Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway is an anime movie trilogy that has, in a sense, been decades in the making. Adapting a series of novels first published in the late 1980s, the movies will take place in the future that follows the fall of Gundam anti-hero/villain, Char Aznable and the Principality of Zeon. Hathaway, therefore, promises to combine explosive Gundam action with a political story that's more topical now than ever.
Given how long the franchise has run and the upcoming movie's place in the franchise, fans and newcomers alike may need a primer before watching Hathaway. To that end, here's a look at the events of the franchise's exhaustive continuity, some of its key characters and themes, as well as the preceding entry in the story audiences should be aware of.
Gundam Hathaway's Place in the Universal Century Timeline
Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway is an adaptation of the Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway's Flash novels that were written by series creator Yoshiyuki Tomino. It's set in the Universal Century timeline, which is the primary continuity of the Gundam franchise. The main conflict in this continuity is held between the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon, with the latter going to war with the Earth Federation in a bid for independence, resulting in a horrendous series of events that kill off half of humanity.
It's worth noting for newcomers that while the soldiers on both sides utilize gigantic suits of robotic armor, not all of these are classified as 'Gundams.' Zeon initially has the upper hand due to its widespread use of the generic mobile suits, with the Earth Federation being the side who mainly wields the awesome power of the Gundam. Gundam are specialized mobile suits with more advanced technology and weaponry, allowing them and their occupants to easily take out rival mobile suits.
Chronologically, Hathaway takes place fairly far into the established storyline of the original timeline, succeeded only by Gundam F91, Victory Gundam and the controversial live-action film, G-Saviour. It is also approximately 12 years after the Second Neo Zeon War, which was showcased in the events of Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack.
The Important Players of Gundam Hathaway
Hathaway's trailer provides a glimpse both at major recurring characters in the first movie and a character who, while not part of the cast, will have an incredibly strong presence. Two of these are the aforementioned Char Aznable and Amuro Ray, who are central in most of the original entries of the Universal Century timeline. Amuro Ray was the hero of the original series and broke new ground as a young male character who begrudgingly fought in the increasingly violent and sacrificial war of the series. An outcast who felt at odds with the task given to him as the pilot of the RX-78 Gundam, Amuro's courage, heroism and skill as a Newtype propelled him to become a valiant soldier for the Earth Federation.
Char Aznable, on the other hand, was the central villain in the original series -- though this didn't keep him from becoming incredibly popular in his own right. A member of the Zeon Federation, his goals were influenced by Zeon while still mainly being driven by revenge. This manifested initially in Char wanting revenge on the Zabi family for his father's death, but he becomes an increasingly erratic and spirited individual throughout the series. He and Amuro are both well-known figures by the point in the Universal Century timeline that Hathaway takes place in, though their reaction depends on where along the political divide the humans and Newtypes fall into.
The trailer also introduces audiences to Mafty Navue Erin, aka Hathaway Noa. Noa leads an organization of his own that's regarded by many as a group of terrorists, and his actions are influenced by those of both Char and Amuro. This causes him to eventually question his own tactics and whether or not he should be seeking vengeance against the Earth Federation.
Char's Counterattack, Hathaway's Direct Predecessor
As mentioned already, the new trilogy of films takes place 12 years after the iconic movie, Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack. That film came after the events of Zeta Gundam and Gundam ZZ, in which Char turned over a new leaf -- even working alongside Amuro and the Earth Federation. He becomes incredibly close with his crewmates and adoptive friends and family, which results in perhaps the greatest tragedy of his life when many of them die for essentially nothing. For this reason, Char returns to Neo Zeon to become its leader, intent on wiping out the humanity that he feels would destroy any chance of true peace for humanity.
These events reignited the rivalry between Zeon and the Earth Federation and made Char more of a rogue and a hero than ever, depending on individual perspectives. This segues into the events of Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway, as the Earth Federation becomes power-hungry and abusive toward the refugees of Zeon. With this premise laid out, fans of previous shows in the Gundam franchise and newcomers alike can both check out Gundam Hathaway when it hits Netflix next month.
