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Queen Emeraldas
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“Queen Emeraldas” is a 4 volume OVA from 1998-99. The anime is a spin-off, using the character Emeraldas from
“Captain Harlock”, created by manga legend, Leiji Matsumoto. Though the entire “Queen Emeraldas” series is just 4 episodes long, only the first two were ever released by ADV in the US.
In Leiji Matsumoto’s sci-fi world of giant nautical ships traveling through space, the Afresians (why their name is the same as “Captain Harlock’s” Mazone/Zeton Queen, only without the “L”, I do not know), under the rule of Queen Baraluda, command the planets in their Empire with an iron fist. One woman opposes their control, the pirate Emeraldas. Aboard her spaceship, the Queen Emeraldas (a huge zeppelin with a pirate ship under full sail as its gondola strapped to the bottom), she fights for the oppressed and the downtrodden.
Orphaned, punk stowaway Hiroshi Umino has traveled to mining planet Daibaran in order to search out and become apprenticed to the renowned starship builder Tochiro Oyama. On a ship of his own, the young boy Hiroshi plans on sailing through the “Sea of Stars” by himself -- as his own master. He sees his dream ship as freedom from having to rely on others for what he needs. However, with Tochiro nowhere in sight, Hiroshi has to weasel his way into a job as a waiter in the lone bar on this run-down planet of loners, bums, and scallywags.
Seeking information to apprehend Emeraldas, Afresian Fleet-Commander Eldomain harasses Hiroshi’s customers. In response, Hiroshi picks a fist fight with the Commander’s Lieutenant, Gamor. Despite taking many blows, Hiroshi won't go down. Annoyed by the kid’s obstinacy, Gamor decides to end the fight by putting a laser beam through the boy’s head… but, before he’s able to, a mysterious cloaked figure at the bar shoots the gun out of his hand, and introduces herself-- Emeraldas!
Over the course of the first two episodes, Emeraldas, the seemingly ice-cold red-head (who is secretly pining for her lost love, Tochiro!), takes on the entire Afresian fleet, ultimately engaging in a one-on-one sword duel with Baraluda. Meanwhile, Hiroshi learns the valuable “anime lesson” that one can only survive in space (or anywhere else, for that matter) with the help of friends.
“Queen Emeraldas” is an action packed science fiction adventure. And even though the American release is incomplete, the story does come to a conclusion. It has some very nice character designs, but, unfortunately, the 3D CG spaceships look distractingly out of place in the traditional 2D cel animated world inhabited by the characters.
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8.65/10 
9.12/10
8.70/10 
65 votes