Gundam franchise gears up for global outreach with live-action movie

Japanese sci-fi franchise's owner Bandai Namco to triple model kit shops in China

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Intricately designed model kits serve as a driving force behind the sustained growth of the 'Gundam' franchise. (Photo by Kanon Wakabayashi)

TAKURO SUZUKI and KANON WAKABAYASHI

TOKYO -- More than 45 years after the sci-fi anime series "Gundam" debuted on TV in Japan, entertainment group Bandai Namco Holdings will tap related intellectual property for further growth, making a live-action Hollywood movie to introduce the fighting robots to a wider audience abroad.

The company will also boost production capacity for the franchise's core products -- model kits -- with a whole new factory in Japan to address tight supplies, while increasing the network of stores dedicated to such kits in China.

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