Crunchyroll adds Gundam Build Fighters to streaming catalogue

We're still hopeful for Gundam Build Fighters getting a future UK home video release as part of distributor Anime Limited's exploration of the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise on our shores, but if you simply can't wait for that possibility then last night brought us some good news.

Namely, that news is the addition of both Gundam Build Fighters and second season Gundam Build Fighters Try to Crunchyroll's streaming catalogue, complete with full UK availability.

The entire series is now available in Japanese with English subtitles from this Crunchyroll page, and the show is described thus by the service:

The time is the near future. Years have passed since the 1980s, when "Gunpla"--plastic models based on the "Mobile Suit Gundam" animation--created a huge boom.

Now, a new wave is sweeping the world, in what could be called a second Gunpla boom. Its popularity is driven by "Gunpla Battle," in which assembled Gunpla can be controlled and made to fight. With the introduction of this revolutionary Battle System, its popularity has expanded to the point that a Gunpla Battle World Tournament is held each year.

The main character of the story, Iori Sei, is a young Gunpla builder who loves Gunpla and dreams of entering the Gunpla Battle World Tournament. As the only heir to a hobby shop, he has high Gunpla building abilities, but he doesn't know how to control them in battle and is continually defeated in the opening rounds of tournaments. When he meets Reiji, a mysterious boy with superb Gunpla control skills, they team up to take on the World Tournament.

Sei, the Gunpla builder.

Reiji, the Gunpla fighter.

Sei builds, and Reiji battles.

They're the Build Fighters everyone is talking about! 

Their goal is to enter the Gunpla Battle World Tournament--and win!