“Galaxy Express 999” is a groundbreaking anime movie that was released in 1979 that was directed by Rintaro and is based on the manga and anime series created by Leiji Matsumoto. The film probes deep issues pertaining to humanity, death, and the striving for immortality based in a future civilization where traveling through space is as easy as stepping into a train.
Synopsis
The tales of the future presented in this comic is quite strange. The future in this comic shows humans adapting to technologies by uploading their minds into robotic bodies to achieve immortality. Science fiction thrives on hard work but doesn’t come easily as it is only available to those who can afford it. As the story focuses on the character Tetsurou Hoshino, a child who seeks to get his revenge against Count Mecha, a cruel cyborg who murdered his mother and possess a robotic body. As the boy does so, Tetsurou soon hears about the Galaxy Express 999, Now and Then, A Collection Of Boys Gallery manga which travels to the Andromeda galaxy where it is believed that robotic bodies are offered without charge. Thus motivated, Tetsurou sets out on a journey accompanied by the mysterious woman Maetel, who happens to have an uncanny resemblance to his mother. Unfortunately, Let Tatsuurs and Metsu all explore the galaxy and surf the wonders of Franchise Universe through many special effects featuring unexpected worlds of strange beings with beautiful more challenging philosophical dilemmas. Towards the end, Tetsurou is shown trying to explore the limbs of humanity and share an emotional understanding of everything surrounding him.
Cast & Crew
- Director: Rintaro
- Original Creator: Leiji Matsumoto
- Screenplay: Shiro Ishimori
- Music: Nozomi Aoki, Yukihide Takekawa
- Art Directors: Tadao Kubota, Takamura Mukuo
- Character Design: Kazuo Komatsubara
Voice cast
- Tetsurou Hoshino: Masako Nozawa
- Maetel: Masako Ikeda
- Captain Harlock: Makio Inoue
- Tochirou Oyama: Kei Tomiyama
- Emeraldas: Reiko Tajima
- Conductor: Kaneta Kimotsuki
- Claire: Harumi Ichiryusai
- Queen Promethium: Ryoko Kinomiya
Critical Reception
When it was first screened, “Galaxy Express 999″ was positively received and it garnered considerable box office profits becoming the most successful film in japan in 1979.
Its box office success can be attributed to the story’s great plot and its embedded philosophical ideas. The movie’s audience considers it appealing and in favor of goodwill as reflected in its audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The story has been well appreciated in terms of its critical observation of the technology and ethics around it. The animation of the picture regardless its time period style is imaginative in design and adds much emotions to the story.
Themes and Analysis.
In Galaxy Express 999, the central focus stands around people’s relations and conflicts with their humanity and desire for immortality. Let us understand that Tetsurou does not embark on this journey for blind vengeance; it is a quest to discover his own abilities. Each of the planets contains a specific theme important for the development of the protagonist – moral conflicts that test his perception of existence and the human race. It condemns the idea of a world which treats existence as a product worth buying and implies that humanity is a fair trade in exchange for eternity. Maetel’s personality is complex. For her, helping someone is always associated with tantalizing secrets so it is no wonder that more than often her true intentions stay obscured which is reason to consider the true nature of trust and mentorship.
Visual and Musical Elements.
The art style of animation in Galaxy express is characteristic of the late 70s of Japanese anime which is known for its elaborate backgrounds and unique character designs. The Galaxy Express featured a steam train travelling across galaxies which was a cool but futuristic concept incorporating travel from the known to the unknown. Aesthetic pieces of art for this film were done by Nozomi Aoki and Yukihide Takekawa who tailored the score to the events of the story. Mega incorporating captivating chorus’ and even catchy songs to increase the audience’s emotional appreciation of the narrative.
Legacy
“Galaxy Express 999” secured its position in the archive of science fiction and anime classics, it continues to reverberate in the works that follow and are aimed at human themes in the context of surpassing technology. The film has sequels including Adieu Galaxy Express 999 and Galaxy Express 999: Eternal Fantasy, both of which deepened the impact of the story on the universe and the consequences of its key features. The questions that arise from the film’s philosophical dimensions still linger, leaving audiences to consider how to balance the social consequences of advances in technology with the constancy of the need for meaning across history and change.
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