You Won’t Need Nippers, Glue, or Paint to Customize These Gundam Wing Keyboards

In August, Higround launched a assortment of Sonic the Hedgehog-themed compact keyboards, together with one design that includes graphics from a traditional Sonic stage unfold throughout all the keys. The firm’s newest keyboard assortment takes the same method, however trades Sonic for the traditional anime, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing.

Even when you’ve by no means really seen the anime, you’re most likely accustomed to what Gundam is all about: big robots, traumatized teenagers, and dashing blond rogues in masks. It’s an iconic piece of Japanese tradition, with life-size recreations of the robots towering over cities like Fukuoka. But as properly often called the anime is, Gundam might be even higher identified for the tons of of various Gundam plastic mannequin kits—higher often called gunpla—that followers can meticulously construct and end.

That’s the connection that Higround is making between this new assortment and the anime. Like the Gundam gunpla fashions, these keyboards provide a sure stage of constructing satisfaction, coming with swappable keys, though given the distinctive design of every pre-installed keycap assortment, we’re unsure why anybody would wish to swap out a single one.

The assortment contains two designs based mostly on Higround’s Basecamp 65 boards, which the corporate describes as being “more accessible gaming keyboards”—one other approach of claiming they’ll be the cheaper choices. Featuring subtler Gundam designs and an total white or blue end, the Basecamp 65 boards use linear TTC White Flame mechanical switches, whereas every keyboard is individually numbered and contains on a plate on the underside.

Although Higround hasn’t revealed particular pricing data but, the Gundam Wing x Higround Summit 65 is anticipated to be the priciest mannequin on this assortment, with a keycap set that includes an illustration of a posed Gundam, a full CNC’d aluminum body, switches that present an “ultra-light linear typing experience that is less fatiguing for marathon gamers,” and a weighted brass medallion on the again that ought to assist maintain the keyboard from slipping round on your desk.

Starting at 12pm PST on December 9, the 2 Gundam Wing Basecamp 65 keyboards, plus different gadgets within the assortment, together with mousepads, can be out there for buy from Higround, however the Summit 65 keyboard will solely be out there for pre-order that day, with its eventual launch date unconfirmed at this level.

While we’ve already seen Gundam keyboards based mostly on different reveals within the franchise, this assortment is aimed on the heartstrings of Western viewers, for whom Gundam Wing particularly has been a typical entry level into the collection.