Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) Binding: VHS Tape EAN: 9786305732808 Format: Animated ISBN: 6305732809 Label: Viz Video Manufacturer: Viz Video Number Of Items: 1 Publisher: Viz Video Release Date: 1999-12-16 Running Time: 91 Studio: Viz Video Theatrical Release Date: 1981-08-08
Leiji Matsumoto helped to create the modern boom in anime with his series Space Battleship Yamato, released in the U.S. as Star Blazers. A long, episodic fable about an interstellar journey on an updated version of an old railway train, Galaxy Express boasts an enthusiastic cult following. Tetsuro is a boy living in the slums of a future Earth; his mother was killed by the evil cyborg, Count Mecha, who hunts humans for sport. To achieve his revenge, he must get to a distant planet where he can trade his mortal body for a deathless mechanical one. A mysterious woman named Maetel rescues him from the robo-police and travels with him among the planets via the Galaxy Express railway. Tetsuro's search for vengeance builds into a war between humans and cyborgs.
As the battle reaches its climax, Matsumoto's popular creations, the space pirates Captain Harlock and Queen Emeraldas, arrive with unexpected assistance. Tetsuro ultimately learns that true beauty is always ephemeral, a concept that runs through Japanese art and culture. For years, Galaxy Express 999 was available in English only in an edited version that fans demoted as a mutilation; the Signature Edition from Viz is complete and uncut. (Ages 13 and older for violence and brief nudity) --Charles Solomon
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Strange and haunting..as usual Comment: I've had a running acquaintance with Galaxy Express 999 since the age of 10... and have always been captured by it's various aspects, including an often disturbing and haunting look at our basic humanity. This movie is no different, though I felt this movie was a bit rushed, and the plotline isn't too original. It is an original story, but with many of the elements of the original movie remixed to create a second voyage for Tetsuro, Maetal, and the 999. Very few surprises here. Customer Rating: Summary: I can't find this movie anywhere. Comment: I've tried to buy this on Ebay. The provider told me it would be a couple of months. I hung up on him. I watched this anime when I was a child. It was edited bad for television (smudging out suggestive shower scenes)But none of that mattered. The story remained true. Tetsuo is a boy caught up in a universal war. Where the pressures of getting a robot body are as bad as the finals in college. In order to compete with society, one must overcome spiritual morality. Religion plays into it also.(your body is a temple,etc.)Tetsuo needs guidance, he lost his mother, who was his last remaining member of his family, to a group of hunters. Hunters with robot bodies. Maitel is a woman whom Tetsuo finds one day. He watches her, clothed in a long dark trench coat. Blond, hay colored hair. Sparklying eyes. Pointy nose. He see's someone whom he loved. His mother. She would tell him of the Galaxy Express 999. Tetsuo hates the war, and he hates the robots for ruining his life. But he realizes that the only way he could kill the robots is to become what he ultimatly hates. So he decides to go with the lonely plan of assimilation. To do this, he must book passage on the Galaxy Express. A sort of Orient Express. Filled with interesting people from all around the universe. One of it's stops, Along with a wonderful amount of other stops, is the homeworld of the robots. Where he hopes to reach an end to his sorrows. The movie takes you for a trip around the neighborhood galaxy. Revealing short stories along the way. This is where the power of the film is reached. In its exploration and revealing a broad creativity. Be mystified and be revealed to a surprisingly solid story. Something that so many films lack today.-jeff Customer Rating: Summary: a memorable story Comment: When I watch an anime, I usually expect to be entertained, nothing more. What I found in Galaxy Express 999 was a good anime that remained with me after I saw it. It had a captivating story, characters I could connect with, and some serious ideas that made me think. But, it did have some flaws.
Galaxy Express 999 has a captivating story because I wanted Tetsuro, the main character, to find his mother's murderer and avenge her. I was also wondering where Maetel came from and why she was helping Tetsuro. Both of these issues kept me wanting to continue watching the film to see how they were resolved.
Secondly, Galaxy Express 999 also has characters who I could empathise with. For example, at the beginning of the film, Tetsuro is introduced as a young boy who is by himself in an apathetic and materialistic Earth. Mechanized people seem to regard pure humans as low-class and expendable. Tetsuro, a fully human orphan, struggles to survive in this Sinclair-esque "jungle". From experience living in a large city in the U.S., I drew a parallel between Tetsuro and the many unskilled immigrants who come each year to the U.S. to make a living.
Thirdly Galaxy Express 999 slipped in a serious message. Even in a world full of materialism and prejudice where it's "survival of the fittest", it is still possible for humans/robots to show compassion for other humans/robots. Maetel, who is a tall attractive blonde from an aristocratic mechanoid family, nevertheless transcends class difference when she shows Tetsuro warmth and affection. In another instance, Claire, the robot waitress aboard 999, also transcends "racial" difference when she too shows affection for Tetsuro, a human boy.
Fourthly, there were flaws in this story and I'll just mention some. There are events which don't flow well with the story. For example, how does Antares manage to show up at the Time Castle right at the moment when Tetsuro is about to be shot by Count Mecha? How did Antares find out about where the Time Castle was? Another flaw was scientific. When Tetsuro fires his pistol at Queen Emeralda's ship from the 999, the laser makes a hole in the window. Wouldn't the vacuum of space suck all the air out of the train?
In conclusion, although this story has numerous shortcomings, those flaws were more than compensated for by the story's dynamic, the well-developed principal characters and the subtle messages about our human condition. Customer Rating: Summary: a taste of one of the japanese best... Comment: There is nothing will stop the brave young boy, Tetsurou, to reach his finally destination. His goal is to get a free android body to keep her mother's dying promise and to avenage her death. And then there is the mysterious beautiful woman, Maetel, saves and acompanies Tetsurou along the long hard journey. Forever sadness in her eyes, painful memories but possess unspeakable power... Intrigue? This tells an incredable adventure.
I grew up with the TV series and I own the entire comic book set. Ah, and the hauntingly beatiful TV sound track.
I agree that this is not for very small kids because many characters die a horrible death in this series. But never ever underestimate kids. I absolutely recommend this to any kids and adults. It does change lives in a quiet subtle ways. It is one of the best Japanese animation not because of the technical aspect. It's simple a poetry in animation.
I also watched some of the pre/sequel but they are merely money milking follow ups compare to the orignal. If you can get a hands on the TV series, you should, I assure you won't be sorry.
Customer Rating: Summary: question for lovers of this movie Comment: So I think I saw this movie when I was about 9 years old but I'm not sure this is the one. Other than it being totally awesome, the only somewhat distinct part I remember is one of the robots drinking milk and then either rusting or self-destructing or something like that. Can somebody tell me if that's this movie? Thanks a bunch.
