Sunday, August 19, 2018

Captain Harlock: The Classic Collection volume 1

Captain Harlock: The Classic Collection Vol. 1Captain Harlock: The Classic Collection Vol. 1 by Leiji Matsumoto
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When a strange sphere crashes into earth, heralding an alien invasion, people are strangely apathetic. A space pirate named Captain Harlock arrives to combat the aliens, the Mazon, and only teenager Tadashi Daiba agrees to join him. Can Captain Harlock and the crew of the Arcadia defeat the Mazon menace?

I first heard of Captain Harlock decades ago when Eternity was publishing his adventures. Seven Seas packaged the first third of his early adventures in this gorgeous hardcover so I was powerless to resist.  While I didn't like it as much as Astro Boy or Devilman, I liked this early manga fairly well.

Captain Harlock tells the tale of an invasion by the women who burn like paper, the Mazon. I won't reveal their true nature. Anyway, Daiba, a boy whose parents were killed by the Mazon, joins Captain Harlock in his fight against them.

The tone of Captain Harlock is a little strange. It seems to be a commentary on complacency at times. There are serious parts and some humorous parts. I really like the art, although some of Harlock's crew are drawn a little too cartoony for my taste. The Arcadia has a great design. The ship battles are really well done, reminding me of stuff I'd see on Robotech cartoons back in the day.

To be honest, this volume is Captain Harlock tracking down leads about the Mazons for the most part. The characters don't have a lot in the way of background so far, although we know Harlock lost a dear friend sometime in the past and Mimay is the last of her people, a race of aliens that subsist on alcohol. Aside from a few ship battles, there isn't a whole lot of action. I guess it's mostly a setup volume.

All things considered, Captain Harlock: The Classic Collection Volume 1 is a worthwhile read, a nice piece of manga history. I'm in for the next two volumes. Three out of five stars.

View all my reviews

No comments:

Post a Comment