This is an anime that brings "Star Wars" to shame. It has flaws in animation, logic and character development, but its written and directed with such a bravura that you just have to be fascinated. What is "Queen Millenia" about? Here's a plot summary of the complex story;
Tokyo, 1999. Profesor Hajime has from his observatory discovered the 10th planet of our Solar system, La Metall. But La Metall has a VERY eccentric orbit and as he emerges behind the distant Pluto it is headed right towards Earth. By calculations it will come to the Earth the nearest on 9th September 1999, at 9 o'clock, 9 minutes and 9 seconds (I know how naive that sounds). La Metall is gigantic and cowered with ice, so there for it won't be damaged too much, but the Earth seems doomed because it will be shaken by Metall's gravitational pull! La Metall is also inhabited by a strange (human like) civilisation situated under its surface and ruled by a queen. She plans to kidnap a large number of humans from Earth and use them as slaves. On Earth, the queen's daughter Yukino has been "ruling" the man kind in order to create a colony for La Metall. But Yukino has started regarding her false human parents as friends and the rest of humanity as well. She is working for Profesor Amamori and offers to help him to somehow save the Earth. Amamori's nephew Hajime, a young boy who's parents have been killed because they had plans for building a space ship that could help humans, is trying to help too. Complicating matters are some sort of generals from La Metall that are trying to sabotage everything on Earth. As La Metall comes closer Yukino finds out a black hole is to blame for its orbit. The only way to destroy the black hole and bring La Metall from its curse is a drastic measure...
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Even this small summary is complicated, but this sci-fi TV show really is pure gold. I almost didn't want to bother with it because of the weird animation of Hajime and Amamori. They are drawn somewhat like Homer Simpson, with gigantic mouth and small eyes! Which is weird since all other characters are drawn normally. I hate this animation trademark from Leiji Matsumoto, but once you get use to it everything becomes brilliant. Some scenes are pure genius (La Metall coming so close to Earth it is visible in the sky) and the story is full of messages about how stronger societies shouldn't take advantage of the weaker ones.
Its touching, easy to follow and full of exciting moments, but has almost no humor. Still, an excellent nostalgic anime- maybe even one of the best ones out there- and an awful shame because its still nowhere available on DVD. That's why only Brian Camp and me have written a comment. With an anime of such legendary reputation, this must get a royal treatment someday, even on TV! The last time it was aired in Germany, for example, was way back in 1991. Too bad. This one is a keeper.
Grade: 8/10
Tokyo, 1999. Profesor Hajime has from his observatory discovered the 10th planet of our Solar system, La Metall. But La Metall has a VERY eccentric orbit and as he emerges behind the distant Pluto it is headed right towards Earth. By calculations it will come to the Earth the nearest on 9th September 1999, at 9 o'clock, 9 minutes and 9 seconds (I know how naive that sounds). La Metall is gigantic and cowered with ice, so there for it won't be damaged too much, but the Earth seems doomed because it will be shaken by Metall's gravitational pull! La Metall is also inhabited by a strange (human like) civilisation situated under its surface and ruled by a queen. She plans to kidnap a large number of humans from Earth and use them as slaves. On Earth, the queen's daughter Yukino has been "ruling" the man kind in order to create a colony for La Metall. But Yukino has started regarding her false human parents as friends and the rest of humanity as well. She is working for Profesor Amamori and offers to help him to somehow save the Earth. Amamori's nephew Hajime, a young boy who's parents have been killed because they had plans for building a space ship that could help humans, is trying to help too. Complicating matters are some sort of generals from La Metall that are trying to sabotage everything on Earth. As La Metall comes closer Yukino finds out a black hole is to blame for its orbit. The only way to destroy the black hole and bring La Metall from its curse is a drastic measure...
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Even this small summary is complicated, but this sci-fi TV show really is pure gold. I almost didn't want to bother with it because of the weird animation of Hajime and Amamori. They are drawn somewhat like Homer Simpson, with gigantic mouth and small eyes! Which is weird since all other characters are drawn normally. I hate this animation trademark from Leiji Matsumoto, but once you get use to it everything becomes brilliant. Some scenes are pure genius (La Metall coming so close to Earth it is visible in the sky) and the story is full of messages about how stronger societies shouldn't take advantage of the weaker ones.
Its touching, easy to follow and full of exciting moments, but has almost no humor. Still, an excellent nostalgic anime- maybe even one of the best ones out there- and an awful shame because its still nowhere available on DVD. That's why only Brian Camp and me have written a comment. With an anime of such legendary reputation, this must get a royal treatment someday, even on TV! The last time it was aired in Germany, for example, was way back in 1991. Too bad. This one is a keeper.
Grade: 8/10