At the 2010 Tokyo International Anime Fair, the trailer to
Space Pirate Captain Harlock was screened inside the Toei Animation booth and fortunately for us, a sneaky fellow has captured the footage on video camera and uploaded it online. The 4-minute pilot trailer was directed by Shinji Aramaki (
Appleseed EX Machina), characters designed by Yutaka Minowa (
Ninja Scroll), written by Harutoshi Fukui (
Mobile Suit Gundam UC) and the animation was produced by
Marza Animation Planet (formerly Sega Sammy Visual Entertainment). For those not familiar with the source material, its based on a space opera manga by Leiji Matsumoto which was then adapted into an anime series. I'll let
Wikipedia explain the plot:
In the future, Mankind has achieved a vast starfaring civilization, but is slowly and steadily succumbing to ennui or despair, often due to defeat and subjugation by a foreign invader. Rising against the general apathy, Harlock denies defeat and leads an outlaw crew aboard his starship Arcadia to undertake daring raids against Earth's oppressors.
The oppressors are the Mazone, a race of vegetable-based women who explored Earth in the mythic past and are now back to reclaim it. Only Harlock and his mismatched crew are brave enough and capable enough to face the enemy.
The CG animated film is tentatively schedule for international release in 2012. You'll find the trailer embedded below.