×
  • remind me tomorrow
  • remind me next week
  • never remind me
Subscribe to the ANN Newsletter • Wake up every Sunday to a curated list of ANN's most interesting posts of the week. read more

Forum - View topic
The Mike Toole Show - A Leijiverse of Possibilities


Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next

Note: this is the discussion thread for this article

Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Mr Adventure



Joined: 14 Jul 2008
Posts: 1598
PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 2:45 am Reply with quote
Speaking of Captain Harlock, whatever happened to the CGI film that they teased a trailer for a while back? I was feeling pretty hyped for that.

I've been getting into Yamato and Captain Harlock recently. The Yamato remake is looking sort of awesome, if a bit expensive on Blu-ray.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime
GATSU



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 15279
PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:25 am Reply with quote
N.R.:
Quote:
I believe that the main reason Leiji Matsumoto never made it big outside Japan was because his series don't stand the test of time.


Disagree, but that's not why he didn't become popular here. I'd say the Macek dub of Harlock quashed his chances more than anything.

Quote:
The original Captain Harlock series looks terrible today.


I'm guessing you're citing the VHS tapes as a reference for your argument. Rolling Eyes

Quote:
The two Galaxy Express 999 movies, while still looking good, are paced so slowly today's anime audience will find it hard to appreciate them.


They're faster than Hugo, and that's good enough for me. Also, if they didn't find an audience, then Discotek would've never licensed Harlock in the first place.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address
Bamble



Joined: 30 Aug 2011
Posts: 130
PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 6:53 am Reply with quote
Always loved the Matsumoto series, although I ultimately preferred Yamato, which, despite Mr. Matsumoto's key involvement, does have a different feel than his own works, which really supports Nishizaki's status as the true "guiding light" for the show.

Harlock was popular enough back with early U.S. anime fandom to even make it to a mainstream magazine cover, but the licensing of the series never panned out at the time despite Toei's best efforts since English-dubbed anime was an infinitesimal product back then.

Rakkan wrote:
I have a bit of a gripe with Leiji Matsumoto and it's Gun Frontier.


The most (unitentionally?) amusing thing about Gun Frontier to me is how everyone, especially women, react when Tochiro gets naked, with every single instance leading to a comment on how "well built" he is underneath his clothes despite his stature - just because he's Japanese. Yeah, with this and The Cockpit, there's an undisputed element of strong nationalism; unsurprisingly this is the first thing to be downplayed in many of his animated adaptations.

N.R. wrote:
I believe that the main reason Leiji Matsumoto never made it big outside Japan was because his series don't stand the test of time.


They seem to stand the test of time successfully enough in Italy and France, etc., where Harlock and Galaxy Express were successfully dubbed and broadcast on mainstream TV. That's why France has some of the latter-day series like Space Symphony Maetel and Submarine Super 99 translated in their entirety on home video while they steadfastly remain unlicensed in the U.S. More particularly, that's why Interstella 5555 was produced in the first place!

Also, speaking of which, contrary to your link, Captain Harlock was, somewhat infamously, licensed back in the day by Harmony Gold, where it made it to the air as Captain Harlock and The Queen of a Thousand Years. Ironically didn't get a lot of airplay in the U.S., but Harmony Gold did syndicate it abroad for a few years.

Plus, clearly between the limited broadcast of Harmony Gold's Harlock, the old Ziv videos, and general positive feelings toward the characters that dominated much of early U.S. anime fandom, there must have been some genuine interest that successfully sustained a range of U.S.-produced Captain Harlock comics from 1989-1993. Indeed, the comics only ended when they did due to tragically unforeseen circumstances regarding the license.

I'm pleased that there's still enough interest in some of the classic Matsumoto anime properties that Discotek in particular have taken it to release many of his works. I'm also curious, probably now morbidly so, about S'More's forthcoming release of Galaxy Express 999 TV, but fully expect it to be hardsubbed.

Despite these ventures into his classic series that Toei have been trying to sell to the English market for decades, it still appears that some of the newer anime works like Galaxy Railways II will remain unlicensed due to his character designs appearing very idiosyncratic compared to the standard range. They're not old, but they look old, which can be the kiss of death.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
N.R.



Joined: 22 Oct 2010
Posts: 232
PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 7:39 am Reply with quote
Bamble wrote:

Also, speaking of which, contrary to your link, Captain Harlock was, somewhat infamously, licensed back in the day by Harmony Gold, where it made it to the air as Captain Harlock and The Queen of a Thousand Years. Ironically didn't get a lot of airplay in the U.S., but Harmony Gold did syndicate it abroad for a few years.


Harmony Gold never released the series Captain Harlock. It took Captain Harlock and another Matsumoto series called Queen Millenia, mixed the two together in strange ways, rewrote the script, changed the names of the characters and replaced the Japanese soundtrack with their own Americanized soundtrack. So the link is correct - the original Captain Harlock series was never shown in the U.S.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Craeyst Raygal



Joined: 30 Apr 2002
Posts: 1383
Location: In the garage, beneath a 1970 MGB GT.
PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 9:15 am Reply with quote
Matsumoto remains a tremendous staple of my "re-watch" diet, even as I start to wind down on the anime that I watch. In particular, I have Arcadia of my Youth on VHS and DVD which I have in heavy viewing rotation because I love the mentality it presents.

I introduced a young friend of mine to Matsumoto using Arcadia, and it didn't take long for her to understand the timelessness of the Leijiverse mentality which is so clearly spelled out by Phantom H. Harlock as he dumps his fuel to make one more attempt at the Stanley Witch.

"I will stake all that I am on this last ten minutes."

Perhaps that's why Matsumoto's work is considered so out of date. Much like Superman or Captain America, who are routinely held up as anachronisms when compared to their "modern" counterparts, the pure idealistic heroism of Harlock is just a brief step out of time.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail AIM Address
khaos1019



Joined: 28 Nov 2007
Posts: 93
PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 10:21 am Reply with quote
I've only seen bits and pieces of the Leijiverse, but have always been interested in it, so this was a really fascinating article. I also really liked how you described the timeline as myths and legends. That makes so much sense when you consider all of the inconsistencies throughout the different properties.

Also, the "Donald Duck/Leiji Matsumoto Family Tree" is absolutely brilliant. Very Happy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Shenl742



Joined: 11 Feb 2010
Posts: 1524
PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 10:22 am Reply with quote
"There comes a time in every boy's life when he must decide whether to become a man...or a potato"
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
cat_clan



Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Posts: 67
Location: Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 12:28 pm Reply with quote
I think the article underestimate the popularity of Yamato at its time. I mean we are talking about a TV series, made movie, that basically shaped the first generation of self-aware Otaku in Japan. The popularity of the franchise was so over the top, that Animage magazine was created just to satisfy the necessity of those fans. That Anime alone basically created the new generation of fans of Anime that kept pushing the Anime industry until Gundam arrived at 1979.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message MSN Messenger
penguintruth



Joined: 08 Dec 2004
Posts: 8458
Location: Penguinopolis
PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 12:31 pm Reply with quote
If Nishizaki was the Bob Kane of Yamato, Matsumoto was the Bill Finger.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address My Anime My Manga
Soundmonkey44



Joined: 25 May 2010
Posts: 1243
PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 1:06 pm Reply with quote
Personally I enjoy Leiji Matsumoto's stuff. Kind of sad it doesn't get more love in the states.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
yamiangie



Joined: 03 Mar 2010
Posts: 465
PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 2:19 pm Reply with quote
N.R. wrote:


There's also another thing I'd like to point out - I believe that the main reason Leiji Matsumoto never made it big outside Japan was because his series don't stand the test of time. Leiji's series have a tendency to look really bad a few years along the road. The original Captain Harlock series looks terrible today. The two Galaxy Express 999 movies, while still looking good, are paced so slowly today's anime audience will find it hard to appreciate them. It's sad but true.

I was around 12 and i sat though Galaxy Express 999.

N.R. wrote:
Bamble wrote:

Also, speaking of which, contrary to your link, Captain Harlock was, somewhat infamously, licensed back in the day by Harmony Gold, where it made it to the air as Captain Harlock and The Queen of a Thousand Years. Ironically didn't get a lot of airplay in the U.S., but Harmony Gold did syndicate it abroad for a few years.


Harmony Gold never released the series Captain Harlock. It took Captain Harlock and another Matsumoto series called Queen Millenia, mixed the two together in strange ways, rewrote the script, changed the names of the characters and replaced the Japanese soundtrack with their own Americanized soundtrack. So the link is correct - the original Captain Harlock series was never shown in the U.S.


So local TV in Hawaii doesn't count I guess. Most anime got spotty airings if it got brought over from what I understand from when they bring the old time fans on the Anime World Order podcast
http://www.cornponeflicks.org/harlock/kiku-tv.html
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
N.R.



Joined: 22 Oct 2010
Posts: 232
PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 2:35 pm Reply with quote
yamiangie wrote:
So local TV in Hawaii doesn't count I guess. Most anime got spotty airings if it got brought over from what I understand...


Well yes, anime had spotty airings and there were even local channels in the U.S. that showed anime in Japanese without subtitles. I hate to say this but I do believe Hawaii is different. Its proximity to Japan made is "special" when it comes to anime and I do know for a fact that it received much more "anime love" than the rest of the U.S. did during those early grassroots anime years.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
nhat



Joined: 21 Jan 2008
Posts: 922
PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 2:40 pm Reply with quote
I just saw Queen Emeraldas on DVD and I don't feel like tracking the other 2 episodes. Can anyone tell me why the last 2 wasn't released here?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
yamiangie



Joined: 03 Mar 2010
Posts: 465
PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:32 pm Reply with quote
N.R. wrote:
yamiangie wrote:
So local TV in Hawaii doesn't count I guess. Most anime got spotty airings if it got brought over from what I understand...


Well yes, anime had spotty airings and there were even local channels in the U.S. that showed anime in Japanese without subtitles. I hate to say this but I do believe Hawaii is different. Its proximity to Japan made is "special" when it comes to anime and I do know for a fact that it received much more "anime love" than the rest of the U.S. did during those early grassroots anime years.


I get how you are going with that artical you linked to about Harlock being to old to pick up but i feel that the writer failed to consider the ongoing popularity of say Once Piece and the release of Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger as signaling a good time to roll out the one that inspired a lot of it.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
belvadeer





PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 5:03 pm Reply with quote
I'm really sorry to point this out, and it might be the most surprisingly distinct coincidence because I'm sure Matsumoto's recycled designs have earned him some hate, but Maetel has an axe in her head. XD
Back to top
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next
Page 2 of 3

 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group