#Gundam Hathaway Film Becomes The First Gundam Film To Top 1 Billion Yen in 33 Years

The Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway website has reported that the film has surpassed the 1 billion yen mark, making it the first Gundam film to do so in 33 years. The film has grossed 1,016,249,400 yen (about US$9.23 million) as of June 20, selling 501,706 tickets and coming in at #4 in its second weekend at the box office. The film’s limited edition Blu-ray also became available for purchase on June 11 at theaters screening the film, selling more than 53,000 discs since its release.

Originally scheduled to premiere in July 2020, the film was hit by several delays, with the most recent delay a result of the extension of Japan’s state of emergency due to COVID-19 before opening on June 11, 2021. The film is also scheduled to be available on Netflix on July 1.

Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway previously received its second main trailer in late March, while its first main trailer was released in January. The second trailer previewed the theme song “Senkō” (“Flash”) by Alexandros. The newest trailer was released on June 10 to celebrate the movie’s release.

The movie was announced in 2018 as part of the Gundam series’ 40th Anniversary Project and as the first installment of a trilogy. The movie is based on the Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway’s Flash novel series by Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino, which began in 1989. The story centers on Hathaway Noa, the son of Londo Bell commander Bright Noa, who has become the leader of an anti-Earth Federation organization called Mafty after the events of Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack. 

Sunrise is in charge of the planning and production for Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway. The staff includes Shūkō Murase (Genocidal Organ) as director, Yasuyuki Mutō (Gundam Build Divers Re:Rise) as scriptwriter, Takako Suzuki (Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative) as color designer, Kentaro Waki (SWORD ART ONLINE –Alicization– War of Underworld) as photography director, and Hiroyuki Sawano as music composer (Attack on Titan Final Season). 

Meanwhile, Pablo Uchida (Gundam Reconguista in G design works), Naoyuki Onda (Psycho Pass 3 character designer and chief animation director), and Shigeki Kuhara (Rage of Bahamut: Virgin Soul animation director) are designing the characters based on drafts by Haruhiko Mikimoto (Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress). 

Other staff include Hajime Katoki (Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative), Mitoshi Yamaneki (Gundam Reconguista in G), Seiichi Nakatani (Gundam Reconguista in G design works), and Nobuhiko Genma (various roles in Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn) are in charge of the mechanical designs, based on drafts by Yasuhiro Moriki (Gundam Build Divers Re:Rise mechanical designer). Takayuki Masuo (Genocial Organ) and Tomohiro Fujie (Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative) are the 3D directors.

The movie’s cast includes Kenshō Ono as Hathaway Noa, Reina Ueda as Gigi Andalucia, Junichi Suwabe as Kenneth Sleg, and Sōma Saitō as Lane Aim.

Source: Anime News Network