is perhaps the very first time for an "anniversary celebration" for Gunpla. But given how big the industry is in Japan (and I mean Gunpla alone, not plamo in general ^^) for all this while, and I mean 393 million pieces of total sales by December 2008 kind of big. So even though it's a commercial product series, Gunpla "formally" celebrating its 30th Anniversary is well justified.
As a matter of fact, my blog exists in the first place is because of Gunpla as well. ^^
It's going to be a year full of Gunplas in 2010 I believe. ^^ And surprises too. That 1/48 Gundam RX-78-2 announced recently is just a tip of an iceberg coming our way I believe. ^^
Nobody predicted that a life-sized statue of Gundam RX-78-2 came out for this year's celebration, so I dare not imagine what Bandai is planning for Gunpla's turn of celebration next year. ^^
Image is from Gunpla 30th Anniversary's official website
