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The fifth in the Discovery-G series by the Mobile Suit Gundam themed cafe, Gundam Cafe, has been announced. Discovery-G is a project which uncovers Japan’s traditional and high level crafts and disseminates them through the Gundam Cafe.
So far, the project has included Vernier tumblers and gold leaf glass plates among other products which showcase Japanese craftsmanship. The fifth in the series is a collaboration with the long-established traditional ceramics company Kutani Yaki. Pre-orders through Premium Bandai began on Oct. 30.
Kutani Yaki is a traditional ceramics manufacturer from Ishikawa which has become a representative of Japanese culture during the 360 years since its “Kokuntani” foundation era. In contrast, Mobile Suit Gundam is welcoming its 36th anniversary since the original TV broadcast and has continued to be loved by fans over the years. They’re very different kinds of industries, but they’re coming together for this dream historical collaboration.
There are many different styles of Kutani Yaki, but this time there are five different versions on offer: Kokutani, Mokubei, Yoshidaya, Iidaya, and Shouza.
The Kokutani version features the battle scene between Gundam and Gouf, the Mokubei features Gundam in action, the Yoshidaya features Zaku, the Iidaya Char’s Custom Zaku, and the Shouza Char himself. The designs are faithful to the anime but also have the unique Kutani Yaki touch too.
The lineup which will be on sale includes chopstick rests, mamezara plates, rice bowls, and mugs. The chopstick rests and mamezara plates come as a set which includes each of the patterns, but Kokutani and Iidaya styles of the rice bowls and mugs will also be available. Premium Bandai will be accepting pre-orders from Oct. 30 until Nov. 13, 2015 at 11:00 p.m. (JST), and the products are scheduled to ship around February 2016. Retail sales will also be available at each branch of Gundam Cafe from Nov. 14.
The Kutani Yaki collaboration may sell out during the pre-order process if the production numbers are reached. This historical Mobile Suit Gundam collaboration seems set to prove popular. What sort of collaborations will they come up with next? You’ll have to wait and see!
Mobile Suit Gundam
© Sotsu Co. Ltd., Sunrise Inc.
Source: animeanime
