All you could do last week - - when we reported that Toei’s gearing up a new CG CAPTAIN HARLOCK movie for 2012 - - was imagine what a computer-generated feature starring the dashing space pirate might look like. There’s no need for your imagination, anymore, my friends, because we’ve got the one-sheet for the movie ( courtesy of Wired). Does it match what you pictured in your fanciful mind’s eye?
Wired’s also got some whispers of a certain minute-and-a-half-long trailer that showed at last week’s Tokyo Anime Fair (and I'll be dollars-to-donuts you'll see at San Diego Comic Con). The words of praise came to the effect of its “impressive/aggressive look” being “jaw-dropping amazing” and that Harlock’s squeeze, Kei Yuki is “very sexy for CG.” I suppose that second bit dredges the enduring “should I be turned on by cartoon characters?” question into the digital realm. Mathematically-calculated dangerous curves aside, I’ll say that I’m looking forward to this production, as lil’ Tommy P was a fan of the Cap’n and I’d like to see more full-CG anime, too. This is probably going to give some otakus here aneurisms of rage, but I seriously didn’t dig the FINAL FANTASY: ADVENT CHILDREN movie, not even as eye candy, and I’ve been hoping since then to see a digital anime with a story I could actually get behind.
You know, I suppose I could just ask for the thoughts of you, the three-dimensional Anime Vice community, on this poster and prospects of a new Harlock. That question is still out there, don't worry, but I’m going to dredge up the Kei Yuki-related point and ask if you, the cartoon-desiring Anime Vice community, think it’s OK to crush on animated characters. And if so, name some of your drawn ‘n rendered crushes.
-- Tom Pinchuk is the writer of UNIMAGINABLE for Arcana Comics and HYBRID BASTARDS! for Archaia. Watch out for the HYBRID BASTARDS! hardcover collection this April - - available for pre-order now on Amazon.com.
