Toy manufacturer Bandai America is having a hard time meeting demand for its SD (super deformed) Gundam figures.  Bandai America's Senior VP of Sales and Marketing Bill Beebe has been taken aback by the effect these squashed-down robots have had on the market: 'We're absolutely blown away by the response.  We were confident they'd find a devoted audience, but they've far surpassed our expectations.  We're making them as fast as we can to meet demand.'  Sales of the SD Gundam figures have been driven by the popularity of the SD Gundam anime series (see 'SD Gundam Series Soars In Debut'), which had a very strong debut on the Cartoon Network this fall as well as by the crossover appeal of the squashed and distorted figures themselves.

Bandai's SD Gundam line includes 1.5' Mini SD figures, which come in packs of five, and 5-inch scale, Action Defender figures, which are sold individually with their own accessories and weapons.  The Deluxe Action Defender figures also come with their own accessories and have a transforming feature.  Bandai is also planning to release series of snap together SD Gundam action figures in varying skill levels, just as the company does with its normal Gundam figures (which are not super-deformed).