Following the interview session with Mr. Shinji Armaki, the Director of the Space Pirate Captain Harlock 3D CG movie, Hot Toys is honored to have an interview with the original creator of the Space Pirate Captain Harlock manga, the legend himself, – Mr. Leiji Matsumoto*.

Hot Toys (HT): What do you think of Hot Toys’ Captain Harlock figure based on the latest “Space Pirate Captain Harlock” CG animation movie?

Leiji Matsumoto (LM): Extremely wonderful! If Harlock exists in the real world, he would look just like this figure. The clothing texture is very good and I love the rag effects on his cape. Wouldn’t it be cool if each figure’s cape is damaged slightly differently? I also love the addition of the Throne of Arcadia.

HT: It sure looks like this figure and the CG animation designs are very close to your original creation, aren’t they?

LM: Yes, maybe except for the hair color… My original Harlock has darker brown hair! (laughs) But this figure is based on the newest CG animation, so it’s correct as it is now.

HT: Hot Toys also paid a lot of attention to the weapons and accessories, what do you think of the execution in the eyes of the original creator?

LM: It is actually quite amazing that Harlock’s gun and gravity saber are recreated so faithfully by Hot Toys.

HT: What does the Harlock character represents to you?

LM: He is the most “human” of all Earthlings, Harlock is the ambassador of humanity throughout the galaxies… He is a symbol that proves that it is no longer meaningful to fight between humans or Earth nations. His skull is not a threatening or scaring symbol, but more a statement that he will fight to his last bone for his beliefs. Harlock is all about will power and honor, I hope that such beliefs can be remembered by anyone that looks at this figure worldwide.

HT: What other characters would you like Hot Toys to create a figure of?

LM: I would love to display this Harlock next to a Queen Emeraldas and I wouldn’t mind seeing Tochiro too. But I would also want Hot Toys to create figures based on some of my initial creations, such as “Sexaroid”** and “Maria of The Silver Valley”***, two of my favorite older works.

HT: Any other messages you would like to say to your fans?

LM: Let’s all have dreams and cherish them! Great people have dreams, and thus never destroy other’s dreams. As such, we can all enjoy our future together and live in peace regardless of whichever flag one is living under on Earth. This is the Harlock ideal.


* More about Leiji Matsumoto (松本零士) :
Leiji Matsumoto is a widely-known creator of a number of popular Japanese anime and manga series. He is famous for his space operas such as Space Battleship Yamato, Space Pirate Captain Harlock, Galaxy Express 999 and more.

** More about Sexaroid:
Sexaroid is Mr. Leiji Matsumoto’s first sci-fi manga series created in 1968. The story is set in the future year of 2222 in Megalopolis Tokyo and revolves around Shima, an agent of the national intelligence agency, and his female android called Yuki no.7.

*** More about Maria of The Silver Valley (銀の谷のマリア):
Maria of The Silver Valley is a fantasy manga created in 1958 by Mr. Leiji Matusmoto which began as a medieval romance with science fiction themes.