| Ja Kanji: | 機動戦士ガンダム 閃光のハサウェイ |
| Ja Romaji: | Kidō Senshi Gandamu: Senkō no Hasauei |
| Type: | light novel |
| Author: | Yoshiyuki Tomino |
| Illustrator: | Haruhiko Mikimoto |
| Publisher: | Kadokawa Shoten |
| Demographic: | Male |
| Imprint: | Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko |
| First: | February 1, 1989 |
| Last: | April 1, 1990 |
| Volumes: | 3 |
| Volume List: |
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| Type: | manga |
| Author: | Sabishi Uroaki |
| Publisher: | Kadokawa Shoten |
| Demographic: | Shōnen |
| Magazine: | Gundam Ace |
| First: | March 26, 2020 |
| Volumes: | 3 |
| Type: | film series |
| Director: | Shūkō Murase |
| Music: | Hiroyuki Sawano |
| Studio: | Sunrise |
| First: | June 11, 2021 |
| Episodes: | 3 |
| Portal: | yes |
, also known as Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway, is a novel series created and written by Yoshiyuki Tomino. Officially part of the Gundam metaseries, it was first published by Kadokawa Shoten under the Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko label from February 1, 1989 to April 1, 1990 with a total of three volumes. The story revolves around Hathaway Noa, who now goes by the name Mafty Navue Erin, as he starts a terrorist group to stop the abuses of the Earth Federation. The novel was notable for being the only semi-canonical Gundam work by Tomino. A three-part theatrical film adaptation was formally announced by Bandai Namco Filmworks (formerly known as Sunrise) as part of the "UC NexT 0100" project.[1] The first film was released on June 11, 2021.
U.C. 0105, twelve years after the Second Neo Zeon War,[2] the Earth Federation accepts the Republic of Zeon back in the fold. However, the Federation remained corrupt, with politicians, bureaucrats, and corporate executives enjoying their privileges while accelerating the pollution of the planet. And the inhumane "Man Hunter" units that forcibly deported underprivileged or undesirable civilians from around the world to the space colonies were more active than ever before. Mafty, a terrorist organization, began resisting the Federation with a radical act of assassination of the people of the privileged class. Its leader, Mafty Navue Erin, is actually Hathaway Noa, the son of Bright Noa, a hero of the Federation. Still haunted by the death of Quess Paraya and reflecting on the actions and beliefs of Char and Amuro, Hathaway uses the new prototype the RX-105 Ξ Gundam (Xi Gundam, "Ksee Gundam") to purge the high officials of the Federation as if to dispel the gloom. In response, Kenneth Sleg of the Earth Federation Space Forces assembles the Circe Unit, led by Lane Aim piloting the RX-104FF Penelope, in order to stop Mafty. Hathaway tries to make his way as a warrior, but an encounter with Kenneth and a mysterious woman, Gigi Andalucia, changes his destiny.
Hathaway's Flash was first conceived by Yoshiyuki Tomino in 1988 following the production of film. However, Hathaway's Flash is meant more as a sequel to the novel Beltorchika's Children, the second/third novel version of Char's Counterattack.[7] Moriki Yasuhiro provided the mobile suit designs while character illustrator Haruhiko Mikimoto joined the project as character designer. The first novel of the series was released on February 1, 1989, the second on March 1, 1990 and the third and final one released on April 1, 1990. All three novels were released under the Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko label.
A manga adaptation by Uroaki Sabashi, that serves as a sequel to Uroaki's manga adaptation of Beltorchika's Children, began serialization in Gundam Ace on April 26, 2021, after the prologue was released on March 26, 2020.[8] The series ended its first part on June 26, 2023.[9]
A three-part film adaptation by Bandai Namco Filmworks (formerly known as Sunrise) was first teased back in April 2018 upon the unveiling of Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative.[10] The film was later formally announced during the Gundam 40th Anniversary press conference in November of the same year.[11] [12] [13] [14] The first film was originally scheduled to be released on July 23, 2020,[15] but it was delayed to May 7, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[16] [17] The film was delayed again to May 21, 2021.[18] A third delay was announced on May 17, with a new date not set at the time.[19] The film was finally released on June 11, 2021 in theaters in Japan and China.[20] [21] Netflix obtained streaming rights for the first film, which was released on July 1, 2021 in select territories.[22] [23] A second film in the series was teased after the first film's release.[24] The films are directed by Shūkō Murase, with Yasuyuki Mutou writing scripts. [Alexandros] performs the film's main theme .[25] Hiroyuki Sawanocomposed the music for all three films.[26]
Yoshiyuki Tomino stated on interview that "30 years after I wrote those novels, they are finally being adapted into film. As the author, I am so happy". He also noted that "The real world hasn't progressed, and may even have regressed. Because of all the Gundam fans who gave this story the chance to reemerge, its themes can pierce through society today."[27]
Hathaway's Flash first appeared in the SD Gundam G Generation series of games by Bandai starting with SD Gundam G Generation F. The series later made its Super Robot Wars debut in Super Robot Wars V in 2017.
The eponymous character's mecha (Ξ Gundam) was released as part of Bandai's Gundam Fix Figuration line of toys starting in 2005. The title later got its own Gunpla debut, with the BB Seishi No.386 Ξ Gundam in December 2013, the High Grade Universal Century Gustav Karl in February 2019, which were released under the Gundam Unicorn line, the High Grade Universal Century Penelope, released in November 2019, the High Grade Universal Century Messer Type F01, released in July 2020 and the High Grade Universal Century Ξ Gundam, released in April 2021.
Richard Eisenbeis of Anime News Network gave the first film a B, citing the film's "beautiful but hampered by some of its creative choices" and criticizing its overall plot saying that "with a bit more finesse in execution, it could have been a far better adaptation than what it has turned out to be."[28] In its first theatrical release, the first film earned more than 524 million yen in its first weekend.[29] It later earned 1,016,249,400 yen, making it the first Gundam film to top the 1 billion yen mark since Char's Counterattack 33 years before.[30]