CAPTAIN HARLOCK PERFECT BOX (1997-1998)


CAPTAIN HARLOCK is a fascinating character to me. I didn't make his acquaintance during my childhood, as I was a bit too young for the original "Space Pirate Captain Harlock" series, and not necessarily at the good timing for "Endless Orbit SSX". I've come to know him at my twenties, so I didn't address him as most of people of my generation... He's a very deep character, very grave, very taciturn. I don't think one can really realize this kind of stuff when one's very young, at an age when focus is maybe more put on action than feelings. Spirit of sacrifice, sense of honor, the goodness towards man he mistreats to prevent him from going astray... All these notions are the even basis of the character. Of course this doesn't restrict to, as we could as a kid, a gentle space pirate fighting against evil...



These are all these notions that I tried to bring to light in this box, which includes many things : - a "Memories of a space pirate" book (about 20 pages) which is a kind of Harlock's log, written at a moment of his life when he's enclined to doubts, in front of his friend Toshiro's grave.
- a "Call of the Death" comics (about 24 pages), all in color and putting at stage Harlock who is the only one out of his crew to hear the song of the death, carrying the holy message of life and death to the one hearing it. The comics texts are in Japanese on the strips...
- SSX series posters
- Arcadia post cards
- a celluloid of the captain.
All these elements locked up in a superb black packaging stamped with the death's head have been introduced to the public during festivals. I acknowledge that very few people shared the particular vision I had from this odd hero out... but they found it extremely interesting !
For me, it was particular a fan art, where I walked away from the original work with a open will to explore the character's "dark side", to dive more into his most fragile aspects, whereas he's the embodiment of the willpower and the flawless honor...
This was an exciting adventure !