Summer Heat Intensifies as 'Evangelion' Steals Show at Wonder Festival
Wonder Festival 2025 Summer, held on July 27th, offered a diverse range of figures and models, with a strong emphasis on anime and mecha franchises. The event, which took place at the Big Sight in Tokyo, Japan, attracted thousands of enthusiasts and featured a mix of established and emerging manufacturers.
Highlights of the Event
The commercial part of Wonder Festival this year showcased new and upcoming Evangelion merchandise, including high-quality figures and garage kits, continuing its strong presence at the festival. Other notable highlights included figures and mecha models from Super Robot Wars 30, Armored Trooper VOTOMS, Layzner, Galient, Armored Core, and Virtual On.
Evangelion and Super Robot Wars 30
Evangelion, in particular, was featured prominently with multiple high-quality figures and garage kits, including new interpretations of iconic units and characters. Super Robot Wars 30 also had a significant presence, with figures showcasing various mecha from the game.
Vintage and Niche Series
Classic mecha series such as VOTOMS, Layzner, and Galient had several figures and kits featured, appealing to fans of vintage and niche robot anime. This blend of current and retro themed collectible items underscores Wonder Festival’s commitment to catering to a wide range of anime and mecha enthusiasts.
Less Prominent, Yet Popular Titles
Though less prominent than others, Virtual On figures or related items appeared, marking its continuing niche appeal within the mecha figure community.
Notable Absences and Curiosities
While no major franchises were completely missing, some fans noted less representation from very recent anime series compared to these established classic and popular titles. Additionally, some expected exclusive or new reveals from certain mecha franchises were subtler or delayed, generating speculation about manufacturing or licensing timelines.
Notably, there were few, if any, Gundam GQuuuuuuX or Requiem for Vengeance offerings at Wonder Festival 2025 Summer. The commercial part of the event also had noticeable absences from Kotobukiya, Good Smile Company, Bandai, and Takara Tomy.
Participating Manufacturers
CCS Toys and POSE+ were among the new Chinese manufacturers showcasing their products at the commercial part of Wonder Festival. Bandai and Takara Tomy had small showings, while more Armored Core merchandise was present this year, with a focus on older games due to their recent online resurgence and digital re-releases on PlayStation.
Fan-Based Offerings
The fan-based offerings at Wonder Festival 2025 Summer included a large number of Armored Trooper VOTOMS, Layzner, and Galient kits. One stall showcased every variant from Virtual On Force, while another offered enormous papercraft versions of Virtual On Force's mid-game boss Jaguarandi.
The organizer of the article is featured in the Giant Robots exhibition currently touring Japan and can be followed on X, Facebook, and YouTube, and also manages Mecha Damashii. The winter edition of Wonder Festival took place earlier this year.
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] (Sources for the information provided)
- The lifestyle, technology, and entertainment worlds intersected at Wonder Festival 2025 Summer, where an emphasis on video games, anime, and mecha franchises, such as Evangelion, Armored Trooper VOTOMS, Layzner, Galient, and Super Robot Wars 30, were evident.
- The event also highlighted the connection between entertainment and technology, as evidenced by the presence of manufacturers featuring toys and merchandise from vintage and niche series, as well as newly released products, like those from Armored Core, which had a focus on older games due to their recent online resurgence and digital re-releases on PlayStation.
