Harlock Space Pirate
Company: Twilight Time
Starring Voice Talent: Japanese Version: Shun Oguri, Haruma
Miura, Yu Aoi, Arata Furuta, Ayano Fukuda, Toshiyuki Morikawa, Maaya Sakamoto,
Muyuki Sawashiro, Kiyoshi Kobayashi, Chikao Otsuka
English Version: David Matranga, Adam Gibbs, Emily Neves,
Jessica Boone, Rob Mungle, Mike Yager, Rebekah Stevens.
My Review and Thoughts:
Film: My Rating: 4 out of 5
Growing up I was obsessed with what I called then, Japanese
Animation, now in today’s term it’s just Anime. Many cultures create this dynamic
way of storytelling. Harlock is a prime example of an action packed adrenaline ride
of pure science fiction adventure. This 2013 Japanese animation film is based
on the popular character in the Japanese manga series Space Pirate Captain
Harlock which ran originally for 5 volumes in 1977 to 1979. Now what I remember
the most is watching the 1978 animated series by Toei Animation. This movie I
am reviewing is a computer animated film, not typical animation or cartoon
format, the computer animated reality has taken over a lot of animation lately.
I personal am not a fan of computer animation, I think it looks bad in many
ways but with that said this version I am reviewing which is being brought out
wonderfully by Twilight Time Blu-ray is actually one that I found very
enjoyable and very well made. The 3D animation and even the 2D animation is spectacularly created and stands out. I would have loved to seen an original animation version, in the old way of Anime, but am
satisfied for the most part with this version. The original animated series ran
for 42 episodes telling a grand science fiction story.
The plot is what you would expect from a futuristic science
fiction tale. Mankind has the ability to travel faster than the speed of light
and has built many places throughout the planets in the universe. Soon all the
resources in the universe is fading away and the people must return home back to
earth, but soon the factions battle it out for earth. There is a great war and
soon a law is created that Earth cannot be populated because it is a holy
sacred planet. So a government is created. A group of Fleet known as the Gaia Fleet.
Their goal is to defend earth. Harlock defends earth with his Deathshadow
Martyr Fleet. This technology was given to Harlock because of his great deed in
saving an alien race known as Nibelung. Because of this deed they gave him the technology of powerful ships that helped defend earth. So to make a long story short, the earth was
protected, but a treaty was put into place that peace would happen but the main
elite persons are allowed to live on Earth, breaking the basic rule. Plus, only
persons that where elite are allowed. Harlock did not take to this idea. He
went about protecting earth by fighting and destroying the other ships. He
released the dark matter upon the earth in hopes to protect it, but what
happened instead is it destroyed all life on earth. Of the 4 ships, the only ship, Harlock’s
Arcadia survived, but in the process it changed him, turning him immortal. You then
flash 100 years in the future. Now Harlock is sought out, he and his rogues
must battle the controlling government who lies to the people and changes truth
to what they see fit.
Now what makes this Twilight Time blu-ray awesome is it’s a 2-disc
special edition. You get the original Japanese version and also the
international version. I prefer the original Japanese version. Always watch a
movie in its original setting if possible. Disc 2 is both 2D and 3D versions. This
is a spectacular blu-ray that Twilight Time has given great effort to and
brought out lovingly for the lover of cinema, anime and most of all the
adventurous reality of childhood make believe through science fiction.
There are actually voice talents of some legends in the
original Japanese version. The voiced character of Roujin is voiced by Kiyoshi
Kobayashi. Kiyoshi is a truly gifted voice performer that has done some of the
greats in cinema both great and small. He is the voice of the long running
character Daisuke Jigen in the long running animated series Lupin the 3rd, from
1969 to 2016. Also what is really funny and interesting about his persona is he
would dub the Japanese language in America films for the Japanese audience. He became the Japanese voices
of James Coburn in over 20 films, from The Magnificent Seven to In Like Flint
to The Nutty Professor. He voiced Lee Marvin, Tommy Lee Jones Franco Nero, Sam
Elliott, Jack Palance, Clint Eastwood, and many upon many others. Not only a
master talent of voice in animation but in dubbing also.
This is a wonderful computer animated feature that brings
out all the wonders of anime, manga, adventure, action, science fiction, twisted
around a spectacular futuristic story that any child, or adult with imagination
will fall in love with. It’s not for everyone, but for those who get, and
understand anime and science fiction, I feel this is must experience. A lovely
blu-ray as always put out wonderfully by Twilight Time. They gave a great
product with both versions and also both versions in 2D and 3D.
Audio/Video:
My Rating: 5 out of 5
Flawless. That’s really all I should need to say. There is
no flaw in this reality. A wonderful vibrant transfer of colors and crisp
imagery that transcends off the screen. The sound quality is fantastic and
creates a total perfection in sound. I think this is one of the strongest examples
of how to treat a film on a high quality transfer and sound.
LANGUAGES: Japanese and English
VIDEO: 1080p High Definition / 2.35:1
AUDIO: Japanese and English 5.1 DTS-HD MA
SUBTITLES: English
2013 / Color
Japanese Version: 115 MINUTES / International Cut: 111
MINUTES
Extras:
My Rating: 5 out of 5
I think this is one of the best Twilight Time Blu-ray
Special Features department. It comes with a vast array of excellent programs
and features that make the product all the more desirable.
Isolated Score Track (Original Japanese Version). The music
is done by a wonderful person, Tetsuya Takahashi, who has worked in the Video
Game world for many years and also does film music for mainly animated
features. Most gamers know him because he is the head of the software company
Monolith Soft Inc. He has composed music for Appleseed series of movies.
Resident Evil Degeneration, Starship Troopers Invasion and many others. His
talent is amazing and it is something that stands out and you can’t not listen
to the music he composes.
Interviews with Harlock Creator Leiji Matsumoto with a
running time of about 14 minutes, Director Shinji Aramaki with a
running time of a little over 4 minutes, and Adaptation/Screenwriter Harutoshi
Fukui with a running time of a little over 3 minutes.
The Making of Harlock: Space Pirate has a running time of a
little over 26 minutes. This is a wonderful look at the reality of Harlock over
the years and the franchise.
Venice Film Festival World Premiere Highlights. A Press conference
running a little over 4 minutes. Red Carpet a running of a little over 4
minutes. Standing Ovation with a running time of a little over 4 minutes.
Storyboard Galleries
5 TV Spots and one Teaser.
4 Original Theatrical Trailers
Also the all-important insert booklet containing an essay on
the film from the amazing wonderful film historian Julie Kirgo. Always a true
treat to read and look at the images. A wonderful film note booklet like
always.
Overall:
Another flawless product by Twilight Time. This is true gem
to own. It’s a must see experience that I highly recommend as being something
truly magical in the animation department of film making.
INFO:
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the wonderful Twilight Time Blu-rays. The main page that gives you these
beautiful releases on top quality Special Editions.
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