Interview with Voice Actor Soma Saito on the Contrast Between "Hathaway and Lane" and "Reality vs. Ideals" [Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: The Sorcery of Nymph Circe]

——Regarding your approach to Lane, did you base your performance on what you did in Chapter 1?

Saito: Yes. During the recording of Chapter 1, the sound staff told me to perform him with the vibe of a "greenhorn young warrior"—the kind of character who wouldn't be out of place as a protagonist if this were a different timeline.

He doesn't have a lot of screen time in Chapter 2, but I feel like he views himself as the protagonist of his own story. I performed him hoping that same nuance from Chapter 1 would come through.

——From the perspective of someone playing Lane, how did the protagonist Hathaway appear to you in this film?

Saito: It’s hard to put into words, but he’s not a character I can’t empathize with 100%... He’s carrying too much on his shoulders, to the point where he’s in a "no turning back" situation. There are parts where external factors are driving him into madness, but there's also the aspect where he’s choosing to walk toward the edge of that madness himself.

However, as the person responsible for Lane Aim’s voice, I figured that from Lane’s point of view, Hathaway’s mindset and way of thinking would be completely incomprehensible lol.

——The fact that the ending theme for this film is Guns N' Roses' "Sweet Child O' Mine" is also creating a buzz. Watching the scenes between Lane and Hathaway and then hearing that song, I was surprised by how much the mood of the film and the lyrics linked up.

Saito: I didn't know the ending theme was Guns until I saw the movie myself, so my first impression was, "That voice sounds like Axl Rose... could it be?"

With the lyrics being re-translated for the film, I felt it matched the world of Hathaway’s Flash perfectly, adding to the nuance of the original song. I think everyone felt that sense of "Where do we go now?"

——I’m sure the audience felt it, and Hathaway and the others probably did too.

Saito: It’s a song that concludes Chapter 2 while perfectly bridging to the next. I think it was an exquisite choice.

The scenes between Lane and Hathaway are one of the highlights of Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: The Sorcery of Nymph Circe. Please head to the theaters and see it for yourself.

[Official Website] https://gundam-official.com/hathaway/
[Official X] https://x.com/gundam_hathaway

Interview / Text by kato
(C)SOTSU·SUNRISE