As American back to school shoppers hit their local Rite Aid drug stores, some mecha fans have met with an unexpected familiar sight. Namely, Outdoor Travelers Club backpacks sporting a design that is unquestionaby Gundam's mechanical mascot Haro.

wait
what the ...
my grandmother got me this backpack from rite-aid and it
IT HAS HAROS ALL OVER IT
LIKE THAT’S NOT EVEN JUST SOME RANDOM DESIGN THOSE ARE STRAIGHT UP HAROS
oh my god
Garma Fashion also landed one

If you consider Haro a character (and not a prop) he/she/it is the only Gundam one to appear in more than one timeline. Original Mobile Suit Gundam protagonist Amuro Ray rebuilt the spherical chirping robot and his successor Kamille Bidan winds up with one in Zeta. They then become mass produced in the Universal Century timeline. Athrun builds them for Lacus Clyne in SEED. Celestial Being use them in Gundam 00, particularly Lockon Stratos. In new Gundam AGE, initial protagonist Flit Asuno again builds his own.

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Scott Green is editor and reporter for anime and manga at geek entertainment site Ain't It Cool News. Follow him on Twitter at @aicnanime.