[LockonStratos]

What he meant was, Gundam was not created to sell toys first and foremost, that came later, rather than a show that was originally meant to advertise toys.

Well, at least from Tomino's end, Bandai always intended to make their money back with toy sales, as they were doing with every other mecha show at the time. Which is the reason why the Gundam actually has a color scheme at all, having originally been meant to be grey.

Anyway, I don't think Build Fighters is cynical so much as just aimed at a different aspect of the fandom. It's for the side of the fandom that buys model kits less for the show but rather for the kit itself. For folks more interested in making a custom variant, like making them into freaking Sailor Scouts or something, than things like weathering and trying to recreate something from the show.

Basically, replace the Build Fight with, I dunno, model train display competitions and the story still works for the most part. It's just more marketable to have fights between various mobile suits from across the franchise because, guess what, that's cool. It's cool to see all these designs that don't have to bend a knee to the throne of "realism" and just go nuts with trying to be a neat design.