First off I would like to say that I grew up watching Harlock I am a die hard Harlock fan I have collected his Toy's, Models, Records, Movies, TV Animations and just about Everything Leiji Matsumoto has put out so my knowledge on this matter is immense. Now as for the new Harlock Movie, visually it was fun to watch. Seeing one's childhood hero in full on CG is always going to be entertaining but that was all it was. This movie lacked so much of the Essence and Soul of what is Leiji Matsumoto that I sort of considered the insert of a old Leiji Matsumoto drawing at the end of the credits a bit of a insult.. It's like saying "Hey we have the comics story's and art but we didn't use any of it" It was a slap in the face. I don't know what it is these days with buying the copyrights to something and then putting out something that is in no relation to the story.. What are the things that are wrong with this movie? Well here's a short list.
1. Harlock's back story is different from that of Arcadia of my Youth.
2. There is nothing about Leiji Matsumoto's art style in this movie asides from the appearance of his characters everything else is vacant his style of drawing city's buildings and computer rooms is not in here. The Gaia city looks more like Asgaurd from The Thor movie.
3. The enemy is GENERIC and forgettable.. there is nothing memorable. There is so many influential villains in Leijiverse you could have pulled something from the past like (Count Mecha, Queen Promethuem, Faust the Black Knight, The Mazone, or Illuminads.
4. In this movie Harlock's crew are portrayed as cowards Harlock's crew are not cowards! They might be pre-occupied but when Harlock asks for Volunteers those who sail under the flag of Freedom on the Arcadia VOLUNTEER.
5. In this movie Yataran is portrayed as a coward as well, Yataran is not a coward and never doubts Harlock, the XO has always believed in the captain and is far more important than what he is portrayed as in this movie. His love for building battleship and airplane models was also missing in this movie. The personality's of these characters was totally different from how they are portrayed in previous Harlock story's.
6. Spacewolf Fighters (Arcadias Space Fighter Jets) None to be seen in this movie.
7. Leiji Matsumotos love for WWII Airplanes and Battleships does not show in any of the mechanical designs. None of that. The Arcadia looks like a mix of HR Gigers Aliens and a giant penis. Even the enemy's fleet has no Leiji Matsumoto influence in the design of their ships.
8. No DR.Zero, No Masu chasing a Mi Kun with her Knife, No Chief Engineer Maji No Kiddodo and Taro Ama.
9. The story is a MESS, this story makes absolutely no sense, At first they present to you a crew that sails for freedom so much to the point that to board the ship it's the one word that will get you onboard the Arcadia yet as the back story goes according to this movie Harlock wasn't even about Freedom he was just some cursed pirate mutation who was spawned from black matter. Random weapons are being pulled out by the Gaia Coalition on the fly, giant space bomb, what?
10. Tochiro is like some almost un existent element in this movie. the Arcadias main computer where Tochiros soul lays is totally bares no resemblance to Leiji Matsumotos desgin which has been on each and every Arcadia previous to this movie. Furthermore it is like a non relevant thing in this movie. Tochiro and the Arcadia are a essential part to the Harlock Universe cutting that out is like pizza without the cheese it just doesn't work. Tochiro isn't just Harlocks best friend and traveling companion they are freaking Bro's before Hoe's brothers! With past life history you don't just brush a character like that under the rug.
11. There are no Mechanized people in this movie.
In short this movie was a great big FAIL.
Anyways I hope this movie was a one off and if ever there is to be another it will be giving to someone with some insight into Leiji Matsumotos Vision and history of Captain Harlock someone like Rintaro who has a history with Harlock and Galaxy Express and would understand the character and behavior of Captain Harlock and his followers.
1. Harlock's back story is different from that of Arcadia of my Youth.
2. There is nothing about Leiji Matsumoto's art style in this movie asides from the appearance of his characters everything else is vacant his style of drawing city's buildings and computer rooms is not in here. The Gaia city looks more like Asgaurd from The Thor movie.
3. The enemy is GENERIC and forgettable.. there is nothing memorable. There is so many influential villains in Leijiverse you could have pulled something from the past like (Count Mecha, Queen Promethuem, Faust the Black Knight, The Mazone, or Illuminads.
4. In this movie Harlock's crew are portrayed as cowards Harlock's crew are not cowards! They might be pre-occupied but when Harlock asks for Volunteers those who sail under the flag of Freedom on the Arcadia VOLUNTEER.
5. In this movie Yataran is portrayed as a coward as well, Yataran is not a coward and never doubts Harlock, the XO has always believed in the captain and is far more important than what he is portrayed as in this movie. His love for building battleship and airplane models was also missing in this movie. The personality's of these characters was totally different from how they are portrayed in previous Harlock story's.
6. Spacewolf Fighters (Arcadias Space Fighter Jets) None to be seen in this movie.
7. Leiji Matsumotos love for WWII Airplanes and Battleships does not show in any of the mechanical designs. None of that. The Arcadia looks like a mix of HR Gigers Aliens and a giant penis. Even the enemy's fleet has no Leiji Matsumoto influence in the design of their ships.
8. No DR.Zero, No Masu chasing a Mi Kun with her Knife, No Chief Engineer Maji No Kiddodo and Taro Ama.
9. The story is a MESS, this story makes absolutely no sense, At first they present to you a crew that sails for freedom so much to the point that to board the ship it's the one word that will get you onboard the Arcadia yet as the back story goes according to this movie Harlock wasn't even about Freedom he was just some cursed pirate mutation who was spawned from black matter. Random weapons are being pulled out by the Gaia Coalition on the fly, giant space bomb, what?
10. Tochiro is like some almost un existent element in this movie. the Arcadias main computer where Tochiros soul lays is totally bares no resemblance to Leiji Matsumotos desgin which has been on each and every Arcadia previous to this movie. Furthermore it is like a non relevant thing in this movie. Tochiro and the Arcadia are a essential part to the Harlock Universe cutting that out is like pizza without the cheese it just doesn't work. Tochiro isn't just Harlocks best friend and traveling companion they are freaking Bro's before Hoe's brothers! With past life history you don't just brush a character like that under the rug.
11. There are no Mechanized people in this movie.
In short this movie was a great big FAIL.
Anyways I hope this movie was a one off and if ever there is to be another it will be giving to someone with some insight into Leiji Matsumotos Vision and history of Captain Harlock someone like Rintaro who has a history with Harlock and Galaxy Express and would understand the character and behavior of Captain Harlock and his followers.
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