The second chapter of the Gundam animated film series Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway's Flash (directed by Murase Shukou), Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway's Flash: The Witch of Circe, was released on January 30th. This marks the first new film in about five years since the first chapter was released in June 2021. We spoke to Ono Kensho, who plays the protagonist Hathaway Noah, and Ueda Reina, who plays the mysterious beautiful girl Gigi Andalusia, about their thoughts on this new film, the first in about five years, and what went on behind the scenes during filming.
◇Broken Hathaway
--This is your first new work in about five years. It's a long-awaited second chapter for fans.
Ono-san , over the past five years, I've often been asked, "When is Chapter 2 coming out?" and I myself have been looking forward to it. That's why I was so happy.
Ueda: I feel the same way. I was happy to be able to deliver it after five years, and I also felt a sense of relief that I could finally deliver it. However, when it came to playing Gigi again, I was very worried about how I would be able to fill the five-year gap. I think the anguish was even greater than when I played Gigi in Chapter 1.
--Did you record together? What explanation did Director Murase give you during the recording?
Ono recorded one by one. The director once again explained the world of "Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway" and Hathaway's situation. "Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: The Witch of Circe" is a story that takes place after Hathaway joins "Mufty," so he said he wanted to highlight the way he acts as "Mufty" with a student vibe, like a student movement.
Ueda-san: Gigi's constantly changing state of mind remains the same as in Chapter 1, but I heard that she wanted to portray her own changes in a way that would lead to the excitement of the drama in this work. Perhaps Director Murase thought that if he explained too much, it would cause trouble, so after we first talked, he didn't say much, and the direction was more detailed than in Chapter 1, with many different patterns being recorded.
--The scene where Hathaway is in anguish is also very memorable. It felt even heavier than the first chapter.
Ono: Hathaway in Chapter 1 had many diplomatic scenes and many lines where the emotions and words spoken were not consistent, so Chapter 1 was more difficult. "Circe's Witch" is heavy, but the words and expressions are connected, so it was easy to understand and easier to act than Chapter 1.
--Is it like diving deeper?
Ono: That's right. In Chapter 1, the mind, body, and words are all separate, but in "Circe's Witch," there are many scenes where emotions and words are connected, so I felt like it was easy to sort out my feelings. However, Hathaway's brokenness is more vividly expressed. Quess appears, for example.
Ueda-san was scary...
Ono-san, it's even scarier when you think that Quess was actually there in Chapter 1 as well.
◇ Don't be pulled by the "witch"
-Since you are playing the role of "Circe's Witch," did you keep in mind the "witchy feel" when playing Gigi?
Ueda-san, I was never drawn to the word "witch." Kenneth calls her the "goddess of victory," but I don't think Gigi wants to be like that. Hathaway, Kenneth, and the people around her are all at her mercy, so maybe that's why she looks like a witch to outsiders. Gigi is a very serious, down-to-earth girl, and worries about her own life. I thought she was more like a girl than a witch. She's with Kenneth, and then she wonders if she should go to Hathaway? Hathaway comes to mind... If you just look at the situation, she seems like a little devil, a devilish girl, but I don't think that's what she means.
-What is your impression of Gigi, played by Ueda, from your perspective, Ono?
Ono-san is so wonderful, I have nothing to say! I think she must have been very worried, thoughtful, and anxious, and that's what makes her unstable, mysterious, and elusive, which I think is really wonderful. I think one of the themes is from whose perspective Gigi appears to be a witch, and Hathaway doesn't see Gigi as a witch. Kenneth sees her as a goddess.
Ueda-san, what about Lane and Kelia?
Ono-san , it seems like you think Lane and Kelia are witches.
◇Scary scenes
--In "Circe's Witch," it's clearly shown that Hathaway was influenced by Amuro Ray and Char Aznable. Do you feel the weight of the long-running Gundam series?
Ono: It's a continuous story, and I feel the weight of it, but I feel like if I start to feel that, I won't be able to do anything, so I acted without being too conscious of it. Of course, I've seen "Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack," and there are scenes that get me excited, so I did think that this is connected to this...
--Amuro will also appear.
Ono recorded Amuro's lines while listening to Furuya Toru's voice. It's a scene where Hathaway is having a conversation with Amuro in his head, but there are parts where the lines don't connect, it doesn't feel like a conversation, so I was conscious of making each line have a different tension. There's also a sense of fear in that part. Hathaway is talking to himself the whole time, and Lane is listening to him.
Ueda: From the viewer's perspective, it becomes difficult to tell whether it's Hathaway or Amuro who's speaking. In the end, it sounds like Hathaway is doing all the talking by himself, and it was really scary. Hathaway's mental state and the situation that was happening in reality were so scary that it made me tremble.
◇How do you express "carnal desire"?
--This work is a film adaptation of a novel by Tomino Yoshiyuki. One of its charms is the unique way he delivers lines, also known as the "Tomino style." As an actor, is it difficult to deliver the "Tomino style"?
It's difficult to understand Ueda-san . Once you understand it, you understand the dialogue and it becomes easier to do. It's fun, but it's a really long journey to get there.
Ono-san, the word that made the biggest impression on me in "Circe's Witches" was "carnal desire." I'd never heard or even said the word "carnal desire" in my life. When I had to say it, I thought a lot about how to say it. It's amazing to think that this production has been around for decades. Until you get used to the unique lines, you feel a little uneasy when you say them yourself, wondering if they're right or natural. However, just like when you're performing on stage, once you get it right, it feels really good. It feels similar to dubbing.
--It has been announced that there will be a total of three chapters. The third chapter hasn't been announced yet, though...
Ono: We don't know anything either. I was talking to Ueda about how "Circe's Witch" has some aspects that are like a boy-meets-girl coming-of-age movie. The ending, which seems a little brighter, is actually scary. As the title "Flash" suggests, I hope that we can see a momentary sparkle and a way of life in Chapter 3.
Ueda-san, I hope this reunion will be a good one for the two of them... In "The Witch of Circe," I felt that Gigi had established a foundation for facing himself and others, so how will he face Hathaway in this state? I hope to enjoy the conversations during recording as I continue to work on the script for Chapter 3.
Anima Mitsuru/MANTANWEB
