HARLOCK SAGA The Ring of Nibelung: The Rheingold OVA1 Review: A fusion of music and the epic adventure of space pirates

HARLOCK SAGA The Ring of Nibelung: The Rheingold

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

comics

■ Release date

January 25, 1999

■Release and sales

・Published by Bandai Visual ・Sold by Bandai Visual

■Frequencies

25 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 6

■Original Story

・Original work: Reiji Matsumoto

■ Director

Director: Hiroo Takeuchi

■ Production

Animation production cooperation: BEE MEDIA, Studio Cab, Tsuburaya Productions

■Works

©1999 Reiji Matsumoto, Shinchosha, Bandai Visual, 81 Produce

■ Story

■Episode 1 Emeraldas and Tochiro, two renowned men in space, board the Valkyrie, a space patrol battleship. They give the command to land on the commercial planet Acrusion. Infiltrating through the city airport, Emeraldas and the others see a completely deserted city. As they enter an old-fashioned building within the city, a 3D image of a woman playing a pipe organ begins to play. That woman is Mime, the navigator of the Arcadia, the ship Harlock is aboard. Mime tells Emeraldas and the others that the "gold" of Rhein, the planet that rules the universe, is being targeted by thieves.

■Explanation

The culmination of the world of Reiji Matsumoto. A magnificent drama unfolds to the accompaniment of Wagner's music!
This is truly the final pageant of the century that fans have been waiting for!

■Cast

・Harlock, Tochiro / Koichi Yamadera ・Emeraldas / Masako Katsuo ・Maetel / Masako Ikeda ・Miime / Kazuko Yanagida ・Tasashi Daiba / Toshihiko Seki ・Alberich / Yoshito Yasuhara ・Vice-Commander Yattaran / Shigeru Chiba ・Wotan / Taro Ishida ・Flicka / Miyuki Ueda ・Flyer / Emi Shinohara

■ Main staff

・Original story and setting / Reiji Matsumoto・Original musical drama / Richard Wagner・Screenplay / Megumi Hiyoshi・Storyboard / Masaharu Okuwaki・Assistant director / Yuji Himaki・Character design and chief animation director / Hideyuki Motohashi・Mechanic animation director / Eiji Ishimoto・Mechanic design / Toshiyuki Horii・Original mechanic design / Katsumi Itabashi・Art director / Osamu Honda・Director of photography / Takashi Yasutsuhata・Music / Kaoru Wada・Performance: Moscow International Symphony Orchestra

■ Main Characters

Captain Harlock: Captain Harlock is an invincible space pirate whose name resonates throughout the universe. As the captain of the battleship Arcadia, he is joined by Tochiro Oyama, the designer of the ship and his comrade-in-arms. Together with his 40 crew members, he fights against all those who infringe on "freedom" across the universe.
Maetel is a mysterious woman shrouded in various mysteries who appears in Galaxy Express 999. In the series, she boards the 999 with Tetsuro Hoshino and continues her space journey to the final destination, Great Andromeda. She is the daughter of Queen Prometheum of the Mechanized Empire, and is the sister of the female pirate Queen Emeraldas who wanders the universe.
Queen Emeraldas A crimson female pirate who flies through space aboard the Queen Emeraldas. She lives her life wandering the universe freely, following her own beliefs.
Tochiro: Real name: Oyama Tochiro. Harlock's best friend and the designer of the Arcadia.

■Subtitle

Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6

■ Theme songs and music

・ED1
・Period: 1-3
・Aurifair: To the Promised Land
Lyrics, composition and arrangement: Akira Inoue; Vocals: Nozomi Odagi; Ending 2
・Period: 4-6
- Druid "Oak Sage"
Lyrics, composition and arrangement: Akira Inoue Vocals: Nozomu Odagi

■Detailed evaluation and recommendation

"HARLOCK SAGA: The Ring of Nibelung - Das Rheingold", which bears the name of Leiji Matsumoto, was released in 1999 in the form of an OVA, and its epic story and beautiful visuals are a long-awaited culmination for fans. This work combines the world view created by Leiji Matsumoto, in which characters such as the space pirate Captain Harlock, Queen Emeraldas, and Maetel play an active role, with a story based on Wagner's musical drama "The Ring of Nibelung".

First, let's talk about the story. The story begins in the first episode, where Emeraldas and Tochiro, who have been ordered to land on the commercial planet Acrusion, encounter a 3D image of Mime in an abandoned city. Mime tells us that the "Rheingold" is being targeted by thieves, which is an important element that forms the core of the story and has the power to draw the viewer in. The subtitles that are developed for each episode add depth as the story progresses, building up the viewer's anticipation for the next episode.

The portrayal of the characters is also superb. Captain Harlock's charisma, Emeraldas' strength and beauty, Maetel's mysterious charm, and Tochiro's friendship and conviction all leave a strong impression on the viewer. The friendship between Harlock and Tochiro in particular is the central theme of the story, and there are many scenes that touch the hearts of viewers. Furthermore, we must not forget the strong presence of Mime, and the story progresses through her three-dimensional image, which simultaneously achieves visual impact and deepens the story.

In terms of visuals, the high quality of the drawings that only an OVA can offer stands out. Character designer Hideyuki Motohashi's touch is faithful to Leiji Matsumoto's original work, but adds his own unique beauty. The mechanical designs are also not to be missed. The designs of the Arcadia and Emeraldas combine the functional beauty of spaceships with aesthetics, making them visually appealing. Art director Osamu Honda's backgrounds also express the vastness and beauty of space, drawing viewers into the world of the story.

Music is also an important element of this work. The original musical drama based on Wagner's opera Der Ring des Nibelungen has been optimized for animation by Kaoru Wada, and the Moscow International Symphony Orchestra has produced a magnificent sound. The ending themes "Auryfea - To the Promised Land" and "Druid - The Sage of the Oak Tree" were written, composed, and arranged by Akira Inoue and sung by Nozomu Odagi, deeply expressing the emotions of the story.

The recommended points of this work are as follows:

Recommended points

1. **Epic story and appealing characters**: The story, which combines Reiji Matsumoto's worldview with Wagner's musical drama, has the power to draw viewers in. Don't miss the appeal of characters such as Captain Harlock, Emeraldas, Maetel, and Tochiro.

2. **High-quality visuals**: The high-quality drawings, mechanic designs, and beautiful backgrounds that are unique to OVAs provide visual appeal. In particular, the designs of the Arcadia and Emeraldas combine functional beauty and aesthetics as spaceships, creating a strong visual impact.

3. **The Power of Music**: The original music drama based on Wagner's opera and the magnificent sound performed by the Moscow International Symphony Orchestra deeply express the emotions of the story. The ending theme also enhances the worldview of the story.

4. **A must-see for fans**: For fans of Reiji Matsumoto, this work is a long-awaited culmination, and you can enjoy the world view in the form of an OVA. You will be able to enjoy the world of Reiji Matsumoto from a new perspective.

As mentioned above, "HARLOCK SAGA: The Ring of Nibelung - The Rheingold" is an excellent work in all aspects, including story, characters, visuals, and music, and is highly recommended not only for fans of Reiji Matsumoto, but also for people who like anime and science fiction. Released in the form of an OVA, this work will provide viewers with deep emotion and satisfaction.