GUNDAM-Con 2027: Gundam's First Official Convention Opens Its Ticket Lottery — What Collectors Should Know

GUNDAM-Con 2027: Gundam's First Official Convention Opens Its Ticket Lottery — What Collectors Should Know

GUNDAM-Con 2027 SIDE MAKUHARI, the first entry in Bandai Namco's official Gundam convention series, will take place January 9–11, 2027 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan, and its first ticket lottery opened on August 28, 2026. The event is the anchor of a multi-year build-up toward Gundam's 50th anniversary in 2029, marking the franchise that began with the 1979 television series. For collectors of Gunpla, scale figures, and prize figures, it is shaping up to be one of the biggest single gatherings the hobby has ever seen.

What GUNDAM-Con 2027 Is

Bandai Namco has described the convention as a place to enjoy "Gunpla, anime, games, figures and competitive tournaments" under one roof. The Makuhari edition takes over Halls 1 through 3 and runs from 9:00 to 20:00 each day, with last admission at 19:30. According to Essential Japan, Bandai Namco enlarged the venue after overwhelming demand followed the event's original reveal earlier in 2026. The concept leans on "creating together with fans," with deep-dive exhibitions, hands-on experience corners, and appearances from creators behind the series across its decades of history.

Importantly, GUNDAM-Con is being built as a global touring event. Makuhari is only the first stop; Bandai Namco has said further locations worldwide will be announced later, consolidating what used to be separate world championships — for plastic models, the Gundam Card Game, and video games — into a single show.

Essential Japan — Bandai Expands Gundam's Official 50th Anniversary Convention Due to Huge Fan Demand
Image: Essential Japan

The Ticket Lottery Rounds to Track

Admission is by paid advance lottery with timed entry slots, so international fans planning a trip should note the schedule carefully. Applications run in three rounds: August 28–September 6, 2026 (results September 15), October 2–12, and October 30–November 8. Applicants can list multiple preferred dates and times, and winners must complete payment within a set window to lock in their slot. Several of the biggest draws — seated stage presentations and queue tickets for certain limited merchandise — require additional reservations after you're inside, a familiar rhythm for anyone who has chased event-exclusive kits before.

Anime.com — GUNDAM-Con 2027 Reveals Stage Lineup as Ticket Lottery Opens
Image: Anime.com

Why It Matters for Gunpla and Figure Collectors

Event-exclusive Gunpla and figures have long been among the most sought-after items in the hobby, and a convention on this scale tends to concentrate them. The published stage lineup already points to programming around Real Grade Gunpla, the RG Project, Builders' Arena model-building content, SD Gundam G Generation, and Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM ZERO, alongside a Gundam Card Game 2-on-2 team battle and the Infinite Boost Championship. Merchandise presentations and product demonstrations are folded in throughout the three days. If past anniversary waves are any guide, expect renewed collector attention on flagship suits — the RX-78-2, the Strike Freedom, and the SEED cast — well before the doors open.

New Gundam on the Horizon

The convention lands amid a busy stretch for the franchise. Bandai Namco has teased "a brand-new Mobile Suit Gundam Wing animation project," a theatrical outing for Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM ZERO, and a full remaster of the original 1979 series for modern displays, per The Outerhaven. April 7 has also been formally recognized as "Gundam Day." For collectors, more anime almost always means more figures and kits, and an anniversary runway this long usually translates into years of fresh releases to chase.

Building a Gundam shelf ahead of the 50th-anniversary wave? Browse Gundam Gunpla, figures and prizes at Akibato, which ships worldwide from Japan. Because shipping is charged by total parcel weight rather than per item, a few smaller kits or prize figures can travel together for roughly the cost of sending one — handy if you're rounding out a display in a single order.

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