Gundam Build Fighters
Gundam Build Fighters is a 2013 anime in the Gundam franchise. It doesn't take place in the usual set of timelines; rather, like Model Suit Gunpla Builders Beginning G, it's set in a world where Gundam only exists as a basis for a series of plastic model kits (rather like our own).
Unlike our world, Gunpla is a huge deal, thanks to the Gunpla Battle system. "Plavsky" particles allow plastic models to become animated just like the mobile suits from the show, and people all over the world build and battle models in from school and in-store tournaments all the way up to international championships.
Sei Iori's family owns a model shop, and while he's a talented builder, he's not much of a battler, much to the amusement of his not-so-friendly rival Susumu Sazaki. However, a mysterious older boy named Reiji wanders into Sei's life and proves to be a master fighter despite lacking any knowledge of Gundam or Gunpla, and Sei thinks they might have a shot at the world championship together.
It can be found on the official Gundam YouTube channel.
It was followed in 2014-15 with Gundam Build Fighters Try.
- Continuity Nod: The Anime. Fitting, given that it was announced on the 35th anniversary of the original show. You'd probably get alcohol poisoning if you tried to make a drinking game out of shout-outs to the previous entries.
- Oblivious to Love: Reiji. Even when Aila makes a wish on her Arista and follows Reiji back to Arian, he doesn't understand.
Aila: Reiji, you IDIOT!
- Role Reprisal: Masashi Hirose returns to voice Ramba Ral.
- Serious Business: There's a Gunpla Mafia. Part of Takeshi Iori's job as an International Gunpla Battle Official Referee is to deal with them.
- Shipper on Deck: Rinko Iori encourages China and Sei to get closer. She later does the same for Reiji and Aila.
- Stay with the Aliens: Aila makes a wish on her Arista to follow Reiji back to Arian, and Baker grabs Mashita to follow him.
- The Reveal: The Plavsky particle system, Chairman Mashita, and Reiji come from Arian, a space colony far from Earth (and maybe in a parallel universe).
- Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny: This is part of the point of the show. Mobile Suits from totally different timelines get to fight each other.
- When You Coming Home, Dad?: Takeshi's job as a referee requires him to travel all over the world. He's seldom home, though he manages to get assigned to the tournament and see it with his family.