Anime Film Review: Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway
- Very Average Joe
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
English Title: Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway
Japanese Title: 機動戦士ガンダム 閃光のハサウェイ[lit. Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway’s Flash]
Director(s): Murase Shukou
Screenwriter(s): Muto Yasuyuki
Studio: Sunrise
Released: 2021
Series Runtime: 1h 35m
Starring: Ono Kensho, Ueda Reina, Suwabe Junichi
This film is the first part of a film trilogy based on the novel trilogy of the same name that was first published in 1989–1990. The novel trilogy was written by original creator Tomino Yoshiyuki.
The plot begins in 0105 UC, about twenty-six years after the One Year War in the original series (1979), about seventeen years after the First Neo Zeon War in Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (1986), and about twelve years after the Second Neo Zeon War in Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack (1988).
Much of Earth is still a hole and given pervasive corruption in the Earth Federation, things are not improving, with the usual environmental and immigration issues. Hathaway Noa, the son of Bright Noa, is on a chartered flight from the moon to Hong Kong. Many high-level government officials are onboard when terrorists claiming to be associated with Mafty hijack the plane. This group is led by someone called Mafty Navue Erin and they have been targeting corrupt officials.
A young and highly attractive woman named Gigi Andalusia points out that these guys are fake and so Hathaway takes them out along with Colonel Kenneth Sleg. It is a decent minor set piece that shows off the visuals and introduces the three main characters and their abilities.
The plane lands in Davao City and whilst Sleg takes his post, Hathaway and Gigi are asked to stay to make their statements and answer questions regarding the incident. They are assigned to stay in a luxury hotel suite and Gigi insists that Hathaway stay with her which he reluctantly does.
The so-called twist is revealed to the audience in the first act. Gigi is very perceptive and privately reveals to Hathaway that she thinks he is Mafty. He doesn’t quite deny it, initially only giving limited deflections. After all, no point in trying to make the so-called twist bigger than it is; it would be predictable and only come across as cringe later so might as well reveal it at the start when it might have some effect.
The tension and drama come from Hathaway not knowing whether Gigi will reveal what she thinks to others, particularly to Sleg, and how to maintain his secret. Assuming she doesn’t, he still has to be cautious moving forward as the three of them are on friendly terms and he knows Sleg will eventually work it out.
It gets to the point where Hathaway deflects by staging an attack on the hotel using mobile suits. This is the second set piece and, unlike many Gundam action sequences which is from the point of view of the pilots, this is primarily from Hathaway’s point of view on the ground. The sense of scale and consequent destruction of these large machines are done very well in this sequence.
Since this is Gundam, Sleg’s unit, of course, has a new machine that takes part in the final set piece in the climax. This dogfight is not bad but it can be one or two moves longer.
Visually, it is mostly excellent. The mecha and environment are highly detailed and beautifully rendered. The linework of the characters is clean although the rendering may be a little too clean as they can use more graduation. But this is partly a matter of taste and does not ruin the work. There are moments when the characters’ motion come across as awkward but these are rare.
The music by Sawano Hiroyuki has his characteristic blend of sweeping synths and orchestral themes but not as grand or memorable as his work as heard in Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (2010) and Aldnoah.Zero (2014).
It is overall a solid film. It is tight with good pacing. The action is measured and fitting, it is not just pointless mecha action. The narrative focuses on Hathaway trying to keep his identity secret. He does question his own methods as he talks to regular folk. Although this can come across as a little crude, it is natural enough.
The weakness is that Gigi is perhaps too mysterious. She is in effect the Newtype-figure given her perceptive abilities and although a little background is provided, there could be more as her presence initially comes across as a little too convenient. Nonetheless, she is at least vaguely intriguing. She dresses like a seductress but doesn’t quite act like one; she is a little playful but not without sincerity. She forms an interesting triangle with Hathaway and Sleg.
There could also arguably be a bit more on what Hathaway is trying to achieve. The audience is told what it is but the narrative is focused on his stay in Davao City and how he is going to get out. That is admittedly the scope of this film as the first part. As long as the next part progresses, then it is fine.
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