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New Web Manga Focuses on Captain Harlock in Sengoku Period
posted on by Jennifer Sherman
The Dokuganryū Masamune ~Sengoku no Arcadia Gaiden~ manga launched with a scenario by Masaki Waji (name romanization not confirmed) and illustrations by Anajiro on Kakao Japan's Piccoma website on Wednesday. The series is based on Leiji Matsumoto's various science-fiction works.
The manga's main character is Captain Harlock, who fights against the Metanoids and their leader the dark goddess Darqueen. While the Arcadia is advancing toward the final battle, Harlock is suddenly transported into Earth's past due to a super-gravity wave. Harlock meets the famous samurai Date Masamune, whose face greatly resembles his own. In the place of Masamune, who seems to die, Harlock faces samurai brought back to life through the power of the Metanoids.
The work celebrates the 80th year since Matsumoto's birth in 1938. Five two-part chapters are currently available to read for free on Piccoma. New chapters will debut every Wednesday.
Captain Harlock, Darqueen, and the Metanoids appear in various works in Matsumoto's interwoven science-fiction universe. Matsumoto's best-known works include Captain Harlock, Galaxy Express 999, and Space Battleship Yamato.
The first part of Matsumoto and Kōichi Shimahoshi's Captain Harlock: Dimensional Voyage (Captain Harlock: Jigen Kōkai) manga ended in Akita Shoten's Champion RED magazine on January 19. The issue did not reveal if the manga will have a "second part," but Shimahoshi noted that he would "do his best" with his next work.
In Matsumoto's original 1977-79 Space Pirate Captain Harlock manga, the title character rebels against Earth's inept government and fights for humanity with his crew of 40 aboard the invincible space battleship Arcadia. Seven Seas Entertainment is releasing the original manga. The manga inspired a television anime in 1978, followed by anime feature films, original video anime, and the sequel Arcadia of My Youth: Endless Orbit SSX. The manga also inspired a CG film in 2013. Film World Studios is developing a live-action film based on the manga.
Sources: Piccoma, Comic Natalie, PR Times
