Gigi Andalucia

Gigi Andalucia was a mysterious young woman who became a central figure in the conflict between Mafty and the Earth Federation in UC 0105. She was the mistress of millionaire Cardius Bounden Wooden, founder of a large insurance company, and possessed an enigmatic ability to perceive deception and hidden truths.

Biography

Early life

Little was known about Gigi’s early life or background before she became the mistress of the elderly billionaire Cardius Bounden Wooden. Her mysterious past and unclear origins contributed to her enigmatic nature throughout the events of Hathaway’s Flash.

Haunzen Flight 356 incident

On 19 April UC 0105, Gigi was aboard Haunzen Flight 356, an elite passenger shuttle bound for Hong Kong carrying high-ranking Earth Federation officials to the Adelaide Conference. She had reserved two seats—an arrangement she claimed was to prevent unwanted suitors from sitting next to her, though this did not deter advances from Kenneth Sleg and other passengers.

During the flight, Gigi engaged in philosophical discussions about Mafty’s ideology with fellow passengers, demonstrating her perceptive nature and political awareness. When the shuttle was hijacked by terrorists claiming to be members of Mafty, Gigi quickly sensed that the hijackers were impostors. Her exclamation that they were not the real Mafty Navue Erin startled the terrorists and provided Hathaway Noa with the opportunity to subdue them.

After the failed hijacking, the damaged shuttle was forced to make an emergency landing at Davao airport in the Philippines, which had been converted into an Earth Federation military base. During the subsequent investigation, Gigi astutely deduced Hathaway’s true identity, asking him directly, “Because you are Mafty aren’t you?” This moment marked the beginning of her complex relationship with both Hathaway and Kenneth.

Life in Davao and beyond

Following the Haunzen incident, Gigi remained in the Davao area as part of the investigation. Kenneth, deeply attracted to her, provided her with accommodation in a cottage and began referring to her as his “goddess of fortune” or “goddess of victory.” She became associated with Kenneth’s Circe Unit, whose mission was to hunt down and eliminate Mafty.

Despite Kenneth’s affections, Gigi developed feelings for Hathaway, creating a complex love triangle between the three central figures. Her presence and influence over both men significantly affected the course of events during the Mafty uprising. She possessed an almost prophetic intuition that made her invaluable to Kenneth’s operations, though her true loyalties remained ambiguous.

In the novel’s second volume, Gigi took time to reflect on her relationships with both men, pondering whether she might have a father complex given her attraction to older men and the paternal figures in her life.

Final fate

After the failed Mafty attack on the Earth Federation assembly in Adelaide, Australia, Gigi moved to Kyushu, Japan, along with Kenneth. Following Hathaway’s eventual capture and execution, Kenneth resigned from the Federation in disgust at their brutal methods. Gigi and Kenneth then planned to establish a new organisation inspired by Mafty’s ideals, dedicated to fighting corruption within the Earth Federation or whatever government might replace it.

In the novel’s conclusion, Gigi reflected that Hathaway’s name would be passed down through the generations like an undying stream, comparing it to the Murrumbidgee river—a testament to the lasting impact of his struggle against Federation corruption.

Personality and traits

Gigi possessed a complex and enigmatic personality that made her both alluring and mysterious to those around her. She demonstrated remarkable perceptiveness, particularly in her ability to see through deception and read people’s true intentions. This almost supernatural intuition made her invaluable to Kenneth’s military operations and earned her the title of “goddess of victory” within the Circe Unit.

Her charisma and naivety were tempered by honesty and directness, creating an intriguing contradiction in her character. Despite her youth, she displayed sophisticated political awareness and engaged confidently in philosophical discussions about Mafty’s revolutionary ideology with high-ranking Federation officials.

Gigi’s relationship with men appeared complicated, as she seemed drawn to father figures whilst maintaining her independence. Her status as the mistress of an elderly billionaire, combined with her attraction to both Hathaway and Kenneth, suggested complex psychological motivations that she herself acknowledged might indicate a father complex.

Skills and abilities

Gigi possessed an extraordinary ability to perceive deception and read people’s true nature, though whether this was a form of psychic ability or simply exceptional intuition remained ambiguous. Her talent for seeing through lies and facades made her an invaluable asset to Kenneth’s intelligence operations.

She demonstrated remarkable composure under pressure, maintaining her wit and analytical capabilities even during the terrorist hijacking of the Haunzen. Her quick thinking and perception that the hijackers were impostors proved crucial in resolving the crisis.

Gigi also showed considerable social skills, able to navigate complex political conversations with Federation officials whilst maintaining her own ideological positions. Her charisma and beauty made her a compelling presence in any social situation, though she used these attributes judiciously.

Relationships

Hathaway Noa

Gigi quickly developed feelings for Hathaway Noa after meeting him aboard the Haunzen shuttle. She was the first person to deduce his secret identity as Mafty Navue Erin, demonstrating her exceptional perceptive abilities. Despite Hathaway’s wariness due to his guilt over Quess Paraya’s death during Char’s Rebellion, Gigi pursued him romantically.

Their relationship was complicated by Hathaway’s dual identity and his mission as a terrorist leader. Gigi’s presence often caused him to question his path and methods, adding an emotional dimension to his struggle against the Federation.

Kenneth Sleg

Kenneth Sleg became infatuated with Gigi from their first meeting aboard the Haunzen, immediately recognising her as someone special. He provided for her needs, offering her accommodation and protection, whilst referring to her as his “goddess of fortune.” Kenneth’s feelings for Gigi were deep and genuine, though they remained largely unrequited.

Despite his romantic feelings, Kenneth valued Gigi’s strategic importance to his operations. Her almost prophetic intuition made her an invaluable asset to the Circe Unit, and her presence boosted morale amongst his troops. After Hathaway’s execution, Kenneth and Gigi planned to work together to continue the fight against Federation corruption.

Cardius Bounden Wooden

Gigi served as the mistress of Cardius Bounden Wooden, an 80-year-old billionaire founder of a large insurance company. This relationship explained her wealth and ability to travel on exclusive flights like the Haunzen, though the exact nature of their arrangement and her feelings about it remained unclear. The significant age difference suggested complex motivations that Gigi herself recognised might indicate psychological issues.

Behind the scenes

Gigi Andalucia was originally created by Tomino Yoshiyuki for the Hathaway’s Flash novel series, which was published between 1989 and 1990. Her character was illustrated by Haruhiko Mikimoto, who provided the original character designs for the novels.

For the 2021 film adaptation Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway, her character design was updated by Pablo Uchida, Shigeki Kuhara, and Naoyuki Onda under the direction of Shukou Murase. Pablo Uchida’s design particularly focused on making Gigi more realistic and lifelike whilst maintaining her mysterious allure. Her distinctive eyes became a signature feature of the updated design.

Voice acting

In the film adaptation, Gigi was voiced by Reina Ueda in Japanese and Megan Shipman in English. Reina Ueda’s performance was particularly noted for bringing a unique cuteness to the character that paradoxically made Gigi more intimidating, contrasting with the typically strong and cool heroines in Tomino’s works.

Earlier video game appearances featured different voice actresses, with Megumi Hayashibara voicing her in SD Gundam G Generation and Tomoko Kawakami in G Generation Spirits.

Name significance

Gigi’s surname “Andalucia” references the Andalusia region in Spain, similar to Dorothy Catalonia from Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, who also had a surname derived from a region in the Iberian Peninsula. Both characters shared physical similarities with blonde hair and blue eyes, as well as mysterious and politically aware personalities.

In the English dub, her name was pronounced with a soft “g” sound, emphasising the character’s European-influenced background.

Appearances

• Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway’s Flash (novel)
• Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway (film)
• SD Gundam G Generation series (video games)

External links

• Gigi Andalucia on the Gundam Wiki
• Gigi Andalucia (HF) on the Gundam Wiki