KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -Bandai Namco Toys & Collectibles America is back on the road with a special Gundam Mobile Base Tour USA that stopped in Knoxville for the weekend. Gundam is a popular Japanese media franchise with a massive fanbase that has significantly influenced the giant robot genre in Japanese and international pop culture. Since 1979, Gundam has been one of the most influential anime brands in the US and is renowned for its complex storytelling, character development and depictions of warfare.