Nike’s out-of-this world ‘Gundam’ SB Dunk sneakers are dropping soon

Since its unveiling as part of Nike SB’s Olympic lineup, the Gundam Dunk Highs have been two of the most highly anticipated sneakers of the year. The Summer Games came and went without the kicks dropping, but Nike has now released a thrilling trailer to reveal a release date less than a month away.

The two high-tops with intricate detailing are modeled after the Unicorn suit and its brother unit Banshee. Both come with removable Swooshes that protrude from an upper already boasting an alluring level of depth. A small gap at the toebox along with raised stitching help make the kicks look downright mechanical, while Unicorn decals on the foxing cement the connection to two of the franchises' most powerful mecha.

Skate shops in Japan, China, and Europe will get first dibs on the Gundam Dunks September 24, with a regional SNKRS app release following September 27. The same rollout will then unfold weeks later in the States, beginning with skate shops October 9 and the app October 12. You’ll want to check in with your local stores and exhaust all options when it comes time to suit up because these Dunks are some of the best of the modern era.

A collector’s dream — The intersection of hardcore anime fans and sneakerheads, particularly older ones, is stronger than you might expect — which makes the Gundam Dunks an immediately legendary collision of the two worlds. Fans can nerd out over different mecha just the same as Dunk variants, and deciding between the Unicorn and Banshee sneakers could prove to be a difficult proposition.

Nike’s SNKRS app has only been confirmed to release the Unicorn version, meaning skate shops are likely to get the exclusive on the darker Banshee variant and the decision will be made based on where you can get them.

For the most ardent of fans, Bandai is also releasing two model kits to accompany the sneakers. The Japan-only kits come packaged in a Nike shoebox and see the mecha decorated with the same branding as the promotional trailer above. A raffle for the kits will open this Friday, September 24, and call for a proxy service to get one stateside if you’re lucky enough to win.

If you’re gonna mix up Gundam with Transformers, though — such as the BBC did during the Olympics — it’s best you sit this one out.