Well I kind of/sorta can figure it out. There's obviously a bad guy flying the spaceship with the skull on it. And the protagonist looks like he's very capable with weapons, is drawn beautiful, and might be a cross between "emo-kid" and a steampunk version of Han Solo. Oh and there's a white elf girl who is the epitome of grace (maybe she's a Princess Leia who's crossed with an elf and who's allowed to eat one cube of cheese a day to stay so small?). The world of Asian anime is so filled with idealistically perfect and emo young white people that it seems somehow wrong, but it may be a part of their culture (not quite sure). I do like all that fabulous hair flowing around though. I'll say it again. THE GUYS HAVE FABULOUS HAIR.
Oh and did I mention that they have a boy band singing the romance music in the background? Guys, it's like all the marketing in the world is converging into a singularity of something that should be so terrible, it just might be the best sci-fi movie of 2013. And even if you disagree, the event horizon created by combining 1) Asian boy band with horrible English pronunciation with 2) anime elves for diversity and 3) lots of beautifully drawn young white boys with incredible hair, and 4) explosions to get your mind off what may be a terrible plot and 5) what may be some of the finest computer animated sex that we'll ever see, will make it impossible for you to avoid.
I hope that after it releases in Japan someone licenses it for America and makes it available here. It gives me chills the same way that Akira gave me chills the first time I saw previews for it decades ago. So yeah, you should watch the video and see if this sci-fi offering from across the Pacific will jiggle your mojo. For the record, my mojo is still jigglin'.
UPDATE: My new friend "AnimeKritik" uploaded this trailer to YouTube with subtitles! So you can now go and read what's going on in English. Thank you so much AnimeKritic. You are amazing :) And a note to my followers: Please go visit their blog in the embedded links.
I have to agree with you here.
ReplyDelete(1) I understood nothing yet was oddly compelled to keep watching.
(2) The hair is spectacular.
(3) The boy band almost lost me, but then a phallic-shaped rocket went by as well as the red-eyed skull ship and I was all in.
Yep. I would go see this at an I-MAX too.
I think I'll have to pass.
ReplyDeleteThe visual is SO BEAUTIFUL...
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm LOL-ing at your comments... you're SO FUNNY, Michael!!!!
The boy band kind of ruined it for me but the film looks like it could be fun - as long as there's subtitles!
ReplyDeleteI did decipher the name James Cameron in the beginning. Is this his project?
ReplyDeleteWhile living in Japan, I often envied the men for their hair. Asian men often have great ponytail hair. I, alas, do not. Now that I am older and, I hope, wiser, I know that most men - even those with great hair - look ridiculous with ponytails so it's probably just as well.
I love your post~
ReplyDeleteI've made subs for the trailer. You can get them here:
http://animekritik.wordpress.com/2013/06/15/subtitles-for-the-harlock-super-trailer/
Awesome. I want to watch it too, but it'd be so frustrating not understanding what's going on aside from the obvious. If it crosses the ocean, I'll check it out.
ReplyDelete@animekritik: Thank you so much for posting that! I'll check it out.
ReplyDeleteWow! Holy cartoon-crush!!! That's one hot animated dude. You're so right about the hair, lol! I'd love to watch this if it makes it to the states. Thanks for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome.
ReplyDeleteI've just uploaded the video to YouTube with the subs in it, spare you all the trouble of putting it all together:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJdRZXk_rC4
This movie gave me a Star Blazers vibe which is a movie I'd love to see.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't remember Star Blazers it was one of the first Japanese anime to be translated into English and was targeted at American children. I didn't understand why there were lots of weird symbols or why the animations didn't match the voice but I didn't care. It was the story of a the Space Battleship Yamato (risen from the floor of the Pacific) and their journey to an elvish looking woman from another world who'd sent a message that she could save earth from the enemy besieging the planet.
This story engrossed me but the only problem it was shown at 7am and I had to be at the bus stop by 735am so I had to endure a morning teasing as I sprinted from my home to the bus stop on the other side of the apartment complex.
It's funny the things that stick in your mind and how the smallest pinprick can bring them back as vivid as ever.
@animekritic: Oh I thank you so much. I'm going to write Elise and tell her she can now watch it thanks to you!
ReplyDeleteYou make Captain Harlock sound like a blast. By all means, let's watch and try to guess what's going on. Similar to when yur ears are blocked with wax and you watch in a daze. Good thing about the subtitles.
ReplyDeleteMerci Michael for the update, and AnimeKritik you rock! Thanks for the subs, it looks awesome. :D
ReplyDeleteYou also mentioned hair in your love for the next How to Train Your Dragon movie. Mike I think you have another obsession. The fact you said you're into this like you were into Akira makes me doubly interested. Akira is one of the best anime of all time. I'm definitely interested in this movie now and the Han Solo, emo-kid description is so on point. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteFunny that someone mentioned Star Blazers, because the original Captain Harlock dates from that period (IIRC -- I was just a kid at the time)
ReplyDeleteHe's always been one of those older characters who deserved a really good makeover and updating. I'm glad to see that Harlock may have gotten it.
Star Blazers was created by two people: Yoshinobu Nishizaki and Leiji Matsumoto. Harlock was created by Leiji Matsumoto. So not only are these from the same period, the same man is behind them both :)
ReplyDeleteYou should check out the live action version of Battleship Yamoto.
ReplyDeletehe looks (or his costume) like Thor
ReplyDeleteIt's visually stunning. We'll have to find someone who knows Japanese to translate.
ReplyDeleteWatch the second video, Mary. It has the subtitles put in by animekritik.
ReplyDeleteLooks like the stuff I normally watch, only cooler. :)
ReplyDeleteI'll have to check that out when I have some more time. I hope the full length is as wonderful as you hope it to be. It's always a bummer when the best thing about a movie is the trailer.
ReplyDeleteCount me in.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad my older son didn't rush in when he heard the trailer playing (he usually does). He'd most definitely want to see this--minus the lovey dovey part :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm jealous of their hair. Really jealous.
ReplyDeleteMichael,
ReplyDeleteI just noticed that some of the text on your masthead is reversed(Bottom right corner). Is this intentional?
I see what you mean...there's just something about it.
ReplyDeleteSarah Allen
(From Sarah, With Joy)
Well, I'm not much for boy bands, but it looks very pretty.
ReplyDeleteAnd their hair is spectacular.
Yes Michael, you are kinda weird, but I like that about you maybe cause I'm weird too.
ReplyDeleteThe hair is great, the boy band sound too bubble gum for me (rhythm and blues woulda been so much better), but the visuals are stunning.
Well, young boys (youngsters in general) having sex is not that thrilling to me. Makes me feel like a pedophile. And anime rarely appeals to me. But I usually like the music, and the artists are truly talented.
ReplyDelete.......dhole