People Are Panic Buying Gundam Model Kits Thanks to the Coronavirus

In the midst of a global pandemic, it is difficult to predict what supplies you will need, but it seems like plenty of people have Gundam on their list. There are those who instead hoard toilet paper during times of crisis but focus on little else. But thanks to some eager Gunpla fans abroad, uncertain shoppers are thinking about adding model kits to their list of must-haves as they prepare to quarantine.

Over on Twitter, fans began buzzing after a photo was posted by SayemAhmd. They shared a picture taken somewhere in the Philippines where it turns out shoppers are panic-buying Gunpla kits to keep them busy while they distance themselves from the novel coronavirus.

“Amazing scenes in the Philippines, where people are panic-buying Gundam model kits,” the user shared.

As you can see above, the fan is certainly correct. The picture shows some barren shelves which were once stocked with Gunpla to the brim. Now, there are only a couple dozen boxes left for sale. Some kits have been bought out in their entirety, and these shelves look like so many in U.S. grocery stores. So it is up for you to decide who spent their money best… would you pick groceries over Gunpla? Or vice versa?

Of course, this surge in purchases is due the coronavirus as billions prepare to keep themselves isolated from the novel virus. Now labeled an official pandemic, aggressive measures are being taken around the world to slow the spread of the coronavirus and COVID-19. So while people are out getting actual supplies to sustain themselves for extended stays at home, some are going the extra mile by bringing Gunpla kits with them as well.

Would you care to buy a Gundam kit before heading into quarantine? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!