Ask John: Is There More Galaxy Express 999?

Question:
I have a question concerning about the movie “Galaxy Express 999” released on the August the 4th, 1979. I was wondering if Japan ever made any more of that 2 part movie series? And if not, then do you know of any anime series that is similar to it?

Answer:
There are actually several Galaxy Express movies. After the first movie you’re describing, which was based on the 113 episode TV series that ran from 1978-1981, came the second of three theatrical Ginga Tetsudo 999 movies- Adieu, Galaxy Express 999 (Sayonara Ginga Tetsudou 999), released on August 1, 1981. The third Ginga Tetsudo 999 movie, the hour long Galaxy Express 999: Eternal Fantasy premiered in Japanese theaters on March 7, 1998. Unlike the first two movies, Eternal Fantasy was based on the 1996 and currently ongoing Galaxy Express manga series rather than the original 1977 manga serial. Galaxy Express “Three-Nine” also had three little known, 50 minute long made for TV specials: Galaxy Express 999: Can You Live Like a Soldier? (Kimiha Senshi no Youni Ikirareruka) broadcast on October 11, 1979; Eternal Traveler Emeraldas (Eien No Tabibito Emeraldas) broadcast on April 3, 1980; and Galaxy Express 999: Can You Love Like a Mother? (Kimiha Haha no Youni Aiseruka) which aired on October 2, 1980. Last year the two episode Maetel Legend OAV series was released in Japan, which revealed that Galaxy Express 999’s Maetel and Captain Harlock’s Queen Emeraldas are actually sisters, and revealed the origin of the Machine Empire that plagued Maetel and Tetsuro throughout the original GE999 series.

Galaxy Express also visited the world of console games last year, receiving both a Playstation 3D adventure game, and a Maetel Legend puzzle game for the Gameboy Advanced titled Space Hexcite: Maetel Legend.

Viz Video has released the original two theatrical Galaxy Express films in the US on VHS, but there seem to be no plans for any American release of Eternal Fantasy or any of the TV animation. At the present time Viz has not announced any plans for an American DVD release of either of the original two GE999 movies. These first two movies were, though, recently released on legitimate Korean DVD with optional English subtitles. The first movie is encoded for DVD Region 3 and will not play on a standard American DVD player. The second movie, however, is NTSC format and DVD region-free. Central Park Media recently premiered the Maetel Legend OAV series in America.

Especially with the recent revival of interest in Leiji Matsumoto’s work, many of the Matsumoto characters cross-over within the “Leijiverse,” so you may find other Matsumoto works including the Space Pirate Captain Harlock: Arcadia of my Youth movie, and the Harlock Saga, Queen Emeraldas and DNAsights 999.9 OAV series to your liking, not to mention Matsumoto’s Cockpit, and Yamato series, which are also available in domestic, licensed translations, and the Space Pirate Captain Harlock and Endless Road SSX, Galaxy Express, and Millennia Queen TV series and movie, which are all available fansubbed.