Lost Universe
Encyclopedia
is a series of science fiction
light novel
s, running from 1992 to 2000, by Japanese author Hajime Kanzaka
. It was later adapted into a 26-episode anime
television series that ran throughout the summer of 1998 on TV Tokyo
during the same time slot that the anime depiction of Kanzaka's previous work, Slayers
, ran.
Please note that this anime is called "Universe Police" in China and Hong Kong.
, it was mentioned that the main characters of that series live on a world that is one of the four created by the mother of all creation, called the Lord of Nightmares. This world was known as the Red World. Lost Universe, however, takes place in a different world, known as the Black World. Whereas the demi-gods of the various worlds such as Ruby-Eye Shabranigdo and Dark Star Dugradigdo had physical presence in that world, they appear in the Black World as "Lost Ships", intelligent space ships of unknown origin that have powerful or somewhat divine powers with more advanced technology than any other device in the universe. Their rarity and superiority has sparked suggestions that they have been made by an advanced ancient alien civilization or by coming from the beginning of the universe itself. Being a central part to the plot the "Lost Ships" are intelligent beings with different loyalties and even their own agenda. Kane Blueriver, a "trouble contractor," inherits a "Lost Ship" from his grandmother and from there, he and his sidekick Milly, together with Canal, the ship's computer, journey to find a source of the evil that threatens the universe.
Lost Universe is distributed in North America by Enoki Films
, and was originally licensed for American distribution by ADV Films who released the series onto both dubbed and subtitled VHS tapes and bilingual DVD. The rights have since transferred to Nozomi Entertainment who re-released the complete series to a new bilingual DVD boxset.
n animation company, San Ho Studio. They only had basic manuals of the characters. The result was so dismal in quality that it was later reworked for the Laserdisc
releases. The San Ho depiction of that episode is no longer considered canon
.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
light novel
Light novel
A is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting junior high and high school students . The term "light novel" is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese term formed from words in the English language. Light novels are often called or for short...
s, running from 1992 to 2000, by Japanese author Hajime Kanzaka
Hajime Kanzaka
is a Japanese novelist and manga story writer.Kanzaka is best known for writing the Slayers novels that inspired the hit anime seasons, OAVs, and manga spinoffs. Kanzaka was born in Osaka, Japan. At present, his Slayers novels have reached 54+ novels...
. It was later adapted into a 26-episode 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....
television series that ran throughout the summer of 1998 on TV Tokyo
TV Tokyo
is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
during the same time slot that the anime depiction of Kanzaka's previous work, Slayers
Slayers
is a series of over 52 light novels written by Hajime Kanzaka and illustrated by Rui Araizumi. It was later developed into several manga titles, five televised anime series, two three-episode original video animations , and five movies. It also spawned several console role-playing games for the...
, ran.
Please note that this anime is called "Universe Police" in China and Hong Kong.
Plot
In SlayersSlayers
is a series of over 52 light novels written by Hajime Kanzaka and illustrated by Rui Araizumi. It was later developed into several manga titles, five televised anime series, two three-episode original video animations , and five movies. It also spawned several console role-playing games for the...
, it was mentioned that the main characters of that series live on a world that is one of the four created by the mother of all creation, called the Lord of Nightmares. This world was known as the Red World. Lost Universe, however, takes place in a different world, known as the Black World. Whereas the demi-gods of the various worlds such as Ruby-Eye Shabranigdo and Dark Star Dugradigdo had physical presence in that world, they appear in the Black World as "Lost Ships", intelligent space ships of unknown origin that have powerful or somewhat divine powers with more advanced technology than any other device in the universe. Their rarity and superiority has sparked suggestions that they have been made by an advanced ancient alien civilization or by coming from the beginning of the universe itself. Being a central part to the plot the "Lost Ships" are intelligent beings with different loyalties and even their own agenda. Kane Blueriver, a "trouble contractor," inherits a "Lost Ship" from his grandmother and from there, he and his sidekick Milly, together with Canal, the ship's computer, journey to find a source of the evil that threatens the universe.
Light novels
When the first novel of Lost Universe was released in 1992, it enjoyed moderate success due in no part to Kanzaka, who already had negotiations in the works for the Slayers anime.Anime
Lost Universe only lasted 26 episodes, and was plagued with numerous production problems. Most notably, large amounts of the raw work for the first few episodes was destroyed in a studio fire and had to be quickly replaced leading to fairly sketchy quality for those episodes. It also ran in during the Southeast Asian financial crisis of 1998 which severely limited budgets for anime series across all studios. A Lost Universe movie was rumored in 1998, but was cancelled in favor of more Slayers movies.Lost Universe is distributed in North America by Enoki Films
Enoki Films
Enoki 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...
, and was originally licensed for American distribution by ADV Films who released the series onto both dubbed and subtitled VHS tapes and bilingual DVD. The rights have since transferred to Nozomi Entertainment who re-released the complete series to a new bilingual DVD boxset.
Yashigani
The 4th episode , which aired on April 24, 1998, was initially worked on by a South KoreaSouth Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n animation company, San Ho Studio. They only had basic manuals of the characters. The result was so dismal in quality that it was later reworked for the Laserdisc
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
releases. The San Ho depiction of that episode is no longer considered canon
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
.
External links
- Official site
- Enoki Films' Lost Universe website
- Plasma Blast! (Spanish website)
- Yashigani Special (in JapaneseJapanese languageis a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
) - http://nyo-nyo.hp.infoseek.co.jp/ysigani/yasigani2.htmhttp://nyo-nyo.hp.infoseek.co.jp/ysigani/yasigani3.htmhttp://nyo-nyo.hp.infoseek.co.jp/ysigani/yasigani4.htmhttp://nyo-nyo.hp.infoseek.co.jp/ysigani/yasigani5.htm A nearly complete scene by scene detailing of everything wrong about the episode - KanzakaDex
- List of Lost Universe Characters (English page)