CSULB alum Joaquin Alonzo holds up the two “backlogs” he brought to ASI’s “Build & Chill: Gundam” event – High Grade Gundam model kits gMS-Ω GQuuuuuuX (left) and gMS-α Red Gundam (right) on Nov. 6. Joseph Lee | Long Beach Current

Over 100 eager Long Beach State students wrapped around the entrance of Peterson Hall on Nov. 6, spilling out from the hallway to the steps, leading into the walkway.

The line was for the Associated Students, Inc. Beach Pride “Build & Chill: Gundam” event, which featured giveaways of plastic model kits for students to build Gundam figures, eat snacks and mingle in an open space.

Gundam, the immensely popular mecha anime, is a staple of its genre of giant robots, from its anime series to its model figures.

A long line of students wraps around Peterson Hall 1 as attendees wait for a chance to claim a free Gundam model kit during ASI Beach Pride’s “Build & Chill: Gundam” event on Nov. 6. Joseph Lee | Long Beach Current

Along with the giveaway, the event also featured an opportunity drawing, offering students who signed in a chance to win another model kit, regardless of whether they had received one already.

Students who RSVP’D signaled first dibs on the coveted Gunpla model kits.

Within the first 20 minutes of the event, the 56 model kits whittled down to a few, leaving only those in the front of the non-RSVP line, some of whom had waited nearly an hour, with a chance to receive one.

Upon receiving a kit, students were invited to sit and build in the hall as a continuous montage of scenes from various Gundam series were projected on a screen. 

Students lucky enough to receive a kit were treated to an Entry Grade RX-78-2 Gundam kit, the main mobile suit featured in the 1979 original “Mobile Suit Gundam” series.

An Entry Grade RX-78-2 Gundam, the reward given to the first 56 students who attended ASI’s “Build & Chill: Gundam” event. Joseph Lee | Long Beach Current

Even luckier than the 56 students who received an entry grade kit was fifth-year French international student Prosper Wang, who won the opportunity drawing and a High Grade XVX-016 Gundam Aerial kit.

“The person in front of me [in line] got the last [RX-78-2] kit, so I went in there and I was like, ‘Man, I must be so unlucky today,’” Wang said. 

Joseph Bass, a third-year business marketing major and event coordinator for Beach Pride Events, had been working on organizing the event since February 2024, as a personal love letter to his anime hobby.

“What really inspired me to do this event is my own personal enjoyment of building these kits,” Bass said. “It was something I wanted to bring to campus. By hosting events like this, we can make the hobby more affordable and accessible for students.”

Students build Gundam kits and enjoy snacks while a montage of scenes from the various Gundam anime series plays on the projector screen in Peterson Hall 1, Room 141 during ASI’s “Build & Chill: Gundam” event on Nov. 6. Joseph Lee | Long Beach Current

To compensate for the limited amount of kits, event advertising also encouraged students to bring their own kits to build. While not many listened, at least one did.

CSULB alum Joaquin Alonzo’s enthusiasm for Gunpla was evident as he attentively assembled his High Grade gMS-Ω GQuuuuuuX (pronounced G Kwux) Gundam model.

Despite having graduated from CSULB, Alonzo wouldn’t let that stop him from connecting with other Gundam fans to express his admiration for one of his favorite hobbies.

Joaquin Vergara (left) and Prosper Wang hold up a High Grade XVX-016 Gundam Aerial model kit they won at an opportunity drawing during ASI’s “Build & Chill: Gundam” event on Nov. 6. Joseph Lee | Long Beach Current

Both of the kits Alonzo brought were high-grade and more expensive than the ones given away.

“There are multiple levels [to Gunpla kits],” Alonzo said. “Like the ones they [were giving out today] were Entry Grade, so it’s like baby steps in a way. You just snap it off and put it together. If people are more interested [like me], they could pick up High Grade [kits], which is [still] beginner-friendly.”

Alonzo hopes for additional Gundam events in the future.

“You don’t really see geeky stuff like this, so I was really impressed,” Alonzo said. “Seeing the Gundam thing, I’m like, OK, that’d be cool if they [continued to] gear more towards the anime [community] here. Hopefully, this is the first step [towards] something much bigger.”

Yoichi Terada contributed to this story.