This year marks the 30th anniversary of Gundam, Japan's universally acclaimed animation series. Initially conceived by animator Tomino Yoshiyuki, the series began as Mobile Suit Gundam in 1979, and quickly gained popularity, spawning several animation series, movies, novels, model kits and games.
An official anniversary celebration is being held in Japan.
To those unfamiliar with the franchise, Gundam may appear to be merely another story featuring robots battling each other.
But fans will tell you it is much more complex than that. The machines are merely a way to channel the series' innovative characters, creative storylines and feasible machine designs.
Gundam explores themes that are highly relevant to today's world, such as war and conflict initiated by elitism and corruption, and environmental problems.
Hui Chung-kui, a Hong Kong fan who has followed the series since its launch, says: 'The Gundam series was a breakthrough in robot animated shows. Before Gundam, all robot series consisted only of one-on-one duels. Gundam was the first to bring large-scale warfare with hundreds of robots battling each other.'