If you’re not familiar with “Starzinger” don’t worry, you’re not alone. This was a Japanese animated science fiction series that capitalized on the popularity of “Star Blazers” otherwise known as “Space Battleship Yamato” and combined with the old fable Journey To The West. Where “Star Blazers” found widespread syndication, “Starzinger” not as much, so its name recognition in North America isn’t as assured, where some places showed it as “Spaceketeers” (what?).
Included in this set are the three “movies” (using the term loosely) culled from the television series. This leads me to my first real disappointment – we aren’t getting the whole series. Sure we see the main story arc and there is an ending, but really I would have liked to have seen the whole of the series in a nice box set with these two discs as bonus features.
As for the story, it’s your standard space opera stuff. Princess Aurora needs to get to the center of the galaxy, take her place as queen, replenish the cosmic energy, and… well, it’s a bit silly and convoluted. It was the basis for a television series after all. She has her bodyguards and of course there are perils along the way. A few plot twists later and the goal is changed, or not, and just when you think things are going to be over, the set up for the third film is presented to viewers.
Over the course of three films, which I suspect were direct to video, we get some decent action and plenty of ham-fisted plot and character developments. None of this, however, compares to what would come decades later. What we are seeing is an artifact of 70’s Japanese storytelling chopped up for American audiences. The three movies run a total of 5 and a half hours, far less of course than the whole series which ran over 70 half hour episodes.
Watching these again reminded me of the original series which I never watched with regularity. I was finally able to see how the saga ended with the third film here, which was nice, but it should also be noted that I had pretty much forgotten about the series. I do, however, remember that it wasn’t in widescreen.
No special features. That’s bothersome.
Since the video transfers are suspect (no remastering) and with no special features for context, Starzinger: The Movie Collection is a DVD set that appeals to a very select group. You know if you’re in that group. I am. I want more. If you’re not in that group this isn’t the place to start.