Gun Frontier
Encyclopedia
is a 1972 manga
by Leiji Matsumoto
. It introduces Tochiro Oyama, best friend to Matsumoto's classic hero, Captain Harlock
, who is in turn depicted as a gunslinger in the Old West. In sharp contrast to other Matsumoto's stories, Gun Frontier is a comedy adventure rather than a space opera
.
It is a harsh and barren wasteland, where the weak aren't allowed to dream. It is also a sacred land for true men, for there is no place a man can feel more alive. This is the Gun Frontier. Sea Pirate Captain Harlock and the errant samurai, Tochiro arrive in the United States on the Western Frontier. Along with a mysterious woman they meet along the way, the two friends challenge sex rings, bandits, and corrupt sheriff. They are searching for a lost clan of Japanese immigrants, and they will tear Gun Frontier from end to end until they find it.
Since the original manga, there has been a novel
and a 2002 anime
adaption of the series.
Franklin Harlock Jr. is a sea captain turned gunslinger. He owes his life to Tochiro, and therefore takes him to America on his ship. Harlock is a master gunman, a quick draw like no other, and sharp as a tack. he is able to detect that Sinunora is trying to pry him and Tochiro apart for her own unclear reasons. He is very loyal to Tochiro. He is also quite enigmatic and silent, often grumbling and dismissing any mention of the past. Harlock has an x-shaped scar on his cheek, which is later revealed to be from a sword duel he and Tochiro had on Harlock's ship while they were still enemies.
Sinunora is a woman who joins Harlock and Tochiro at the end of the first episode. Beautiful and capable, she's not the damsel in distress as she is very good at using manipulation to get out of traps and get what she wants (It's revealed later in the series that she is an expert on human behavior). It also comes to Harlocks attention that Sinunora gets close to the pair so that she can spy on them and report back to the mysterious "Organization that guides the world" but in truth, she eventually is warmed by Tochiro's struggle and uses her position as their tracker to protect them instead. Her real name is never mentioned, except by a man named Baron De Noir F. Tat Endale (Always referred with his full name and title) who is believed to be her husband. He mentions that the first two syllables of her name are pronounced "On-ray", but is cut off and her real name is never mentioned again.
Darkmeister is the leader of the "organization" that guides the world. He desires Tochiro and all the other Japanese immigrants so that he can force them into slavery. He wants to use their superior knowledge of metalcraft (Known as Stardust Steel) to create unparalleled weapons to use in war to overthrow the American government. His face is never shown, but he is revealed to have incredibly long fingernails. It is also believed that he wears a mask of some kind.
added more content into.
published his first novel, Gun Frontier II. The novel was published by Daiwa Shobo and it was told in a non-erotic way compared to the original manga. The novel is now out of print.
adaptation of the original series aired on AT-X
. It has recently begun to be shown on Hulu
(as of Fall 2009).
Script: Mugi Kamio
Music: Hiroshi Motokura
Original Manga: Leiji Matsumoto
Animation Director: Ikuo Shimazu
Tochiro:
Sinunora:
Shizuku:
) in Latin America
and Brazil
through Animax, beginning July 5, 2006. The title was changed to Frontera sin ley (Lawless Frontier).
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
by Leiji Matsumoto
Leiji Matsumoto
is a well-known creator of several anime and manga series. His wife is also known as a manga artist.-Space opera:Matsumoto is famous for his space operas such as Space Battleship Yamato...
. It introduces Tochiro Oyama, best friend to Matsumoto's classic hero, Captain Harlock
Captain Harlock
is a fictional character created by manga artist Leiji Matsumoto.Harlock is the archetypical romantic hero, a space pirate with an individualist philosophy of life. He is as noble as he is taciturn, rebellious, stoically fighting against totalitarian regimes, whether they be earthborn or alien...
, who is in turn depicted as a gunslinger in the Old West. In sharp contrast to other Matsumoto's stories, Gun Frontier is a comedy adventure rather than a space opera
Space opera
Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes romantic, often melodramatic adventure, set mainly or entirely in outer space, generally involving conflict between opponents possessing advanced technologies and abilities. The term has no relation to music and it is analogous to "soap...
.
It is a harsh and barren wasteland, where the weak aren't allowed to dream. It is also a sacred land for true men, for there is no place a man can feel more alive. This is the Gun Frontier. Sea Pirate Captain Harlock and the errant samurai, Tochiro arrive in the United States on the Western Frontier. Along with a mysterious woman they meet along the way, the two friends challenge sex rings, bandits, and corrupt sheriff. They are searching for a lost clan of Japanese immigrants, and they will tear Gun Frontier from end to end until they find it.
Since the original manga, there has been a novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
and a 2002 anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
adaption of the series.
Characters
Tochiro Oyama is the main character. He is one of the survivors of Samurai Creek, a town of Japanese immigrants who were mysteriously all slaughtered, with only a few exceptions. Tochiro's purpose is to find the scattered remains of his people, no matter who or what he has to destroy to find them. Tochiro uses a Shikomizue very skillfully, but has awful aim with his gun, a fact which is often poked fun at throughout the series. Despite wearing glasses, he refers to himself as "not being able to see past the end of a shovel [he is] holding". He is also abnormally short, as well as bowlegged, and while he wears his cloak he can often avoid a fatal gunshot wound as his attacker would likely have no idea how small or awkwardly shaped he actually is. He is also a very heavy drinker.Franklin Harlock Jr. is a sea captain turned gunslinger. He owes his life to Tochiro, and therefore takes him to America on his ship. Harlock is a master gunman, a quick draw like no other, and sharp as a tack. he is able to detect that Sinunora is trying to pry him and Tochiro apart for her own unclear reasons. He is very loyal to Tochiro. He is also quite enigmatic and silent, often grumbling and dismissing any mention of the past. Harlock has an x-shaped scar on his cheek, which is later revealed to be from a sword duel he and Tochiro had on Harlock's ship while they were still enemies.
Sinunora is a woman who joins Harlock and Tochiro at the end of the first episode. Beautiful and capable, she's not the damsel in distress as she is very good at using manipulation to get out of traps and get what she wants (It's revealed later in the series that she is an expert on human behavior). It also comes to Harlocks attention that Sinunora gets close to the pair so that she can spy on them and report back to the mysterious "Organization that guides the world" but in truth, she eventually is warmed by Tochiro's struggle and uses her position as their tracker to protect them instead. Her real name is never mentioned, except by a man named Baron De Noir F. Tat Endale (Always referred with his full name and title) who is believed to be her husband. He mentions that the first two syllables of her name are pronounced "On-ray", but is cut off and her real name is never mentioned again.
Darkmeister is the leader of the "organization" that guides the world. He desires Tochiro and all the other Japanese immigrants so that he can force them into slavery. He wants to use their superior knowledge of metalcraft (Known as Stardust Steel) to create unparalleled weapons to use in war to overthrow the American government. His face is never shown, but he is revealed to have incredibly long fingernails. It is also believed that he wears a mask of some kind.
Manga
In 1975 the original manga series was completed into two volumes. In 1988 the manga was reprinted and which Leiji MatsumotoLeiji Matsumoto
is a well-known creator of several anime and manga series. His wife is also known as a manga artist.-Space opera:Matsumoto is famous for his space operas such as Space Battleship Yamato...
added more content into.
Novel
In 1999, Leiji MatsumotoLeiji Matsumoto
is a well-known creator of several anime and manga series. His wife is also known as a manga artist.-Space opera:Matsumoto is famous for his space operas such as Space Battleship Yamato...
published his first novel, Gun Frontier II. The novel was published by Daiwa Shobo and it was told in a non-erotic way compared to the original manga. The novel is now out of print.
Anime
In 2002, an animeAnime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
adaptation of the original series aired on AT-X
AT-X (company)
is a Japanese anime television network owned by . AT-X, Inc. was founded on June 26, 2000 as a subsidiary of TV Tokyo Medianet, which, in turn, is a subsidiary of TV Tokyo. Its headquarters are in Minato, Tokyo. AT-X network broadcasts anime via satellite and cable since December 24, 1997.AT-X is...
. It has recently begun to be shown on Hulu
Hulu
Hulu is a website and over-the-top subscription service offering ad-supported on-demand streaming video of TV shows, movies, webisodes and other new media, trailers, clips, and behind-the-scenes footage from NBC, Fox, ABC, and Obstacle on October 20th 2011 Nickelodeon and CBS and many other...
(as of Fall 2009).
Staff
Director: Soichiro ZenScript: Mugi Kamio
Music: Hiroshi Motokura
Original Manga: Leiji Matsumoto
Leiji Matsumoto
is a well-known creator of several anime and manga series. His wife is also known as a manga artist.-Space opera:Matsumoto is famous for his space operas such as Space Battleship Yamato...
Animation Director: Ikuo Shimazu
Theme Songs
- Opening song:
- "Style" by Grand Zero
- Ending song:
- "Ame to Sanbika" by Umeno Yoshizawa
Cast
Frank Harlock, Jr.:Tochiro:
Sinunora:
Shizuku:
Episodes
| # | Title | Original airdate(TV Tokyo 1st. run) |
|---|
International broadcast
Gun Frontier aired Wednesdays at 8:00 AM (Central TimeCentral time
Central time can refer to:*North American Central Time Zone*Central European Time*Central Standard Time Australia...
) in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
through Animax, beginning July 5, 2006. The title was changed to Frontera sin ley (Lawless Frontier).
External links
- Gun Frontier at Enoki FilmsEnoki FilmsEnoki Films Co., Ltd. is a producer of anime based in Tokyo.Enoki Films also has a North American division, established in 1986, headquartered in the Encino area of Los Angeles, California, United States called Enoki Films USA, Inc.. Enoki Films USA acts as a middle-man between Japanese companies...