Creative Staff:
Story: Leiji Matsumoto and Jerome Alquie
Art: Jerome Alquie
What They Say:
From the legendary Leiji Matsumoto, along with Jerome Alquie, comes an epic new story! Set within the timeline of the original series, this brand-new Captain Harlock adventure marks the beginning of a new story arc. Planet Earth is threatened by an upcoming invasion by the Sylvidres and despite being banished as a pirate, Captain Harlock won’t give up trying to save the world. This time, the source of danger comes directly from Earth, not outer space. A team of scientists discovers a Sylvidres mausoleum where they find information about terrifying genetic manipulations and a destructive power capable of either providing the Sylvidres with immortality or putting an end to their civilization. The unprecedented cold spell hitting Earth might only be a taste of what this new enemy has in store…
Will Captain Harlock and his crew manage to solve this mystery and save the Earth from yet another menace?
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Captain Harlock is a small whose ideals carry a big weight behind them. Living beings quiet down when he talks. One of the most notable characters spanning several anime and manga and having made his mark in history, Captain Harlock makes his return in this new journey. Captain Harlock journeys the galaxy for his overwhelming philosophy of how freedom should be. Right off the bat, his legacy and his ideals are captured by this new series. It helps that Leiji Matsumoto is overseeing this series and Jerome Alquie’s ideas are a welcome addition to Harlock’s legacy.
For a starting point, this issue hits the ground running at lightning speed. It drops you into the middle of a friendly meeting of Harlock’s crew. It’s a nice introduction that for the most part doesn’t overstay its welcome as you learn all you need to know about Harlock’s crew in a matter of seconds. You get to know these crews of unlikely misfits as if they’ve been part of your lives forever. However, it does want to set the stage rather fast. It wants to drop so much There were some parts I would have wanted to slow down and sink to the moment. But it is only a minor obstacle in the grand speck of things. This is a great jumping-on point for fans of the series but it will dismay new fans of the series. Part of the reason that the friendly meeting works are that it expects you to know how the original series ended. Old enemies make just as a strong comeback as Captain Harlock.
Captain Harlock is a perfect blend between comic book and manga. Captain Harlock breaks free of some of its roots but never straying too far from its overall origins. It has a plethora of gorgeous two-page spreads to prepare you for this intricate world and galaxy. There is so much going on in this first issue but these two-page spreads make the information flow more smoothly. It has you wanting for more of this universe.
In Summary:
This new series majestically captures all the aspects that make Captain Harlock a wonderful but tragic figure. It’s a majestic chance to witness the amazing freedom-loving Captain Harlock in all his glory in this new adventure and why he becomes an icon. It takes a small peak to its past but it’s boldly moving forward. This issue went by quickly as it had to handle how to show its past to new readers but also create this bold new future. There were a few bumps along the road but it set up a future of wonderful possibilities. It’s best to get the slow parts right from the beginning and then blast off as the series moves forward.
Grade: B
Age Rating: Mature
Released By: Ablaze Publishing
Release Date: June 9, 2021
MSRP: $3.99