Lensman (anime)

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Lensman
SF 新世紀 レンズマン
(SF Shinseiki Lensman)
TV anime
Director Kazuyuki Hirokawa
Original run 1984-10-06 – 1985-08-08
Episodes 25
Animated film
Director Yoshiaki Kawajiri
Released 1984-07-07
Runtime 107 min

Lensman (SF 新世紀 レンズマン SF Shinseiki Lensman?) is an anime TV series and movie based on the Lensman novels by E. E. Smith. Although these were produced with the knowledge and consent of Smith's estate, they were so displeased with the result that for several years they rejected any other suggestions of adaptation. There have been several dub-only releases of the movie in North America, and the first four episodes of the TV series were released in a heavily edited form by Harmony Gold USA. Despite sharing character and organization names, as well as central themes common to the books, heavy artistic license was taken resulting in a final product altogether very different from the source material.

Contents

[edit] TV

Harmony Gold USA dubbed a compilation of 4 episodes from the original 25 episode series, which they released under the title Lensman: Power of the Lens. The other episodes were never dubbed. This compilation is not available any more on video, it was available in the UK in late 1980s.

[edit] Production

[edit] Voice Talents

[edit] Movie

Lensman: Secret of The Lens was a version dubbed by Harmony Gold USA in 1988. This is the same movie that was re-dubbed by Streamline Pictures in 1990 and some of the voice actors are the same in both the two versions. There are differences however between the two versions in terms of story and the length of the movie where the Harmony Gold version deleted some scenes that were kept in the Streamline version. Harmony Gold also made a whole new soundtrack for their version which was used before in their legendary Robotech Saga whereas Streamline used the original Japanese Soundtrack.

[edit] Synopsis

The story is about a dying Lensman who transfers his Lens to a young man named Kimball Kinnison (Hero). To his best knowledge Kim wasn't aware of how big the responsibility of holding the Lens is. This Lens contains vital information that would enable the Galactic Patrol to face the deadly DNA weapon created by the Boskone Empire. The Arisians initially were the ones who created the Lens, in spite of their great power they alone could not vanquish the Eddorian menace, through the Lens The Lensmen minds were merged with the cosmic conscientiousness of Arisia.

The Arisians are ancient beings that stood up to the menace that the Eddorians the evil powers of the universe spread.

Back to the story at hand, our young hero found himself escaping from the boskone battleships with the assistance of his friend Van Buskirk. Afterwards the Boskone blew up the Planet Mqueie (an agricultural planet) where Kim and his Father Ken lived, Ken was one of the founders of the Galactic Patrol, unfortunately he lost an arm during battle and if he didn't he would have been a Lensman himself. Ken always dreamed of becoming a Lensman so when he found out that his son has become one he sacrificed his life to save him.
Lord Helmuth is the ruthless boskone leader, he senses if things are going as planned, he doesn't have mercy, killing seems quite easy, he would stop at nothing to get his hands on the Lens.

Through the movie events Kim meets Clarissa MacDougall who is a nurse working with the Galactic Patrol and you can feel the attraction between the both immediately.
Its inevitable to have a climax ending that would provide an encounter between Lord Helmuth & Kim, Imagine the difference between the two, Kim is a newbie Lensman, young & nieve who had the responsibility of protecting the universe on his shoulders, whereas Helmuth is a gigantic alien with great powers and has an entire armies at his disposal, but what Kim didn't know that he had a great weapon which is stronger than any enemy he might encounter.

Eventually Kim realizes that the Lens has the answer and that within it lies great power, therefore he defeats Helmuth in an amazing scene and he transmits the formula to the Galactic Patrol fleet that is waiting to attack knowing that they will lose without this formula.

The movie contains great fighting and chase scenes, the animation that was made in 1984 is fantastic with the addition of computer graphics that added a new dimension to anime. The CG was made in cooperation with NYIT.

[edit] Staff & Production

  • Executive Producer: Frank Agrama
  • Written by: Soji Yoshikawa
  • Based on: The Lensman Novels by E. E. "Doc" Smith
  • Produced by: Ahmed Agrama
  • Directed by: Kazuyuki Hirokawa
  • Animation Executive Producers: Michihiro Tomu, Tadame Watanabe, Masao Maruyama
  • Supervising Producer: Hiroshi Sudo
  • Associate Producer: Michael Haller
  • Character Design: Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Kasuo Tomizawa, Nobuyuki Kitajima
  • Art Director: Katsushi Aoki
  • Mechanical Design: Takashi Watanabe
  • Film Editing: Osamu Tanaka
  • Sound Effects: Susumu Aketagawa
  • Additional Sound Effects: Michael Bours
  • Effects Editing: Hideo Sasaki
  • Film Processing: Toyo Labs
  • Computer Graphics: New York Institute of Technology, Nanajima Center, Century Research Center, Optical Imaging Research Center
  • Written By: Tom Weiner
  • Music by: Peter Davison
  • Theme by: Peter Davison, Randall Rumage
  • Executive Music Producer: Randall Rumage
  • Additional Music by: Michael Bradley, Steve Wittmack
  • Music & Sound Recording: Gold Screen, Inc.
  • Music Editor & Final Mix: George Bours
  • Video Post-production & Re-recording: Intersound, Inc.
  • Executive in Charge of Post-Production: Kent Harrison Hayes
  • Post-production Manager: Tony Pinker
  • Post-production Coordinators: Stephen Bradley, Oscar I. Diaz, Carlos Stevenson Jr.
  • Chief Engineer: Bryan Rusenko
  • ADR Recordist: Ruth Adelman
  • Videotape Editor: Guillermo Coelho
  • Videotape Operators: Jorge Allia, John Carver
  • All the Material mentioned above is property of their Respective owners.
  • Copyright @ 1988 Harmony Gold USA, Inc. & M.K. Company, LTD.

[edit] Voice Talents

[edit] External links