How Gundam Plastic Models are Made – Bandai New Factory Tour
Annually held in Shizuoka and one of the biggest model exhibitions in Japan is Shizuoka Hobby Show. Among the latest hobby goods gathered from all over the country, the biggest attraction for the visitors is the all-time plastic model fans’ favorite, Gundam series, aka Gunpla, Marking the 45th anniversary since the launch, they have sold 800 million Gunpla sets in total, continuously winning hearts and minds of fans in Japan and the rest of the world. And almost all of them have been manufactured in a factory in Shizuoka City called Bandai Hobby Center. Relocated to the current place in 2006, they have shipped the Ganpla models from Shizuoka to all over the world. And now to meet the growing demand, they built a new improved factory which started operation today. So what is new about the new factory? Two days ago, right before the start of operation, we were given a special permission to take a tour. The new factory is three-storied, featuring a white-based interior and high ceilings, looking open and very spacious. Previously, some of the manufacturing processes were carried out offsite, But now, everything from production to shipping can be completed in one building, and they say it’s a major advantage. And our tour guides today are… They are Bandai Spirits’ plastic model’s official ambassador LINKL PLANETS, Ms. Arai and Ms. Omoto. As Plamo idols whose mission is to spread the appeal of plastic models, they took us first to what they referred to as the heart of the factory. With somewhat familiar color scheme, they are called molding machines. They produce plastic model parts and sprues that hold the parts together. While a standard molding machine can produce only one color of sprue at a time, Bandai’s original multicolor molding machines can mold up to four colors of sprues in a single run. With that, they have achieved improved productivity and reduced costs. By next summer, the new factory plans to add 10 more multicolor mold machines, aiming to increase production volume by 35%. And the conveyance of the molded parts to the next process also uses an advanced technology. The molded parts travel to the next station via the overhead conveyance system. The conveyance is fully automated and requires no manual labor, so in order to maximize factory space, it runs overhead along the ceiling. And the molded parts are transported to the wrapping process and then to the packaging area, where the inner box containing the parts and instructions and the outer box featuring a cool Gundam illustration are assembled by the automated special machines. The assembled boxes ride down the conveyor belt to the manual packaging station where the process is completed. Then they are sent to distribution warehouses to be shipped out to stores. This museum will open on September 2nd and will be accessible by reservation only. Tickets can be purchased through the official website. Born in Shizoka and loved all around the world, Gunpla is taking another major leap forward with the launch of this new factory, which begins operation today.
Original Video: *Uploaded on 7/29
Shizuoka Hobby Show: *This year’s show was from May 14 to May 18, 2025.
https://www.hobby-shizuoka.com/english/index.html
Bandai Hobby Center PD II Museum Ticket Purchase:
https://bhcpdii.bandai-hobby.net/
Museum Address: 500-15 Naganuma Aoi Ward, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka
Bandai Hobby Center Website: *No factory tour available.
https://www.bandaispirits.co.jp/hobbycenter/
AloJapan.com