Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: The Sorcery of Nymph Circe

The Earth can’t seem to catch a break. The Earth Federation defeated the authoritarian-inclined Principality of Zeon in the Gundam franchise’s Universal Century continuity, but then the victorious Federation became increasingly corrupt and oppressive. Hathaway Noa emerged as an important leader of the MAFTY rebellion. He hopes to launch a major attack on the Federation, but the greatest variable complicating his plan happens to be a self-described “courtesan.” She might also be a spy, but it is unclear which side she favors in Shuko Murase’s anime feature Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: The Sorcery of Nymph Circe, which opens tomorrow in theaters.

In the new GQuuuuuux alternate storyline, Zeon won the war, but Nymph Circe returns fans to the more familiar timeline. The Hathaway narrative branch takes place many years after the mothership anime series, but Noa represents an important apostolic link, because he is the son of Amuro Ray’s commanding officer, Bright Noa. With that in mind, you should be able to follow the broad strokes of the new Hathaway feature, but many of the particulars will be baffling.

Regardless, the junior Noa is almost entirely focused on the rebellion. Only Gigi Andalusia has the power to distract him. Inconveniently, her sugar daddy-patron happens to be Col. Kenneth Sleg, the chief of Federation counter-insurgency. It is his job to catch Noa.

So far, Andalusia has mostly aided Sleg. Convinced that her “spider-sense” provided lifesaving forewarning, many of Sleg’s men consider her a good luck charm. Yet, restless Andalusia appears preoccupied with Noa. Regardless, before they can reunite, Noa must survive some spectacular mecha battles.

Indeed, Nymph Circe arguably boasts some of the most striking visuals of all the recent Gundam features. The combination aerial and naval battles really are something. For the teenaged boy market, the film also delivers considerably more “fan service” than its recent predecessors, through its strategically framed shots of Andalusia and Julia Suga, Noa’s torch-carrying Gundam mechanic, who usually works in a pair of overalls and not much else.

Again, this is some of the slickest Gundam animation yet. However, Yasuyuki Muto’s screenplay, based on franchise creator Yoshiyuki Tomino’s original novel, makes no concessions to newcomers. Even viewers casually familiar with the original series and several subsequent features will have some trouble finding their sea legs.

Furthermore, critics who rightly called out the appalling lack of military discipline in Star Trek: Starflight Academy should also be put off by Brinks Wedge, the captain of a MAFTY recon ship, who regularly takes the con shirtless. Frankly, both he and Trek’s Nahla Ake are appallingly unprofessional and uncommanding.

On the other hand, despite her suggestive character design, Andalusia and her romantic triangle are surprisingly compelling. Her admittedly lowly origins further raise the stakes for her divided loyalties. Indeed, the visual shock-and-awe impresses, but the human element keeps viewers focused and invested. Arguably, Murase and Muto should have explored Andalusia’s internal conflict even more deeply.

The mecha and backdrops look amazing in Nymph Circe, but it is not a particularly welcoming entry point. It also feels like the middle film of a trilogy, as indeed it is, because sets up a lot, but resolves little. Recommended mostly for franchise fanatics and anime connoisseurs who just want to oh-and-ah at cool mecha warfare, Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: The Sorcery of Nymph Circe releases tomorrow (5/15) in theaters, including the Regal Times Square in New York.