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INTERNATIONAL PRESS @ VENICE FILM FESTIVAL<br />
RICHARD LORMAND - FILM PRESS PLUS<br />
WEBSITE: www.FilmPressPlus.com<br />
EMAIL:<br />
IntlPress@aol.com<br />
TEL: +33-9-7044-9865<br />
AT VENICE FILM FESTIVAL (AUG 27-SEPT 7): +39-347-256-4143<br />
WORLD SALES<br />
GFM FILMS<br />
WEBSITE: www.gfm<strong>film</strong>s.co.uk<br />
EMAIL:<br />
general@gfm<strong>film</strong>s.co.uk<br />
TEL: +44-207-186-6300<br />
© LEIJI MATSUMOTO / CAPTAIN HARLOCK FILM PARTNERS
I N T R O D U C T I O N<br />
THE LEGENDARY SPACE PIRATE IS REBORN<br />
LEIJI MATSUMOTO’S MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTER,<br />
CAPTAIN HARLOCK, MAKES A GLOBALLY-ANTICIPATED<br />
REVIVAL AFTER 30 YEARS<br />
Harlock: Space Pirate is truly an epoch-making CG animation<br />
which has been created by a team of Japan’s top animators &<br />
CG specialists over the last five years. Avatar director<br />
James Cameron has described it as ‘Mythic, epic and<br />
visually unprecedented’.<br />
This action adventure is based on ‘Space Pirate Captain Harlock’,<br />
original work by sci-fi comic legend Leiji Matsumoto.<br />
Matsumoto is well known for stories such as Galaxy Ex<strong>press</strong><br />
999, with his stories revolving around the space pirate who<br />
rebels against governing forces but fights for humanity with<br />
his crew aboard the invincible pirate ship Arcadia.<br />
The original work was serialized in Play Comic from 1977<br />
and became a TV animation the following year, enjoying<br />
success internationally too. In fact, the anime was so<br />
successful in France that French fans in their 30s and 40s<br />
are called the “Albator generation” in honor of Harlock’s<br />
French name.<br />
THE REBOOT—A MESSAGE A FOR MODERN-DAY WORLD<br />
Having a role in Galaxy Ex<strong>press</strong> 999 as well as Space Pirate<br />
Captain Harlock (as the main character), Captain Harlock<br />
is an important character in Leiji Matsumoto’s works.<br />
However, this remake is far from a simple revival<br />
of Harlock. Just as Batman (1989) was reborn as The Dark<br />
Knight (2008) and Superman (1978) as Man of Steel (2013),<br />
this is a grander, more innovative reboot of the source<br />
material that keeps the spirit behind Matsumoto’s<br />
works alive.<br />
The most notable change is Harlock’s position as an ‘antihero<br />
rebel’, which in this <strong>film</strong> is seen through the eyes of Logan,<br />
a spy that has infiltrated the Arcadia as a crewmember.<br />
Wanted all over the galaxy for his crimes, Harlock is an<br />
exceptionally talented battle commander and an admirable<br />
leader who would never abandon his crew. This ‘reboot’<br />
gives a vivid insight into Harlock’s dark yet appealing nature.<br />
Is his incarnation one of plunder and destruction, or the final<br />
hope for Earth’s survival? In attempting to uncover Harlock’s<br />
true nature, Logan stumbles upon the incredible secret to<br />
Harlock’s past.<br />
JAPAN’S MOST POWERFUL ANIMATION WITH AN ALL<br />
STAR CAST AND CREW<br />
Captain Harlock is voiced by Shun Oguri and his assassin<br />
Logan by Haruma Miura. One cannot help but be exhilarated<br />
by the stand off between these two stars. In addition, actors<br />
such as Yu Aoi, Arata Furuta and Ayano Fukuda, alongside<br />
voice actors such as Toshiyuki Morikawa, Maaya Sakamoto,<br />
Miyuki Sawashiro, Kiyoshi Kobayashi and Chikao Otsuka are<br />
part of the star-studded cast. Their passionate acting injects<br />
real life into the unique line up of characters.<br />
Led by original creator Leiji Matsumoto and Appleseed<br />
director Shinji Aramaki, the crew features a wealth of<br />
Japanese <strong>film</strong> industry notables. The script is by Harutoshi<br />
Fukui whose novels have received many <strong>film</strong> adaptations,<br />
including Aimless Aegis, and Kiyoto Takeuchi who previously<br />
teamed up with director Aramaki in Appleseed Ex Machina.<br />
The <strong>film</strong>’s original concept is injected with a modern theme<br />
for this reboot, creating an entirely new universe. The <strong>film</strong>’s<br />
mechanical designer Atsushi Takeuchi of Production IG is<br />
known for his involvement in Star Wars: The Clone Wars,<br />
and character designer Yutaka Minowa for Ninja Scroll.<br />
Having worked on Matsumoto’s projects previously,<br />
Minowa was able to retain the feel of Matsumoto’s world in<br />
this new adaptation.<br />
Finally, Toei Animation and Marza Animation Planet,<br />
the team of top Japanese CGI experts led by Takeuchi<br />
Kengo. From the battleship combat scenes in outer space<br />
to direct combat aboard the zero-gravity ships, the scale<br />
and speed of the action scenes with their powerful, dazzling<br />
visuals are breathtaking.
FAR, FAR IN THE FUTURE...<br />
SYNOPSIS<br />
...OR PERHAPS THE DISTANT PAST...THE HUMAN<br />
RACE IS SPREAD ACROSS THE GALAXY HAVING<br />
ESTABLISHED COLONIES ON DISTANT PLANETS.<br />
A POPULATION EXPLOSION MEANS OVER<br />
500 BILLION HUMANS INHABIT THE COSMOS.<br />
RESOURCES EXHAUSTED, A MOVEMENT<br />
BEGINS CALLING FOR A RETURN TO MOTHER<br />
EARTH. HOWEVER, THE TINY PLANET COULD<br />
NOT POSSIBLY SUPPORT SUCH AN EPIC<br />
REPATRIATION AND A LONG & BLOODY<br />
CONFLICT ERUPTS OVER THE RIGHT TO<br />
RETURN, KNOWN AS THE ‘HOMECOMING WAR’.<br />
THE GAIA COALITION, A NEW GOVERNING BODY,<br />
IS FORMED TO BRING THE WAR TO A CLOSE.<br />
THEY DECLARE EARTH ‘AN ETERNAL<br />
SANCTUARY’ TO WHICH NO ONE MAY ENTER.<br />
INSTEAD, EARTH IS USED AS A SYMBOL FOR<br />
ORDER, TO GAZE AT FROM AFAR WHILE<br />
COLONISTS ON DYING PLANETS WAIT OUT<br />
THEIR DEMISE.<br />
BUT ONE MAN RESISTS THESE ORDERS AND<br />
CONTINUES TO VENTURE ACROSS THE ABYSS<br />
OF SPACE. AN IMMORTAL SPACE PIRATE WHO<br />
HAS PROVOKED AND PLUNDERED FEDERATION<br />
WARSHIPS FOR THE LAST 100 YEARS...<br />
GAIA COMMUNION’S MOST WANTED:<br />
CODES-00999.<br />
CAPTAIN HARLOCK IS THE ONE MAN STANDING<br />
BETWEEN THE CORRUPT GAIA COALITION AND<br />
THEIR QUEST FOR COMPLETE INTERGALACTIC<br />
RULE. SEEKING REVENGE AGAINST THOSE<br />
WHO WRONGED BOTH MANKIND AND<br />
HIMSELF, THE MYSTERIOUS SPACE PIRATE<br />
ROAMS THE UNIVERSE IN HIS BATTLE CRUISER,<br />
THE ARCADIA, DEFIANTLY ATTACKING AND<br />
PILLAGING ENEMY SHIPS.<br />
GAIA FLEET LEADER EZRA SENDS HIS<br />
YOUNGER BROTHER, LOGAN, TO INFILTRATE<br />
THE ARCADIA AND ASSASSINATE HARLOCK.<br />
BUT LOGAN WILL SOON DISCOVER THAT<br />
THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS WHAT THEY SEEM,<br />
AND THAT LEGENDS ARE BORN FOR A REASON.<br />
HARLOCK PUSHES HIS LOYAL CREW<br />
FORWARD IN HIS DEATH-DEFYING MISSION TO<br />
UNDO THE “NODES OF TIME” AND REVERSE<br />
THE EARTH TO AN AGE WHEN STILL<br />
INHABITED BY HUMANS. IT IS THE YEAR 2977<br />
AND 500 BILLION DISPLACED HUMANS LONG<br />
TO RETURN TO THE PLANET THEY STILL<br />
REFER TO AS HOME.<br />
THE REBELLIOUS CAPTAIN HARLOCK AND HIS<br />
TRUSTED CREW ARE MANKIND’S ONLY HOPE<br />
OF ONE DAY RIGHTING THE COALITION’S<br />
WRONGS.
C O R R E L A T I O N D I A G R A M<br />
MARS<br />
Inhabited only by the<br />
Gaia Coalition elite and<br />
their relatives.<br />
The Gaia Coalition’s elite force<br />
THE GAIA LEGION<br />
GAIAFLEET<br />
GLADE<br />
THE GAIA COALITION’S ULTIMATE WEAPONS<br />
KALEIDO CONVERGER MATRIX<br />
This weapon harnesses photon<br />
energy by imploding a mobile<br />
neutron star that is several<br />
kilometers in diameter, to<br />
produce a concentrated “critical<br />
radiance” beam that can dissipate<br />
dark matter. The heads of state<br />
must approve its use.<br />
EARTH<br />
The holy land:<br />
an impenetrable<br />
sanctuary sanctioned<br />
from mankind.<br />
FLAGSHIP OKEANOS<br />
COSMO CARRIER<br />
ATTACKER<br />
JOVIAN ACCELERATOR<br />
A relic of the Homecoming Wars, this<br />
is the ultimate weapon that was never<br />
put to use. Jupiter’s atmosphere is<br />
extracted by centrifugal force, then<br />
concentrated into high-temperature,<br />
high-<strong>press</strong>ure plasma that can target<br />
any range through a hyperspace gate.<br />
At full power, it has the potential to<br />
blast an earth-sized planet to<br />
smithereens. The heads of state must<br />
approve its use.<br />
Controls<br />
Commander<br />
Governs all humankind scattered across the galaxy and protects<br />
the sanctuary Earth:<br />
EZRA<br />
Potentate<br />
Praefectus of the Gaia Legion.<br />
Although he is Logan’s older brother,<br />
he holds a deep grudge against<br />
Logan due to his debilitating<br />
accident. He desires to fulfill the<br />
Gaia Coalition’s longstanding goal—<br />
to destroy Harlock.<br />
GAIA LEGION<br />
TROOPS<br />
The Gaia Coalition’s elite force. They<br />
exhibit excellent battle skills and are<br />
armored with the latest equipment.<br />
Cosmogun (Logan’s)<br />
Cosmogun (Ezra’s)<br />
GAIA COALITION<br />
GaiaSanction<br />
COUNCIL OF ELDERS<br />
Younger brother (subordinate)<br />
Older brother (senior officer)<br />
Atonement for the past<br />
Married<br />
NAMI<br />
Unresolved feelings<br />
Childhood friend of Logan and Ezra.<br />
She tends to the flowers that had<br />
been important to the brothers’<br />
mother. She once had feelings for<br />
Logan but is now Ezra’s wife.<br />
Elder Councilors<br />
THE GAIA LEGION’S WEAPONS<br />
Retinal-affixing<br />
nanomachine<br />
scanner injector<br />
LOGAN<br />
A spy for the Gaia Legion. Guilt from<br />
having caused serious injury to his<br />
brother Ezra during an accident<br />
drives him to readily volunteer for<br />
the new mission.<br />
A mysterious rebellion<br />
Infiltrates the Arcadia as a<br />
spy to assassinate Harlock<br />
WANTED ALL OVER THE GALAXY<br />
FOURTH DEATHSHADOW-CLASS<br />
BATTLESHIP<br />
Live together<br />
GAIA COALITION’S MOST WANTED: Code S-00999<br />
SPACE PIRATE CAPTAIN<br />
HARLOCK<br />
A former fleet captain of the Gaia Legion, he is now a<br />
legendary space pirate who has been rebelling<br />
against governing forces for a hundred years. He<br />
captains the invincible pirate ship Arcadia, and his<br />
expertise at steering battleships is second to none.<br />
AGE: ??? HEIGHT: 200cm (6’ 7”)<br />
EQUIPMENT:<br />
[GRAVITY CONTROL CAPE] A special cape that can<br />
offset gravity using dark matter. Allows easy descent<br />
from great heights.<br />
[THE WARRIOR’S GUN] Made and gifted by close<br />
friend Tochiro, it is “the most powerful gun in the<br />
universe.”<br />
[GRAVITY SABER] A weapon that cuts through any<br />
substance with gravity waves that permeate<br />
anything. Doubles as a laser gun.<br />
[DARK MATTER] Harlock is said to have conquered<br />
death because of the dark matter in his body.<br />
HARLOCK’S WEAPONS<br />
Gaia blaster Gaia heavy blaster Gaia rocket launcher The Warrior’s Gun Gravity saber<br />
Sworn friends<br />
Trust<br />
Transformed into an all-powerful<br />
pirate ship by dark matter energy<br />
Dedication<br />
TORI<br />
(Bird)<br />
Although originally with Tochiro, Tori<br />
is now often seen on Harlock’s<br />
shoulder. Whenever Harlock is in<br />
trouble, Tori appears to aid him.<br />
MIMAY<br />
Live<br />
together<br />
Aided dying race<br />
The last of the now-perished<br />
Niflung, the only civilized alien race<br />
humankind managed to discover.<br />
Devotes her life to Harlock, and<br />
entrusts her fate to The Arcadia.<br />
Kei’s gun<br />
TOCHIRO<br />
Merges with ship<br />
A Gaia Legion engineer and<br />
Harlock’s closest friend. He died<br />
during the great war a hundred<br />
years ago, but his soul lives on in the<br />
ship’s computer.<br />
YULIAN<br />
The Arcadia’s first mate. Eager to<br />
fight when wearing his hardsuit, but<br />
otherwise a caring crew leader.<br />
Secretly on the timid side. An avid<br />
computer geek and a skilled hacker.<br />
Regular pirate gun<br />
Inseparable,<br />
but not by choice<br />
The best partner<br />
THE ARCADIA CREW’S WEAPONS<br />
Rifle for pirate<br />
hardsuits<br />
THE ARCADIA<br />
THE ARCADIA<br />
CREW<br />
(forte: close combat)<br />
A group of 41 comrades. Generally<br />
they live comfortable, carefree lives<br />
aboard the Arcadia, but each<br />
crewmember shows individual<br />
fighting talent in battle.<br />
KEI<br />
The only female crewmember and<br />
combatant. Harlock saved her life as a<br />
young girl and she identifies with his<br />
ideologies. Breaks gender stereotypes<br />
as an accomplished fighter.<br />
Pirate grappling<br />
hook gun<br />
Pirate axe<br />
SPECIAL REFERENCES<br />
THE HOMECOMING WAR<br />
An interplanetary war that erupted among the 500 billion<br />
humans scattered around the galaxy over the right to inhabit<br />
Earth. As a result, Earth became a holy sanctuary, forbidden<br />
to all mankind.<br />
THE GAIA COALITION<br />
A universal governing entity of intellectuals from each planet<br />
created to end the Homecoming War. The potentate who leads<br />
the Coalition has supreme command over the Solar<br />
Federation Army. He also commands a separate elite force,<br />
the Gaia Legion, which answers directly to the potentate. The<br />
Coalition designates Earth as an impenetrable sanctuary and<br />
will not hesitate to unleash military force on those who<br />
infringe their sanctions.<br />
MULDAUWD<br />
A giant creature with a huge torso and sharp teeth that<br />
camouflages itself on the planet Tokarga. Attacks Logan and<br />
Kei during their mission to set up the dimensional oscillator.<br />
THE NODES OF TIME<br />
A place that joins the seams of time.<br />
DIMENSIONAL OSCILLATOR<br />
Originally a tool to adjust gravitational obstacles such as<br />
dimensional faults and black holes during intergalactic<br />
travel, it can be used as a weapon of mass destruction to<br />
destroy an entire star system. After the war, Harlock<br />
plundered the 100 oscillators that had been guarded by the<br />
Coalition and set them up around the galaxy to eventually<br />
detonate and unravel the Nodes of Time.<br />
DARK MATTER ENGINE<br />
An infinite energy engine developed by the alien civilization<br />
Niflung. The all-powerful flotilla equipped with these engines<br />
was the Gaia Legion’s Deathshadow-class battle fleet.<br />
No fuelling is necessary due to its infinite energy, and it<br />
even provides the ship with regeneration capabilities.<br />
However, to this day none but the Niflung have succeeded in<br />
fully utilizing these engines.<br />
DARK MATTER SHIELD<br />
An energy shield that uses dark matter to protect an entire<br />
ship from enemy attack.<br />
TIERED-CLASS, DEATHSHADOW-CLASS<br />
Labels that denote the class and make of a battleship.<br />
Tiered-class ships are average-grade and in abundance in the<br />
Solar Federation Army. The Arcadia was once one of the<br />
only four colossal Deathshadow-class battleships in the<br />
Gaia Legion.<br />
IN-SKIP JUMP<br />
Short for Imaginary Number Space, a super light speed space<br />
jump that enables travel across a wide expanse of space by<br />
travelling beyond the speed of light.<br />
COUNCIL OF ELDERS<br />
The executive Board of the Gaia Coalition with the potentate at<br />
its head. All political and military decisions concerning<br />
planets under the Coalition defer to this council.<br />
THE NIFLUNG<br />
The only alien civilization known to man, who also developed<br />
the dark matter engine. Mimay is the only current survivor.<br />
Note: The concept of dark matter presented in the <strong>film</strong> is a fictional<br />
concept developed for the story. Astronomically speaking, dark matter is<br />
an astrophysical phenomenon yet to be fully understood.
Total data<br />
250TB<br />
Production time<br />
5 YEARS<br />
Files created<br />
100,000,000+<br />
Rendering time (if there was only one computer)<br />
401 YEARS<br />
Servers used<br />
896<br />
Total cuts<br />
1,400 SHOTS<br />
Main CGI crew<br />
ONLY 150<br />
Rendering tasks<br />
259,803<br />
Machines used for rendering<br />
806<br />
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<br />
H A R U M A M I U R A A S L O G A N<br />
C A S T<br />
“THE SPACE PIRATE” CAPTAIN HARLOCK<br />
“Come aboard if you want to change the world.”<br />
A hero who defended Earth as a soldier of the Gaia Coalition, an entity formed to end the<br />
Homecoming War that raged among mankind for the right to inhabit the mother planet.<br />
He disappeared shortly after the end of the war, taking his ship with him, and returned<br />
as an accursed pirate rebelling against the Coalition. Although wanted for treason,<br />
no one truly knows the depths of the resolve buried within him.<br />
The captain of the Arcadia is said to be over a hundred years old, but only a few know the true<br />
story of how he came to be the captain of the Coalition’s most powerful ship. Captain Harlock’s<br />
quest brought him to countless planets and helped him build a crew that would follow him<br />
to the end of the galaxy. But when his mysterious past looks set to collide with his dream<br />
of restoring Earth to its original state, his crew’s loyalties will be challenged.<br />
“THE INFILTRATING ASSASSIN” LOGAN<br />
A spy sent by the Gaia Coalition, Logan infiltrates the Arcadia with<br />
the mission to assassinate Harlock.<br />
Gaia Legion praefectus Ezra is Logan’s commanding officer…<br />
and also his older brother. Logan is a conflicted and troubled young<br />
man who blames himself for having caused the accident that took<br />
the legs of his brother and put his long time love in a life-support<br />
capsule for the rest of her life. Guilt controls his life and as such,<br />
Logan is willing to perform anything his brother asks. However,<br />
when faced with the reality of the universe and the truth about Earth,<br />
Logan will have to decide between the morality of his brother’s<br />
wishes and his own conflicting ideals.<br />
S H U N O G U R I<br />
Born in 1982, Oguri has appeared in many TV dramas and TV movies. His performance in<br />
Crows ZERO (2007) earned him Best Actor in the 17th Japan Movie Critics Awards,<br />
establishing his reputation as a talented young actor. He is known for his roles in<br />
Robot Contest (2003), Neighbor No. Thirteen (2005), Kisaragi (2007), Hana Yori Dango<br />
Final (2008), Crows ZERO II (2009), TAJOMARU (2009), Gaku (2011), The Woodsman and the<br />
Rain (2012), Space Brothers (2012), The Bayside Shakedown The Final (2012), and A Boy<br />
Called H (2013). He has also had notable voice acting roles in Surf’s Up (2007), Gusko<br />
Budori no Denki (2012), as well as the video game Professor Layton and the Unwound<br />
Future (2008). He also has directing experience with Surely Someday (2010).<br />
H A R U M A M I U R A<br />
Born in 1990, Miura made his debut in the 1997 NHK morning drama series Aguri<br />
and followed with many performances in TV dramas and theatrical productions,<br />
establishing his career as an actor. He first scored a leading role in the <strong>film</strong> Catch a<br />
Wave (2006), then received the 31st Japan Academy Prize as Newcomer of the Year<br />
for his performance in Koizora (2007). Other notable roles include those in Children<br />
(2006), Akihabara@Deep (2006), Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge (2008),<br />
Naoko (2008), Gokusen: The Movie (2009), Kimi ni Todoke (2010) and Tokyo<br />
Park (2011). He is also in the upcoming Eien no Zero (2013). This <strong>film</strong> will be his first<br />
foray into voice acting.
“THE QUIET OBSERVER” MIMAY<br />
The last of the Niflung, the only alien civilization known to man<br />
and developers of the infinite energy-generating dark matter<br />
engine. She provided dark matter technology to Tochiro for his<br />
efforts in trying to save her dying race. After Tochiro’s death, she<br />
decided to devote her life to his closest friend Harlock and his<br />
ship the Arcadia.<br />
“CLOSE COMBAT CHAMP AND<br />
POWERFUL FIRST MATE” YULIAN<br />
The longest serving senior crew member on the Arcadia.<br />
Although blunt and capricious, he shows affection towards those<br />
he trusts. He becomes an unruly warrior when wearing his<br />
hardsuit, but is otherwise something of a geek, generally<br />
keeping to his quarters with the internet as company. A skilled<br />
hacker. Secretly has feelings for Kei.<br />
“THE KIND-HEARTED PARTNER WHO<br />
COMES TO AID IN TIMES OF TROUBLE” TORI<br />
Friend of Tochiro, designer of the Arcadia. Now that Tochiro is<br />
gone, he is often found on the shoulder of Tochiro’s closest<br />
friend, Harlock. Characterized by his small eyes and long beak.<br />
With a high level of intelligence, it seems that he understands<br />
what goes on around him, including human speech. He flies out<br />
of nowhere to aid Harlock in times of need.<br />
“THE COMMANDER WITH A MISSION” EZRA<br />
Praefectus of the Gaia Legion the elite force that answers<br />
directly to the Gaia Coalition potentate. He rises through the<br />
ranks for his talent as a military man despite being confined to<br />
a wheelchair, a fate brought about by Logan. A cold-hearted<br />
professional, he does not hesitate to send his brother on an<br />
assassination mission. His wife Nami is a childhood friend<br />
to both him and Logan.<br />
“THE WOMAN LOVED BY<br />
TWO BROTHERS” NAMI<br />
Originally having feelings for Logan, circumstances lead her to<br />
become Ezra’s wife. She supports Ezra in the background while<br />
tending to flowers that once bloomed on Earth so that they may<br />
take root on Mars someday, a wish she shares with Ezra and<br />
Logan’s deceased mother. She grieves over Ezra and Logan’s<br />
troubled relationship, whilst at the same time harbouring an<br />
important secret.<br />
“THE ARCADIA’S LONE FEMALE” KEI<br />
Harlock saved her life when she was a little girl, leading her to<br />
voluntarily join the Arcadia’s crew. She identifies with Harlock’s<br />
ideology and follows him. She hates having her gender be a<br />
handicap on the otherwise male-only ship, and trained to<br />
become an excellent fighter. She has established herself as<br />
a long-serving senior officer along with Yulian and is appointed<br />
as Logan’s mentor.<br />
C A S T<br />
YU AOI<br />
AS<br />
MIMAY<br />
ARATA FURUTA<br />
AS<br />
YULIAN<br />
AYANO FUKUDA<br />
AS<br />
TORISAN<br />
TOSHIYUKI MORIKAWA<br />
AS<br />
EZRA<br />
MAAYA SAKAMOTO<br />
AS<br />
NAMI<br />
MIYUKI SAWASHIRO<br />
AS<br />
KEI<br />
MIMAY: YU AOI<br />
YULIAN: ARATA FURUTA<br />
TORI: AYANO FUKUDA<br />
EZRA: TOSHIYUKI MORIKAWA<br />
NAMI: MAAYA SAKAMOTO<br />
KEI: MIYUKI SAWASHIRO<br />
Born in 1985. She made her debut in 1999 in the musical Annie,<br />
and made her first <strong>film</strong> appearance in All About Lily Chou-Chou (2001).<br />
She received the 30th Japan Academy Prize for Best Supporting Actress<br />
for Hula Girls (2006) as well as numerous other <strong>film</strong> awards. Notable<br />
roles include those in Hana and Alice (2004), Otoko-tachi no Yamato<br />
(2005), Honey and Clover (2006), Honokaa Boy (2009), About Her Brother<br />
(2010), Rurouni Kenshin (2012) and Tokyo Family (2013). Her voice acting<br />
roles include Tekkonkinkreet (2006) and Redline (2010). She is also in<br />
the upcoming Haru wo Seotte (2014).<br />
Born in 1965. Part of the theatrical troupe Gekidan Shinkansen. In 1998<br />
and 2013 he won the Actor Excellence award in the 5th and 20th Yomiuri<br />
Theatre Awards respectively. His ability to change his acting at will<br />
between an im<strong>press</strong>ive range of characters is unparalleled. Notable<br />
roles include those in Kisarazu Cat’s Eye Nihon Series/World Series<br />
(2003, 2006), HERO (2007), Komori Seikatsu Kojo Club (2008), the 20th<br />
Century Boys trilogy (2009), 13 Assassins (2010), Ninja Kids!!! (2011) and<br />
The Tang of Lemon (2012). He has also had voice acting experience with<br />
the Ni no Kuni game series (2010, 2011).<br />
Born in 1988. She appears mainly in variety shows for her unique style<br />
of im<strong>press</strong>ions and in 2012 alone appeared in more than 350 TV shows.<br />
She performed in a string of TV dramas including Kekkon Shinai (2012)<br />
and TAKE FIVE—Oretachi wa Ai wo Nusumeru ka (2013) and has taken<br />
on some theatrical roles as well. She played her first lead role in the<br />
dubbed version of Silent Hill: Revelation 3D (2013). She continues to<br />
expand her experience in various outlets.<br />
Born in 1967. An industry-leading voice actor that has played roles in<br />
over 1,000 titles both in and out of the country. His first lead anime role<br />
was in Space Knight: Tekkaman Blade (1992). Major <strong>film</strong> appearances<br />
include Yu-Gi-Oh! (1999), Konjiki no Gash Bell: 101 Banme no Mamono<br />
(2004), The Bleach <strong>film</strong> series (2006, 2007, 2010), Vexille (2007),<br />
the NARUTO <strong>film</strong> series (2010, 2012) and Fullmetal Alchemist: The<br />
Sacred Star of Milos (2011), among others. He also regularly dubs-over<br />
for a variety of Hollywood stars such as Tom Cruise and Ewan McGregor.<br />
Born in 1980. She started off as a child actress at eight years old,<br />
and received the 38th Kazuo Kikuta Drama Award. As a voice actress, she<br />
gained acclaim with her role as Hitomi Kanzaki in the anime The Vision of<br />
Escaflowne (1996). Major lead roles in <strong>film</strong>s include those in The Garden<br />
of Sinners series (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013), The Evangelion <strong>film</strong><br />
series (2009, 2012), Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos (2011),<br />
Code Geass: Akito the Exiled (2012, 2013) and Ghost in the Shell: Arise<br />
(2013), among others. Her regular dub-over roles in non-Japanese <strong>film</strong>s<br />
include Natalie Portman, Zhang Ziyi, and Mia Wasikowska.<br />
Born in 1985. She tried out for a voice-acting role in Di Gi Charat at<br />
the age of 14 and made a striking debut in 1999 as the main character<br />
of the series. Major <strong>film</strong>s include Appleseed Ex Machina (2007)<br />
with director Aramaki, Hottarake no shima—Haruka to maho no<br />
kagami (2009), Doraemon in Nobita and the Steel Troops: New<br />
Age (2011), Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo (2012), HUNTER x<br />
HUNTER: Phantom Rouge (2013), Ghost in the Shell: Arise (2013)<br />
and Persona 3 the Movie (2013).
THE ARCADIA<br />
A pirate battleship with a giant skull on its bow.<br />
Originally the fourth Deathshadow-class battleship constructed by the Solar Federation Army,<br />
it runs on lost alien technology - the dark matter engine - which allows the ship to regenerate<br />
automatically and travel infinite distances.<br />
It went missing after the great war but reappeared several years later as a grotesque pirate ship<br />
with Captain Harlock at its helm.<br />
DEATHSHADOW<br />
ARCADIA<br />
Length: 1072m (1172 yards) / Width: 312m (341 yards)/Height: 355m (388 yards)<br />
Armament: 3 rows of 4 three-barrelled dimensional particle oscillator turrets (main battery)<br />
4 three-barrelled dimensional particle oscillator turrets (secondary battery)<br />
24 two-barrelled anti-space fighter beam cannons<br />
8 anti-battleship torpedo tubes<br />
Main engine: 2 dark matter energy engines<br />
High power cosmosonar<br />
Dark matter generator<br />
Torpedo room<br />
Regular engine energy tank<br />
Main battery accelerator field<br />
Keel<br />
Main battery turrets<br />
Energy projectile magazines<br />
Dark matter reactor<br />
Rocket anchors<br />
Regular generator<br />
Electron beam rangefinder<br />
Dark matter control device<br />
3-dimensional direction finder<br />
Bridge<br />
Main computer<br />
Hangar<br />
Main wave motion engine<br />
Captain’s cabin<br />
Crew quarters<br />
Force field control (steerage)<br />
A R C A D I A
LEIJI MASTSUMOTO<br />
50 SELECTED WORKS<br />
1953 Adventures Of A Honeybee<br />
1956 Yume No Hanazono (Garden Of Dreams)<br />
Bessekai No Boken [Uchu Sakusen Dai 1 Go]<br />
(Adventures On Another World [Space Mission #1]<br />
1957 Kuroi Hanabira (Black Petals)<br />
1958 Gin No Tani No Maria [Midori No Tenshi]<br />
(Maria Of The Silver Valley [Green Angel]<br />
Aoi Me No Marie [Hoshi Yo Kie Nai De]<br />
(Blue-Eyed Marie [Don’t Fade, Stars] (Original: Toshio Shimamori)<br />
1960 Kagero No Uta (Song Of The Mayflies)<br />
(Collaboration with Miyako Maki)<br />
1961 Denko Ozma<br />
1964 Submarine Super 99<br />
1965 Esu No Taiyo (Esu’s Sun)<br />
1967 Sono Na Wa Tesu (The Name Is Tess)<br />
1968 Sexaroid<br />
Kousoku Esper<br />
1969 Yojigen Sekai (Fourth Dimension World) Series<br />
Senjo Manga Series<br />
1970 Dai-Yojo-Han (Four-And-A-Half Straw Mat) Series<br />
1971 Mokei No Jidai (The Age Of Models) (Original: Sakyo Komatsu)<br />
Night On The Galactic Railroad (Original: Kenji Miyazawa)<br />
Otoko Oidon (I Am A Man)<br />
Seibonjinden (Chronicles Of St. Ordinary)<br />
1972 Gun Frontier<br />
1973 Wadachi<br />
1974 Konchukoku Hyoryuki (Castaway To Insect Kingdom)<br />
Space Battleship Yamato<br />
1975 Insect<br />
The Cockpit Series<br />
Torajima No Mime (Tiger-Striped Mii)<br />
1976 Oyashirazu Sanka (In Praise Of Wisdom Teeth)<br />
Arcadia Of My Youth<br />
Miraizer Vam<br />
1977 Space Pirate Captain Harlock<br />
Galaxy Ex<strong>press</strong> 999 (Andromeda Arc)<br />
Daijunjou-Kun (Super-Naïve Boy)<br />
Planet Robot Danguard Ace<br />
1978 Queen Emeraldas<br />
1980 Queen Millennia<br />
1983 Hyouryuu Kansen 000<br />
1984 Hard Metal Series<br />
1990 Harlock Saga: Niberungu No Yubiwa<br />
(Der Ring Des Nibelungen)<br />
1993 Kagero No Monsho (Crest Of The Mayflies)<br />
Case Hard Series<br />
The Ultimate Time Sweeper Mahoroba<br />
Tenshi No Jikuu Sen (Time Machine Of Angels)<br />
1994 Fire Force Dnasights 999.9<br />
1996 Galaxy Ex<strong>press</strong> 999 (Eternal Arc)<br />
2000 Great Yamato<br />
2003 The Galaxy Railways<br />
2005 Nipponkoku Rakujoki Jigoku No Tonneru<br />
(Fall Of The Castle Japan—Hell’s Tunnel)<br />
2006 Fairy Hotaruna<br />
2009 Out Of Galaxy Koshika<br />
Cooperation from Kitakyushu Manga Museum<br />
The years represent the initial print of the work, or when a series<br />
started. Early works with major title changes have the new title in<br />
brackets, and the others show the most general comic and series<br />
titles. Some major stories within a series have been listed on their own.<br />
O R I G I N A L A U T H O R<br />
AWARDS<br />
1954 Manga Shonen 1st Full-Length Manga Best Newcomer Award<br />
1972 Kodansha Cultural Award for Otoko Oidon<br />
1975 6th Seiun Award<br />
1977 23rd Shogakukan Manga Award for Galaxy Ex<strong>press</strong> 999 and<br />
the Senjo Manga series<br />
1978 7th Japanese Cartoonists’ Association Award<br />
1979 Japan Special Achievement Award for Movies<br />
1996 Becomes chair of the Young Astronauts Club<br />
1997-2002 Joins NASDA (National Space Development Agency of Japan)<br />
1999 Awarded as the Contributor for Dissemination and Enlightenment<br />
of Science and Technology<br />
2002 Becomes chair of the National Council of Youth Organization in<br />
Japan, Chuseiren<br />
2001 Receives Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon<br />
2007 Becomes a professor at Takarazuka University of Art and Design<br />
Becomes a guest lecturer at Kyoto Sangyo University<br />
2010 Receives the Order of the Rising Sun<br />
2012 Made Chevalier of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres<br />
(Order of Arts and Letters)<br />
BASED UPON ORIGINAL STORIES AND CHARACTERS CREATED BY LEIJI MATSUMOTO<br />
ORIGINAL CREATOR LEIJI MATSUMOTO<br />
Born in 1938. A sci-fi manga virtuoso who is celebrating his 60th anniversary as a manga artist this year.<br />
His father, who was an army aviation officer and fighter pilot, said after the war that it tore at his heart to<br />
think of his fallen comrades and that he would never fly a fighter plane again. American fighter jets have<br />
affected many of Matsumoto’s works.<br />
His father was purged from public service by the GHQ and the family lived in poverty. Matsumoto admired<br />
his father as a strong man and his image gave birth to the heroes in his works such as Harlock. Matsumoto<br />
started drawing story manga at the age of six and in 1953 at the age of fifteen, his submission to Manga<br />
Shonen was accepted and he debuted with The Adventures of a Honeybee. After moving to Tokyo in 1957,<br />
he continued to create successful titles and eventually forayed into the world of animation with the <strong>film</strong>s<br />
Space Battleship Yamato and Galaxy Ex<strong>press</strong> 999 becoming huge hits. Thus, Matsumoto was established<br />
as the grandfather of sci-fi anime and manga.<br />
HARLOCK’S MESSAGE<br />
I loved pirates from a young age and wanted to be one. I drew my<br />
first pirate manga, Bokenki, during my last year of middle school.<br />
Pirates can travel the seas as they like without anyone to answer<br />
to. Nationality, borders and age don’t matter to them in the<br />
slightest. That freedom was the appeal of the pirate. Even in my<br />
childhood, I knew the skull and crossbones on their flags weren’t<br />
there to scare people—they represented the resolve to fight until<br />
only their bones were left.<br />
They live freely, but take full responsibility for their actions.<br />
Wherever they may die or collapse, it’s their problem and their<br />
problem only. That’s what it means to “Live freely by their flag.”<br />
There is no going back on their word, they cannot curse anyone<br />
else and there can be no regrets. I was enchanted by the pirate’s<br />
way of life.<br />
Everyone reaches a point in their life when they must set out<br />
on a journey. I’m sure every one of you has some recollection<br />
of such an event. If you are still young, it will inevitably happen<br />
someday. Your fate is decided by whether you decide then to<br />
embark on that journey or not; the same as leaving port as<br />
a pirate. Your life changes when you make your decision<br />
whether to leave or not.<br />
I always think about that day. What would have happened<br />
if I hadn’t left my home in Kokura, Kitakyushu by locomotive?<br />
I had no money for a return ticket, so I had no means of turning<br />
back. Setting off on a journey like that changes a person’s life.<br />
Whether it’s an ocean or outer space, dreams and hope lie<br />
across that great expanse. I envisioned that shimmer of hope to<br />
be the stars in the galaxy, which is where the setting for my<br />
work was born.<br />
THOUGHTS TOWARD COMRADES<br />
If one is about to set off on an important, once-in-a-lifetime<br />
journey, he will not let anyone hinder that path, wherever the<br />
path may lead. Harlock calls upon the young saying ‘Fellow<br />
comrades who share my purpose, come with me.’<br />
However, the youths themselves must make the final<br />
decision. Harlock’s role is to give an encouraging push;<br />
he does not give orders but leaves it up to each individual<br />
to decide whether to board the ship or not, because he fully<br />
understands how important friendship is. Harlock and<br />
Tochiro’s relationship is actually based on my friendship<br />
with a classmate from elementary school who was good<br />
looking and popular with the girls. Throughout elementary<br />
and middle school I had many close friends, many of whom<br />
I had fist fights with, but we also helped each other out in<br />
times of need. These classmates still contact me to make<br />
sure I’m okay, which I’m truly thankful for.<br />
‘A human’s life is limited. Within that limited time we strive to<br />
fulfil dreams; both our own and others. I wanted to relay these<br />
dreams, creating an endless chain from the past to the future;<br />
a theme that links many of my works including Captain<br />
LEIJI MATSUMOTO SPECIAL INTERVIEW<br />
Harlock, Galaxy Ex<strong>press</strong> 999, Queen Emeraldas, Otoko Oidon<br />
and Gun Frontier. Another theme I include in Harlock is the<br />
fact that no one is alone. Harlock emphasises the importance<br />
of passing things on and the importance of friendships that<br />
help you along the way. Consequently every one of them must<br />
give their all. Regardless of whether their lives are short<br />
or long, they must do their best so that each generation may<br />
learn and teach the next generation.<br />
The Arcadia is a place for these souls to congregate; a society<br />
of its own and a utopia they strive to reach. I was introduced<br />
to the concept of arcadia in the French <strong>film</strong> Marianne de ma<br />
Jeunesse, which moved me when I was just seventeen years<br />
old and which represents youthful admiration in my mind.<br />
Harlock features the resolve to set off on a journey and the<br />
meeting and separation of friends, all things that I myself<br />
experienced as a youth. The name Harlock itself is a word<br />
I made up in elementary school, so I could say that this work is<br />
one that takes me back to my roots.<br />
ABOUT THE FILM HARLOCK: SPACE PIRATE<br />
I moved to Oizumigakuencho in Nerima when I first arrived in<br />
Tokyo. I could see the Toei Movie Studio right out of my window<br />
and I often watched <strong>film</strong> production from the balcony of my<br />
home. I didn’t think anything of it then, but perhaps I was<br />
connected by fate to Toei from this point in my life.<br />
This <strong>film</strong> is an incredibly high-quality work from the crew at<br />
Toei and it made me so happy that it brought me to tears.<br />
I’d like to sincerely thank the production crew. The <strong>film</strong> has a<br />
realism quite different from hand-drawn animation. At every<br />
turn, the visuals seem so real that you almost want to doubt if<br />
it’s really CGI and you want to believe that they somehow <strong>film</strong>ed<br />
an actual planet somewhere in the universe. I hope you will<br />
enjoy every last detail of their work.<br />
It is also very stimulating for me as a creator to have Harlock<br />
given a chance at a new full-length movie. It has given me the<br />
inspiration to create something new. There is no doubt in my<br />
mind that this <strong>film</strong> will stimulate a new generation of aspiring<br />
youths around the world and cross borders. There is nothing<br />
I would want more than if they are inspired to create a new<br />
story from this <strong>film</strong> and eventually confront me in a creative<br />
battle. Many things serve to stimulate creativity and they<br />
coalesce into a story and into characters. Harlock is also<br />
a product of such imagination. It thrills me to think of fighting<br />
once more to triumph in this creative war that now rages<br />
globally. This war will continue for the rest of my life. That’s what<br />
keeps me on my toes and keeps things interesting.<br />
I have poured the dreams and aspirations I have harbored since<br />
childhood into Harlock, so I would like the chance to visit the<br />
ends of the galaxy someday. I don’t need to return—I just want<br />
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<br />
HIKAWA EXPLORES THE MATSUMOTO UNIVERSE TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHY HIS<br />
CREATIONS HAVE SUCH APPEAL.<br />
THE INDUSTRY-CHANGING WORKS<br />
OF LEIJI MATSUMOTO<br />
I believe that Mr. Matsumoto’s anime works from the<br />
mid-70s to the early 80s, such as Space Pirate<br />
Captain Harlock and Galaxy Ex<strong>press</strong> 999, changed<br />
the course of the industry. The characters, concepts,<br />
and artwork were all unique, and it was proven<br />
possible to animate mechanical components with<br />
depth and complexity. I felt a clear “evolution<br />
of anime” during that time, like the growth of a boy<br />
into early adulthood.<br />
Mr. Matsumoto’s works are filled with an artistic<br />
aesthetic that is backed by an intensive knowledge<br />
of the classics and the military. At the root of many<br />
of his stories are classical inspirations such<br />
as Wagner operas, medieval chivalry, Japanese<br />
legend, or accounts from the Pacific War that are<br />
then flipped around to create new futuristic worlds.<br />
The source of his talent seems to house two minds—<br />
that of a child and that of an adult. That is why his<br />
works do not lose their luster over the decades, and<br />
we are moved by the simultaneous experience of the<br />
past and the future together as one.<br />
THE REASON BEHIND CAPTAIN<br />
HARLOCK’S SUCCESS<br />
First off, the titular character is unbelievably<br />
striking. His scar and eye patch, coupled with his<br />
skull-adorned clothes and cape are impossible<br />
to forget. Of course his resolute nature of living<br />
out his resolve is also appealing. His charisma is<br />
unique, and the few words he does say sink into<br />
your heart immediately, his unwavering stance in<br />
life never failing to steal the stage. In particular,<br />
the scene where he rescues the hero Tetsuro in<br />
the <strong>film</strong> version of Galaxy Ex<strong>press</strong> 999 made a<br />
lasting im<strong>press</strong>ion of his gallantry and strength.<br />
He captured the imagination of every young boy,<br />
making them aspire to be like him when they grew up.<br />
WHEN IS HARLOCK MOST NEEDED?<br />
Harlock appears in order to guide us when times get<br />
tough and we reach a wall. I believe that we are now<br />
on the verge of such times. Mr. Matsumoto’s works<br />
always question how a man should live, particularly<br />
what he chooses to do when he encounters some<br />
form of defeat or hardship. The new Captain Harlock<br />
<strong>film</strong> is no exception, with men overcoming despair to<br />
stride forward. I was im<strong>press</strong>ed with the marriage<br />
of the classical themes of chivalry and bravery with<br />
the unique beauty of the powerful visuals to create a<br />
work that expertly depicts the Matsumoto universe.<br />
HARLOCK FROM THE EYES OF A FAN<br />
Mr. Matsumoto’s works depict the contrast between<br />
ideals and actuality. When one encounters the<br />
cold wall of reality and despairs at one’s own<br />
uselessness, Harlock is the one with the tenacity<br />
and resolve to reach out from the side of idealism<br />
and pull reality up to where he stands. However, he<br />
merely lends a hand and does not take over the duty.<br />
He has the sternness to ask that one do the deed on<br />
one’s own, with resolve. That is why even though the<br />
story may end, that resolve remains in each person’s<br />
heart. Perhaps that is why he transcends boundaries<br />
between other works and comfortably fits into other<br />
stories in the Matsumoto universe.<br />
RYUSUKE HIKAWA<br />
Born in 1958. An anime researcher whose writing focuses on visual<br />
technique and creativity. Active in many circles, Hikawa serves as a judge<br />
for the Japan Media Arts Festival as well as for the Mainichi Film Awards.<br />
©Leiji Matsumoto/Toei Animation
S T A F F<br />
the twelfth episode of the overseas TV series Star Wars:<br />
The Clone Wars (2008). He has collaborated with director<br />
Aramaki in the past on APPLESEED (2004) and Appleseed<br />
Ex Machina (2007).<br />
DIRECTOR SHINJI ARAMAKI<br />
Born in 1960 in Fukuoka Prefecture.<br />
A distinguished Japanese producer and<br />
designer who continues to lead the full-CGI animation industry,<br />
he has been involved in works such as Genesis Climber Mospeada<br />
(1983), Megazone 23 (1985-91), Gasaraki (1998) and Mobile Suit<br />
Gundam MS Igloo (2004-06). In 2004 he directed the motion<br />
capture full CGI 3D <strong>film</strong> Appleseed and Mission: Impossible II<br />
director John Woo was so taken with its visual imagery that he<br />
asked to produce its sequel. Aramaki’s style is influential both<br />
within and outside of Japan and he was appointed by Hollywood to<br />
direct the 2012 <strong>film</strong> Starship Troopers: Invasion.<br />
ADAPTATION/SCREENPLAY HARUTOSHI FUKUI<br />
Born in 1968. Received the Edogawa Rampo Award in 1998 with<br />
his debut novel Twelve Y.O. For Aimless Aegis (1999) he managed<br />
the triple feat of the Mystery Writers of Japan Award,<br />
the Haruhiko Oyabu Award and the Japan Adventure Fiction<br />
Association Grand Prix. Then he went on to receive<br />
the Yoshikawa Eiji Prize for New Writers and the Japan<br />
Adventure Fiction Association Grand Prix once more for<br />
Shuusen no Lorelei (2003). His involvement with <strong>film</strong> includes<br />
Lorelei: The Witch of the Pacific Ocean (2005), Samurai<br />
Commando: Mission 1549 (2005), Aegis (2005), and Battle Under<br />
Orion (2009), the last for which he oversaw production and<br />
wrote an adaptation. He also worked on the OVA Mobile Suit<br />
Gundam UC (Unicorn), which was praised by new and old fans<br />
alike, selling more than 1.5 million copies. A new <strong>film</strong> based on<br />
his novel Jinrui Shikin (2013) will be released this fall.<br />
CONCEPT CHARACTER DESIGN<br />
YUTAKA MINOWA<br />
Born in 1965. In charge of character design and animation<br />
directing for the OVA Ninja Scroll (1993), Vampire Hunter D (2001)<br />
and The Animatrix (2003), he has also done concept design<br />
for Memories (1995), Metropolis (2001) and Redline (2010).<br />
His designs are popular overseas as well as in Japan. He has<br />
previously done concept art for The Cockpit (1993), another Leiji<br />
Matsumoto <strong>film</strong>.<br />
CGI SUPERVISOR KENGO TAKEUCHI<br />
Born in 1975. Belongs to MARZA ANIMATION PLANET. A CGI<br />
visual creator, he was involved in creating in-game<br />
cutscenes for Final Fantasy VIII (1999), IX (2000) and Kingdom<br />
Hearts (2002) in his Square Enix days. He was also involved in<br />
the <strong>film</strong> Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001) at Square<br />
USA. During his freelance days before his current post, he did<br />
the original story, directing and production for Yonna in the<br />
Solitary Fortress (2006).<br />
MUSIC TETSUYA TAKAHASHI<br />
Takahashi started his serious involvement in <strong>film</strong> music with<br />
the score for APPLESEED (2007) and has also done the<br />
music for other Aramaki directed <strong>film</strong>s such as Appleseed<br />
Ex Machina (2007) and Starship Troopers: Invasion (2012).<br />
He was also involved in Resident Evil: Degeneration (2008),<br />
Tomorrow’s Joe (2010) and Kansai Johnny’s Jr. no Kyoto<br />
Uzumasa Koshinkyoku! (2013).<br />
COMMENT<br />
We made this song to ex<strong>press</strong> how we feel as<br />
musicians and individuals about tragic events<br />
happening around the world that are beyond the<br />
power of human control.<br />
We sincerely hope that the fusion of our music<br />
with this movie will turn the darkness in the<br />
hearts of many to light—in a way that ONE OK<br />
ROCK cannot accomplish on its own.<br />
SCREENPLAY KIYOTO TAKEUCHI<br />
Born in 1968. He made his screenplay debut in Samurai<br />
Commando: Mission 1549 (2005). Notable involvements include<br />
the hero TV series Ultraman Max (2005), the <strong>film</strong> Appleseed<br />
Ex Machina (2007) and Samurai Angel Wars (2011). He is also<br />
a writer and some of his works include Inu no Eiga—Shosetsu<br />
Pochi wa Matte ita (2005), Ex Machina (2007), Furyu Tokei<br />
Otoko (2007), Goemon (2009), Haha Naru Shomei (2009) and the<br />
novel version of Captain Harlock (2013).<br />
CONCEPT MECHANICAL DESIGN<br />
ATSUSHI TAKEUCHI<br />
Born in 1965. Belongs to Production I.G. He provided<br />
mechanical and concept design for Ghost in the Shell (1995)<br />
and Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo (2012). He was also<br />
in charge of the character design, storyboard and directing in<br />
IN-FILM SONG TOKIKO KATO<br />
“L’amour dans ton cœur”<br />
Born in 1943. Kato made her singing debut<br />
in 1965 while studying at the University of<br />
Tokyo. She received the Japan Record<br />
Award for New Artist for “Akai Fusen”<br />
(1966) and the Japan Record Award for<br />
Best Vocal Performance for “Hitorine no<br />
Komori Uta” (1969) and “Shiretoko Ryojo”<br />
(1971). She has since released over 70<br />
albums and numerous hit songs. In 1992, she was made<br />
Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French<br />
Government for her contribution to the arts. In recent years,<br />
she has appeared in outdoor music festivals and done charity<br />
work for the 2011 Tohoku earthquake victims. As an actress,<br />
she has been in Izakaya Choji (1983) and has also voice acted in<br />
Porco Rosso (1992).<br />
THEME SONG ONE OK ROCK<br />
Formed in 2005, ONE OK ROCK is a popular band<br />
amongst the young generation for its edgy sound<br />
combining elements of emo, rock and metal and for<br />
its aggressive live performances. The group<br />
made its debut in 2007, actively touring music clubs<br />
nationwide and performing at various summer music<br />
festivals. They held a well-received concert at the<br />
Nippon Budokan in 2010 and immediately sold out two<br />
days of concerts at Yokohama Arena in 2012. In 2013,<br />
they released their 6th album Jinsei x Boku = and held<br />
its largest arena tour yet with ten concerts in<br />
six venues nationwide for a total of 100,000 fans.
P R O D U C T I O N N O T E 1<br />
Leiji Matsumoto’s globally-acclaimed Space Pirate Captain<br />
Harlock has returned to the screen in full CGI. This massive<br />
project is attracting the global attention of fans and<br />
non-fans alike.<br />
Such is the global anticipation of this project, the creators wish<br />
to use the opportunity to fulfil a mission in which the world<br />
‘rediscovers Japanese culture’.<br />
“We wanted to create something Japan could be proud of.<br />
That was how everything began,” explains producer<br />
Yoshiyuki Ikezawa (Toei Animation). “Japanese animation is<br />
often talked about through the concept of ‘Cool Japan’ but<br />
the Japanese anime market is completely separate from the<br />
<strong>film</strong> market and there are actually very few truly global<br />
animated <strong>film</strong>s that are widely embraced the way Hollywood<br />
movies are. However, Japan’s strong manga background<br />
gives us a wealth of characters that have potential global<br />
appeal. Give a group of such characters a fitting story and<br />
theme that maximises their potential, add the advanced<br />
technology Japan has to offer and I was sure that we could<br />
create something that would wow the world.”<br />
NO HOLDING BACK!<br />
The first challenge of the <strong>film</strong> was to gather an able production<br />
team. This meant recruiting the top creators in the Japanese<br />
visual industry, a feat that Toei Animation had never seen the<br />
likes of before.<br />
“Harlock is by far the coolest of all of Mr. Matsumoto’s characters,”<br />
according to director Shinji Aramaki. Having penetrated the<br />
Hollywood market, Aramaki explained that there were two things<br />
he thought were important in creating an entertainment feature<br />
that could compete globally. “One was that I wanted it to be about<br />
problems that our society faces today, even though it’s a science<br />
fiction <strong>film</strong> set in outer space. That’s why I chose to emphasize<br />
Harlock’s character as a pirate and depict him as an antihero that<br />
rebels against a much greater authority.”<br />
That was also when Harutoshi Fukui’s name was brought to the<br />
table. “Mr. Fukui’s novels often use movie-like depictions with<br />
battleships, and I thought he would be a good fit for<br />
Mr. Matsumoto’s characters. The producer Mr. Ikezawa also<br />
mentioned his name, so we contacted him immediately.” Gradually,<br />
an all-star staff was coming together, and the road to rebooting<br />
Captain Harlock had begun.<br />
THE ESTABLISHED SETTING VS. THE “REBOOT”<br />
This <strong>film</strong> is the modern incarnation of Captain Harlock that<br />
remains true to the spirit of the original Space Pirate Captain<br />
Harlock. The reason the <strong>film</strong> is meant to be a “reboot” rather than<br />
a remake has to do with the character of Captain Harlock and<br />
society today.<br />
“Harlock appears in many of Mr. Matsumoto’s works, and I have<br />
come to interpret him as the character that represents defiance<br />
regardless of the era, a pillar around which people gather<br />
to question society.” These are the words of story adaptation<br />
and screenplay writer Harutoshi Fukui, as he quietly analyses<br />
the legendary character’s reboot. “I took care to prevent the<br />
character from feeling dated. The former Harlock was<br />
an unfailing leader who lends a modest helping hand. Thirty<br />
years have passed and I don’t believe that young people today<br />
will be able to connect with that original hero image. If anything,<br />
I felt that a hero that experiences anguish, whose ideals have<br />
become twisted in some way, is what they would be able to<br />
identify with, and that was how I went about creating his<br />
character for the <strong>film</strong>.”<br />
As a result, Harlock’s darker side is much more pronounced<br />
compared to his past depictions. In this <strong>film</strong> you also encounter<br />
the depth of his despair. Kiyoto Takeuchi, who also worked on<br />
the screenplay alongside Fukui, adds some of his thoughts.<br />
“We wanted to take a step back and really think about Harlock<br />
as a character. Because we are in such convoluted times,<br />
it didn’t seem enough to limit him to his original character—the<br />
sombre lone fighter who retains a shadow of his youth—, so we<br />
made him represent the darkness that is present within every<br />
member aboard the Arcadia. We also see Harlock’s anguish<br />
and doubt about his path. What exactly is the “freedom” that<br />
he so longs for? I believe it is our responsibility as the creators<br />
of this <strong>film</strong> to provide a proper answer to that question.”<br />
THE OTHER LEGENDARY CHARACTER<br />
The invincible space pirate ship Arcadia may be the other main<br />
character of the Captain Harlock saga. Many a fan has adored<br />
this ‘ship’ which houses the spirit of Harlock’s closest friend<br />
Tochiro. Director Aramaki looks back on the conception of the<br />
modern-day Arcadia.<br />
“The design for the Arcadia needed to feel more cursed to<br />
go with the script, so I asked my good friend Atsushi Takeuchi<br />
to take charge. I had him retain some essential elements<br />
of the Arcadia such as the skull on the bow and the wooden<br />
stern deck of the type you’d find on a sailing ship but gave<br />
him free reign to transform the rest. I entrusted the task<br />
of 3D modelling to Takehiko Hoashi who has previously<br />
prepared large-scale spaceships for many of my previous<br />
<strong>film</strong>s; and the result was fantastic.”<br />
THE STORY BEHIND THE CASTING<br />
Production took five years, auditioning more than two<br />
hundred people including those needed for test voicing during<br />
the storyboard phase and for the motion capture sessions.<br />
As expected, actually casting the character voices while<br />
keeping true to the <strong>film</strong>’s theme proved to be quite difficult.<br />
Ikezawa looks back on the process. “We talked about wanting<br />
non-established fans to properly experience the world<br />
of Captain Harlock, to realize that there are men like Harlock<br />
who will defy the realities of his era, especially the way things<br />
are today. Because the cast would also have to share in this<br />
message, we needed people who properly represented<br />
today’s generation in order to make the message convincing.”<br />
They kept searching for actors who could ex<strong>press</strong> the timeless<br />
theme, and after half a year of debate, they finally decided on the<br />
cast of actors and voice-actors including Shun Oguri, Haruma<br />
Miura and Yu Aoi. The result was well worth the efforts of the<br />
production team, who wanted a cast that could preserve<br />
the underlying theme of the <strong>film</strong> while holding their own in an<br />
entertainment blockbuster. With the addition of this stellar cast,<br />
the <strong>film</strong> achieved further levels of depth and complexity. According<br />
to Director Aramaki, “The new Harlock is mysterious and cursed<br />
but also very cool, which is a difficult role to grasp. How the actor<br />
interprets it was the crucial test, but as I discussed the role with<br />
Mr. Oguri and saw how his voice synchronized with the animation,<br />
I saw the new Harlock materialize before my eyes, and I knew that<br />
this was going to work.”<br />
A COMPLETE DIVISION OF LABOR,<br />
HOLLYWOOD STYLE<br />
The work was divided up much more than usual, including<br />
modeling, animation, setup, lighting, effects, and digital<br />
compositing. A production pipeline was created, and the<br />
image board was compartmentalized. Although concept<br />
boards are created in Japanese animation production, it is<br />
altered as production proceeds in most cases. However, this<br />
project followed the Hollywood method with the production<br />
staying true to the original plan through to the end.<br />
According to production supervisor Koichi Noguchi (Toei<br />
Animation), “The large-scale full-CGI animation <strong>film</strong>s you<br />
find overseas such as those from Pixar regularly have<br />
budgets over 100 million dollars, but I believe we have<br />
created something that stands up to those <strong>film</strong>s with about<br />
a third of the cost. This is due in part to the Hollywood<br />
method we implemented of dividing up labor but also<br />
because of our production team’s diligence and astonishing<br />
work speed.”<br />
THE NEW PRODUCTION STYLE<br />
THAT ACHIEVED A GRAND VISION<br />
“Regardless of its photorealistic style, I want it to retain the<br />
feel of the original manga.” Aramaki presented a grand vision<br />
to the production team. “For example, the way Harlock’s cape<br />
moves. I didn’t want to just use a regular physics simulator.<br />
I communicated how I wanted Harlock’s cape to move in each<br />
scene so that it would represent Harlock’s emotions and<br />
had them animate the cloak as if it were another character.<br />
I knew that production would inevitably take several years,<br />
so during the initial decision of the look and feel of the artwork,<br />
I upped the demands in anticipation of the technological<br />
advances that would surely take place. If the demands weren’t<br />
initially overwhelming to the production team, the resulting<br />
<strong>film</strong> wouldn’t be good enough upon release.”<br />
With an enormous production cost of $30 million, Japan’s<br />
best artists and animators collaborated to meet the<br />
seemingly impossible demands of the director. With levels<br />
of labor and production inconceivable in usual Japanese<br />
animation, Harlock: Space Pirate has succeeded in merging<br />
state-of-the-art visual technology and the appeal of<br />
Japanese manga.<br />
[A JAPANESE FIRST! (1)] USE OF THE ARNOLD RENDERER<br />
Renderers work to visualize digital information such as calculated<br />
reflections and character motion. The <strong>film</strong> used the Arnold Renderer,<br />
which is currently used in Hollywood productions, achieving<br />
unprecedented luster and ex<strong>press</strong>ion.<br />
[A JAPANESE FIRST! (2)] FACIAL CAPTURE<br />
A system that digitally analyzes the actors’ facial ex<strong>press</strong>ions<br />
to capture emotionally charged facial motion. The technology has<br />
been used in Hollywood for such <strong>film</strong>s as The Hobbit (2012) and Rise<br />
of the Planet of the Apes (2011). Since it captures the actor’s<br />
ex<strong>press</strong>ions as well as the movements, it enables ex<strong>press</strong>ing “acting”<br />
directly through CGI, achieving subtle yet ex<strong>press</strong>ive depictions.<br />
[A JAPANESE FIRST! (3)] CREATING A STRESS-FREE PIPELINE<br />
For the first time in <strong>film</strong> projects, a data management system<br />
for handling 250 TB worth of data (160 times a regular movie) was<br />
employed, drastically improving production efficiency.
WHAT SETS THIS FILM APART FROM OTHER<br />
FULL-CGI ANIMATION?<br />
“It is a massive project with an unprecedented budget unheard<br />
of in the current Japanese animation industry. This made it<br />
possible to assemble the best artists and animators that<br />
Japan had to offer. The scope and ambition of the project also<br />
enabled the production to push the boundaries of Japan’s 3D<br />
CGI technology and ex<strong>press</strong>ion. Toei hired Marza Animation<br />
as the lead production house to spearhead the CG animation<br />
process. Marza was originally an organization called the VE<br />
Research and Development Department that specialized in<br />
creating cutting edge CGI cutscenes for SEGA games. It was<br />
their first attempt at a full-length animation <strong>film</strong> and all eyes<br />
were upon them to deliver. They did not disappoint.<br />
Usually, full-length CGI <strong>film</strong>s of this scale in the United<br />
States and Europe require several hundred staff to produce.<br />
However, the Harlock production team managed to achieve<br />
this feat with just over a hundred staff. This was an<br />
im<strong>press</strong>ive achievement that will leave its mark on the<br />
history of the Japanese, if not the global animation industry.<br />
The credit goes to the incredibly effective teamwork of<br />
production management and artists, as well as to the<br />
director Shinji Aramaki, who has been involved in several<br />
high-profile CG animated works in the past which is a rare to<br />
find in Japan.”<br />
WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATE OF THE CGI INDUSTRY IN JAPAN?<br />
“The United States is unquestionably the global leader of the<br />
3D CGI production now, though other countries are catching<br />
up fast. Production methods and processes used by major<br />
Hollywood studios tend to get filtered down and localized for<br />
Japan over time. So generally speaking, Japan ends up<br />
importing and utilizing dated technology for CGI animation.<br />
So we wanted to do something radically different for Harlock -<br />
we wanted to be on the cutting edge of technology. The<br />
production studio utilized a new ray tracer called Arnold for<br />
this <strong>film</strong>, which enabled incredibly beautiful rendering of<br />
artists’ vision as well as increased production efficiency.<br />
Harlock was also the first production in Japan to employ<br />
Faceware, a facial capture system that can capture motion<br />
capture actors’ facial ex<strong>press</strong>ions in real time, much like how<br />
it was done for <strong>film</strong>s like The Lord of the Rings and Avatar.<br />
There is a term called ‘uncanny valley’ which explained the<br />
phenomenon of viewer’s disconnect from CGI characters due<br />
to unrealistic rendering of human facial ex<strong>press</strong>ion. But with<br />
Faceware, even the slightest and most subtle ex<strong>press</strong>ions of<br />
actors’ face got accurately portrayed to deliver fully emotional<br />
and human performances.<br />
”<br />
HARLOCK IS REFERRED TO AS TOEI’S STATEMENT TO THE<br />
GLOBAL FILM MARKET. CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT?<br />
“When people think of Japanese animation, they tend to think<br />
of the 2D (hand drawn) animation that was termed ‘Japanimation,’<br />
but outside of Japan, 3D CGI animation is the trend, especially for<br />
TV shows. However, even there, cartoonish characters of the type<br />
that appear in Pixar and Dreamworks <strong>film</strong>s are the norm. A <strong>film</strong><br />
like Harlock: Space Pirate that features fully proportioned<br />
characters with a realistic style is a genre yet to be explored,<br />
so I suspect it may receive even more attention than many expect.<br />
Also, full-CGI means that the audience will inevitably focus on<br />
the <strong>film</strong>’s technological aspects, but the story itself is gripping<br />
above all else. It is a top-tier entertainment masterpiece where<br />
Japan’s best artists and talents poured their heart and soul into<br />
creating a high-quality visual ex<strong>press</strong>ion. I believe it is one that<br />
finally rises to a level of quality and story that competes with<br />
Hollywood blockbusters and an unmistakable turning point in<br />
the history of Japanese CGI animation.”<br />
CAST<br />
CAPTAIN HARLOCK: Shun Oguri<br />
LOGAN:<br />
Haruma Miura<br />
MIMAY:<br />
Yu Aoi<br />
YULIAN:<br />
Arata Furuta<br />
TORISAN:<br />
Ayano Fukuda<br />
EZRA:<br />
Toshiyuki Morikawa<br />
NAMI:<br />
Maaya Sakamoto<br />
KEI:<br />
Miyuki Sawashiro<br />
OLD MAN:<br />
Kiyoshi Kobayashi<br />
POTENTATE: Chikao Ohtsuka<br />
STAFF<br />
DIRECTOR:<br />
Shinji Aramaki<br />
SCREENPLAY:<br />
Harutoshi Fukui, Kiyoto Takeuchi<br />
BASED ON THE CLASSIC MANGA BY: Leiji Matsumoto<br />
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Kengo Takeuchi<br />
EDITOR:<br />
Shinji Aramaki, Ryuji Miyamura<br />
PRODUCTION DESIGNER:<br />
Hiroaki Ueno<br />
SOUND:<br />
Koji Kasamatsu<br />
MUSIC:<br />
Tetsuya Takahashi<br />
PRODUCED BY:<br />
Yoshi Ikezawa, Joseph Chou, Rei Kudo<br />
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Toei Animation (Japan)<br />
TECHNICAL INFORMATION<br />
YEAR: 2013<br />
COUNTRY:<br />
Japan<br />
LENGTH:<br />
115 Minutes<br />
SCREENING FORMAT: DCP 3D, Dolby SRD, Color<br />
The modeling for the striking Arcadia<br />
was done by Takehiko Hoashi (Space<br />
Brothers), giving birth to an<br />
unforgettable giant battleship.<br />
The design for the “Warrior’s Gun” by<br />
Atsushi Takeuchi. The major weapons<br />
were designed carefully to retain their<br />
feel from the original manga.<br />
The facial capture system that records<br />
facial acting. Even a slight raise of the<br />
lips (shown to the left) is transposed<br />
directly onto the CGI.<br />
The characters had to be designed to fit<br />
realistic proportions while still retaining<br />
Leiji Matsumoto’s touch, and expert<br />
Yutaka Minowa was put in charge.<br />
Production <strong>notes</strong> drawn up by the<br />
director. These serve as the basis for<br />
storyboards as well as scene and<br />
prop design. The first step in<br />
visualizing the script.<br />
Concept art by art director Hiroaki<br />
Ueno. Each production section used<br />
the storyboard to keep the image of the<br />
<strong>film</strong> consistent.<br />
THEME SONG: ONE OK ROCK “Be the light” (A-Sketch)<br />
IN-FILM SONG: Tokiko Kato “L’amour dans ton cœur” (Universal Music Japan)<br />
SOUNDTRACK: Universal Music Japan<br />
PRODUCTION: Captain Harlock Production Committee<br />
DISTRIBUTION: KICCORIT (with Toei ad contribution)<br />
P R O D U C T I O N N O T E 2<br />
INTERVIEW WITH THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF CGWORLD.<br />
ARIHITO NUMAKURA<br />
Editor-in-chief of the monthly CGWORLD. His own experience in <strong>film</strong> production<br />
characterizes the way he covers material, and the topics are diverse, from live-action <strong>film</strong><br />
to anime, commercials, and games. He is also the most up-to-date source of the current<br />
CGI industry. cgworld.jp<br />
J A P A N S E P T E M B E R 7 I N 3 D / 2 D<br />
CONTACT INFO<br />
ADVERTISING: Toei Advertising, Ltd. Tel. 03-3535-7184<br />
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