by KiBa » Fri Sep 28, 2012 5:49 pm
It's Leiji Matsumoto's movie about the origin of Captain Harlock, a very interesting character, like a baroque pirate in space. Some of you may recall the character made a cameo appearance in Galaxy Express 999. It's a beautiful, epic movie, with a surprisingly human story. Meiji Matsumoto's space operas evoke a strange combination of awe and adventure, but also a kind of sadness, or the despair that freedom is too difficult for most, as it forces you into the unknown. It's like nothing else I have discovered... except other Leijiverse works. It's drawn in the same unique, flowing style of all his stuff, like Galaxy Express and Starblazers. The musical style is that odd, highly ornamented stuff from the 1970s you hear in such soundtracks as The Castle of Cagliostro.
Also, Spike Speigel is Captain Harlock. If you've seen Cowboy Bebop, then you'll know what I mean once you find Arcadia Of My Youth. I highly recommend it, if you're into that style of anime. Being old, it has a strange aesthetic compared to the bright stuff today. But it's supposed to be grainy, dark, and cavernous. The ending is especially wonderful and sad to me, at the same time.
KiBa has received 3 thanks from: Dorian, OL, ThyDarkAngel