40 years, 500 million robot figures: The secrets of Gundam's success

TOKYO -- Few entertainment franchises have the staying power of "Mobile Suit Gundam." Four decades after the original animated series debuted on Japanese television, the tales of space-faring, sword-fighting robots continue to captivate new generations of fans worldwide. And sales of miniature plastic model robots are still going strong -- so strong, in fact, that toymaker Bandai Namco's factory is running at full tilt.