Uchû kôkyôshi Mater: Ginga tetsudô Three-Nine gaiden (2004– ) User Reviews

Pretty good; not as powerful as the original 1979 feature

[J-bot6 · 6/10 · 14 November 2018]

Despite having similar plot points, this turns out to be a prequel to the 1979 movie "Galaxy Express 999". Surprisingly, although computer animation was used to assist, this series actually displays a lower level of detail. The CGI works okay for the ships, however.

Something that this series does offer that is sparse in the original 999 film is the interaction between Emeraldas and Maetel. These scenes are great to watch and really help fill in the details that aren't shown in the feature film. Animation for the classic characters is also nicely done, and helps add to the back-story.

Pacing is pretty good, action scenes are nicely done, and characters are handled well (although Nazca is a bit abrasive up until near the end of the series). Again though, this series doesn't have the weight or sadness of the 1979 film. For those wishing to get into this series, it's recommended that viewers first watch some of the Captain Harlock episodes, then see the 1979 Galaxy Express 999 film, followed by this series. That way things will make more sense.

It is a wonderful story!

[vato129 · 10/10 · 16 November 2007]

If you have watched titles such as Queen emeraldas, Captain Herlock, Galaxy express 999 then you are going to love Space symphony Maetel. It has 13 episodes which explains more about maetel and the queen of La metal.

I watched it and thought it was equally good to the other masterpieces made by Leiji Matsumoto.

The animation is well-done there are not many animés out there where they actually spend time on the animation, and who can't forget the graceful Galaxy express we see in the intro? I suggest you to buy it, cause it's one animé you don't want to miss.

10 out of an 10

A New Low

[zillion29-1 · 3/10 · 16 November 2011]

This 13 episode series had so much promise. The opening sequence is fantastic - orchestral music, heroic images of the Leijiverse's greatest heroes, 999 chugging away . . . and then the show starts. The writing on this show is so bad that things just happen for the sake of convenience. People are on the planet, then they're off the planet. People die for no reason, technologies exist or don't to advance the "story", and some character's motivations are illogical. Queen Promethium's actions make no sense. Leopard's actions make no sense. As usual the mechanoid vs. human concept is fraught with stupidity and things that make no sense. As soon as I realized that this series was a direct sequel to the abominable "Maetel Legend", I started to see its faults. At least we didn't have to watch Hard Gear drink wine 15 times as he cackled. It's not ALL bad - the CGI Death Shadow was impressive, there are some nice character designs (when the A-team was doing the animation and not the underpaid Koreans), the music is good, and there were a handful of nice Leijiverse drama. But the rest is derivative crap - right down to Queen Promethium's ultimate weapons - a Death Star clone and a fleet of dumb laser-shooting balls. Don't show this to any non-anime fans if you're trying to convince them that anime isn't awful.