07/06/2026
Industry Update:
I have been meaning to post an update the past 6 months, it has just been incredibly busy. I have started and stopped this update multiple times with over 12 pages of material, I hope this update summarizes the current industry.
There have been a number of major changes to the hobby in 2026, which we have been expecting the last 3 years, marking 2026 a year of transition.
OVER ORDERING
While not completely eliminated we have seen major steps in deterring the practice of overordering, to beat allocations. This practice has major implications on an industry, especially because it became so widespread as retailers tried to “compete” for stock. Because we never used this practice, we were constantly shorted for many products, but given the alternative, I will always accept a shortage than trying to game system.
What is the alternative? Having an overordered item being filled in full, which became a reality for dozens of retailers in Canada. It’s not hard to find where the problem was, posts complaining about running out of space, and offering massive discounts became the norm on social media for many stores.
While deep-discounted items are great for builders, aside from the brand damage, they are often a sign of retailers that are struggling under the weight of their own inventory. Here we began to see a trend of store closures over the past 2 years.
The larger problem with the rampant overordering was inaccurate data. It created the illusion of unprecedented growth, and while there was growth, it was nowhere near the imaginary growth demonstrated by overordered numbers. This began to create unrealistic sales targets that first threatened to choke the supply chain. Worse yet, the steady and consistent growth the hobby is currently experiencing is not being recognized because of the artificially inflated numbers of previous years.
In Winnipeg, the growth of the hobby is apparent, Gunpla was once a hobby that could only be accessed through 2 retailers, now there are well over 30 locations to find kits. Sadly, industrially, this growth can’t be comparatively captured accurately.
HORIZONTAL PIVOT
Corporately, every organization prioritizes sales and market growth. Bandai is no exception and have activated other markets to find growth and strengthen their brand. The 2 product lines of note are Gundam TCG and Gundam Assemble. TCG is clearly an amazing success, people are playing the game, and amazingly the speculative nature of the card industry has been limited around the Gundam TCG community (Check out our friends at A Muse N Games). The response for the upcoming assemble release has also been tremendous.
These have been incredibly positive moves by Bandai, where the overall benefit will be the growth of the Gundam fanbase. However, early in the cycle this will create problems for the hobby side, as the majority of early TCG and miniature players will be from the existing gunpla builders installed base. This has 2 implications.
For us the first impact will be a challenge to our business model, a shop dedicated to builders. From an infrastructure perspective, the advantage will transition to gaming stores with the infrastructure to run games, with their capacity through space and staffing. They are effectively positioned to service all three gundam pillars, card gaming, miniature gaming and gunpla building.
A one-person, weekend gunpla shop will naturally be at a disadvantage during this stage. The hope is that the proliferation of the two gaming lines will cycle back into the gunpla community in the middle term.
The other impact is directly operational, Bandai has significantly reduced new product releases in the gunpla space, trying to grow their new categories. While they have improved production of their back catalogue, new items are needed to generate discourse and excitement for the hobby.
MERGERS
All this has led to the most significant change, Canada and US regions have now been merged, represented through California.
Those that visit us regularly know that this has been my greatest fear for the last 4 years. Having over 30 years in the industry, I have seen this type of restructuring numerous times, and in every situation, I have seen shops in Winnipeg close, some belonging to fellow colleagues. From action figures to comics, this type of restructuring generally puts Canada at a critical disadvantage.
Fortunately, Bandai has demonstrated its commitment to Canada and a willingness to invest in our country’s builders. The 2025 GBWC engagement and the unprecedented response to the Gundam Base Popup last March make Canada an appealing market to grow the Gundam brand.
This merger represents a great deal of potential for Canadian builders that could open access to the American gunpla infrastructure, including the Gundam Base circuit, parts replacements and (fingers crossed), an official channel to P-bandai.
In theory it should improve access to licensed products as Canada would now be part of a much larger buying group.
In the short term, there will be challenges specifically around logistics, priority and price.
Aside from these changes, the current economic environment has not been kind to gunpla costs. There has been upward pressure on costs for a multitude of well-known reasons and the surplus of overordered product has put downward pressure on pricing, challenging the sustainability and survivability of dedicated retailers. Still, I am seeing trends lead to price stability as production diversity improves and surplus inventories are reduced.
We are also now connected to a region that represents 10x the population and demand that gravity will challenge the product mix that crosses to our side of the border. Maintaining engagement is critical.
Early in 2025, Bandai released a strategy build specifically around engagement. Gundam TCG and Gundam Assemble by nature are engagement-based hobbies. This places the onus on us to maintain engagement in the hobby communities.
POSITION
As a retailer we have continued for over 25 years, because of our willingness to adapt. And when faced with this level of industry transformation, businesses will instinctively follow (the money). That has never been us.
In the early 2000’s when Winnipeg stores were filled with bootleg and unlicensed anime merchandise, we made the decision to import true licensed products like figma, nendroids, revoltech, and transformers.
When Canada gave up on gunpla and Bandai pulled Canadian distribution in 2002, we began importing kits directly from Japan.
When we started a hobby store the concept of a hobby store had already proven itself a dying business model a decade earlier.
This time, we have no intention of changing our position. We will remain a gunpla store.
This does not mean will not make adjustments.
Outside Japan, brands have now evolved, reaching new heights in engineering with new and unique designs. We will respectfully carry snap build mecha that does not infringe on gunpla licenses.
We have also opened channels to other buildable lines including cars and figures, as well as carrying European based paints and supplies to offset current product bans for Asian supplies.
Our goal will remain keeping the hobby affordable and accessible, and our core remains unchanged, supporting new builders and our amazing community.
Why? Because there is value in building a gundam kit. Because we believe that a hobby can still be a hobby.
We live in a time of influencers and speculative collecting. When worried about whether something is worth grading or the number of likes on a reel, it is easy to lose track of the purpose of a hobby: a timeout from our daily lives, the enjoyment of the process and the accomplishment of a completed build.
Every box carries that potential. A little bit of fun amidst the whirlwind.
As old school as it sounds, a hobby store is an extension of that experience.
The joy of walking into a store full of options, picking a model kit, and going home to build still sounds like an amazing day to me.
Amidst all these changes, we intend to keep this experience alive in a sustainable fashion. Minimal staff (one), an obscure location and a lean approach to managing supply keep us survivable no matter what the challenge.
Maybe I’m showing my age, maybe I’m just being stubborn. I just want miHobbies to stay miHobbies.
2026 represents a major shift in the industry. And we will adapt … so we can keep things the same.
Thank you for loving this hobby. It’s why I will stay stubborn.
