Forum - View topicBuried Treasure - The Cockpit
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GATSU
Posts: 15575 |
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No need to read your summary. [Although I will eventually....] I wholeheartedly agree that it should be a treasure. I didn't know the rights expired, but I would love to get this baby on dvd, too. I still got the VHS for it, too.
 You should mention that "Legend of the Crystals" special in your trash section, and give the Terasawa stuff a shot next time. I didn't even get a look at the domestic cover of the Space Adventure Cobra movie before it expired! The only version I've seen is the Manga UK dub with the crappy music.
Last edited by GATSU on Thu Dec 20, 2007 12:24 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Craeyst Raygal
 Posts: 1383 Location: In the garage, beneath a 1970 MGB GT. |
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One of these days, I'm going to have to fund a study to figure out WHY it is that Matsumoto's work isn't popular here in the States even though it is so iconic (and, through the 70's success of Starblazers, critical to stateside anime history).
Thanks for giving The Cockpit another moment to shine. As one of ANN's Matsumoto Posse (Randall, your cue to chime in), I'm glad to see his name finally come up amongst the Buried Treasure. |
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GATSU
Posts: 15575 |
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Craeyst: It's likely due to the old-school art, the different generation of fans who want their sci-fi more like Star Wars than Star Trek, and the lack of continuity which plagues Gundam, but which winds up being more confusing with each subsequent installment.
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jsevakis
Former ANN Editor in Chief
 Posts: 1685 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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That's surely a big part of it. I think another contributing factor is the fact that most of the shorter, more palatable installments (OAVs mostly) simply aren't very good. The real masterpieces from the Matsumoto universe are either old movies (like the Harlock and GE999 movies) or even older and LONG TV series. I mean, what recent Matsumoto production has been worth watching? I think the last one for me was Harlock Saga, and even that was just OK. Also, sad as it is, hardcore space operas are very out of style. |
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
 Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
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http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0368667/ |
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Jadress
 Posts: 807 Location: Seattle. It purdy and nerdy! |
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Oh, one of Justin's favorite musicians!  I still do want to see that whole thing, though- I only caught the "One More Time" section on Cartoon Network some time and was confused.
The Cockpit sounds amazing, but too depressing to handle on a bad day. |
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Craeyst Raygal
Posts: 1383 Location: In the garage, beneath a 1970 MGB GT. |
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Well, as far as recent Matsumoto short pieces that were good to watch I'd go with Queen Emeraldas. For short TV series Gun Frontier and Cosmo Warrior Zero were great, too.
Gatsu, that's probably the best phrasing for the problem I've heard in a while. "More Star Wars than Star Trek." I think it's good that Roddenberry, Heinlein, Asimov, and the rest of the greats aren't around to see just what's happened to science fiction in their absence. I mean, c'mon, a Hugo Award given to J.K. Rowling? |
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GATSU
Posts: 15575 |
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From what I hear, it's true.
You're kidding right? While it doesn't necessarily endorse their actions, it definitely makes the Nazis look more "noble" than the Allies, because they didn't use the bomb. That's probably why it'll never get re-licensed any time soon: Because it's closer to "The Downfall" in historical interpretation than "Letters from Iwo Jima". In fact, I remember one of the UV people having to explain that it wasn't really meant to be un-American; rather, it was meant to focus on the moral conflicts individual Axis soldiers had to deal with on a regular basis. Hell, the only reasons I endorse it are because it provides insight into that world, and because I am willing to believe that Matsumoto isn't on the same nationalistic wavelength as people who pretend comfort women didn't happen. He does seem to support the idea of fighting for a noble cause, and fighting with honor, even if it's not always realistic. Zac: That's more like a Daft Punk music video with Matsumoto art than an actual production. I hear Galaxy Railways is decent, though. Last edited by GATSU on Thu Dec 20, 2007 1:00 am; edited 1 time in total |
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jsevakis
Former ANN Editor in Chief
Posts: 1685 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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Interstella might be cool (could never bring myself to watch it because, as Robin mentions, Daft Punk makes me die inside) but it's really more of a Matsumoto homage than one of his works. He supervised, but the story, the direction and even the actually used design work were not his. GATSU: I honestly will never expect anyone Japanese who lived through WWII to be able to see the Allies in a good light. When you grow up with the idea that you were the heroes and you were conquered, that belief will remain with you until the day you die. I don't think most countries are capable of believing they are as evil as even the best ones become during times of war. For that reason, I'm willing to cut a break to those old men who tend to romanticize their side of that era. Of course, that does not excuse revisionist history, but these men don't claim to be teaching facts. They're conveying an emotion of the era that's important to them, and I accept their human failings in order to listen to their valuable stories. Last edited by jsevakis on Thu Dec 20, 2007 1:05 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Craeyst Raygal
Posts: 1383 Location: In the garage, beneath a 1970 MGB GT. |
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Interstella does serve as a handy "gateway" to Matsumoto, though, and Shep and Stella were a more romantic couple in their around 20minutes-ish of screentime than all of the couples in Ken Akamatsu's harem works combined.
It's fun. It's easy for anyone - anime fan or not - to watch, and I'm damn glad I found the DVD. |
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
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Although I like both, wanting something that's more a sci-fi-fantasy-action hybrid isn't a crime. Also, Star Trek isn't really comparable to lengthy old-school sci-fi anime epics like Matsumoto's work or Legend of the Galactic Heroes - they're all extremely dry, not at all episodic. They're a genre unto themselves. Let it be known though that I have always liked Galaxy Expres 999 and even that Captain Harlock OVA that Geneon released a while ago.
Maybe that's why it's good! BA-ZING 
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GATSU
Posts: 15575 |
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jsevakis: The only reason I'm willing to cut them a break is they're not as blatantly revisionist as the people in Koizumi's party. But you do have to agree with me that the controversial humanizing of potential war criminals-even if unintentional-is what will keep it from getting picked up any time soon. Even T.H.E.M. had trouble completely endorsing it.
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jsevakis
Former ANN Editor in Chief
Posts: 1685 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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GATSU: There are many, many reasons that this will never get licensed again, and I don't think its political and historical leanings are the biggest factors. I think the fact that a) it already tanked on VHS, b) it's Matsumoto, which has become synonymous with failure in this market, c) it's old, d) it's got designs that won't appeal to the younger fans that make up most of the market these days, e) it's got no buzz, f) it's really really really sad -- will do a good enough job of keeping this off US DVD shelves.
That said, I don't think there's anything wrong with depicting horrible mass murderers as human. Downfall is one of my favorite movies. It's comforting to think of these people as not being of the same species as the rest of us, but ultimately not helpful, because being dismissive of their twisted logic means that we'll never understand how they became so twisted. And if anything of value can be gathered from their lives, it's that understanding that may yet quell an unhappy person from truly crossing over into the dark side. |
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GATSU
Posts: 15575 |
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jsevakis: It ain't that old. It looks a helluva lot newer than Porco Rosso, anyway. Also, it tanked on VHS, because it was released at the tail end of the VHS market. I mean, UV used that same argument for Legend of the Crystals, and we know that, judging by that crappy tv show, anything with Final Fantasy on it will sell.
 Also, I disagree that it couldn't appeal to the younger crowd, because "Iwo Jima" did alright in limited release; and if Viz is willing to publish the novel for it, then anyone who licensed the anime could easily cash in on the movie too. Anyway, I do agree with the historical value of evaluating these individuals on a humanistic basis, but it's very challenging to successfully tread the line between analyst and apologist.
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jsevakis
Former ANN Editor in Chief
Posts: 1685 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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On the age part, yes and no. One of the bigger problems is that it suffers from some pretty serious rainbowing and analog video issues, and it also did not get any restoration for the R2. The nature of the production -- using different studios for each episode -- would make any restoration effort very difficult, and judging by how the R2 was handled, it was not considered a big title over there either. And no, it does not look better than Porco Rosso. Not even close. Many of Urban Vision's contracts did not include DVD rights from what I'm told, which was a big mistake, and would have forced them to go back and renegotiate those rights. There were issues at the time that would have made such renegotiations very difficult. That's why so much of their catalog never made the transition to DVD. |
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