Hurry, Star Force! 3/31

If I had to pick one cartoon to best say something about me as a kid, it would have to be Star Blazers. Sure it looks a bit crude by today’s standards, but in 1980 this was the very pinnacle of cool for me. There were three shows that constituted a triumverate of awesome for me (Speed Racer, Star Blazers, Robotech) and this show was at the top of the pyramid.

I won’t burden you with all the details of the plot (this time) except to say it was all about the human race using alien technology to resurrect the Yamato as a space ship in order to save themselves from the Gamillon Empire. The idea is that the Earth has a year to live before radiation from the Gamillion planet bombs reaches the last surviving humans hiding below the surface. The Yamato (called Argo in the American version) can make the journey to a far away friendly alien to retrieve the Cosmo DNA to revitalize the planet and stop the radiation.

It’s a compelling plot, to be sure, and each episode ended with a reminder of how many days remained before Earth perished. There were aliens (who eventually and inexplicably became blue-skinned) and space ships, guns and gadgets. But even the mighty Wave Motion Gun didn’t make the show what it was, the characters did.

The show gave us stories of courage, sure, but also loss. People could die. In fact in the very first episode you witness the slaughter of an Earth fleet by the Gamillons. Among those lost was the older brother of the main character (Derek Wildstar). The one surviving ship was commanded by the Argo’s captain, Captain Avatar. Throughout most of the show the two men struggle with the guilt and anger of the event, something you won’t find on the Snorks.

The villains were not bumbling, moustache twisting clichés either. Their leader was what the Japanese considered an “honorable foe” in that his reasons for attacking Earth are not out of the desire for conquest or glory, only that his world is dying and he wants a new one for his people. While not a nice guy, he fights with honor and I think is a much more compelling villain because of it.

He also took baths with a couple blue women and a bottle of wine while he issued orders. Even at 6 years old I knew he was a pimp.

I like to think that it is because of this show that I enjoy deep characters and plots that offer more than fluff. Even now when I watch it I am moved by the troubles and triumphs of Wildstar, Venture, Nova, Sandor and the rest.

Today’s episode marks the first use of the Wave Motion Gun in the series. Note the hackneyed way the American studio reused some clips to make it appear that the Gamillons evacuated. Clearly a staion crew can all fit into a single interceptor like the one Wildstar tangled with earlier, right? Whatever, we all know they really got fried. Also watch for Avatar’s speech about power and responsibility, twenty years before Spider-Man.

Intro


Part 1


Part 2