Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		4.0

Galaxy Express 999: The TV Series Collection 01 - Departure Blu-ray Movie Review

An all-time anime classic arrives on Blu-ray for the first time in North America.

Galaxy Express 999 is one of the most beloved anime series of all time. The production is a classic that has managed to withstand the test of time. The anime series is adapted from the beloved classic manga by Leiji Matsumoto (Space Battleship Yamato). The story explores the reaches of outer space and the journey of humankind. A space-age adventure with plenty of philosophical questions about the nature of what it means to be human.

Tetsuro (Masako Nozawa) is a young ten year old boy who witnesses the death of his beloved mother. After being blasted and left for dead himself, Tetsuro is revived by a beautiful and mysterious woman: Maetel (Masako Ikeda). Unknown to Tetsuro, Maetel rides the Galaxy Express and invites him to join her on a journey across the universe. Tetsuro takes her up on the offer and goes to meet the Conductor (Kaneta Kimotsuki).

Legends say that those rare few who are selected to ride the Galaxy Express and are given boarding tickets can get a free mechanical body for themselves if they can make it to the end of the line. The goal is to become a robot (and live forever in a mechanical body). Can Tetsuro reach the end of the line? Along the journey across space he encounters space pirates, mysterious planets, mechanical robots, and more.

Galaxy Express 999 is gifted with breathtaking animation. As a classic cell-based anime, the vintage animation looks outstanding and holds up enormously well. The animators continuously brought their “A game” to Galaxy Express 999 and the results are enormously satisfying. The character designs are distinct while the background art-work is creative and full of imagination. The production team brought the original manga to life (retaining the iconic style). Art director Geki Katsumata (Space Battleship Yamato II, Space Battleship Yamato III) helps the series excel throughout the saga.

A masterpiece.

The original music score composed by Nozomi Aoki (Fist of the North Star, The Galaxy Railways) is one of the best elements of the series. The music has a remarkable grace and beauty behind it. With enormous depth, the score imbues every episode with an engaging backdrop the storytelling. Aoki crafted a masterful score.

The screenplays penned by Keisuke Fujikawa (Space Battleship Yamato, Cutie Honey), Hiroyasu Yamaura (Godzilla 1985, The Return of Godzilla), and Yoshiaki Yoshida (Dirty Inspector Fuyu, Cyborg 009) imbue the production with a great sense of storytelling. The storytelling on Galaxy Express 999 is brilliant. The scripts have fun concepts and at the same time explore difficult questions about what it means to be human. The philosophical side of the series is enormously compelling and will be enjoyed by audiences of all ages.

Nobutaka Nishizawa (Slam Dunk, Fist of the North Star 2) is one of the key directors on Galaxy Express 999. The filmmaking is top-notch and doesn't leave one wanting. For a long running production, the series doesn't struggle with filler episode or lackluster outings. The saga is enormously engaging throughout the entire collection. Fans of classic cell- drawn anime will have a blast with this must-see masterpiece. An anime series that shouldn't be missed.

Galaxy Express 999: The TV Series Collection 01 - Departure Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Discotek Media, Galaxy Express 999: Collection 1 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. The release comes from an upconverted video source. The original standard-definition footage has been upscaled for the high-definition presentation. Despite coming from a standard-definition source, the video quality looks surprisingly good given the limitations of the material.

When one compares to the streaming SD version, the high-definition upscale looks much better by comparison and compression is much more streamlined as well. The encode doesn't struggle with compression artifacts and the like. While not a flawless transfer (given the obvious limitations), fans will be quite pleased overall. There are moments with slight dirt and debris on the print but nothing too detrimental. Colors are not quite as crisp as on a modern production but will satisfy for a vintage anime.

Galaxy Express 999: The TV Series Collection 01 - Departure Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in Japanese uncompressed PCM 2.0 mono. The lossless audio tracks do a solid job of preserving the original sound design. The tracks show some age and are not quite as crisp as a modern production – nor as well-restored as some classics are. However, the audio is never too harsh sounding and is a decent upgrade over the streaming versions. The tracks have a bit more depth and are effective at conveying the series. The music is well integrated in to the sound mix as well.

Galaxy Express 999: The TV Series Collection 01 - Departure Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disc 1:

Premiere trailer (HD, 00:24)

Disc 3:

Creditless Opening (SD, 1:21)

Creditless Ending (SD, 1:11)

Galaxy Express 999: The TV Series Collection 01 - Departure Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Leiji Matsumoto created a beautiful masterpiece with the brilliant Galaxy Express 999. Matsumoto was a creative genius who inspired so many creatives (even the likes of the techno-wizard kings known as Daft Punk). The anime series is enormously entertaining. Fans of classic cell-drawn anime will find this to be an undeniable gem with outstanding animation and storytelling. The Blu-ray release from Discotek is well worth owning. Despite the presentation being completed as a standard-definition upscale, the release looks surprisingly good. Highly recommended.