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RICHARD LORMAND - FILM PRESS PLUS
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© L E I J I M AT S U M O T O / C A P TA I N H A R L O C K F I L M PA R T N E R S
I N T R O D U C T I O N
THE LEGENDARY SPACE PIRATE IS REBORN
LEIJI MATSUMOTO’S MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTER,
CAPTAIN HARLOCK, MAKES A GLOBALLY-ANTICIPATED
REVIVAL AFTER 30 YEARS
Harlock: Space Pirate is truly an epoch-making CG animation
which has been created by a team of Japan’s top animators &
CG specialists over the last five years. Avatar director
James Cameron has described it as ‘Mythic, epic and
visually unprecedented’.
rebels against governing forces but fights for humanity with
his crew aboard the invincible pirate ship Arcadia.
The original work was serialized in Play Comic from 1977
and became a TV animation the following year, enjoying
success internationally too. In fact, the anime was so
successful in France that French fans in their 30s and 40s
are called the “Albator generation” in honor of Harlock’s
French name.
This action adventure is based on ‘Space Pirate Captain Harlock’,
original work by sci-fi comic legend Leiji Matsumoto.
Matsumoto is well known for stories such as Galaxy Express
999, with his stories revolving around the space pirate who
THE REBOOT—A MESSAGE A FOR MODERN-DAY WORLD
Having a role in Galaxy Express 999 as well as Space Pirate
Captain Harlock (as the main character), Captain Harlock
is an important character in Leiji Matsumoto’s works.
However, this remake is far from a simple revival
of Harlock. Just as Batman (1989) was reborn as The Dark
Knight (2008) and Superman (1978) as Man of Steel (2013),
this is a grander, more innovative reboot of the source
material that keeps the spirit behind Matsumoto’s
works alive.
The most notable change is Harlock’s position as an ‘antihero
rebel’, which in this film is seen through the eyes of Logan,
a spy that has infiltrated the Arcadia as a crewmember.
Wanted all over the galaxy for his crimes, Harlock is an
exceptionally talented battle commander and an admirable
leader who would never abandon his crew. This ‘reboot’
gives a vivid insight into Harlock’s dark yet appealing nature.
Is his incarnation one of plunder and destruction, or the final
hope for Earth’s survival? In attempting to uncover Harlock’s
true nature, Logan stumbles upon the incredible secret to
Harlock’s past.
JAPAN’S MOST POWERFUL ANIMATION WITH AN ALL
STAR CAST AND CREW
Captain Harlock is voiced by Shun Oguri and his assassin
Logan by Haruma Miura. One cannot help but be exhilarated
by the stand off between these two stars. In addition, actors
such as Yu Aoi, Arata Furuta and Ayano Fukuda, alongside
voice actors such as Toshiyuki Morikawa, Maaya Sakamoto,
Miyuki Sawashiro, Kiyoshi Kobayashi and Chikao Otsuka are
part of the star-studded cast. Their passionate acting injects
real life into the unique line up of characters.
Led by original creator Leiji Matsumoto and Appleseed
director Shinji Aramaki, the crew features a wealth of
Japanese film industry notables. The script is by Harutoshi
Fukui whose novels have received many film adaptations,
including Aimless Aegis, and Kiyoto Takeuchi who previously
teamed up with director Aramaki in Appleseed Ex Machina.
The film’s original concept is injected with a modern theme
for this reboot, creating an entirely new universe. The film’s
mechanical designer Atsushi Takeuchi of Production IG is
known for his involvement in Star Wars: The Clone Wars,
and character designer Yutaka Minowa for Ninja Scroll.
Having worked on Matsumoto’s projects previously,
Minowa was able to retain the feel of Matsumoto’s world in
this new adaptation.
Finally, Toei Animation and Marza Animation Planet,
the team of top Japanese CGI experts led by Takeuchi
Kengo. From the battleship combat scenes in outer space
to direct combat aboard the zero-gravity ships, the scale
and speed of the action scenes with their powerful, dazzling
visuals are breathtaking.
FAR, FAR IN THE FUTURE...
...OR PERHAPS THE DISTANT PAST...THE HUMAN
RACE IS SPREAD ACROSS THE GALAXY HAVING
ESTABLISHED COLONIES ON DISTANT PLANETS.
A POPULATION EXPLOSION MEANS OVER
500 BILLION HUMANS INHABIT THE COSMOS.
RESOURCES EXHAUSTED, A MOVEMENT
BEGINS CALLING FOR A RETURN TO MOTHER
EARTH. HOWEVER, THE TINY PLANET COULD
NOT POSSIBLY SUPPORT SUCH AN EPIC
REPATRIATION AND A LONG & BLOODY
CONFLICT ERUPTS OVER THE RIGHT TO
RETURN, KNOWN AS THE ‘HOMECOMING WAR’.
THE GAIA COALITION, A NEW GOVERNING BODY,
IS FORMED TO BRING THE WAR TO A CLOSE.
THEY
DECLARE
EARTH
‘AN
ETERNAL
SANCTUARY’ TO WHICH NO ONE MAY ENTER.
INSTEAD, EARTH IS USED AS A SYMBOL FOR
ORDER, TO GAZE AT FROM AFAR WHILE
COLONISTS ON DYING PLANETS WAIT OUT
THEIR DEMISE.
SYNOPSIS
BUT ONE MAN RESISTS THESE ORDERS AND
CONTINUES TO VENTURE ACROSS THE ABYSS
OF SPACE. AN IMMORTAL SPACE PIRATE WHO
HAS PROVOKED AND PLUNDERED FEDERATION
WARSHIPS FOR THE LAST 100 YEARS...
GAIA COMMUNION’S MOST WANTED:
CODES-00999.
CAPTAIN HARLOCK IS THE ONE MAN STANDING
BETWEEN THE CORRUPT GAIA COALITION AND
THEIR QUEST FOR COMPLETE INTERGALACTIC
RULE. SEEKING REVENGE AGAINST THOSE
WHO
WRONGED
BOTH
MANKIND
AND
HIMSELF, THE MYSTERIOUS SPACE PIRATE
ROAMS THE UNIVERSE IN HIS BATTLE CRUISER,
THE ARCADIA, DEFIANTLY ATTACKING AND
PILLAGING ENEMY SHIPS.
GAIA FLEET LEADER EZRA SENDS HIS
YOUNGER BROTHER, LOGAN, TO INFILTRATE
THE ARCADIA AND ASSASSINATE HARLOCK.
BUT LOGAN WILL SOON DISCOVER THAT
THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS WHAT THEY SEEM,
AND THAT LEGENDS ARE BORN FOR A REASON.
HARLOCK
PUSHES
HIS
LOYAL
CREW
FORWARD IN HIS DEATH-DEFYING MISSION TO
UNDO THE “NODES OF TIME” AND REVERSE
THE EARTH TO AN AGE WHEN STILL
INHABITED BY HUMANS. IT IS THE YEAR 2977
AND 500 BILLION DISPLACED HUMANS LONG
TO RETURN TO THE PLANET THEY STILL
REFER TO AS HOME.
THE REBELLIOUS CAPTAIN HARLOCK AND HIS
TRUSTED CREW ARE MANKIND’S ONLY HOPE
OF ONE DAY RIGHTING THE COALITION’S
WRONGS.
C O R R E L A T I O N
D I A G R A M
SPECIAL REFERENCES
THE HOMECOMING WAR
An interplanetary war that erupted among the 500 billion
humans scattered around the galaxy over the right to inhabit
Earth. As a result, Earth became a holy sanctuary, forbidden
to all mankind.
Transformed into an all-powerful
pirate ship by dark matter energy
EARTH
MARS
Inhabited only by the
Gaia Coalition elite and
their relatives.
The holy land:
an impenetrable
sanctuary sanctioned
from mankind.
Governs all humankind scattered across the galaxy and protects
the sanctuary Earth:
Controls
THE GAIA COALITION
A universal governing entity of intellectuals from each planet
created to end the Homecoming War. The potentate who leads
the Coalition has supreme command over the Solar
Federation Army. He also commands a separate elite force,
the Gaia Legion, which answers directly to the potentate. The
Coalition designates Earth as an impenetrable sanctuary and
will not hesitate to unleash military force on those who
infringe their sanctions.
FOURTH DEATHSHADOW-CLASS
BATTLESHIP
GAIA COALITION
GaiaSanction
COUNCIL OF ELDERS
THE ARCADIA
Merges with ship
A mysterious rebellion
Sworn friends
Potentate
Elder Councilors
The Gaia Coalition’s elite force
Younger brother (subordinate)
Commander
GAIAFLEET
(forte: close combat)
Praefectus of the Gaia Legion.
Although he is Logan’s older brother,
he holds a deep grudge against
Logan due to his debilitating
accident. He desires to fulfill the
Gaia Coalition’s longstanding goal—
to destroy Harlock.
A spy for the Gaia Legion. Guilt from
having caused serious injury to his
brother Ezra during an accident
drives him to readily volunteer for
the new mission.
COSMO CARRIER
ATTACKER
THE GAIA COALITION’S ULTIMATE WEAPONS
GAIA LEGION
TROOPS
The Gaia Coalition’s elite force. They
exhibit excellent battle skills and are
armored with the latest equipment.
KALEIDO CONVERGER MATRIX
JOVIAN ACCELERATOR
This weapon harnesses photon
energy by imploding a mobile
neutron star that is several
kilometers in diameter, to
produce a concentrated “critical
radiance” beam that can dissipate
dark matter. The heads of state
must approve its use.
A relic of the Homecoming Wars, this
is the ultimate weapon that was never
put to use. Jupiter’s atmosphere is
extracted by centrifugal force, then
concentrated into high-temperature,
high-pressure plasma that can target
any range through a hyperspace gate.
At full power, it has the potential to
blast an earth-sized planet to
smithereens. The heads of state must
approve its use.
NAMI
Childhood friend of Logan and Ezra.
She tends to the flowers that had
been important to the brothers’
mother. She once had feelings for
Logan but is now Ezra’s wife.
WANTED ALL OVER THE GALAXY
LOGAN
Unresolved feelings
EZRA
Married
GLADE
Cosmogun (Ezra’s)
Retinal-affixing
nanomachine
scanner injector
Gaia blaster
TORI
TOCHIRO
(Bird)
A Gaia Legion engineer and
Harlock’s closest friend. He died
during the great war a hundred
years ago, but his soul lives on in the
ship’s computer.
Although originally with Tochiro, Tori
is now often seen on Harlock’s
shoulder. Whenever Harlock is in
trouble, Tori appears to aid him.
Gaia heavy blaster
Gaia rocket launcher
A group of 41 comrades. Generally
they live comfortable, carefree lives
aboard the Arcadia, but each
crewmember
shows
individual
fighting talent in battle.
GAIA COALITION’S MOST WANTED: Code S-00999
SPACE PIRATE CAPTAIN
HARLOCK
A former fleet captain of the Gaia Legion, he is now a
legendary space pirate who has been rebelling
against governing forces for a hundred years. He
captains the invincible pirate ship Arcadia, and his
expertise at steering battleships is second to none.
AGE: ???
Dedication
Aided dying race
EQUIPMENT:
[GRAVITY CONTROL CAPE] A special cape that can
offset gravity using dark matter. Allows easy descent
from great heights.
[THE WARRIOR’S GUN] Made and gifted by close
friend Tochiro, it is “the most powerful gun in the
universe.”
[GRAVITY SABER] A weapon that cuts through any
substance with gravity waves that permeate
anything. Doubles as a laser gun.
The best partner
MIMAY
YULIAN
KEI
The last of the now-perished
Niflung, the only civilized alien race
humankind managed to discover.
Devotes her life to Harlock, and
entrusts her fate to The Arcadia.
The Arcadia’s first mate. Eager to
fight when wearing his hardsuit, but
otherwise a caring crew leader.
Secretly on the timid side. An avid
computer geek and a skilled hacker.
The only female crewmember and
combatant. Harlock saved her life as a
young girl and she identifies with his
ideologies. Breaks gender stereotypes
as an accomplished fighter.
[DARK MATTER] Harlock is said to have conquered
death because of the dark matter in his body.
The Warrior’s Gun
Gravity saber
Regular pirate gun
Rifle for pirate
hardsuits
Pirate grappling
hook gun
IN-SKIP JUMP
Short for Imaginary Number Space, a super light speed space
jump that enables travel across a wide expanse of space by
travelling beyond the speed of light.
COUNCIL OF ELDERS
The executive Board of the Gaia Coalition with the potentate at
its head. All political and military decisions concerning
planets under the Coalition defer to this council.
THE NIFLUNG
The only alien civilization known to man, who also developed
the dark matter engine. Mimay is the only current survivor.
THE ARCADIA CREW’S WEAPONS
Kei’s gun
DARK MATTER ENGINE
An infinite energy engine developed by the alien civilization
Niflung. The all-powerful flotilla equipped with these engines
was the Gaia Legion’s Deathshadow-class battle fleet.
No fuelling is necessary due to its infinite energy, and it
even provides the ship with regeneration capabilities.
However, to this day none but the Niflung have succeeded in
fully utilizing these engines.
TIERED-CLASS, DEATHSHADOW-CLASS
Labels that denote the class and make of a battleship.
Tiered-class ships are average-grade and in abundance in the
Solar Federation Army. The Arcadia was once one of the
only four colossal Deathshadow-class battleships in the
Gaia Legion.
Trust
HEIGHT: 200cm (6’ 7”)
DIMENSIONAL OSCILLATOR
Originally a tool to adjust gravitational obstacles such as
dimensional faults and black holes during intergalactic
travel, it can be used as a weapon of mass destruction to
destroy an entire star system. After the war, Harlock
plundered the 100 oscillators that had been guarded by the
Coalition and set them up around the galaxy to eventually
detonate and unravel the Nodes of Time.
DARK MATTER SHIELD
An energy shield that uses dark matter to protect an entire
ship from enemy attack.
Inseparable,
but not by choice
HARLOCK’S WEAPONS
THE GAIA LEGION’S WEAPONS
Cosmogun (Logan’s)
THE ARCADIA
CREW
Infiltrates the Arcadia as a
spy to assassinate Harlock
Older brother (senior officer)
Atonement for the past
FLAGSHIP OKEANOS
THE NODES OF TIME
A place that joins the seams of time.
Live
together
Live together
THE GAIA LEGION
MULDAUWD
A giant creature with a huge torso and sharp teeth that
camouflages itself on the planet Tokarga. Attacks Logan and
Kei during their mission to set up the dimensional oscillator.
Pirate axe
Note: The concept of dark matter presented in the film is a fictional
concept developed for the story. Astronomically speaking, dark matter is
an astrophysical phenomenon yet to be fully understood.
Total data
250TB
Production time
5 YEARS
Files created
100,000,000+
Rendering time (if there was only one computer)
401 YEARS
Servers used
896
Total cuts
1,400 SHOTS
Main CGI crew
ONLY 150
Rendering tasks
259,803
Machines used for rendering
806
CHECK OUT THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE TO SEE JUST HOW ASTOUNDING THE NUMBERS ARE!
S H U N
O G U R I
A S
H A R L O C K
“THE SPACE PIRATE” CAPTAIN HARLOCK
“Come aboard if you want to change the world.”
A hero who defended Earth as a soldier of the Gaia Coalition, an entity formed to end the
Homecoming War that raged among mankind for the right to inhabit the mother planet.
He disappeared shortly after the end of the war, taking his ship with him, and returned
as an accursed pirate rebelling against the Coalition. Although wanted for treason,
no one truly knows the depths of the resolve buried within him.
The captain of the Arcadia is said to be over a hundred years old, but only a few know the true
story of how he came to be the captain of the Coalition’s most powerful ship. Captain Harlock’s
quest brought him to countless planets and helped him build a crew that would follow him
to the end of the galaxy. But when his mysterious past looks set to collide with his dream
of restoring Earth to its original state, his crew’s loyalties will be challenged.
S H U N
O G U R I
Born in 1982, Oguri has appeared in many TV dramas and TV movies. His performance in
Crows ZERO (2007) earned him Best Actor in the 17th Japan Movie Critics Awards,
establishing his reputation as a talented young actor. He is known for his roles in
Robot Contest (2003), Neighbor No. Thirteen (2005), Kisaragi (2007), Hana Yori Dango
Final (2008), Crows ZERO II (2009), TAJOMARU (2009), Gaku (2011), The Woodsman and the
Rain (2012), Space Brothers (2012), The Bayside Shakedown The Final (2012), and A Boy
Called H (2013). He has also had notable voice acting roles in Surf’s Up (2007), Gusko
Budori no Denki (2012), as well as the video game Professor Layton and the Unwound
Future (2008). He also has directing experience with Surely Someday (2010).
H A R U M A
M I U R A
A S
L O G A N
“THE INFILTRATING ASSASSIN” LOGAN
A spy sent by the Gaia Coalition, Logan infiltrates the Arcadia with
the mission to assassinate Harlock.
Gaia Legion praefectus Ezra is Logan’s commanding officer…
and also his older brother. Logan is a conflicted and troubled young
man who blames himself for having caused the accident that took
the legs of his brother and put his long time love in a life-support
capsule for the rest of her life. Guilt controls his life and as such,
Logan is willing to perform anything his brother asks. However,
when faced with the reality of the universe and the truth about Earth,
Logan will have to decide between the morality of his brother’s
wishes and his own conflicting ideals. H A R U M A
M I U R A
Born in 1990, Miura made his debut in the 1997 NHK morning drama series Aguri
and followed with many performances in TV dramas and theatrical productions,
establishing his career as an actor. He first scored a leading role in the film Catch a
Wave (2006), then received the 31st Japan Academy Prize as Newcomer of the Year
for his performance in Koizora (2007). Other notable roles include those in Children
(2006), Akihabara@Deep (2006), Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge (2008),
Naoko (2008), Gokusen: The Movie (2009), Kimi ni Todoke (2010) and Tokyo
Park (2011). He is also in the upcoming Eien no Zero (2013). This film will be his first
foray into voice acting.
C A S T
“THE QUIET OBSERVER” MIMAY
The last of the Niflung, the only alien civilization known to man
and developers of the infinite energy-generating dark matter
engine. She provided dark matter technology to Tochiro for his
efforts in trying to save her dying race. After Tochiro’s death, she
decided to devote her life to his closest friend Harlock and his
ship the Arcadia.
“CLOSE COMBAT CHAMP AND
POWERFUL FIRST MATE” YULIAN
The longest serving senior crew member on the Arcadia.
Although blunt and capricious, he shows affection towards those
he trusts. He becomes an unruly warrior when wearing his
hardsuit, but is otherwise something of a geek, generally
keeping to his quarters with the internet as company. A skilled
hacker. Secretly has feelings for Kei.
“THE KIND-HEARTED PARTNER WHO
COMES TO AID IN TIMES OF TROUBLE” TORI
Friend of Tochiro, designer of the Arcadia. Now that Tochiro is
gone, he is often found on the shoulder of Tochiro’s closest
friend, Harlock. Characterized by his small eyes and long beak.
With a high level of intelligence, it seems that he understands
what goes on around him, including human speech. He flies out
of nowhere to aid Harlock in times of need.
“THE COMMANDER WITH A MISSION” EZRA
Praefectus of the Gaia Legion the elite force that answers
directly to the Gaia Coalition potentate. He rises through the
ranks for his talent as a military man despite being confined to
a wheelchair, a fate brought about by Logan. A cold-hearted
professional, he does not hesitate to send his brother on an
assassination mission. His wife Nami is a childhood friend
to both him and Logan.
“THE WOMAN LOVED BY
TWO BROTHERS” NAMI
“THE ARCADIA’S LONE FEMALE” KEI
Originally having feelings for Logan, circumstances lead her to
become Ezra’s wife. She supports Ezra in the background while
tending to flowers that once bloomed on Earth so that they may
take root on Mars someday, a wish she shares with Ezra and
Logan’s deceased mother. She grieves over Ezra and Logan’s
troubled relationship, whilst at the same time harbouring an
important secret.
Harlock saved her life when she was a little girl, leading her to
voluntarily join the Arcadia’s crew. She identifies with Harlock’s
ideology and follows him. She hates having her gender be a
handicap on the otherwise male-only ship, and trained to
become an excellent fighter. She has established herself as
a long-serving senior officer along with Yulian and is appointed
as Logan’s mentor.
C A S T
YU AOI
AS
MIMAY
ARATA FURUTA
AS
YULIAN
AYANO FUKUDA
AS
TORISAN
TOSHIYUKI MORIKAWA
AS
EZRA
MAAYA SAKAMOTO
AS
NAMI
MIYUKI SAWASHIRO
AS
KEI
MIMAY: YU AOI
YULIAN: ARATA FURUTA
TORI: AYANO FUKUDA
EZRA: TOSHIYUKI MORIKAWA
NAMI: MAAYA SAKAMOTO
KEI: MIYUKI SAWASHIRO
Born in 1985. She made her debut in 1999 in the musical Annie,
and made her first film appearance in All About Lily Chou-Chou (2001).
She received the 30th Japan Academy Prize for Best Supporting Actress
for Hula Girls (2006) as well as numerous other film awards. Notable
roles include those in Hana and Alice (2004), Otoko-tachi no Yamato
(2005), Honey and Clover (2006), Honokaa Boy (2009), About Her Brother
(2010), Rurouni Kenshin (2012) and Tokyo Family (2013). Her voice acting
roles include Tekkonkinkreet (2006) and Redline (2010). She is also in
the upcoming Haru wo Seotte (2014).
Born in 1965. Part of the theatrical troupe Gekidan Shinkansen. In 1998
and 2013 he won the Actor Excellence award in the 5th and 20th Yomiuri
Theatre Awards respectively. His ability to change his acting at will
between an impressive range of characters is unparalleled. Notable
roles include those in Kisarazu Cat’s Eye Nihon Series/World Series
(2003, 2006), HERO (2007), Komori Seikatsu Kojo Club (2008), the 20th
Century Boys trilogy (2009), 13 Assassins (2010), Ninja Kids!!! (2011) and
The Tang of Lemon (2012). He has also had voice acting experience with
the Ni no Kuni game series (2010, 2011).
Born in 1988. She appears mainly in variety shows for her unique style
of impressions and in 2012 alone appeared in more than 350 TV shows.
She performed in a string of TV dramas including Kekkon Shinai (2012)
and TAKE FIVE—Oretachi wa Ai wo Nusumeru ka (2013) and has taken
on some theatrical roles as well. She played her first lead role in the
dubbed version of Silent Hill: Revelation 3D (2013). She continues to
expand her experience in various outlets.
Born in 1967. An industry-leading voice actor that has played roles in
over 1,000 titles both in and out of the country. His first lead anime role
was in Space Knight: Tekkaman Blade (1992). Major film appearances
include Yu-Gi-Oh! (1999), Konjiki no Gash Bell: 101 Banme no Mamono
(2004), The Bleach film series (2006, 2007, 2010), Vexille (2007),
the NARUTO film series (2010, 2012) and Fullmetal Alchemist: The
Sacred Star of Milos (2011), among others. He also regularly dubs-over
for a variety of Hollywood stars such as Tom Cruise and Ewan McGregor.
Born in 1980. She started off as a child actress at eight years old,
and received the 38th Kazuo Kikuta Drama Award. As a voice actress, she
gained acclaim with her role as Hitomi Kanzaki in the anime The Vision of
Escaflowne (1996). Major lead roles in films include those in The Garden
of Sinners series (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013), The Evangelion film
series (2009, 2012), Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos (2011),
Code Geass: Akito the Exiled (2012, 2013) and Ghost in the Shell: Arise
(2013), among others. Her regular dub-over roles in non-Japanese films
include Natalie Portman, Zhang Ziyi, and Mia Wasikowska.
Born in 1985. She tried out for a voice-acting role in Di Gi Charat at
the age of 14 and made a striking debut in 1999 as the main character
of the series. Major films include Appleseed Ex Machina (2007)
with director Aramaki, Hottarake no shima—Haruka to maho no
kagami (2009), Doraemon in Nobita and the Steel Troops: New
Age (2011), Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo (2012), HUNTER x
HUNTER: Phantom Rouge (2013), Ghost in the Shell: Arise (2013)
and Persona 3 the Movie (2013).
THE ARCADIA
A pirate battleship with a giant skull on its bow.
Originally the fourth Deathshadow-class battleship constructed by the Solar Federation Army,
it runs on lost alien technology - the dark matter engine - which allows the ship to regenerate
automatically and travel infinite distances.
It went missing after the great war but reappeared several years later as a grotesque pirate ship
with Captain Harlock at its helm.
DEATHSHADOW
ARCADIA
Length: 1072m (1172 yards) / Width: 312m (341 yards)/Height: 355m (388 yards)
Armament: 3 rows of 4 three-barrelled dimensional particle oscillator turrets (main battery)
4 three-barrelled dimensional particle oscillator turrets (secondary battery)
24 two-barrelled anti-space fighter beam cannons
8 anti-battleship torpedo tubes
Main engine: 2 dark matter energy engines
High power cosmosonar
Dark matter generator
Torpedo room
Regular engine energy tank
Main battery accelerator field
Keel
Main battery turrets
Energy projectile magazines
Dark matter reactor
Rocket anchors
Regular generator
Electron beam rangefinder
Dark matter control device
3-dimensional direction finder
Bridge
Main computer
Hangar
Main wave motion engine
Captain’s cabin
Crew quarters
Force field control (steerage)
A R C A D I A
BASED UPON ORIGINAL STORIES AND CHARACTERS CREATED BY LEIJI MATSUMOTO
LEIJI MASTSUMOTO
50 SELECTED WORKS
1953 Adventures Of A Honeybee
1956 Yume No Hanazono (Garden Of Dreams)
Bessekai No Boken [Uchu Sakusen Dai 1 Go]
(Adventures On Another World [Space Mission #1]
1957 Kuroi Hanabira (Black Petals)
1958 Gin No Tani No Maria [Midori No Tenshi]
(Maria Of The Silver Valley [Green Angel]
Aoi Me No Marie [Hoshi Yo Kie Nai De]
(Blue-Eyed Marie [Don’t Fade, Stars] (Original: Toshio Shimamori)
1960 Kagero No Uta (Song Of The Mayflies)
(Collaboration with Miyako Maki)
1961 Denko Ozma
1964 Submarine Super 99
1965 Esu No Taiyo (Esu’s Sun)
1967 Sono Na Wa Tesu (The Name Is Tess)
1968 Sexaroid
Kousoku Esper
1969 Yojigen Sekai (Fourth Dimension World) Series
Senjo Manga Series
1970 Dai-Yojo-Han (Four-And-A-Half Straw Mat) Series
1971 Mokei No Jidai (The Age Of Models) (Original: Sakyo Komatsu)
Night On The Galactic Railroad (Original: Kenji Miyazawa)
Otoko Oidon (I Am A Man)
Seibonjinden (Chronicles Of St. Ordinary)
1972 Gun Frontier
1973 Wadachi
1974 Konchukoku Hyoryuki (Castaway To Insect Kingdom)
Space Battleship Yamato
1975 Insect
The Cockpit Series
Torajima No Mime (Tiger-Striped Mii)
1976 Oyashirazu Sanka (In Praise Of Wisdom Teeth)
Arcadia Of My Youth
Miraizer Vam
1977 Space Pirate Captain Harlock
Galaxy Express 999 (Andromeda Arc)
Daijunjou-Kun (Super-Naïve Boy)
Planet Robot Danguard Ace
1978 Queen Emeraldas
1980 Queen Millennia
1983 Hyouryuu Kansen 000
1984 Hard Metal Series
1990 Harlock Saga: Niberungu No Yubiwa
(Der Ring Des Nibelungen)
1993 Kagero No Monsho (Crest Of The Mayflies)
Case Hard Series
The Ultimate Time Sweeper Mahoroba
Tenshi No Jikuu Sen (Time Machine Of Angels)
1994 Fire Force Dnasights 999.9
1996 Galaxy Express 999 (Eternal Arc)
2000 Great Yamato
2003 The Galaxy Railways
2005 Nipponkoku Rakujoki Jigoku No Tonneru
(Fall Of The Castle Japan—Hell’s Tunnel)
2006 Fairy Hotaruna
2009 Out Of Galaxy Koshika
Cooperation from Kitakyushu Manga Museum
The years represent the initial print of the work, or when a series
started. Early works with major title changes have the new title in
brackets, and the others show the most general comic and series
titles. Some major stories within a series have been listed on their own.
ORIGINAL CREATOR LEIJI MATSUMOTO
Born in 1938. A sci-fi manga virtuoso who is celebrating his 60th anniversary as a manga artist this year.
His father, who was an army aviation officer and fighter pilot, said after the war that it tore at his heart to
think of his fallen comrades and that he would never fly a fighter plane again. American fighter jets have
affected many of Matsumoto’s works.
His father was purged from public service by the GHQ and the family lived in poverty. Matsumoto admired
his father as a strong man and his image gave birth to the heroes in his works such as Harlock. Matsumoto
started drawing story manga at the age of six and in 1953 at the age of fifteen, his submission to Manga
Shonen was accepted and he debuted with The Adventures of a Honeybee. After moving to Tokyo in 1957,
he continued to create successful titles and eventually forayed into the world of animation with the films
Space Battleship Yamato and Galaxy Express 999 becoming huge hits. Thus, Matsumoto was established
as the grandfather of sci-fi anime and manga.
O R I G I N A L
A U T H O R
HARLOCK’S MESSAGE
I loved pirates from a young age and wanted to be one. I drew my
first pirate manga, Bokenki, during my last year of middle school.
Pirates can travel the seas as they like without anyone to answer
to. Nationality, borders and age don’t matter to them in the
slightest. That freedom was the appeal of the pirate. Even in my
childhood, I knew the skull and crossbones on their flags weren’t
there to scare people—they represented the resolve to fight until
only their bones were left.
They live freely, but take full responsibility for their actions.
Wherever they may die or collapse, it’s their problem and their
problem only. That’s what it means to “Live freely by their flag.”
There is no going back on their word, they cannot curse anyone
else and there can be no regrets. I was enchanted by the pirate’s
way of life.
Everyone reaches a point in their life when they must set out
on a journey. I’m sure every one of you has some recollection
comrades who share my purpose, come with me.’
However, the youths themselves must make the final
decision. Harlock’s role is to give an encouraging push;
he does not give orders but leaves it up to each individual
to decide whether to board the ship or not, because he fully
understands how important friendship is. Harlock and
Tochiro’s relationship is actually based on my friendship
with a classmate from elementary school who was good
looking and popular with the girls. Throughout elementary
and middle school I had many close friends, many of whom
I had fist fights with, but we also helped each other out in
times of need. These classmates still contact me to make
sure I’m okay, which I’m truly thankful for.
‘A human’s life is limited. Within that limited time we strive to
fulfil dreams; both our own and others. I wanted to relay these
dreams, creating an endless chain from the past to the future;
a theme that links many of my works including Captain
ABOUT THE FILM HARLOCK: SPACE PIRATE
I moved to Oizumigakuencho in Nerima when I first arrived in
Tokyo. I could see the Toei Movie Studio right out of my window
and I often watched film production from the balcony of my
home. I didn’t think anything of it then, but perhaps I was
connected by fate to Toei from this point in my life.
This film is an incredibly high-quality work from the crew at
Toei and it made me so happy that it brought me to tears.
I’d like to sincerely thank the production crew. The film has a
realism quite different from hand-drawn animation. At every
turn, the visuals seem so real that you almost want to doubt if
it’s really CGI and you want to believe that they somehow filmed
an actual planet somewhere in the universe. I hope you will
enjoy every last detail of their work.
It is also very stimulating for me as a creator to have Harlock
given a chance at a new full-length movie. It has given me the
AWARDS
1954 Manga Shonen 1st Full-Length Manga Best Newcomer Award
1972 Kodansha Cultural Award for Otoko Oidon
1975 6th Seiun Award
1977 23rd Shogakukan Manga Award for Galaxy Express 999 and
the Senjo Manga series
1978 7th Japanese Cartoonists’ Association Award
1979 Japan Special Achievement Award for Movies
1996 Becomes chair of the Young Astronauts Club
1997-2002 Joins NASDA (National Space Development Agency of Japan)
1999 Awarded as the Contributor for Dissemination and Enlightenment
of Science and Technology
2002 Becomes chair of the National Council of Youth Organization in
Japan, Chuseiren
2001 Receives Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon
2007 Becomes a professor at Takarazuka University of Art and Design
Becomes a guest lecturer at Kyoto Sangyo University
2010 Receives the Order of the Rising Sun
2012 Made Chevalier of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
(Order of Arts and Letters)
L E I J I M AT S U M O T O S P E C I A L I N T E R V I E W
of such an event. If you are still young, it will inevitably happen
someday. Your fate is decided by whether you decide then to
embark on that journey or not; the same as leaving port as
a pirate. Your life changes when you make your decision
whether to leave or not.
I always think about that day. What would have happened
if I hadn’t left my home in Kokura, Kitakyushu by locomotive?
I had no money for a return ticket, so I had no means of turning
back. Setting off on a journey like that changes a person’s life.
Whether it’s an ocean or outer space, dreams and hope lie
across that great expanse. I envisioned that shimmer of hope to
be the stars in the galaxy, which is where the setting for my
work was born.
THOUGHTS TOWARD COMRADES
If one is about to set off on an important, once-in-a-lifetime
journey, he will not let anyone hinder that path, wherever the
path may lead. Harlock calls upon the young saying ‘Fellow
Harlock, Galaxy Express 999, Queen Emeraldas, Otoko Oidon
and Gun Frontier. Another theme I include in Harlock is the
fact that no one is alone. Harlock emphasises the importance
of passing things on and the importance of friendships that
help you along the way. Consequently every one of them must
give their all. Regardless of whether their lives are short
or long, they must do their best so that each generation may
learn and teach the next generation.
The Arcadia is a place for these souls to congregate; a society
of its own and a utopia they strive to reach. I was introduced
to the concept of arcadia in the French film Marianne de ma
Jeunesse, which moved me when I was just seventeen years
old and which represents youthful admiration in my mind.
Harlock features the resolve to set off on a journey and the
meeting and separation of friends, all things that I myself
experienced as a youth. The name Harlock itself is a word
I made up in elementary school, so I could say that this work is
one that takes me back to my roots.
inspiration to create something new. There is no doubt in my
mind that this film will stimulate a new generation of aspiring
youths around the world and cross borders. There is nothing
I would want more than if they are inspired to create a new
story from this film and eventually confront me in a creative
battle. Many things serve to stimulate creativity and they
coalesce into a story and into characters. Harlock is also
a product of such imagination. It thrills me to think of fighting
once more to triumph in this creative war that now rages
globally. This war will continue for the rest of my life. That’s what
keeps me on my toes and keeps things interesting.
I have poured the dreams and aspirations I have harbored since
childhood into Harlock, so I would like the chance to visit the
ends of the galaxy someday. I don’t need to return—I just want
to see how far I can go. There’s no time for me to get old!
I N T E R V I E W
HIKAWA EXPLORES THE MATSUMOTO UNIVERSE TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHY HIS
CREATIONS HAVE SUCH APPEAL.
THE INDUSTRY-CHANGING WORKS
OF LEIJI MATSUMOTO
I believe that Mr. Matsumoto’s anime works from the
mid-70s to the early 80s, such as Space Pirate
Captain Harlock and Galaxy Express 999, changed
the course of the industry. The characters, concepts,
and artwork were all unique, and it was proven
possible to animate mechanical components with
depth and complexity. I felt a clear “evolution
of anime” during that time, like the growth of a boy
into early adulthood.
Mr. Matsumoto’s works are filled with an artistic
aesthetic that is backed by an intensive knowledge
of the classics and the military. At the root of many
of his stories are classical inspirations such
as Wagner operas, medieval chivalry, Japanese
legend, or accounts from the Pacific War that are
then flipped around to create new futuristic worlds.
The source of his talent seems to house two minds—
that of a child and that of an adult. That is why his
works do not lose their luster over the decades, and
we are moved by the simultaneous experience of the
past and the future together as one.
THE REASON BEHIND CAPTAIN
HARLOCK’S SUCCESS
First off, the titular character is unbelievably
striking. His scar and eye patch, coupled with his
skull-adorned clothes and cape are impossible
to forget. Of course his resolute nature of living
out his resolve is also appealing. His charisma is
unique, and the few words he does say sink into
your heart immediately, his unwavering stance in
life never failing to steal the stage. In particular,
the scene where he rescues the hero Tetsuro in
the film version of Galaxy Express 999 made a
lasting impression of his gallantry and strength.
He captured the imagination of every young boy,
making them aspire to be like him when they grew up.
WHEN IS HARLOCK MOST NEEDED?
Harlock appears in order to guide us when times get
tough and we reach a wall. I believe that we are now
on the verge of such times. Mr. Matsumoto’s works
always question how a man should live, particularly
what he chooses to do when he encounters some
form of defeat or hardship. The new Captain Harlock
film is no exception, with men overcoming despair to
stride forward. I was impressed with the marriage
of the classical themes of chivalry and bravery with
the unique beauty of the powerful visuals to create a
work that expertly depicts the Matsumoto universe.
HARLOCK FROM THE EYES OF A FAN
Mr. Matsumoto’s works depict the contrast between
ideals and actuality. When one encounters the
cold wall of reality and despairs at one’s own
uselessness, Harlock is the one with the tenacity
and resolve to reach out from the side of idealism
and pull reality up to where he stands. However, he
merely lends a hand and does not take over the duty.
He has the sternness to ask that one do the deed on
one’s own, with resolve. That is why even though the
story may end, that resolve remains in each person’s
heart. Perhaps that is why he transcends boundaries
between other works and comfortably fits into other
stories in the Matsumoto universe.
RYUSUKE HIKAWA
Born in 1958. An anime researcher whose writing focuses on visual
technique and creativity. Active in many circles, Hikawa serves as a judge
for the Japan Media Arts Festival as well as for the Mainichi Film Awards.
©Leiji Matsumoto/Toei Animation
S T A F F
DIRECTOR SHINJI ARAMAKI
Born in 1960 in Fukuoka Prefecture.
A distinguished Japanese producer and
designer who continues to lead the full-CGI animation industry,
he has been involved in works such as Genesis Climber Mospeada
(1983), Megazone 23 (1985-91), Gasaraki (1998) and Mobile Suit
Gundam MS Igloo (2004-06). In 2004 he directed the motion
capture full CGI 3D film Appleseed and Mission: Impossible II
director John Woo was so taken with its visual imagery that he
asked to produce its sequel. Aramaki’s style is influential both
within and outside of Japan and he was appointed by Hollywood to
direct the 2012 film Starship Troopers: Invasion.
ADAPTATION/SCREENPLAY HARUTOSHI FUKUI
Born in 1968. Received the Edogawa Rampo Award in 1998 with
his debut novel Twelve Y.O. For Aimless Aegis (1999) he managed
the triple feat of the Mystery Writers of Japan Award,
the Haruhiko Oyabu Award and the Japan Adventure Fiction
Association Grand Prix. Then he went on to receive
the Yoshikawa Eiji Prize for New Writers and the Japan
Adventure Fiction Association Grand Prix once more for
Shuusen no Lorelei (2003). His involvement with film includes
Lorelei: The Witch of the Pacific Ocean (2005), Samurai
Commando: Mission 1549 (2005), Aegis (2005), and Battle Under
Orion (2009), the last for which he oversaw production and
wrote an adaptation. He also worked on the OVA Mobile Suit
Gundam UC (Unicorn), which was praised by new and old fans
alike, selling more than 1.5 million copies. A new film based on
his novel Jinrui Shikin (2013) will be released this fall.
SCREENPLAY KIYOTO TAKEUCHI
Born in 1968. He made his screenplay debut in Samurai
Commando: Mission 1549 (2005). Notable involvements include
the hero TV series Ultraman Max (2005), the film Appleseed
Ex Machina (2007) and Samurai Angel Wars (2011). He is also
a writer and some of his works include Inu no Eiga—Shosetsu
Pochi wa Matte ita (2005), Ex Machina (2007), Furyu Tokei
Otoko (2007), Goemon (2009), Haha Naru Shomei (2009) and the
novel version of Captain Harlock (2013).
CONCEPT MECHANICAL DESIGN
ATSUSHI TAKEUCHI
Born in 1965. Belongs to Production I.G. He provided
mechanical and concept design for Ghost in the Shell (1995)
and Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo (2012). He was also
in charge of the character design, storyboard and directing in
the twelfth episode of the overseas TV series Star Wars:
The Clone Wars (2008). He has collaborated with director
Aramaki in the past on APPLESEED (2004) and Appleseed
Ex Machina (2007).
CONCEPT CHARACTER DESIGN
YUTAKA MINOWA
Born in 1965. In charge of character design and animation
directing for the OVA Ninja Scroll (1993), Vampire Hunter D (2001)
and The Animatrix (2003), he has also done concept design
for Memories (1995), Metropolis (2001) and Redline (2010).
His designs are popular overseas as well as in Japan. He has
previously done concept art for The Cockpit (1993), another Leiji
Matsumoto film.
CGI SUPERVISOR KENGO TAKEUCHI
Born in 1975. Belongs to MARZA ANIMATION PLANET. A CGI
visual creator, he was involved in creating in-game
cutscenes for Final Fantasy VIII (1999), IX (2000) and Kingdom
Hearts (2002) in his Square Enix days. He was also involved in
the film Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001) at Square
USA. During his freelance days before his current post, he did
the original story, directing and production for Yonna in the
Solitary Fortress (2006).
COMMENT
We made this song to express how we feel as
musicians and individuals about tragic events
happening around the world that are beyond the
power of human control.
We sincerely hope that the fusion of our music
with this movie will turn the darkness in the
hearts of many to light—in a way that ONE OK
ROCK cannot accomplish on its own.
MUSIC TETSUYA TAKAHASHI
Takahashi started his serious involvement in film music with
the score for APPLESEED (2007) and has also done the
music for other Aramaki directed films such as Appleseed
Ex Machina (2007) and Starship Troopers: Invasion (2012).
He was also involved in Resident Evil: Degeneration (2008),
Tomorrow’s Joe (2010) and Kansai Johnny’s Jr. no Kyoto
Uzumasa Koshinkyoku! (2013).
IN-FILM SONG TOKIKO KATO
“L’amour dans ton cœur”
Born in 1943. Kato made her singing debut
in 1965 while studying at the University of
Tokyo. She received the Japan Record
Award for New Artist for “Akai Fusen”
(1966) and the Japan Record Award for
Best Vocal Performance for “Hitorine no
Komori Uta” (1969) and “Shiretoko Ryojo”
(1971). She has since released over 70
albums and numerous hit songs. In 1992, she was made
Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French
Government for her contribution to the arts. In recent years,
she has appeared in outdoor music festivals and done charity
work for the 2011 Tohoku earthquake victims. As an actress,
she has been in Izakaya Choji (1983) and has also voice acted in
Porco Rosso (1992).
THEME SONG ONE OK ROCK
Formed in 2005, ONE OK ROCK is a popular band
amongst the young generation for its edgy sound
combining elements of emo, rock and metal and for
its aggressive live performances. The group
made its debut in 2007, actively touring music clubs
nationwide and performing at various summer music
festivals. They held a well-received concert at the
Nippon Budokan in 2010 and immediately sold out two
days of concerts at Yokohama Arena in 2012. In 2013,
they released their 6th album Jinsei x Boku = and held
its largest arena tour yet with ten concerts in
six venues nationwide for a total of 100,000 fans.
P R O D U C T I O N
Leiji Matsumoto’s globally-acclaimed Space Pirate Captain
Harlock has returned to the screen in full CGI. This massive
project is attracting the global attention of fans and
non-fans alike.
Such is the global anticipation of this project, the creators wish
to use the opportunity to fulfil a mission in which the world
‘rediscovers Japanese culture’.
“We wanted to create something Japan could be proud of.
That was how everything began,” explains producer
Yoshiyuki Ikezawa (Toei Animation). “Japanese animation is
often talked about through the concept of ‘Cool Japan’ but
the Japanese anime market is completely separate from the
film market and there are actually very few truly global
animated films that are widely embraced the way Hollywood
movies are. However, Japan’s strong manga background
gives us a wealth of characters that have potential global
appeal. Give a group of such characters a fitting story and
theme that maximises their potential, add the advanced
technology Japan has to offer and I was sure that we could
create something that would wow the world.”
NO HOLDING BACK!
The first challenge of the film was to gather an able production
team. This meant recruiting the top creators in the Japanese
visual industry, a feat that Toei Animation had never seen the
likes of before.
“Harlock is by far the coolest of all of Mr. Matsumoto’s characters,”
according to director Shinji Aramaki. Having penetrated the
Hollywood market, Aramaki explained that there were two things
N O T E
1
he thought were important in creating an entertainment feature
that could compete globally. “One was that I wanted it to be about
problems that our society faces today, even though it’s a science
fiction film set in outer space. That’s why I chose to emphasize
Harlock’s character as a pirate and depict him as an antihero that
rebels against a much greater authority.”
That was also when Harutoshi Fukui’s name was brought to the
table. “Mr. Fukui’s novels often use movie-like depictions with
battleships, and I thought he would be a good fit for
Mr. Matsumoto’s characters. The producer Mr. Ikezawa also
mentioned his name, so we contacted him immediately.” Gradually,
an all-star staff was coming together, and the road to rebooting
Captain Harlock had begun.
THE ESTABLISHED SETTING VS. THE “REBOOT”
This film is the modern incarnation of Captain Harlock that
remains true to the spirit of the original Space Pirate Captain
Harlock. The reason the film is meant to be a “reboot” rather than
a remake has to do with the character of Captain Harlock and
society today.
“Harlock appears in many of Mr. Matsumoto’s works, and I have
come to interpret him as the character that represents defiance
regardless of the era, a pillar around which people gather
to question society.” These are the words of story adaptation
and screenplay writer Harutoshi Fukui, as he quietly analyses
the legendary character’s reboot. “I took care to prevent the
character from feeling dated. The former Harlock was
an unfailing leader who lends a modest helping hand. Thirty
years have passed and I don’t believe that young people today
will be able to connect with that original hero image. If anything,
I felt that a hero that experiences anguish, whose ideals have
become twisted in some way, is what they would be able to
identify with, and that was how I went about creating his
character for the film.”
As a result, Harlock’s darker side is much more pronounced
compared to his past depictions. In this film you also encounter
the depth of his despair. Kiyoto Takeuchi, who also worked on
the screenplay alongside Fukui, adds some of his thoughts.
“We wanted to take a step back and really think about Harlock
as a character. Because we are in such convoluted times,
it didn’t seem enough to limit him to his original character—the
sombre lone fighter who retains a shadow of his youth—, so we
made him represent the darkness that is present within every
member aboard the Arcadia. We also see Harlock’s anguish
and doubt about his path. What exactly is the “freedom” that
he so longs for? I believe it is our responsibility as the creators
of this film to provide a proper answer to that question.”
THE OTHER LEGENDARY CHARACTER
The invincible space pirate ship Arcadia may be the other main
character of the Captain Harlock saga. Many a fan has adored
this ‘ship’ which houses the spirit of Harlock’s closest friend
Tochiro. Director Aramaki looks back on the conception of the
modern-day Arcadia.
“The design for the Arcadia needed to feel more cursed to
go with the script, so I asked my good friend Atsushi Takeuchi
to take charge. I had him retain some essential elements
of the Arcadia such as the skull on the bow and the wooden
stern deck of the type you’d find on a sailing ship but gave
him free reign to transform the rest. I entrusted the task
of 3D modelling to Takehiko Hoashi who has previously
prepared large-scale spaceships for many of my previous
films; and the result was fantastic.”
THE STORY BEHIND THE CASTING
Production took five years, auditioning more than two
hundred people including those needed for test voicing during
the storyboard phase and for the motion capture sessions.
As expected, actually casting the character voices while
keeping true to the film’s theme proved to be quite difficult.
Ikezawa looks back on the process. “We talked about wanting
non-established fans to properly experience the world
of Captain Harlock, to realize that there are men like Harlock
who will defy the realities of his era, especially the way things
are today. Because the cast would also have to share in this
message, we needed people who properly represented
today’s generation in order to make the message convincing.”
They kept searching for actors who could express the timeless
theme, and after half a year of debate, they finally decided on the
cast of actors and voice-actors including Shun Oguri, Haruma
Miura and Yu Aoi. The result was well worth the efforts of the
production team, who wanted a cast that could preserve
the underlying theme of the film while holding their own in an
entertainment blockbuster. With the addition of this stellar cast,
the film achieved further levels of depth and complexity. According
to Director Aramaki, “The new Harlock is mysterious and cursed
but also very cool, which is a difficult role to grasp. How the actor
interprets it was the crucial test, but as I discussed the role with
Mr. Oguri and saw how his voice synchronized with the animation,
I saw the new Harlock materialize before my eyes, and I knew that
this was going to work.”
A COMPLETE DIVISION OF LABOR,
HOLLYWOOD STYLE
The work was divided up much more than usual, including
modeling, animation, setup, lighting, effects, and digital
compositing. A production pipeline was created, and the
image board was compartmentalized. Although concept
boards are created in Japanese animation production, it is
altered as production proceeds in most cases. However, this
project followed the Hollywood method with the production
staying true to the original plan through to the end.
According to production supervisor Koichi Noguchi (Toei
Animation), “The large-scale full-CGI animation films you
find overseas such as those from Pixar regularly have
budgets over 100 million dollars, but I believe we have
created something that stands up to those films with about
a third of the cost. This is due in part to the Hollywood
method we implemented of dividing up labor but also
because of our production team’s diligence and astonishing
work speed.”
THE NEW PRODUCTION STYLE
THAT ACHIEVED A GRAND VISION
“Regardless of its photorealistic style, I want it to retain the
feel of the original manga.” Aramaki presented a grand vision
to the production team. “For example, the way Harlock’s cape
moves. I didn’t want to just use a regular physics simulator.
I communicated how I wanted Harlock’s cape to move in each
scene so that it would represent Harlock’s emotions and
had them animate the cloak as if it were another character.
I knew that production would inevitably take several years,
so during the initial decision of the look and feel of the artwork,
I upped the demands in anticipation of the technological
advances that would surely take place. If the demands weren’t
initially overwhelming to the production team, the resulting
film wouldn’t be good enough upon release.”
With an enormous production cost of $30 million, Japan’s
best artists and animators collaborated to meet the
seemingly impossible demands of the director. With levels
of labor and production inconceivable in usual Japanese
animation, Harlock: Space Pirate has succeeded in merging
state-of-the-art visual technology and the appeal of
Japanese manga.
[A JAPANESE FIRST! (1)] USE OF THE ARNOLD RENDERER
Renderers work to visualize digital information such as calculated
reflections and character motion. The film used the Arnold Renderer,
which is currently used in Hollywood productions, achieving
unprecedented luster and expression.
[A JAPANESE FIRST! (2)] FACIAL CAPTURE
A system that digitally analyzes the actors’ facial expressions
to capture emotionally charged facial motion. The technology has
been used in Hollywood for such films as The Hobbit (2012) and Rise
of the Planet of the Apes (2011). Since it captures the actor’s
expressions as well as the movements, it enables expressing “acting”
directly through CGI, achieving subtle yet expressive depictions.
[A JAPANESE FIRST! (3)] CREATING A STRESS-FREE PIPELINE
For the first time in film projects, a data management system
for handling 250 TB worth of data (160 times a regular movie) was
employed, drastically improving production efficiency.
WHAT SETS THIS FILM APART FROM OTHER
FULL-CGI ANIMATION?
“It is a massive project with an unprecedented budget unheard
of in the current Japanese animation industry. This made it
possible to assemble the best artists and animators that
Japan had to offer. The scope and ambition of the project also
enabled the production to push the boundaries of Japan’s 3D
CGI technology and expression. Toei hired Marza Animation
as the lead production house to spearhead the CG animation
process. Marza was originally an organization called the VE
Research and Development Department that specialized in
creating cutting edge CGI cutscenes for SEGA games. It was
their first attempt at a full-length animation film and all eyes
were upon them to deliver. They did not disappoint.
Usually, full-length CGI films of this scale in the United
States and Europe require several hundred staff to produce.
However, the Harlock production team managed to achieve
this feat with just over a hundred staff. This was an
impressive achievement that will leave its mark on the
history of the Japanese, if not the global animation industry.
The credit goes to the incredibly effective teamwork of
production management and artists, as well as to the
director Shinji Aramaki, who has been involved in several
high-profile CG animated works in the past which is a rare to
find in Japan.”
WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATE OF THE CGI INDUSTRY IN JAPAN?
“The United States is unquestionably the global leader of the
3D CGI production now, though other countries are catching
up fast. Production methods and processes used by major
Hollywood studios tend to get filtered down and localized for
Japan over time. So generally speaking, Japan ends up
importing and utilizing dated technology for CGI animation.
So we wanted to do something radically different for Harlock we wanted to be on the cutting edge of technology. The
production studio utilized a new ray tracer called Arnold for
this film, which enabled incredibly beautiful rendering of
artists’ vision as well as increased production efficiency.
Harlock was also the first production in Japan to employ
Faceware, a facial capture system that can capture motion
capture actors’ facial expressions in real time, much like how
it was done for films like The Lord of the Rings and Avatar.
There is a term called ‘uncanny valley’ which explained the
phenomenon of viewer’s disconnect from CGI characters due
to unrealistic rendering of human facial expression. But with
Faceware, even the slightest and most subtle expressions of
actors’ face got accurately portrayed to deliver fully emotional
and human performances.
”
HARLOCK IS REFERRED TO AS TOEI’S STATEMENT TO THE
GLOBAL FILM MARKET. CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT?
“When people think of Japanese animation, they tend to think
of the 2D (hand drawn) animation that was termed ‘Japanimation,’
but outside of Japan, 3D CGI animation is the trend, especially for
TV shows. However, even there, cartoonish characters of the type
that appear in Pixar and Dreamworks films are the norm. A film
like Harlock: Space Pirate that features fully proportioned
characters with a realistic style is a genre yet to be explored,
so I suspect it may receive even more attention than many expect.
Also, full-CGI means that the audience will inevitably focus on
the film’s technological aspects, but the story itself is gripping
above all else. It is a top-tier entertainment masterpiece where
Japan’s best artists and talents poured their heart and soul into
creating a high-quality visual expression. I believe it is one that
finally rises to a level of quality and story that competes with
Hollywood blockbusters and an unmistakable turning point in
the history of Japanese CGI animation.”
CAS T
STA FF
CAPTAIN HARLOCK: Shun Oguri
DIRECTOR: Shinji Aramaki
YEAR: 2013
LOGAN: Haruma Miura
SCREENPLAY: Harutoshi Fukui, Kiyoto Takeuchi
COUNTRY: Japan
MIMAY: Yu Aoi
BASED ON THE CLASSIC MANGA BY: Leiji Matsumoto
LENGTH: 115 Minutes
YULIAN:
Arata Furuta
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Kengo Takeuchi
SCREENING FORMAT: DCP 3D, Dolby SRD, Color
TORISAN:
Ayano Fukuda
EDITOR: Shinji Aramaki, Ryuji Miyamura
EZRA: Toshiyuki Morikawa
PRODUCTION DESIGNER: Hiroaki Ueno
NAMI: Maaya Sakamoto
SOUND: Koji Kasamatsu
KEI: Miyuki Sawashiro
MUSIC: Tetsuya Takahashi
OLD MAN: Kiyoshi Kobayashi
PRODUCED BY: Yoshi Ikezawa, Joseph Chou, Rei Kudo
POTENTATE: Chikao Ohtsuka
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Toei Animation (Japan)
T E C H N I C A L I N F O R M AT I O N
THEME SONG: ONE OK ROCK “Be the light” (A-Sketch)
The modeling for the striking Arcadia
was done by Takehiko Hoashi (Space
Brothers),
giving
birth
to
an
unforgettable giant battleship.
The design for the “Warrior’s Gun” by
Atsushi Takeuchi. The major weapons
were designed carefully to retain their
feel from the original manga.
The facial capture system that records
facial acting. Even a slight raise of the
lips (shown to the left) is transposed
directly onto the CGI.
P R O D U C T I O N
The characters had to be designed to fit
realistic proportions while still retaining
Leiji Matsumoto’s touch, and expert
Yutaka Minowa was put in charge.
N O T E
Production notes drawn up by the
director. These serve as the basis for
storyboards as well as scene and
prop design. The first step in
visualizing the script.
Concept art by art director Hiroaki
Ueno. Each production section used
the storyboard to keep the image of the
film consistent.
2
SOUNDTRACK: Universal Music Japan
PRODUCTION: Captain Harlock Production Committee
DISTRIBUTION: KICCORIT (with Toei ad contribution)
J A P A N
INTERVIEW WITH THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF CGWORLD.
ARIHITO NUMAKURA
IN-FILM SONG: Tokiko Kato “L’amour dans ton cœur” (Universal Music Japan)
Editor-in-chief of the monthly CGWORLD. His own experience in film production
characterizes the way he covers material, and the topics are diverse, from live-action film
to anime, commercials, and games. He is also the most up-to-date source of the current
CGI industry. cgworld.jp
S E P T E M B E R
7
CO NTACT IN F O
ADVERTISING: Toei Advertising, Ltd. Tel. 03-3535-7184
PAPER/DIGITAL ADS: P2 (Muraishi, Hattori, Makino, Aoyama, Yamada, Ikeda)
Tel. 03-3219-3231
Fax. 03-3219-3235
ONLINE/MOBILE: bronco. (Mizuno)
Tel. 080-5890-1158
All images, logos, and fonts used here can be downloaded from our ad info site Press Center. If not yet registered, please access http://presscenter.jp/toei/ to do so.
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