Arcadia of My Youth

Rating:
Summary: A must-see Japanese animation classic
Review: Arcadia of My Youth (aka My Youth in Arcadia) is by Leiji Matsumoto, who is also the creator of other classics such as Space Cruiser Yamato (aka StarBlazers here in the USA) and Galaxy Express 999. It is a prequel to the Captain Harlock TV series, and on the surface tells the story of how Captain Harlock transformed from defeated Earth soldier to a space pirate fighting to free his home from alien tyranny.

But what makes this story a classic isn't that it's one of the first animated full-length sci-fi pictures, or that it's even technically advanced in animation quality. Arcadia of My Youth is not even like most Japanese animation, in that there are no cute girls, giant robots, or mystical martial artists. This is a serious, and mostly dark, story.

As the film goes on, and we see Harlock's actions, meet his friends, and see the moral choices made, the messages becomes clear: it is better to stand and fight for what you believe in, even though it may be more painful, than to take the easy way out. To never abandon hope, no matter how bad the situation might look. "The sun that set today will rise again tomorrow." The message and how it is so masterfully conveyed by Matsumoto is what to me makes the movie a classic. Live, and realize your dreams... END

Rating:
Summary: Finally on DVD after all these years
Review: Arcadia of my youth is a famous anime movie in Japan, it's as classic as you can get. Released in Japan in 1982, it's a semi origin of Captain Harlock. Matsumoto fans should not miss this.

There has been a version on VHS for a few years now, but not on DVD. Animego is a great company, and I fully expect this to be remastered in all it's widescreen glory.

This DVD will be in Japanese and subtitled in engish (YAY, no dub).

Rating:
Summary: Critics were right. The dubbing was BAD.
Review: But I don't know how much plot Aracdia had to it, anyway. I picked up on the connection between three generations of Phantom F. Harlocks and a flying machine called Arcadia. I sympathized with the usual earth-overrun-by-pigs storyline, and I loved Maya, the Voice of Free Arcadia. Captain Harlock is an anime hero par excellence; fierce, bold, brave, but tender in his heart. And Emeraldas, the free trading captain of her own great ship, is second to none among anime women with moxy. However, I have to give Arcadia 3 stars simply because the movie was so badly dubbed as to be incomprehensible in some places. Maybe this is why anime freaks like myself force themselves to learn Japanese! Anyway, if you like Space Battleship Yamato (Star Blazers), you will probably want to check this one out. There are relations between the two bordering on the incestuous.

Rating:
Summary: "It takes a man to understand these feelings..."
Review: Captain Harlock epitomizes what the Japanese call the "Hard School" of heroes. He is stoic and strong, unmoved by weak emotions and undistracted by women. Yokio Mishima ("The Sailor Who Fell from Grace With the Sea") would give a silent, grim salute to this space sailor, who coasts the pure and cold ocean of stars, accompanied by his boon companions who he shelters from the storms. High melodrama, complete with capes and scars.

There is no film that captures this essence more than "Arcadia of my Youth." Of all Matsumoto adaptations, this one remains the truest to the core of his work.

Here we get the origin story of Space Captain Harlock, most recent in a long line of Pirate-Knights sailing in ships they name "Arcadia." A manly heritage of struggle and stamina passed from the original Phantom F. Harlock to his descendants, across 3,000 years. Along with Harlock is the origin of many his familiar characters, such as Emeraldas, the female proponent of the hard school, and Tochiro, the diminutive mechanical genius looking for a hero to follow. A Wagnerian tale to be sure, a true Space Opera.

The DVD is an excellent presentation to this ode to the hard school. The animation is a bit dated, but not yet marred by the distracting CGI found in later Matsumoto adaptations. The original and uncut version is presented, as it should always be in every release. The extra features are enjoyable, but nothing spectacular. The main star is the movie itself.

Be sure to put on your most stoic face when watching "Arcadia of my Youth," and know that life is born of struggles and sacrifice and challenge. As Captain Harlock says, "It takes a man to understand these feelings..."

Rating:
Summary: "It takes a man to understand these feelings..."
Review: Captain Harlock epitomizes what the Japanese call the "Hard School" of heroes. He is stoic and strong, unmoved by weak emotions and undistracted by women. Yokio Mishima ("The Sailor Who Fell from Grace With the Sea") would give a silent, grim salute to this space sailor, who coasts the pure and cold ocean of stars, accompanied by his boon companions who he shelters from the storms. High melodrama, complete with capes and scars.

There is no film that captures this essence more than "Arcadia of my Youth." Of all Matsumoto adaptations, this one remains the truest to the core of his work.

Here we get the origin story of Space Captain Harlock, most recent in a long line of Pirate-Knights sailing in ships they name "Arcadia." A manly heritage of struggle and stamina passed from the original Phantom F. Harlock to his descendants, across 3,000 years. Along with Harlock is the origin of many his familiar characters, such as Emeraldas, the female proponent of the hard school, and Tochiro, the diminutive mechanical genius looking for a hero to follow. A Wagnerian tale to be sure, a true Space Opera.

The DVD is an excellent presentation to this ode to the hard school. The animation is a bit dated, but not yet marred by the distracting CGI found in later Matsumoto adaptations. The original and uncut version is presented, as it should always be in every release. The extra features are enjoyable, but nothing spectacular. The main star is the movie itself.

Be sure to put on your most stoic face when watching "Arcadia of my Youth," and know that life is born of struggles and sacrifice and challenge. As Captain Harlock says, "It takes a man to understand these feelings..."

Rating:
Summary: "It takes a man to understand these feelings..."
Review: Captain Harlock epitomizes what the Japanese call the "Hard School" of heroes. He is stoic and strong, unmoved by weak emotions and undistracted by women. Yokio Mishima ("The Sailor Who Fell from Grace With the Sea") would give a silent, grim salute to this space sailor, who coasts the pure and cold ocean of stars, accompanied by his boon companions who he shelters from the storms. High melodrama, complete with capes and scars.

There is no film that captures this essence more than "Arcadia of my Youth." Of all Matsumoto adaptations, this one remains the truest to the core of his work.

Here we get the origin story of Space Captain Harlock, most recent in a long line of Pirate-Knights sailing in ships they name "Arcadia." A manly heritage of struggle and stamina passed from the original Phantom F. Harlock to his descendants, across 3,000 years. Along with Harlock is the origin of many his familiar characters, such as Emeraldas, the female proponent of the hard school, and Tochiro, the diminutive mechanical genius looking for a hero to follow. A Wagnerian tale to be sure, a true Space Opera.

The DVD is an excellent presentation to this ode to the hard school. The animation is a bit dated, but not yet marred by the distracting CGI found in later Matsumoto adaptations. The original and uncut version is presented, as it should always be in every release. The extra features are enjoyable, but nothing spectacular. The main star is the movie itself.

Be sure to put on your most stoic face when watching "Arcadia of my Youth," and know that life is born of struggles and sacrifice and challenge. As Captain Harlock says, "It takes a man to understand these feelings..."

Rating:
Summary: All Brave Men Dream of their Youth in Arcadia
Review: Captain Harlock is perhaps the greatest creation of anime legend Leiji Matsumoto's , the creative mind behind classics like Space Battleship Yamato (known as Star Blazers in the U.S.). Harlock is really to me the quintessential anime hero (anti-hero?). He's stoic. He's cold and aloof. When challenged to a duel, he doesn't even blink. But deep in his soul the fires of his lost love and eternal courage burn deep. This character has been duplicated numerous times (check out captain Nemo in Nadia: Secret of the Blue Water or Alex Row from Last Exile). The original series that put that character on the map has long since disappeared unfortunately, and is impossible to find in America as far as I know. All is not lost however, as the spectacular story of the origins of Captain Harlock is told in this exquisite movie.

The film starts with one man's fight against the elements and ends with one man's journey across the sea of stars flying under his own flag. Arcadia is a place of Viking legend, and references are made to it through the movie. The reason hinted at is that Harlock is a man out of his time, and comes from a long line of men out of their time. Harlock is one-time soldier of a planet now defeated and enslaved. When his true love puts up the only resistance to the misery and hatred spread all around, it stirs something deep inside of him. He soon finds himself allied with the scientist Tochiro and the space trader Emeraldas. Despite betrayal by his own race and government, Harlock and his new friends decide to use a ship that Tochiro has built in a desperate attempt to save a planet from destruction by the hand of the same race that have enslaved the earth.

That's putting it in simple terms. This is a complex movie with visuals that range from good to breath-taking (thanks in no small part to a marvelous restoration for the DVD, but marred somewhat by a lack of widescreen), a soundtrack that is downright haunting in its beauty, and themes of tragic loss, remembered innocence, and eternal hope that will always ring true. In fact, if this film has a flaw, it's that it may be TOO heavy for some, TOO melodramatic. Personally, I don't think so (: I'm just warning those who like fast, fun, popcorn flicks :) Of course, there are some people who will find some of the film rediculous (Tochiro having a spaceship on hand, and life-energy pull of the Stanley Witch of Space come to mind). I love these very same elements. They aren't supposed to be realistic, and the whole story has the air of a legend which grew and exaggerated through time like the ancient legends the film keeps making reference to. If you like your stories to take on mythic proportions, you may find yourself agreeing.

If you want to see something really GOOD that Leiji Matsumoto made, if you're just dying to know how Harlock lost his eye and got his ship, who Harlock's first true love was, how Emeraldas got her scar, and in general the COOL stuff about the origins of Matsumoto's greatest characters... this movie is for you.


Rating:
Summary: Arcadia Of My Youth Is DA BOMB!!!
Review: Dude as cool as Legiverse goes goes This is the best!!! It's one of the best Space-Operas i've ever seen!!!!! So if your an anime lover/Ex-Space Pirate (like me!) you have gotta buy this!!!!!!!!! BUY BUY BUY!!!!!!! you should also watch and read the manga Galaxy Express 999 too bad it doesen't have Captin Harlock in it until their last stop but Maetel also joins up with Harlock and the crew!!! so BUY BUY BUY!!!!!!! *goes off to watch it for the 56th time*

Rating:
Summary: Arcadia Of My Youth Is DA BOMB!!!
Review: Dude as cool as Legiverse goes goes This is the best!!! It's one of the best Space-Operas i've ever seen!!!!! So if your an anime lover/Ex-Space Pirate (like me!) you have gotta buy this!!!!!!!!! BUY BUY BUY!!!!!!! you should also watch and read the manga Galaxy Express 999 too bad it doesen't have Captin Harlock in it until their last stop but Maetel also joins up with Harlock and the crew!!! so BUY BUY BUY!!!!!!! *goes off to watch it for the 56th time*

Rating:
Summary: The King Of All Anime Space Opera's
Review: From start to finish the passion of this movie grabs and takes you on a wonderful and passionate rollercoaster ride through the life and times of the Harlock family legacy.