In just 11 days, it pulled in ¥1.5 billion at the box office and drew 910,000 viewers. Breaking a five-year silence, the second chapter of "Hathaway's Flash" is rewriting records at a pace well ahead of its predecessor. And it did so with an unusual gamble: enlisting Western artists SZA and Guns N' Roses for its theme songs. Here's a look at the "global strategy" behind a Gundam film that has become a domestic hit and secured a U.S. theatrical release.

"Witch of Circe": The Numbers Behind the Momentum

"Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: The Witch of Circe" has piled up box-office records since opening in Japan on January 30, 2026. Screening on 431 screens nationwide including IMAX, it took in ¥840 million (about $5.4 million) with 510,000 admissions over its opening three-day weekend, a start running at 162% of the first film's pace (2021).

The momentum held: ¥1 billion by day five, and by day 11, ¥1.532 billion (about $9.9 million) and 914,106 admissions. In just 11 days it reached roughly 70% of the first film's ¥2.23 billion (about $14.4 million) final total.

By day 22 (February 20), it had surpassed ¥2 billion and 1.2 million admissions, overtaking the previous film's final result in under a month. Crossing ¥2 billion puts it among only a handful of Gundam films to do so since 1982's "Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space."

Five Years On: A Changed Landscape for Gundam Films

The first chapter of "Hathaway's Flash" opened in June 2021. Released during the pandemic, it earned ¥2.23 billion, a strong figure for a Gundam film at the time. But the market changed sharply afterward.

"Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM," released in January 2024, set a series record for a Gundam theatrical film with over ¥5 billion and more than 3 million admissions, far surpassing the roughly ¥2.3 billion long held by 1982's "Encounters in Space."

Then in 2025, "Gundam GQuuuuuuX -Beginning-" ran as an advance theatrical screening and took in over ¥3.3 billion, unusual for what was essentially a preview of a TV series. "Witch of Circe" arrived as the market for Gundam films was expanding.

The Story: Hathaway, Gigi, and Kenneth

The "Hathaway's Flash" series adapts Yoshiyuki Tomino's novels of the same name (published 1989-1990) and is planned as a trilogy. It is set in Universal Century 0105, twelve years after "Char's Rebellion."

The protagonist, Hathaway Noa, is the son of Bright Noa, captain of the original Gundam's ship, yet leads the anti-Earth Federation movement "Mafty," directing a resistance campaign that assassinates government officials. In the second chapter, a mysterious girl named Gigi Andalucia reawakens an old trauma in Hathaway, and, unsettled by her words, he presses ahead with plans to strike the Adelaide Conference.

Meanwhile, Federation officer Kenneth Sleg draws up an operation to wipe out Mafty. With a secret deal offered by Hundley Yoksan of the criminal police force in the mix, the story weaves human drama into intricate political maneuvering. Gigi, too, sets off for Hong Kong for her own "role," and the three characters' motives intertwine.

On social media, many describe the psychological interplay beneath the dialogue as too dense to absorb in a single viewing, praising the near-live-action visuals, and repeat viewings have been common.

The Unusual Gamble of Western Theme Songs

One of the film's most talked-about elements is its choice of Western artists for the theme songs.

The opening theme is "Snooze" by American R&B singer-songwriter SZA. SZA's 2022 album "SOS" was a major hit, and "Snooze" won the Grammy for Best R&B Song, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and charting for more than 70 weeks. Director Shukou Murase said he was drawn to the song early in production, describing how the image of Hathaway's opening "became infused" with it.

The ending theme is Guns N' Roses' rock anthem "Sweet Child O' Mine" (1987). Kept under wraps until opening day, the reveal drew a big response: downloads of the song jumped 12,166% week over week, streams rose 410%, and it climbed to No. 18 on the overall iTunes song ranking.

Japanese anime films typically feature original theme songs written by J-pop artists, so using existing Western hits outright is highly unusual. Reactions are mixed, but the choice signals the creators' intent to reach overseas viewers who don't know Gundam.

The score, once again, is by Hiroyuki Sawano. Insert songs include "ENDROLL," a duet by Yohei Kawakami of [Alexandros] and SennaRin, and "CIRCE" performed by SennaRin, creating a mix of Western and Japanese music.

Toward a U.S. Theatrical Release: Gundam's Global Strategy

At New York Comic Con in October 2025, Bandai Namco Filmworks officially announced a U.S. theatrical release for "Witch of Circe." No date has been set, but given that the first film streamed worldwide on Netflix about a week after its Japanese opening, prioritizing a theatrical release marks a significant shift.

Behind this is the recent acceleration of Gundam's global push. The 2024 "SEED FREEDOM" had a North American theatrical run distributed by GKIDS. In 2025, "GQuuuuuuX" achieved Gundam's first North American IMAX screening, and the TV series streamed worldwide on Amazon Prime Video.

After Yokohama, a full-scale Nu Gundam statue has been built in Fukuoka, and, together with the Freedom Gundam statue in Shanghai, experiential content is spreading worldwide. An integrated IP strategy combining film, plastic models, attractions, and games is underway.

Gundam's Expanding Economic Sphere

Gundam is not just an anime franchise; it forms a vast economic sphere. According to Bandai Namco's disclosures, annual Gundam-related sales reached a record ¥254.3 billion (about $1.6 billion) in the fiscal year ending March 2026, up sharply from ¥153.5 billion the previous year, ranking among the largest for any Japan-born IP.

At its core are "Gunpla" (Gundam plastic models). Since going on sale in 1980, cumulative shipments have topped 800 million units, sold in more than 70 countries and regions. A hit new film feeds directly into rising Gunpla sales, part of a well-established loop in which film and merchandising raise each other's value.

With "Witch of Circe," too, the link between screen and product is on display: an HG (High Grade) model kit of the film's original mobile suit, "Aluzeus," has been announced.

The success of "Witch of Circe" shows that Gundam, with more than 45 years of history, is still evolving. Western theme songs, a U.S. theatrical release, strong reception abroad: all are signs that Gundam is reaching beyond its domestic fandom toward the world. Just how far this trilogy, closing with its third chapter, will go remains to be seen.

How are robot anime like Gundam, or long-running sci-fi franchises, received in your country? What do you think of an anime film using Western hits as its theme songs? We'd love to hear your views.

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