Phoenix 2772 (1980) User Reviews

New DVD reveals true intentions

[lvd_orders · 8/10 · 29 July 2006]

Apparently 2772 has suffered much the same way that Nausicaa suffered in translation, further add the dilemma of context and we have something that no doubt has justifiably earned some low scores from reviewers. I haven't seen the old dub, but now with its Region 4 reissue on DVD (and I assume an R1 to follow), what we get is something truly magnificent. Not perfect by any means, but definitely Tezuka working at the peak of his animating ability. For those who have seen his experimental short films, this film seems to be much from that same vein. Here is where context comes in, because as a stand alone film, 2772 may seem weird and hard to appreciate. Taken as a whole--with Tezuka's other work under your belt--well, then you have something truly special.

The story does not seem a direct adaptation of any of the phoenix stories, but many familiar characters (both from Phoenix and elsewhere) appear. The story line will feel familiar and at home with anyone who has read the phoenix books, but it is something new (it is sort of a new twist on the book 'future'.) The real treat here though is the animation. With what is seemingly more funds than Tezuka knew what to do with, virtually every scene is fertile with new ideas. Shots are rarely 'flat' the way they are in TV shows like Astroboy and Kimba. Instead, we have fluid perspective where not only are the characters moving, but so is the 'camera'. There are numerous multi-layered scenes using various psychedelic textures and cloud patterns. Much effort is put into making every scene feel important. When all these techniques are not enough, Tezuka resorts to what he knows best, and just starts drawing the most surreal space creatures you could imagine. For instance, on a planet that seems to be run by Mustachio, we see every possible alien design, most of which are ridiculous (reminiscient of the surreal encounters in 'Nostalgia'.) From the perspective of a fan of animation and a fan of Tezuka, Phoenix 2772 (I'm not sure why it is translated 'space fire bird') is a 10/10. This is in so many ways the culmination of Tezuka's studies in animation, a celebration of new possibilities (and also of animation in general.) The flavor of the original Phoenix stories are also captured with perfection in this film despite 2772 being a new story.

For outsiders however; those who don't know Tezuka's works and may not have interest in pre-90's anime, 2772 could be a difficult work that at times seems pointless, and with an end that makes little sense. I think the original language with subtitles should help tremendously, but the film is still quite surreal and takes some chances (that may be seen as faults by some.) With that in mind, I've given the film an 8/10 (but fans will know it deserves more.)

Awesome story if you can live past the shoddy delivery

[nes_star · 7/10 · 24 May 2006]

Please note that I am judging from the English dub VHS, which I was lucky enough to discover in a pawn shop. Phoenix 2772 was a movie by Osamu Tezuka, inspired by his "Hi no Tori" series of comics (which were a series of short stories spanning centuries which were connected by the concept of the legendary Phoenix), which features a young man named Gadoh who, after having a run-in with the law, escapes the earth in order to capture the Phoenix, and ends up going through a trial of self-discovery.

You kind of have to understand the author and have a really open mind (and a tolerance for less-than-stellar delivery--more on that later). Osamu Tezuka was not your average manga author: He wasn't content to just tell stories of heroes and villains, but of deep characters with human personalities. His stories usually had some form of moral to them, but he didn't hamfist it or deliver it in a package, like in a Disney cartoon, but rather told sweeping, epic stories wrapped around the point he was trying to convey, but delivered in such a way where it was never shoved down your throat. Moreover, he felt stories shouldn't be limited to feel-good adventures or comedy, and thus most of his stuff had a very emotional quality to it. I personally feel Phoenix 2772 delivered on that.

Yes, the film won't immediately make sense if you go in, expecting a Disney-esquire song and dance number with a lot of feel-good moments and a "good guys always win" message. What instead needs to happen is that one needs to forget how things "should" work and instead prepare for anything. With an open mind and a little bit of thought, the story of this film makes perfect sense.

The weak point is one that's not a fault of the story or the creator, but rather of the translators: The English dub is bad. Mouths move, yet no one is talking. The voice actors sound like they're trying to sound natural, but forget that they're voice acting for an animated movie, so we have moments where mouths are moving yet no one is talking, and things like that. One flaw I particularly noticed is that the Phoenix of the title is always referred to as "272" instead of "2772," and no one could quite decide how to pronounce the main character's name (is it Godah, Gadoh, Gardoh, etc.) But... if you can overlook this and you can stand films that require you to think instead of just delivering all the answers to you on a silver platter, then this one is worth a try, even if you can only find the English dub version (which DOES seem to have been edited).

Beautiful but lost in translation

[KICon · 7/10 · 14 January 2007]

I recently viewed animated manga feature SPACE FIREBIRD 2772 based on a series of Manga comics by Osamu Tezuka, with a dubbed English language soundtrack that sounded like it was recorded in the early eighties.

The picture flows like Disney's 'Fantasia' meets Star Wars, with the innocence of Astro Boy. There are moments of real beauty where the animation on-screen marries perfectly with the booming classical soundtrack that helps to propel the action.

Particularly enjoyable is the film's opening montage showing the lead character, Godo, growing from infant to adult in a mechanized environment that trains him to eventually become a pilot - all depicted free of dialogue. A voyage through a futuristic city via hover-car, all animated in a long, 'aerial' tracking-shot also helps to elevate SPACE FIREBIRD 2772 to a more 'cinematic' animated film.

Character design, artistic design and over-all animation is above-par for a hand-drawn Manga from 1980's. A great film for Manga purists but some of the more Japan-centric themes might be trying for less adventurous viewers.

NB: One interesting note on the English-language dubbed version viewed (Australian, region 4. Madman distribution) was the possibility that CARY GRANT may have provided one of the character voices. While not noted on the DVD credits or sleeve, a voice sounding like an older Grant (the actor would have been mid-seventies had the dubbed soundtrack been recorded shortly after the Japanese release) carries the actor's distinct vocal traits.

Classic

[barrencross777 · 10/10 · 1 November 2004]

I saw this movie when i was 7 years old and i still remember it as th e matter of facts i have it on my collection, it may look not good to adults or to the "newer" anime fan. but to me this is a classic(note it's very suitable for children) if you grew up with Starzinger(Spaceketeers) Mazinger Z, Voltes V, Techno Police 21C, Starblazers, Space Warriors Baldios many more from the era you will enjoy this! You will love Olga (Godo's female cyborg) and Pincho (friendly alien pet)This is the original serialized story for the theatrical film "The Phoenix," the theme of which is the immortality of life. Against the background of a futuristic universe, Godo, who at first has karma as a human being, is transformed into a god through numerous ordeals. As this was the first full-animated film, the outlines of human figures are slightly blurred, presenting a technical problem to be overcome. The entire story reflects Tezuka Osamu's desire to portray transformation, including the episode in which a female-shaped robot falls in love with a man and has her dream granted by the Phoenix.

Winner of the Inkpot Award at the 1980 San Diego Comic Convention, and the

Animation Award at the 1st Las Vegas Film Festival, 1980

It's 2022, and I see only 8 reviews! It's the Best sci-fi anime of all times.

[SaintNinja · 10/10 · 10 August 2022]

If you like space opera and golden age sci-fi, you should watch Firebird 2772 right now. Even if you are not a fan of anime, you should watch it at least once. I'm not a fan of anime, but I never miss a good sci-fi drama.

Classic Anime From Osamu Tezuka

[govarian · 10/10 · 28 July 2006]

I first watched this film when i was about 10. I didn't really like it then though i thought it was a bit weird and even scary. I only saw it again a few days ago when i found a VHS copy on the internet,that's 14 years after i first saw it. I'll have to say it's not the best anime of all time,and it's not the place to start if you're not a fan. But i loved it all the same as it reminds me of my childhood. My memories of it were right as it was weird though not scary. The animation was OK but the problem was the direction as it was very patchy. So if you don't like anime or Tezuka then don't bother. But it is definitely worth investigating,and frankly i prefer it over the newer animes which seem to be more about the animation and the special effects than the story or characters. Another thing about this movie is that it has great music.The version i've got is the dubbed version which as usual is crap. I know that it's been released on DVD(region 4),i hope it gets a release in the UK. 10/10

Retro.

[RapunzelK · 15 September 2004]

This film can be summed up in one word: Retro. Ah the late 70s/early 80s when voice acting was bad and dubbing worse. Because of the age of this film, a subbed version is difficult to find and it isn't available at all on DVD. If you snoop about the online market places, however, you can usually find an old video rental copy of the horrendous English dub on VHS for around $10-$8.00. The painful English voice acting aside, and the rather groovy character design (bell-bottoms, big shoes and bad hair- hey it was 1979, NOBODY had good hair) the movie is actually quite enjoyable. Be aware that this film definitely falls under the category of "experimental film". It employs some unusual animation techniques for the time. Anyone familiar with Osamu Tezuka's "star system" will be amused to see whom he casts in what part. Kenichi and Sapphire take starring roles as Godo and Lena and Rock- as per usual- plays himself as the villainous but not necessarily evil minister of science. The movie centers primarily around two intertwining plot lines: the love triangle between Godo, his robot nursemaid Olga, and Rock's fiancé Lena as well as the more obvious contention between Rock and Godo over the fate of their home planet (which is rapidly deteriorating) and who will win Lena's affections. It's a long movie, a solid two hours, and begins to drag a bit right around the part where Godo and Co. must battle the Phoenix. However things get interesting again and Tezuka takes an extra 20min or so to wrap up the film with his usual "harm not the earth" message. All in all, the voice acting is forgivable due to the trippy animation, weird storyline, and back-handed Star Wars references. I give it an 8 out of 10. I'd probably like the subbed version even more.

Shelter from the Storm

[frankgaipa · 9/10 · 30 August 2002]

This played Berkeley's now late UC Theater, subtitled and complete, 1980 or so. I can't be sure what's on the current VHS dub, and wouldn't suggest anyone buy or rent a dub of any film, much less encourage such mutilation by purchasing one for myself. But there is another way: Back in '80 or so, Kodansha Anime Comics put out a four-paperback set containing the complete " Hi no tori 2772," that I bought when I had the chance, guessing rightly the film might vanish. This is not another instance of a manga upon which the film was based, though there's probably one of those around too. Instead it's a graphic novel composed apparently of the original animation cels, colors intact, edited to the page, with dialog transferred to standard white balloons and sound effects to free-floating katakana. Far as I can tell, the whole film is there. The first 47 pages, covering the protagonist's test-tube birth, his discovery of his all in one robot/mother/friend/unattainable love, and his rapid, to us, growth from infant to child to boy to young adult, are essentially silent and nearly as magical as I remember them being on the screen. There are plenty more similarly "silent" sequences, so if you know even a few characters and a little syntax it's possible to flip through all four volumes with a reasonable idea of what's going on. With no Japanese at all, you still might do okay.

Random thoughts: The villain is a take on "Popeye's" Bluto. The robot is both sentient and emotioned. The techno mumbo-jumbo that you might not get with no translation is mad-scientist stuff about tapping the earth's core, or maybe it's just volcanoes, for power. A couple of touchpoints for "2772" might be "Le Soufflé au coeur" and "Tadpole." Not to mention "A.I." and (stupid-seeming teeny movie that nonetheless keeps coming up) "Andromedia." Think too about kid protagonist Shinji, virtually, though not truly, motherless, taken in by, living with, raised by, finally kissed ("This is a kiss between adults.") by older Misato in "Neon Genesis Evangelion." What exactly's up with all these mother-not-mother figures? Maybe Dylan had a clue: "...if only I could turn back the clock/to when Gaawwd and her were boorrrrn."

Burn Baby Burn!

[StlBlade · 27 July 2000]

This movie is for anyone that thinks all Japanese Anime is good anime. There are parts of this 'movie' that make me think it was cut down from a series, but other parts that look like loss on the sides from the transition from widescreen. Too bad they couldn't lose the whole movie while they were at it.

It is far too convoluted, unevenly paced. characters drop dead in ways that suggest that we should care more than we do (Hence the 'cut from a series' theory) and the ending made about as much sense of the rest of the movie.

As a brief outline; The hero gets sent to space school to be a pilot. How he qualifies for this is not explained, but he musta been good, 'cos he already had a uniform on. Within 15 minutes, he attends school, gets in trouble with the law about visiting a garden, falls in love with a politician's daughter, is caught with said daughter and is sent to a labor prison. The plot picks up from there (Sort of). He then escapes and goes off into outer space to find the Firebird after stopping to pick up some really lame friends. When you're on the run, I guess you can't be too choosy.

I made a copy from a local late night tv broadcast and like to show it to my friends now and then as an example of what bad anime looks like.

Steelblade

Imaginative animated space advenure from Japan

[lor_ · 16 January 2023]

My review was written in July 1982 after a Greenwich Village screening.

"Space Firebird 2772" (also known as "Phoenix 2772") is a well-drawn, imaginative Japanese sci-fi feature made in 1980. With the proper trimming (at least 30 minutes could be excised) and additional work of dubbing the film into English, pic could attract an American audience on the basis of the distinct look and entertaining narrative.

Adventure tale concerns young hero Godoh and his sexy blonde robot Olga sent on a mission to capture a spaceship wrecking monster (the title firebird). Conflict is with Godoh's brother, Rock Schlock (even in subtitles the name garners some laughs), chief of science who marries Godoh's sweetheart Lena.

Departing in a space shark (so named because of its shape) ship, heroes are accompanied by comedy pets Pincho (a dog-like alien intent on brushing everything clean. Crack (who lives in a shell resembling a gambling die) and Pooks, a bagpipe-shaped animal. Silly musical interludes of the pets cavorting draw the film to a halt, and should be edited out.

Drawing upon influences ranging from Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" to hit space films "2001" and "Star Wars". Writer-producer peppers the film with ideas. Main theme is a rapidly depleting Earth, fueled by power from the planet's mantle, with Dr. Salka (looking like one of the seven dwarfs, among other Disney influences here) seeking the legendary phoenix's blood to scientifically rejuvenate the planet. Mystical fantasy conclusion crowds out previous sci-fi elements in accomplishing just that.

Animation directed by Taku Sugiyama is modern and often Day-Glo colored, with some corners cut: static backgrounds, shake and shimmer characters in place of constant, fluid movement. The firebird itself figuring prominently in action scenes in later reels, is disappointing in design, and out-of-place in the futuristic world.

At present two-hour length, return to Earth for confrontation with Schlock and extended mystical denouement come off as anti-climaxes. Pruning of some chases and climactic cataclysm on Earth would allow focus on the appealing main characters (especially the robot Olga, who transforms mechanically into many functional shapes) while retaining the ingenious sight gs which translate sans subtitles. Human cast is styled as Caucasians (though Space Shark is the only English spoken) rather than Japanese, so a careful dubbing job could only enhance the film.