With Dawfydd covering the film for UKA, I thought I'd take advantage of a quiet Friday to write down my own thoughts on the Gundam Hathaway movie.
Taking place 12 years after Char's Counter Attack, the films (of which there are 3 total) follow Hathaway Noa, son of Bright Noa who commanded White Base in the original Gundam. Disgusted with the abuses conducted against ordinary people by the elites, whereby many of those deemed unworthy are forced to relocate to space, Hathaway creates the Mafti terrorist group whose demands include that all of humanity leave Earth in order to save the planet. As he flies to Earth on a shuttle carrying some of the most important government ministers, a hijacking and chance encounter with a beautiful young woman named Gigi change the trajectory of his fate.
With Netflix going all-in on Gundam (and Amazon taking the Evangelion movies), it's clear to see that streaming is going to be a new renaissance for the anime industry. Hathaway itself broke 1 billion yen at the box office, a feat only achieved by Char's Counterattack some 30 years earlier. It's easy to see why the film impressed.
Production values are fantastic, with rock solid freeze-frames, incredible detail throughout and some wonderfully realised mecha design. It's not just the big things that impress either, everything from the handrails on the ceiling of the shuttle seen in the opening scene for passengers to use in zero-G, to the hand-driers that somehow look incredibly opulent and functional. In all, the world of Gundam Hathaway is grounded and contains a sumptuous level of detail to get lost in.
The music, too, is absolutely fantastic. The vocal tracks all add to the feeling of drama (Möbius being the most memorable), but the score is also subtle when it needs to be and sweeping when it wants to pull you in (EARth, XI). Given that the soundtrack is composed by Hiroyuki Sawano, who I've praised on this site in the past, it's no surprise it would be so engaging. I'd highly recommend looking for the soundtrack, which is available in Ultra HD on Amazon Prime Music.
While this is a great film to look at, the film is less giant-mecha action and more political thriller. True, there's a lot of heavy metal scattered throughout the film, with the Mafti attack on Adelaide in particular showcasing the terror and destruction that giant war machines can rain down on innocent bystanders. Everything from the weight of the machines banging around to the destruction caused by falling mecha parts and burning liquid is really quite striking, and lends an element of realism to a very Sci-Fi world.
Character designs are sharp, and the animation brings a lot of life to the characters, whether it be causal movement or facial reactions to events, it's easy to get invested in the characters on-screen. I don't usually watch dubs, but I have to say Hathaway's English cast give great performances - it all feels genuine, even if the dialogue is a little too poetic at times. The mecha shines too, with gorgeous designs abounds for the standard military units to the imposing Gundam units - in all, it's a treat.
The mecha looks very sharp indeed.
The central trio of Hathaway, Gigi and the confident Colonel tasked with tracking down Mafti, Kenneth Sleg, make for highly charismatic leads. Kenneth in particular has a world-weary charm, and his friendship with Hathaway has a particularly tragic undertone. Gigi is also an interesting character, strangely insightful, but outwardly carefree and playful. All three are hiding their true selves to some extent, and it's unfortunate that in different circumstances you feel all three could be great friends. The mature themes of Hathaway are handled confidently by director and long-time Gundam contributor Shûkô Murase, giving this mecha anime the serious gravitas it deserves.
You'll want to watch Hathway with the curtains closed, as a lot of the action takes place at night - even on a big bright screen, it's hard to make out what's happening in some scenes, so do yourself a favour and make sure you have the right environment to make the most of the film.
There's a lot of backstory to the UC Gundam universe, and I'd recommend looking up a little bit about the characters before watching if you don't know, for example, who Quess is - she's referenced twice, once on screen, and if you don't know her significance to Hathaway, then you'll be missing quite a bit of the reasoning behind the character's drive. The film makes no concessions to those who aren't familiar with the UC Gundam timeline.
So the film is a slow burn with only moments of action, but the world you're drawn into is rich and pulsing with tension. Hathaway's renegades are fighting for high stakes, and it's inevitable, with this being Gundam, that tragedy and death are certain to be the cost.
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