Gundam × hololive "STAR TEARS": VTubers, Mobile Suits, and What Collectors Should Watch
Gundam and hololive production have officially joined forces. On August 26, 2026, the two brands launched "STAR TEARS" (星の涙), a special mini-novel project that drops hololive's VTubers into the Universal Century and pairs each of them with a famous mobile suit. The first chapter, "The Rabbit, the Pirate, and…," went live the same day, written by Makoto Fukami — a screenwriter best known for the anime Psycho-Pass. For a fandom that has spent 45 years arguing over Gunpla grades, seeing Usada Pekora climb into a Unicorn Gundam is exactly the kind of crossover that gets collectors talking.
What "STAR TEARS" actually is
"STAR TEARS" is a multi-part story project rather than a single anime episode. The opening chapter follows three hololive members as they face off in a "virtual battle royale," and future installments are planned. The collaboration is bigger than the prose, though: the special site has rolled out newly drawn pilot-suit illustrations for the participating talents, plus a set of chibi "nui-armor" mini-characters that dress each VTuber in armor inspired by her assigned machine. An original collaboration song, "Tadaima Okaeri Kaereru Basho," is in production with music by Kenichi Maeyamada (Hyadain), and a music video is slated for autumn 2026.
Which VTubers pilot which mobile suits
Half the fun of a crossover like this is the pairings, and Gundam's designers leaned into each character's personality. Confirmed matchups so far include:
- Houshou Marine — Crossbone Gundam (a fitting choice for hololive's resident pirate).
- Usada Pekora — Unicorn Gundam.
- Oozora Subaru — Wing Gundam Zero EW.
- Tsunomaki Watame — Providence Gundam.
- Mori Calliope — Gundam Epyon.
- IRyS — Destiny Gundam.
The lineup deliberately spans multiple eras and studios of Gundam design — from the winged, angelic silhouettes of the Wing and SEED worlds to the transforming NT-D frames of the Unicorn saga — which is a smart way to appeal to fans no matter which corner of the franchise first hooked them.
Why this matters for Gundam collectors
Gundam has spent its 45th-anniversary run treating high-profile crossovers as a collectibles engine, and this one fits the pattern. The franchise has already turned virtual-idol team-ups into physical goods — the Gundam 45th × Hatsune Miku "Zaku-gurumi" prize figure is a real product on shelves right now — so a hololive tie-up with custom mobile suits, pilot suits, and nui-armor designs is exactly the sort of project that historically graduates into Gunpla, prize figures, and gashapon. Official merchandising for "STAR TEARS" is still being discussed rather than confirmed, so treat any specific figure, kit, or price rumor with caution until Bandai Spirits announces it. What's worth doing now is knowing the pairings, because when the goods do arrive, the machines tied to the most popular talents tend to sell through fastest.
If this collaboration is your entry point into the hobby, the good news is that the mobile suits at its heart — Unicorn, Wing Zero, Destiny, Crossbone — already have deep collectible catalogs to explore while you wait for the crossover goods. Browse Gundam figures and collectibles at Akibato, where crossover pieces like the Gundam × Hatsune Miku prize figure sit alongside the classic mobile suits "STAR TEARS" is built around — shipped worldwide from Japan.
Sources
- Denfaminicogamer — Mini-novel project "STAR TEARS" Chapter 1 goes live: Gundam × hololive production collaboration
- HOBBY Watch — Gundam × hololive collab reveals new pilot-suit art, mini-novel Chapter 1, and a collaboration song
- Gamepedia — Gundam × hololive "STAR TEARS" launches: synopsis revealed, story by Makoto Fukami