Space Pirate Captain Harlock (2013)

"If you believe in the future of our planet, you are not alone."

I've seldom heard the name or seen the legacy of Captain Harlock.  I've been told that this old series is marvelous, yet I haven't seen it referenced nearly enough nowadays.  I've been thoroughly introduced to Lupin III, and have been taught time and time again about Doraemon and Cutie Honey, all other shows who shared the decade.  I've only heard mention of Captain Harlock once or twice, from an obscure panel or a friend.  Apart from the concept of 'space pirates', I had no knowledge of the show, so when my roommate and I were browsing through Netflix looking for something to watch, we went in blind. Let me tell you, we were not disappointed.

Majestic even before the thrill of CG

Space Pirate Captain Harlock is a 2013 movie based on the classic late 70's anime of the same name.  The movie was produced by Toue Animation, who also produced the original show, and directed by Shinji Aramaki, who's well known for his work on powered exoskeletons and mecha and CG designs in various anime.  While the movie gained mixed reviews, it was nominated for the Japan Academy Prize for Best Animation of the Year.

This is your captain speaking

The story follows not Harlock himself, but the character Yama (Logan in the English release) as he's picked up by his ship and joins his crew.  Yama, however, is not an aspiring pirate, but a spy who was sent in to assassinate Harlock.  However, this is not an easy task, as Yama is met with the grand mission Harlock has planned, the threat of war, the guilt of his older brother's influence, the past that haunts Harlock, and his own personal feelings about the captain and his crew.  Throughout the movie there are glorious space battles, combat, the strain of family relationships and the strength of the newfound friendships, and a legacy worthy of being continued for generations to come.

Yama when he's picked up by the Arcadia

Yama proves to be a satisfying protagonist, constantly questioning his mission and his brother's commands against the Captain Harlock he comes to learn and respect, and the crew he gets to know. He's at war with himself for most of the movie, and the journey of self discovery of what he truly wants and if his past can continue to haunt and control him.  The struggle can be frustrating because you, as the audience, KNOW the right choice is always Captain Harlock, it's his movie, but the choices he makes at the end of the movie are that much more rewarding.  While Yama's personality can seem a little low key at times, he acts as a gateway for the viewers into the adventurous world of Captain Harlock and the Arcadia. 

The crew of the Arcadia ready to pillage and plunder and rifle and loot IN SPACE

Harlock's crew features many of the familiar faces from the show, looking tricked out and gorgeous in their 2013 CG'd incarnations.  Blonde bombshell Kei ("Kay" in English) is there as Harlock's trusted navigator, and while she doubts Yama's abilities and intentions, she in the end accepts him as readily as the rest of the crew.  Comic relief first mate Yattaran ("Caliban") is ever present, still hilarious and quirky and still the first to charge into battle for his captain.  Even Miime ("La Mime"), the last survivor of her planet and Harlock's closest confidante, is present and as gorgeous as ever, as her psionic powers are given beautiful life in CG.

One of many attempts by Yama to fulfill his mission

The plot, unfortunately, can be hard to follow. There are multiple plots happening at once, between Yama's mission, his brother's power struggles, Harlock's goal, a little government corruption, and the pasts that haunt them all.  The story is told a bit nonlinearly, and as such keeping track of who's who and what motivates each character can be a bit of a juggle.  Still, other than minor confusions of timeline, it wasn't too hard to figure out and follow along with, and eventually theorize the ending to.  Any confusion you feel will not affect the investment you have in the movie.  We were on the edge of our seats through each battle, each struggle for survival, and each piece of information that swayed Yama's alliance.

Despite his mission, Yama works together with Harlock to save them both

While the plot fell short, the lore that was written into Captain Harlock's character is fantastic.  The Captain is given a past with motivations and explanations for who he is, where he came from, and what goal he wants to reach.  While I didn't watch the original series, this does seem to be a new lore uncovered by the original 70's anime or any of its follow-ups or spinoffs.  I can't speak for whether or not this makes or breaks the legacy of Captain Harlock, but the lore that surrounded him was very interesting, tragic, and accounted for many of the personality traits we are given in the movie.

"I am Captain Harlock, and I command the crew of the pirate ship Arcadia."

Overall, Space Pirate Captain Harlock is a great watch.  It's inspired me to go look up the original series and watch, since I fell so in love with Captain Harlock himself just from this movie.  Whether you're in it for the action and adventure, or the characters, you will not be disappointed.  While the story might slip up the watchers, the experience of the movie will definitely make up for it.  I highly recommend watching it with at least one other person, because anything one of you misses, the other will probably pick up. 

This show is available on Netflix in Japanese, English, and Spanish, with English or Spanish subtitles. 

Warnings for this movie: None

Rewatch value: Med-High

Overall rating: 4/5