Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway's Flash — Complete Guide | Story, Xi Gundam & the Full Trilogy

Born as the son of Bright Noa, raised under the weight of being a hero's child, he chose the path of a terrorist. That man is this story's protagonist: Hathaway Noa.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway's Flash is based on the novel written by Yoshiyuki Tomino between 1989 and 1990, adapted by Studio Sunrise into a theatrical trilogy. Part 1 (2021) earned approximately 2.2 billion yen at the box office. Part 2, "Witch of Circe," released on January 30, 2026, surpassed 849 million yen in its opening weekend alone, and after 29 days in theaters it had already overtaken Part 1's total gross — an exceptional hit by any measure.

This article provides a thorough breakdown of the trilogy's story, characters, main mobile suits, and visual highlights — written so that even those who have never seen Gundam can follow along.

For those new to the Universal Century series: This film follows on from Char's Counterattack (1988). To get a sense of the overall flow, check out the Watch Order Guide or the Universal Century Timeline first.

---

Table of Contents

1. Basic Information
2. World Setting — The Earth Federation 12 Years Later
3. Part 1 Story — Encounters and Choices
4. Part 2 "Witch of Circe" Story — Released January 2026
5. Character Guide
6. Main Mobile Suits — Xi Gundam and Penelope Omega
7. Visuals, Music, and Direction Highlights
8. Outlook for Part 3
9. Where to Watch
10. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
11. Conclusion

---

Basic Information {#basic-info}

---

World Setting — The Earth Federation 12 Years Later {#world-setting}

A World 12 Years After "Char's Counterattack"

The crucial backdrop for understanding this work is the aftermath of the war known as "Char's Rebellion" (Universal Century 0093).

As described in the Char's Counterattack Complete Guide, that battle saw humanity's representative hero Amuro Ray and the revolutionary Char Aznable fight their final confrontation, after which both vanished while stopping an asteroid from falling to Earth together.

Twelve years have passed. The Earth Federation government, under the banner of "protecting the Earth's environment," has been carrying out a forced resettlement policy known as "the Hunt" — forcibly shipping citizens off to space colonies to transform Earth into a planet for the elite alone. A corrupt policy through and through.

The Birth of "Mafty"

Born to resist this injustice is the organization known as "Mafty." An armed group opposed to the Earth Federation, they employ terrorist methods including the assassination of government officials.

The name of their leader is "Mafty Navue Erin." But the man behind that identity is none other than Hathaway Noa — the son of Captain Bright Noa, who once fought alongside Amuro.

The fact that "a hero's son became the leader of a terrorist organization" is the greatest mystery and the very core around which the entire story turns.

---

Part 1 Story — Encounters and Choices {#part-1-story}

Three People Meet

The story begins in Universal Century 0105, with Hathaway — holding credentials as a plant survey official — boarding a shuttle called the Haunzen bound for Earth.

Aboard the shuttle, Hathaway has fateful encounters with two people.

One is Kenneth Sleg, a colonel in the Earth Federation Forces — a capable officer on his way to assume command of anti-Mafty operations. The other is a mysteriously alluring young woman, Gigi Andalucia. Her offhand remarks prove uncannily accurate so often that Kenneth keeps her at his side as someone who "can see things."

During atmospheric reentry, a group claiming to be Mafty suddenly hijacks the shuttle. Hathaway and Kenneth work together to suppress the situation, forging an unlikely friendship — without either knowing that one is the hunter and the other the quarry.

The Battle of Quappa-Manila

After landing, Hathaway joins his comrades near Manila in the Philippines and leads an attack on an officials' banquet. The machine he pilots is a secretly developed, cutting-edge Mobile Suit: the Xi (Ksy) Gundam.

The Federation counters with its own new unit, the Penelope, piloted by Lane Aim — a young ace trusted by Kenneth.

The clash of Xi Gundam versus Penelope plays out in the night sky over the city. Both machines carry a flight system called "Minovsky Craft," making them unprecedented state-of-the-art machines. Space-based units freely flying within the atmosphere — an unprecedented kind of combat.

Kenneth's "Realization"

In the midst of this battle, Colonel Kenneth reaches a conclusion: "The true identity of Mafty Navue Erin is Hathaway Noa" — a cruel truth, that the young man he had befriended is the very leader he's been hunting.

Part 1 ends with Kenneth silently watching Hathaway, holding this certainty but not yet making a move. The complex interweaving of all three characters' positions and feelings carries the story forward into Part 2.

---

Part 2 "Witch of Circe" Story — Released January 2026 {#part-2-story}

What Is "Circe"?

"Circe" is the name of a goddess in Greek mythology — daughter of the sun god Helios, known for "magic that tames ferocious animals."

Colonel Kenneth arrives at the Federation base in Davao (southern Philippines) and names his command unit the "Circe Unit." It is a declaration of intent to tame the beast that is Mafty.

Mafty Cornered

In Part 2, released January 30, 2026, Mafty's dire straits are vividly depicted.

After the failure of the Adelaide (Australia) attack in Part 1, Mafty has been losing momentum as an organization. Against the Federation's abundant funds and weapons, Mafty is struggling just to secure daily meals. The members are exhausted, and Hathaway himself fights on under crushing pressure.

Kenneth, now commander of the Davao base, receives a "secret offer" from a criminal justice agency figure named Handley Joaxan. A political maneuver involving Mafty begins operating beneath the surface, and the conflict takes on a complexity far beyond a simple "terrorism vs. military" framing.

Gigi's "Journey"

The enigmatic Gigi also moves significantly in Part 2. "For the sake of my role" — she heads alone to Hong Kong.

Gigi senses something, acts for something — the "something" at play connects to the core of the story's second half. Caught between Hathaway and Kenneth, belonging fully to neither, Gigi's actions lay groundwork for Part 3.

The Loss of the Mothership "Valiant"

The climax of Part 2 is the destruction of Mafty's flagship, the Valiant.

The Valiant was Mafty's mobile base, their supply hub, and their members' "home." Its loss is not merely the destruction of a weapon — it deals lethal damage to Mafty as an organization. Many comrades are killed, and Hathaway is driven into what amounts to a checkmate.

Part 2 ends in a state of despair, bridging the trilogy to its final chapter.

Box Office Results and Reception

• Release Date: January 30, 2026 (365–370 theaters nationwide, simultaneous IMAX)
• Opening Weekend (3 days): 511,500 admissions / ¥849 million (debut at #1)
• After 29 Days: 1,343,651 admissions / ¥2,240.74 million
• Surpassed Part 1's Total Gross: Achieved in just 29 days

The film drew widespread praise for its "background art indistinguishable from live action" and "remarkably realistic lighting," recording an IMDb score of 7.8.

---

Character Guide {#characters}

Hathaway Noa (Voice: Kenshow Ono)

The story's protagonist. Son of Captain Bright Noa, and a young man who experienced Char's rebellion alongside Amuro Ray as a boy.

He grew up watching his father's back, living under the weight of being "a hero's son." In Char's Counterattack, as a teenager swept up in the conflict, he experienced the tragedy of losing the girl he loved, Quess Paraya, by his own hand (see the Char's Counterattack Complete Guide for details). That wound fused with his desire to protect Earth's environment and humanity's future, leading him down the path of Mafty.

Maintaining the cover of a plant survey official while secretly leading a terrorist organization. Hathaway's anguish embodies "the contradiction of one who pursues righteous ends through wrongful means."

Gigi Andalucia (Voice: Reina Ueda)

A mysterious girl who brings enigma and open space to the story. Her casual remarks prove accurate so consistently that Kenneth values her as a "lucky presence."

Whether she is a Newtype (a being with new human potential) or something else entirely — it has never been made official, and has long been debated among viewers. She is drawn to both Hathaway and Kenneth in different ways, carrying the story's emotional center.

Colonel Kenneth Sleg (Voice: Junichi Suwabe)

An outstanding officer of the Earth Federation Forces. A disciplined and capable elite who nonetheless recognizes Hathaway as a "friend" and tracks him with complex emotions.

The conflict between his mission to "defeat Mafty" and his friendship with Hathaway gives his character a depth that resists simple "villain" categorization. In Part 2, leading the Circe Unit amid a web of back-room deals, he searches for his own version of justice.

Lane Aim (Voice: Souma Saito)

A young Federation Forces ace pilot. He confronts Hathaway's Xi Gundam as the pilot of Penelope Omega.

Trusted by Kenneth as highly capable, his overly pure fixation on combat heightens the story's tragic dimension.

Handley Joaxan

An executive in a criminal justice agency. The figure who presents Kenneth with a secret offer in Part 2. He embodies the political maneuvering around Mafty, demonstrating that the conflict is not "justice versus evil" but "vested interests versus idealism."

---

Main Mobile Suits — Xi Gundam and Penelope Omega {#mobile-suits}

Xi (Ksy) Gundam — Mafty's Ace in the Hole

The Xi Gundam is the highest-tier Mobile Suit of its era, secretly commissioned by the anti-Federation organization Mafty from Anaheim Electronics.

Core Specifications

Defining Feature: Independent Flight via Minovsky Craft

"Minovsky Craft" is a device that uses special particles to achieve flight. Previously, this technology could only be installed in large structures like colonies — the Xi Gundam is the first case in which it was miniaturized to fit a Mobile Suit.

Its large shoulder units house the Minovsky Craft, allowing free flight within the atmosphere without transformation. The sight of the Xi Gundam floating in the air without wings is a completely new visual that had never existed in the Gundam series before.

Armament

• Mega Particle Cannons (both shoulders)
• Beam Rifle
• Beam Sabers
• Shield
• Funnel Missiles

When Hathaway boards and enters the cockpit, there is a scene in which Amuro Ray's voice and apparition echo within. A symbolic moment, as though the presence of his father's closest ally still inhabits the machine.

---

Penelope — The Federation's Cutting Edge

Penelope Omega is a new-model machine developed by the Earth Federation Forces, carrying Minovsky Craft just like the Xi Gundam. Its defining characteristic is a heavy silhouette formed by large additional equipment — the "Flight Unit" — that it wears like armor.

Core Specifications

Differences from the Xi Gundam

Penelope is a "firepower-priority" machine with a large complement of funnel missiles, while the Xi Gundam is a "mobility-priority" machine with superior flight and maneuverability.

Significantly heavier than the Xi Gundam at full load, Penelope surpasses it in firepower and defensive capability but is outclassed in mobility. The results of their in-story confrontations directly reflect this performance gap.

Name Origin

Penelope is the name of the hero Odysseus's wife in Greek mythology. Paired with the Xi Gundam's name — "Xi" being a Greek letter — both machines share Greek mythological and linguistic connections.

---

The Work's Themes — "Right Ends, Wrong Means" {#themes}

Why Make a Terrorist the Protagonist?

Over its long history, the Gundam series has featured protagonists from a wide range of positions — but a protagonist fighting as the leader of a terrorist organization is nearly unique to Hathaway Noa.

The years 1989–90, when author Yoshiyuki Tomino published this novel, were a period when the Cold War's end intersected with the Gulf Crisis. "What is a just war?" and "Where is the line between hero and criminal?" were questions being fiercely debated in the real world.

What Hathaway's Flash asks is the ancient, eternally relevant proposition: "Does a righteous end justify the means?" The Federation government's corruption is real. The destruction of Earth's environment is real. But the "assassination of officials" that Hathaway has chosen as his method produces yet more victims. The work deliberately leaves that answer unresolved — and entrusts it to the audience.

A Protagonist Who Is Not a Newtype

Many Universal Century Gundam protagonists have been depicted as "Newtypes" — beings of special sensitivity and combat ability. Amuro Ray, Char Aznable, Kamille Bidan — all awaken as "chosen ones" on the battlefield.

Hathaway is different. Despite carrying the title "a hero's son," he has no Newtype awakening, no overwhelming talent. Yet he stands on the battlefield and keeps fighting for his ideals. "How far can an ordinary person go?" — that is Hathaway's Flash's central question.

Not a Love Triangle, but "Three Mirrors"

The three — Hathaway, Gigi, and Kenneth — are not a romantic love triangle. Each is a "resident of a different world," serving as a mirror to the others.

Hathaway is "one who acts for ideals." Kenneth is "one who acts for order." Gigi is "one who acts on instinct." No single one of them can be called right or wrong — and it is precisely this three-way relationship that generates the story's consistent tension.

---

Visuals, Music, and Direction Highlights {#visuals}

Visual Quality That Asks "Can Anime Be This Beautiful?"

What sets the Hathaway's Flash series decisively apart from earlier Gundam is the dimension of its visual quality.

When Part 1 was released, many viewers were stunned by "background art indistinguishable from live action." How light enters, how shadows fall, how rain is rendered — in every scene, meticulous imagery unfolds where CG and hand-drawn art are fused together.

In Part 2, "Witch of Circe," the commitment to lighting has deepened further. In night-time battle scenes, the reflection of Mobile Suit beam weapons and the instant an explosion illuminates its surroundings are rendered with care. Some reviews compare it to "the visual authority of a full-scale Western live-action film."

Direction Where "Conversation" Outshines Combat

This work has a lower proportion of battle scenes than other Gundam titles. What takes priority instead are scenes where Hathaway, Gigi, and Kenneth exchange words.

Meals, rides in moving vehicles, a hotel bar — conversations unfolding in everyday spaces deepen the relationships among the three and the psychological tension between them. The split reception — "disappointing if you expect mecha combat" versus "a masterpiece viewed as a human drama" — stems directly from this.

Music and the IMAX Experience

The thematic music is handled by the band SHE'S, complementing the lyrical tone of the visuals beautifully. Part 2's ending theme is performed by Guns N' Roses — an extraordinarily unusual collaboration for a Japanese animated film, generating considerable buzz.

Part 2 also received a simultaneous IMAX release. The breadth of the aerial battle sequences and the immersive weight of the explosion sound design are worth experiencing on an IMAX screen.

---

About the Original Novel {#original-novel}

Why Yoshiyuki Tomino Wrote a Sequel to "Char's Counterattack"

Hathaway's Flash's original source is a three-volume novel written by Gundam's creator, Yoshiyuki Tomino, between 1989 and 1990.

In Char's Counterattack, Amuro and Char saved the Earth and the story ended. But Tomino has said he couldn't stop thinking about "the world that came after." Even after the heroes were gone, the Earth Federation organization continues. The corruption continues. And the next generation of young people is wounded again, in a different form — that recurring cycle was what he wanted to write.

That Hathaway is "a hero's son" is no accident. The fundamental theme of this work is how the next generation takes on the "inheritance" left by the previous one: the memories of war, the cult of heroes, the corruption of institutions.

Key Differences Between the Novel and the Films

The original novel was written about 30 years ago, so its historical context and descriptive style differ from contemporary work. In adapting it, director Shuko Murase made several reinterpretations:

• Visual expression: Physical realism of combat that could not be conveyed in text is embodied cinematically
• Gigi's character: Her internal mystery is explored with greater depth than in the original
• Everyday scenes: Meals, travel, and conversations are depicted with a density only film can achieve
• Mobile Suit design: Updated for the modern era by Hajime Katoki

Gundam fans are recommended to experience both, "novel first, then film." The film's directorial choices become far more meaningful once you know the source.

---

Outlook for Part 3 {#part-3}

The Ending Revealed in the Novel (Spoiler Warning)

The original novel is a complete three-volume work. The official position on Part 3 is "please watch the film." Those who have read the novel know how it ends, but that is withheld here.

Predicted Release Window

As of March 2026, no official release date for Part 3 has been announced.

Using the gaps between parts as a reference: - Part 1 release: June 2021 - Part 2 release: January 2026 (approximately 4.5 years later) - Part 3 estimate: around 2029–2030

2029 is the 50th anniversary of the Gundam series. For Hathaway's Flash — born as a 40th anniversary project — to conclude in Gundam's 50th anniversary year is a very natural fit, and "2029" is the most commonly cited prediction within the industry.

What Part 3 Will Cover

With the mothership Valiant destroyed in Part 2, Mafty driven into a desperate situation — how does Hathaway approach the final battle?

The fate of the Xi Gundam, the true nature of Gigi's "role," and the final confrontation between Kenneth and Hathaway. As the culmination of the trilogy, Part 3 will be the work that presents all the answers to the story.

---

Where to Watch {#streaming}

How to Watch Part 1

How to Watch Part 2

Part 2, "Witch of Circe," which had its theatrical release on January 30, 2026, is still running in theaters as of March 2026. No streaming start date has been confirmed, but based on Part 1's precedent, it is expected to be added to services within a few months.

Is Prior Knowledge Required to Watch Part 1?

Strictly speaking, having seen Char's Counterattack allows for a deeper understanding of the characters' backgrounds. That said, Hathaway's Flash itself contains enough explanatory context that viewers completely new to Gundam can fully enjoy it as a visual work and human drama.

For those who want to watch in order, refer to the Watch Order Guide.

---

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) {#faq}

Q. Can someone who has never seen Gundam enjoy this?

Yes, absolutely. This work focuses more on the psychological drama of three individuals than on Gundam's robot combat. Its visual quality is extraordinarily high — it can be experienced less as "anime" and more as "film." That said, the weight Hathaway feels regarding his father, and aspects of his feelings toward Gigi, are amplified significantly with series background knowledge.

Q. Why did Hathaway become a terrorist?

His experience in Char's Counterattack of causing the death of the girl he loved by his own hands, his anger at the corrupt Earth Federation government, and his sense of mission to protect Earth's environment — these multiple factors converging led him to choose the path of Mafty. "Taking the wrong means in pursuit of the right end" is one of this work's central themes.

Q. Which is stronger — the Xi Gundam or Penelope?

In a pure comparison of machine performance, the Xi Gundam is considered superior in mobility and overall combat capability. Penelope has superior firepower (34 funnel missiles) but its full-loaded weight is significantly greater, leaving it inferior in maneuverability. The results of their in-story confrontations reflect this performance gap.

Q. Was Part 2 "Witch of Circe" a commercial success?

An enormous success. Opening weekend earned ¥849 million (debut at #1), and after 29 days it had achieved more than ¥2.24 billion in cumulative gross — surpassing Part 1's total gross in just one month. A very strong result by any measure for Japanese theatrical animation.

Q. What does "Circe" mean?

The name of a goddess in Greek mythology, known for "magic that tames ferocious animals." It is the origin of the name for Colonel Kenneth's "Circe Unit," embodying his intent to "control the beast that is Mafty."

Q. When will Part 3 be released?

As of March 2026, no official announcement has been made. Within the industry, the period around Gundam's 50th anniversary in 2029 is widely expected, but this remains a prediction. Please await the official announcement.

Q. Are the novel and film versions different in content?

The broad trajectory is the same, but the film adds scenes not in the original, makes interpretive adjustments for the visual medium, and incorporates a modern-era reconstruction. Reading the novel first deepens your understanding of the film's directorial choices — but the film version alone provides a fully complete experience.

---

Conclusion {#conclusion}

Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway's Flash is a distinctive entry within the Gundam series.

Rather than centering on Mobile Suit combat, it depicts in film-quality visuals the anguish of a young man trying to resist a corrupt society, and the emotions of the people who gather around him. "The reason a hero's son became a terrorist" — this single point is the pillar supporting the entire story.

How the Trilogy Stands So Far

This trilogy can be confidently recommended to Gundam fans of course, as well as those seeking film-quality experience, and those looking for a work drawn in by human drama.

Part 1 is already available to stream for free on major services. Start there and discover the experience for yourself.

---

Related Articles

• Watch Order Guide — Where to Begin with the Gundam Series
• Universal Century Timeline — From U.C. 0001 to U.C. 0105
• Char's Counterattack Complete Guide — Understanding the "Prelude" to Hathaway's Flash