Gundam Hathaway Reveals Bright and Mirai Noa’s Long Awaited On Screen Appearance, Full Comments From Ken Narita and Satomi Arai

Additional cast members and character details have been announced for the anime film Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: The Sorcery of Nymph Circe, which is set to open in theaters on January 30. Ken Narita has been cast as Bright Noa, while Satomi Arai voices Mirai Noa, the parents of protagonist Hathaway Noa. Alongside this announcement, scenes featuring Bright and Mirai’s appearances within the main story have been revealed.

During the special Nippon Television broadcast Mobile Suit Gundam x ZIP! Special Program Hathaway: The Sorcery of Nymph Circe Premiere Commemoration SP, a key scene was shown depicting Bright responding to a summons from the Earth Federation Forces, with Mirai seeing him off. Unaware that their son Hathaway is the leader of the anti Earth Federation movement known as Mafty, Bright hopes to reunite with Hathaway, who is currently training far away as an assistant botanical observer.

As figures who once played major roles in past wars reappear, the story delivers moments that deeply resonate with long time fans. At the same time, the human drama grows increasingly intense. Expectations continue to rise regarding how not only Hathaway himself, but also the environment surrounding him and the people close to him, will become involved in the unfolding narrative.

Hathaway was produced as the second theatrical installment of the UC NexT 0100 project, which began following the 40th anniversary of Gundam in 2019 and looks ahead to the next century of the Universal Century timeline.

About Gundam Hathaway

The film strongly inherits the worldview of Mobile Suit Gundam Char’s Counterattack released in 1988, which depicted the final battle between Amuro Ray and Char Aznable. The story follows the conflict led by the anti Earth Federation organization Mafty, focusing on its leader Hathaway Noa, the mysterious young woman Gigi Andalucia, and Earth Federation Colonel Kenneth Sleg, whose intersecting fates form the core of the narrative.

The first Hathaway film released in 2021 became a major hit, surpassing 22.3 billion yen at the Japanese box office. In The Sorcery of Nymph Circe, the series delivers what is described as the most densely woven drama in its history. Hathaway, haunted by past trauma stirred by Gigi, presses forward with preparations for the attack on the Adelaide Conference, all while being swayed by her words and confronting his resolve as Mafty.

Cast Comment

■Ken Narita as Bright Noa
Congratulations on the theatrical release of Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: The Sorcery of Nymph Circe. At last, the long awaited second chapter. I have truly been counting the days until we could experience this moment in theaters. This marks Bright’s first appearance as Hathaway’s father, and I am genuinely happy to be part of it. Amid the serious tone, the tension and overwhelming presence are irresistibly compelling. I believe there will be moments that strike deeply into the hearts of many viewers. Please look forward to it.

■Satomi Arai as Mirai Noa
I was told, “Just be yourself, Arai. Your natural speaking voice is fine.” In the first test recording, the Mirai I portrayed was quite different from director Shukou Murase’s vision. Mirai is a wonderful woman who combines kindness with the sharp judgment required to command the White Base. As for me, I can barely ride a bicycle safely and have a rather restless personality. Trying too hard to approach Mirai through my performance, I ended up overreaching and forcing myself to sound cool, which only pushed her further away. Reflecting on that, I realized my mistake. As I recorded multiple takes with Narita over time, our timing gradually aligned, and before I knew it, Mirai felt like a close friend quietly standing beside me.

Source : ORICON NEWS