The latest chapter in the saga, Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: Circe's Witch, hit Japanese theaters on January 30th, earning high praise from fans and building box office anticipation.
In a recent interview with Japanese media outlet CINRA, voice actress Reina Ueda, who plays the enigmatic Gigi Andalucia, dove deep into the character's allure, the film's shifting dynamics, and her own evolving interpretation of the role.
Here's a look at the conversation.
Q: As the second chapter of the trilogy, the overall atmosphere seems to have shifted. When you first read the novel or script, what were your thoughts on the film?
Ueda: In a word, I felt like, "This has become a very youthful story." The plot moves forward with Hathaway and Gigi separated, but they both have their own worries, struggles, and dramatic developments. In every part, I could feel a "sparkle unique to youth."
Even for adults, there are many relatable moments. Some scenes even have the feel of a modern urban romance drama.
Q: Did your impression of Hathaway or Gigi change in the second chapter?
Ueda: I think Hathaway in the second film is struggling with more immediate and concrete problems than in the first. Back then, he couldn't even articulate what was bothering him or why he was hurting—he was completely shrouded in a fog. That impression has changed drastically.
In contrast, Gigi carries over that hazy, hard-to-read atmosphere from the first movie. It actually made me feel that, in some ways, Gigi in the second film is closer to the Hathaway of the first film.
Q: Having voiced her through the second film, what do you think is Gigi's greatest charm?
Ueda: She has this sense of omnipotence, like she sees through everything and has everyone wrapped around her finger, but at the same time, she has this side to her as a normal young woman. That balance is just captivating.
After recording up to the second film, my feeling is that the Gigi of the first film was a character shaped by having given up on many things. But after meeting Hathaway, she starts to change, and we get to see a side of her that's more like a regular girl. Even Kensho Ono, who voices Hathaway, once casually remarked, "Maybe she just wants to have a normal romance?"
Q: What do you mean by a "normal romance"?
Ueda: Honestly, when I was performing the role, I saw Gigi as someone who was stopping to think, "Who is the person I need to be with to live the life I want?" So I didn't really see it as romance. But when I heard Kensho Ono say that, it hit me: "Wait, maybe for Gigi, this really *is* love." It was a pretty shocking moment.
It also made me think that perhaps Gigi herself hasn't realized her feelings are romantic yet. This idea of "saying it first, acting first, and only understanding the answer later" really fits her personality. She doesn't become self-aware and then worry; she sees through reality with her intuition.
Q: In comparison, Gigi's way of dealing with her troubles is very different from Hathaway's.
Ueda: Exactly. Hathaway very clearly shows his struggles, whereas Gigi seems to exist on a blurry line where you can't even tell "if she's struggling or not," quietly processing everything on her own. I think that contrast is one of the most compelling parts of the second film.
Q: Were there any particular things you focused on or techniques you used when voicing Gigi?
Ueda: I always tried to maintain a sense of "being in a superior position" when voicing her. I pictured her wearing high heels, standing above everyone else, and stepping on them to move forward. But in the second film, that feeling started to change. It's like she's slowly taking off the high heels and walking barefoot, feeling the ground beneath her as she goes. There's a much stronger sense of her "connecting with people."
Q: Using "high heels" as a metaphor is very fitting.
Ueda: It's that feeling of "other people starting to enter her life." Gigi is truly experiencing what it's like to connect with someone else.
Q: You must have recorded many different takes. Can you talk about the recording sessions?
Ueda: The director gave so many instructions that I can barely remember the specifics for each scene (laughs). I was just doing my best to get closer to Director Shukou Murase's vision during the recording. The final product is actually quite different from the performance I had originally imagined.
Q: How was the final take decided?
Ueda: Sometimes we would all discuss it after trying various versions. Other times, the director would say, "Alright, Ms. Ueda, just try doing it freely," and that take would end up being the one they chose. Everyone would just say, "Yes, that's Gigi."
Q: What was the performance you initially envisioned?
Ueda: I originally thought it would be a performance where her emotions were easier to read and the lines had more continuity. For example, more clearly expressing positive feelings or her dissatisfaction with Kenneth. But I was often asked to make it "more subtle," and the final result is a character whose inner thoughts are hard to see and whose way of thinking is difficult to grasp. Her lines aren't delivered like a continuous thread but rather like individual dots placed here and there.
Q: Gigi is a character easily swayed by the times and society. Do you think she has an unchanging "core"?
Ueda: Before meeting Hathaway, she had probably accepted the reality that she had to live by relying on Count Karadias, so she approached her own life with a certain coolness, even detachment. But unlike Hathaway, she doesn't think everything through; she acts on intuition.
That's why I feel the second film depicts the moment her "core begins to waver"—she's no longer just thinking about how to compromise and survive in society, but starting to ask, "As a person, how do I want to live?" No matter where she ends up, she always acts with the assumption that someone will be by her side, which is just so Gigi.
Q: Finally, could you recommend some of Gigi's highlights or share a message for the fans?
Ueda: At the end of the story, Gigi's transformation made me feel a sense of, "Ah, we're finally seeing Gigi again," which was a huge relief. For anyone who wants to know what I mean, please be sure to see Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: Circe's Witch in theaters. You'll really feel the charm of these characters.
via： CINRA