Gundam Seed Freedom Nebuta Floats to Parade at Aomori Nebuta Festival
This is the first time the Gundam Festival Project has adapted a mecha design into a traditional nebuta float, blending a major anime IP with a UNESCO-recognized festival craft.
Key Facts
- The Mighty Strike Freedom Gundam and Infinite Justice Gundam Type II will appear as front nebuta floats at the Aomori Nebuta Festival from August 2 to August 7, 2026.
- Nebuta master Hiroo Fukushi is crafting the floats for the Gundam Festival Project, which places Gundam IP into local festivals for regional revitalization.
- A pop-up shop runs July 18 to August 30, 2026, at the To-O Nippo Shinmachi Building in Aomori, selling limited goods and local tie-up products.
- Collaboration products include chocolate banana flavored English Toast bread (178 yen, July 27 to September 30) and Polo Chocolat cake (702 yen, from August 1).
- The event key visual depicts Kira Yamato, Lacus Clyne, Athrun Zala, and Cagalli Yula Athha in haneto costumes.
Reporting from 3 sources: Denfaminicogamer, Cinema Today, Anime Anime.
Bandai Namco Filmworks announced on July 6 that two mobile suits from the film "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM" will appear as giant nebuta floats at the 2026 Aomori Nebuta Festival. The Mighty Strike Freedom Gundam and the Infinite Justice Gundam Type II, crafted by nebuta master Hiroo Fukushi, will serve as the front nebuta leading a parade group. The exhibition is the first installment of the Gundam Festival Project, an initiative that places Gundam IP into locally cherished festivals as a form of regional revitalization. A newly drawn event key visual shows characters Kira Yamato, Lacus Clyne, Athrun Zala, and Cagalli Yula Athha dressed in haneto dancer costumes. The parade will also distribute collaboration fans featuring that visual. The festival runs from August 2 to August 7, with a pre-festival display on August 1. A pop-up shop opens July 18 at the To-O Nippo Shinmachi Building, selling limited goods and tie-up products with local Aomori items like Stamina Gen Tare sauce, Gachirin apple juice, and Nanbu Senbei crackers. Additional collaborations include chocolate banana flavored English Toast bread and Polo Chocolat cake in limited packaging.
The two mobile suits were crafted by nebuta master Hiroo Fukushi (also written as Hiroaki Fushimi or Yuro Fushimi in different sources). The floats will operate as the front nebuta of the parade group "Watashitachi no Nebuta Jishu Seisaku Jikko Iinkai."
The Gundam Festival Project is an expansion of an initiative that began in 2024, when Gundam was exhibited at festivals including Fukuoka Hakata Gion Yamakasa and the Sapporo Snow Festival. The project aims to "bring out the charm of local regions and create locally loved Gundam," according to the press release.
The festival sponsors are Seven-Eleven Japan, BANDAI SPIRITS, and Fields Corporation. The pop-up shop is organized by Aomori Broadcasting and runs from July 18 to August 30 at the To-O Nippo Shinmachi Building New's Hall foyer.
The "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED" TV series aired from 2002 to 2003, directed by Mitsuo Fukuda with character designs by Hisashi Hirai. The film "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM" released in January 2024 surpassed 5 billion yen in box office revenue and 3 million viewers, making it the biggest hit in Gundam series history. A prequel film, "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM ZERO," based on a scenario by series composer Chiaki Morosawa and Shigeru Morita, has also been announced for theatrical release.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 3 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.