The first film in the Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway trilogy has been re-edited into a four-episode television series, which aired in Japan starting in January 2023. This episodic version allowed for a broader reach for the critically acclaimed film, introducing new audiences to the Universal Century timeline.
Revamping Hathaway for Television Broadcast
The TV edition, officially titled Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway TV Edition, ran for four episodes from January 15 to February 5, 2023, on MBS and TBS networks in Japan. This broadcast took over the 5 PM Sunday timeslot previously held by Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury‘s first cour. The initiative, part of Bandai Namco’s “GUNDAM NEXT FUTURE” project, aimed to introduce new fans who discovered the franchise through The Witch from Mercury to the Universal Century era.
Broadcast Schedule and Companion Series
The Hathaway TV Edition was part of a larger plan to air TV versions of other Universal Century works. Following Hathaway, episodic versions of Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt (three episodes) and Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative (four episodes) were also broadcast in February and March 2023, respectively, in the same time slot.
Story and Setting of Gundam Hathaway
Set in Universal Century 0105, twelve years after the Second Neo-Zeon War (also known as Char’s Counterattack), Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway follows Hathaway Noa, the son of the legendary Earth Federation officer Bright Noa. The Earth Federation government has become increasingly corrupt, accelerating environmental degradation and implementing inhumane “manhunt” policies that forcibly banish civilians into space.
Hathaway, deeply affected by the ideals of Amuro Ray and Char Aznable, leads a terrorist organization called “Mafty” under the alias “Mafty Navue Erin.” Mafty carries out acts of political violence, assassinating high-ranking Federation officials, yet garners support from a populace increasingly opposed to the Federation. Piloting the prototype RX-105 Ξ (Xi) Gundam, Hathaway wages his rebellion against systemic corruption. The Federation responds by forming the “Circe Unit,” led by Colonel Kenneth Sleg, with Lane Aim piloting the RX-104FF Penelope to counter Mafty’s insurgency.
The Film’s Critical and Commercial Success
The first Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway film, directed by Shukou Murase, was released in Japanese theaters on June 11, 2021. It was a significant success, grossing approximately 2.21 billion yen (about $20 million USD) and selling over 1.08 million tickets, making it the second-highest-grossing Gundam film. Netflix later obtained global streaming rights for the film, releasing it in select territories in July 2021.
The film is an adaptation of Yoshiyuki Tomino’s 1989-1990 novel series, Hathaway’s Flash. The anime project is planned as a trilogy, with the second installment, tentatively titled Sun of Bright, confirmed to be in production shortly after the first film’s release.
Differences Between Film and TV Version
While the TV edition primarily re-edits the existing film, it offers a new viewing experience by segmenting the narrative into four distinct episodes. Fans often anticipate new opening and ending sequences or minor re-edits in such TV versions. The core story, animation quality, and voice cast remain consistent with the theatrical release. The detailed mobile suit designs, like the Xi Gundam and Penelope, were notably complex and visually striking in the film, a testament to the advancements in animation that allowed earlier “impossible” designs from the novels to be realized.
This episodic format aims to make the complex Universal Century narrative more accessible and digestible for a television audience, especially for those new to the expansive Gundam universe.
