Galaxy Express 999 (film)

Galaxy Express 999 (銀河鉄道９９９, Ginga tetsudō 999) is a 1979 Japanese anime film directed by Rintaro, based on the manga and anime television series of the same name.

Galaxy Express 999
Japanese film poster for Galaxy Express 999
Directed byRintaro
Produced byChiaki Imada[1]
Screenplay byShiro Ishimori[1]
Based onGalaxy Express 999
by Leiji Matsumoto
StarringMasako Nozawa
Masako Ikeda
Kaneta Kimotsuki
Music byNozomu Aoki[1]
Cinematography
  • Masatoshi Fukui
  • Toshio Katayama[2]
Production
company
Distributed byToei Company
Release date
  • August 4, 1979 (1979-08-04) (Japan)
Running time
129 minutes[2]
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese
Box office¥4.2 billion (est.)

Cast

Production

The film is a condensed remake of the first year of the most popular episodes of the Galaxy Express 999 television series by Toei Animation.[2]

Release

Galaxy Express 999 was released in Japan on August 4, 1979 where it was distributed by Toei Company.[2][3] It was the highest grossing film of 1979 in Japan.[4] The film was picked up for distribution in the United States by Roger Corman's New World Pictures in 1980 but was shelved until 1982 after test bookings.[5] The film was the first anime film to receive theatrical distribution in the United States after the establishment of anime fandom in the West.[2] The film premiered in America on August 8, 1981.[6] The American version of the film was edited from the original 129 minute running time to 91 minutes and changed characters names such as Tetsuro Hoshino to Joey "Hana-cana-boba-camanda" Smith.[2]

The film's second English-language adaptation was produced by Viz Media and released in 1996.[7] The DVD version of Galaxy Express 999 was released in the United States on June 28, 2011 by Discotek Media. It feature the English subbed and dubbed (Viz dub) versions of the films.[8]

Box office

Galaxy Express 999 was 1979's highest-grossing domestic film in Japan, earning a distribution rental income of ¥1.65 billion,[9] equivalent to estimated gross receipts of approximately ¥4.24 billion.[10]

Reception

At the third Japanese Academy Awards in 1980, Galaxy Express 999 won the Popularity award for film.[11]

Variety referred to the film as an "attractive Japanese animated sci-fi feature" , but noted that "working in a limited animation format, the chief drawback of which is limited movement [...], the film does boast beautifully-colored, elaborate designs. Once one gets used to the lack of fluid, full animation, the imaginative visuals are impressive" and that "pic deserves a second look".[5]

Sequel

The film was followed by Adieu Galaxy Express 999, which was released in 1981.[12]

See also

Footnotes
  1. "スタッフ＆キャスト" (in Japanese). Toei Animation. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
  2. Beck 2005, p. 91.
  3. "銀河鉄道９９９" (in Japanese). Einren.org. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
  4. Macias 2003, p. 6.
  5. Willis 1985, p. 407: "Review is of a 91 minute English language-version viewed in New York on July 27, 1982"
  6. Beck 2005, p. 90.
  7. Galaxy Express 999 Graphic Novel Volume 1. Viz Communications Inc. October 1998. p. 7.
  8. "Discotek Media Adds 3rd Galaxy Express 999 Film – News". Anime News Network. October 4, 2013. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  9. キネマ旬報ベスト・テン85回全史 1924-2011. Kinema Junpo ムック. Kinema Junposha. May 2012. p. 380. ISBN 978-4873767550.
  10. "Statistics Of Film Industry In Japan". Eiren. Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  11. "日本アカデミー賞公式サイト" (in Japanese). Japanese Academy Awards. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
  12. Camp 2007, p. 125.

References
  • Beck, Jerry (2005). The Animated Movie Guide. Chicago Review Press. ISBN 1569762228.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Camp, Brian; Davis, Julie (2007). Anime Classics Zettai!: 100 Must-See Japanese Animation Masterpieces. Stone Bridge Press. ISBN 1933330228.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Macias, Patrick (2003). Anime Poster Art: Japan's Movie House Masterpieces. DH Publishing Inc. ISBN 0972312447.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Willis, Donald, ed. (1985). Variety's Complete Science Fiction Reviews. Garland Publishing Inc. ISBN 978-0-8240-6263-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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