Rating: 
Summary: Didn't impress me
Review: Let me put this blatantly. This anime was boring. I almost fell asleep watching the first four episodes.The plot didn't attract me. The animation isn't all that great, and it has a hardly better picture then the VHS. There is literally about 30 seconds of action, and the action that is shown is dull. I don't know, maybe I don't like it because I don't get Matsumoto's works(this is the first one I've seen). I recommend this as a rental instead of a buy.
Rating: 
Summary: A fantastic series, a very good dvd
Review: Thanks to Central Park Media to put all six episodes of this great saga in only one dvd. Story is based on one of the most famous Richard Wagner opera, "Der Ring Des Nibelungen". Here you will see together all famous Matsumoto's characters and cast: of course Captain Harlock, Emeraldas, Meeme, Tochiro, Tadashi and Maetel. Music is also very attractive, I think that this is one of the best Wagner's opera composed. I recommend all Matsumoto's fans to buy this great dvd which contains many bonus and extras, available languages are English and Japanese with English subtitles.
Rating:
Summary: A fantastic series, a very good dvd
Review: Thanks to Central Park Media to put all six episodes of this great saga in only one dvd. Story is based on one of the most famous Richard Wagner opera, "Der Ring Des Nibelungen". Here you will see together all famous Matsumoto's characters and cast: of course Captain Harlock, Emeraldas, Meeme, Tochiro, Tadashi and Maetel. Music is also very attractive, I think that this is one of the best Wagner's opera composed. I recommend all Matsumoto's fans to buy this great dvd which contains many bonus and extras, available languages are English and Japanese with English subtitles.
Rating:
Summary: A poor story with interesting extras
Review: The Harlock Saga's weak characters, slow story and total lack of action marred my first encounter with any of Leiji Matsumoto's works and characters. Much of the story seems to setup further plots lines down the road as is the case of Tadashi Daiba. The story aludes to his future, however he does nothing important or interesting in this adventure. Many Matsumoto characters make short cameo's like Emereldas and Maetel, however this only confuses a viewer since they identities are barely explained, and would only excite a hardcore Matsumoto fan. The DVD does have excellent extras which, not surprisingly, are the most interesting part. The interview with the voice actors is very unique and gives a glimpse of the people behind the characters. The DVD also includes the full script for the series which is also a unique bonus, although the script itself is not all that interesting. In total the Harlock Saga offers nothing above other space stories like Outlaw Star or Cowboy Bepop and is only saved because of its DVD features.
Rating:
Summary: A poor story with interesting extras
Review: The Harlock Saga's weak characters, slow story and total lack of action marred my first encounter with any of Leiji Matsumoto's works and characters. Much of the story seems to setup further plots lines down the road as is the case of Tadashi Daiba. The story aludes to his future, however he does nothing important or interesting in this adventure. Many Matsumoto characters make short cameo's like Emereldas and Maetel, however this only confuses a viewer since they identities are barely explained, and would only excite a hardcore Matsumoto fan. The DVD does have excellent extras which, not surprisingly, are the most interesting part. The interview with the voice actors is very unique and gives a glimpse of the people behind the characters. The DVD also includes the full script for the series which is also a unique bonus, although the script itself is not all that interesting. In total the Harlock Saga offers nothing above other space stories like Outlaw Star or Cowboy Bepop and is only saved because of its DVD features.
Rating:
Summary: Slow, contrived plot
Review: The plot is slow, and quite contrived. Some of the CG (mainly Harlock's ship) looks very out of place. They should have stuck to one style. The opening episode's plot's is left hanging. The in movie navigation starts with the opening sequence for every episode and the scene breaks don't put you at the continuation story - must resort to fast forward. Overall a very mediocre DVD.
Rating: 
Summary: A new Harlock for a new century.
Review: There are very few people who I would bestow the title of "genius" upon. Leji Matsumoto is definitley one of them. Since the 1970's he has created some of the most memorable characters and brought to the screen ( both in film and television) epic tales of good versus evil. The Harlock Saga is another fine example of the enduring legacy of this anime icon. Set well within the Harlock Universe, The Harlock Saga is an epic "space opera" set against the backdrop of Richard Wagner's score for the "Ring Series". The booming music along with the crisp DVD audio really make me wish I had watched this first in a home theater setting. The tiny stereo speakers on my television really did not do this DVD the justice that it deserved. Though some may have complained that the animation in this series wasn't very good I beg to differ. Having been familiar with much of Matsumoto's previous work, I can say the animation exhibits a retro quality while still maintaining a modern feel at the same time. A feat that must have been quite difficult but Bandai Visual seems to have pulled it off nicely. Though I did not like the Arcadia rendered in CGI, it was only done so in one episode. The one problem I can see with this DVD is not so much the story but that the Matsumoto Universe is almost "too enormous" for just one series. I've heard other reviewers complain that they didn't understand many elements of the plot and that they were unfamiliar with many of the characters. There does seem to be a bias toward the more knowledgable Matsumotophile. And at the same time this story doesn't not seem to fit anywhere in the Captain Harlock timeline. This DVD has to be considered a "side story". Possibley one of the many adventures that Harlock and the gang had in their travels. (Note: The Harlock timeline itself is wrought with many inconsistencies.) For the unitiated, it might be better to choose Galaxy Express 999 as a starting point for you Matsumoto viewing. Many of the characters from The Harlock Saga turn up in both Galaxy Express 999 and Adieu Galaxy Express 999. Many of the questions asked may very well be answered in these two films. The "definitive" origin of Captain Harlock is told in the film " My Youth In Arcadia", which has yet to be release on DVD as of yet. This film is literally the starting point for the Captain Harlock and his crew. As I said before the Harlock Universe is so vast it does tend to get a bit confusing at times. As for the bonuses on this DVD, there is not shortage of them. Everything from English voice cast interviews to title free credit sequences and even DVD-ROM features. All the stops were pulled out for this edition. All in all I'd have to recomend this DVD. If you love adventure on a grand scale, the climb aboard the Arcadia and set sail on the sea of stars with Captain Harlock!!
Rating:
Summary: A new Harlock for a new century.
Review: There are very few people who I would bestow the title of "genius" upon. Leji Matsumoto is definitley one of them. Since the 1970's he has created some of the most memorable characters and brought to the screen ( both in film and television) epic tales of good versus evil. The Harlock Saga is another fine example of the enduring legacy of this anime icon. Set well within the Harlock Universe, The Harlock Saga is an epic "space opera" set against the backdrop of Richard Wagner's score for the "Ring Series". The booming music along with the crisp DVD audio really make me wish I had watched this first in a home theater setting. The tiny stereo speakers on my television really did not do this DVD the justice that it deserved. Though some may have complained that the animation in this series wasn't very good I beg to differ. Having been familiar with much of Matsumoto's previous work, I can say the animation exhibits a retro quality while still maintaining a modern feel at the same time. A feat that must have been quite difficult but Bandai Visual seems to have pulled it off nicely. Though I did not like the Arcadia rendered in CGI, it was only done so in one episode. The one problem I can see with this DVD is not so much the story but that the Matsumoto Universe is almost "too enormous" for just one series. I've heard other reviewers complain that they didn't understand many elements of the plot and that they were unfamiliar with many of the characters. There does seem to be a bias toward the more knowledgable Matsumotophile. And at the same time this story doesn't not seem to fit anywhere in the Captain Harlock timeline. This DVD has to be considered a "side story". Possibley one of the many adventures that Harlock and the gang had in their travels. (Note: The Harlock timeline itself is wrought with many inconsistencies.) For the unitiated, it might be better to choose Galaxy Express 999 as a starting point for you Matsumoto viewing. Many of the characters from The Harlock Saga turn up in both Galaxy Express 999 and Adieu Galaxy Express 999. Many of the questions asked may very well be answered in these two films. The "definitive" origin of Captain Harlock is told in the film " My Youth In Arcadia", which has yet to be release on DVD as of yet. This film is literally the starting point for the Captain Harlock and his crew. As I said before the Harlock Universe is so vast it does tend to get a bit confusing at times. As for the bonuses on this DVD, there is not shortage of them. Everything from English voice cast interviews to title free credit sequences and even DVD-ROM features. All the stops were pulled out for this edition. All in all I'd have to recomend this DVD. If you love adventure on a grand scale, the climb aboard the Arcadia and set sail on the sea of stars with Captain Harlock!!
Rating:
Summary: Great Value and Great Extras
Review: This has to be one of the best Leiji Matsumoto animes since Starblazers (Battleship Yamato). The stroy takes place with a mad man who steal the gold of Rhein Planet and turns it into ring giving him the ultimate power and destroy Valhala, the center of the galaxy. The only hope for Rhein is Meeme, one of the two Valhala organ players, and Harlock and his comrades. And while Harlock may not appear until the end of episode 1, in that episode you get to see an asteroid and a planet blow up! Some characters make smaller appearences are Emereldas and Maetel. Music is some very nice orchestral work with a few noticable scores. The plot moves at a generally slow pace, but it's entertaining. The English dub is ok, but I really enjoyed the Japanese more. Extras are just great. You get character bios on almsot every character in the Harlock Saga, a Behind the Scenes video of the English dub actors (very funny), interviews with four people who helped make the Japanese version, character sketeches and creditless endings and openings. You'll love the story, you'll love the value and easily enjoy the extras.
Rating:
Summary: Leiji Matsumoto Classic
Review: This was one of his best works. The dubbing on this was fantastic. I would recommend this title to anyone into sci fi.
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