Space Fantasia 2001 Nights

Sometimes, you find a project; other times, a project finds you.

Space Fantasia 2001 Nights in a one-episode "hard" sci-fi OVA from 1987. It's based on three stories out of 19 from Hoshino Yokinobu's manga 2001 Nights, published between 1984 and 1986. (Two more were adapted for the CGI anime TO, released in 2009.) The show was hardsubbed by Kanjisub and Shinsen-Subs (SHS) almost twenty years ago, and that version has not been updated... until now. The "Discord-Based Back Catalog Kairetsu", or more succinctly, Orphan Fansubs and friends, are pleased to release a new version.

The original manga contains many visual and story homages to classic "hard" science fiction, including the works of Robert Heinlein, Larry Niven, and Arthur C. Clarke. The OVA uses three chapters about the colonization of a planet orbiting Tau Ceti, 11.9 light years from Earth, in the constellation of Cetus (the whale).

Part One: Orphans of Space 

In 2058, Earth's authorities initiate plans to colonize other worlds. Without faster-than-light (FTL) propulsion, reaching a star will take millennia. The proposed solution is to explode a comet and use the blast to impel a spaceship at much higher speed. 

However, the acceleration would kill any living creature on board, so the ship will only contain frozen eggs and sperm and robots. It is, in short, a seed ship. Adam and Hannah Robinson agree to provide the genetic material.

Fast forward hundreds of years. The ship's computer has found a viable planet near Tau Ceti, and the adults caretakers on board are giving "birth" to the Robinson's children. 

They land the passenger compartment and send the children, ranging in age from young adults to toddlers, out to settle this brave new world. The caretakers do not join them: the world belongs to the children, no one else.

(The title is an homage to the 1943 Robert Heinlein novel Orphans of the Sky, which is set on a seed ship.)

Part Two: A Gift from Earth

Back on Earth, the discovery of a tenth planet, Lucifer, composed entirely of antimatter, creates vast new sources of energy. Theoretical breakthroughs about black holes lead to viable FTL propulsion systems. Adam Robinson Jr, son of Adam and Hannah, sets out for Tau Ceti with terraforming equipment. 

Finding only inhospitable planets, he and his team convert one into an Earth-like world, at costs that threaten to bankrupt him completely. When the mission is completed, he leaves a message for his still unborn "brothers and sisters" about this "gift from Earth."

(The title is a reference to the 1968 Larry Niven novel A Gift from Earth, which is set on a planetary colony orbiting Tau Ceti.)

Part Three: The Songs of Distant Earth

While the seed ship is slowly making its way to Tau Ceti, the era of space colonization ends. Most of the colonies succumb to war, famine, or natural disasters. Earth's authorities write off space exploration as a bad investment. Adam Jr accompanies a last group of colonists to Tau Ceti. There they find the Robinson children slowly building a hunter-gatherer/agrarian society. 

The children are suspicious of the newcomers, and Adam Jr cannot bring himself to coerce them into accepting the colonists. He dies in the children's midst. He is buried on the planet, home at last with his extended family, as the new colonists land on Ozma.

(The title is a reference to the 1958 Arthur C. Clarke story, later expanded to a novel, The Songs of Distant Earth, about a colony started by a seed ship coming into contact with later settlers from Earth.)

A show like this demands translation notes. Most of these are based on Uchuu's research.

• Ozma, the name of the comet used for transport and the Tau Ceti colony world, comes from Project Ozma, a search for extraterrestrial intelligence started in 1960. 
• Alpha Centauri is the star nearest our solar system, at a distance of 4.3 light years. It is now known to be a trinary star system, with twin Sun-like stars and a red dwarf. It has two confirmed planets, both inhospitable.
• Tau Ceti is a solitary G-type star, just under 12 light years from Earth. It is smaller and dimmer than our Sun and deficient in heavy metals. No planets have been confirmed.
• Terraforming is planetary-scale geo-engineering intended to reshape a hostile world for human habitation. It was coined by Jack Williamson in his 1942 story "Collision Orbit."
• A starship powered by a black hole in another science-fiction concept, first proposed in Arthur C. Clarke's 1975 novel Imperial Earth.
• The idea of colonizing stars using slower-than-light ships containing frozen embryo and seeds, or even just DNA sequences, has been the basis of many sci-fi novels, including all three referenced here. It is estimated that a colonist population with good genetic diversity can be as small as 2,000-5,000 people to start. However, a population of roughly 10,000–40,000 people is more in line with current thinking for long-term genetic stability. So sending the genetic material of one woman and one man to colonize a planet, landing just 22 inhabitants, mostly children, to start, is preposterous. The arrival of the additional colonists might avert disaster, genetic and otherwise.
• In the third part, Earth's population is given as 7.2 billion. Today, it is 8.3 billion.
• The homages to classic science fiction include visual riffs on the floating pen and the Star Child from 2001: A Space Odyssey. The musical opening of the first part echoes many space opera themes, including Star Trek and 2001.
  
  
  
   
• The caretakers for the Robinson children are robots and are switched off when their mission is complete. This is much clearer in the manga than in the OVA. 

The voice cast is well documented, but many of the characters are not referred to by name. For example, the Robinsons are Adam and Hannah, but the robot caretakers are not named. Based on the manga, they too are "Adam" and "Hannah" and are played by the same seiyuu. Conversely, the credits mention a "Leo" and a "Clarke" in part one, but these names do not occur in the script. I assume they are the functionaries in the space agency.

Orphans of Space

• Furukawa Toshio (Adam Robinson and robot father) played Kimball Kinnison in Galactic Patrol Lensman, Ataru in Urusei Yatsura, Kagege in Keroro Gunsou, Kai Shiden in Mobile Suit Gundam, Shin in Fist of the North Star, Shinohara Asuma in Mobile Police Patlabor, and Piccolo in Dragon Ball Z. He also played Inumaru in Maroko, Koganemaru in Maris the Choujo, Tree Kangaroo in Shirokuma Cafe, Prince Croyler in Grimm Douwa: Kin no Tori, Ryotaro in Nayuta, the Spartan Dragon in Stop!! Hibari-kun!, the policeman in Yukiguni no Oujisama, and Sally in Chiisana Koi no Monogatari, all Orphan releases
• Tsuru Hiromi (Hannah Robinson and robot mother) debuted as Perrine in Perrine Monogatari. She went on to play Kashima Miyuki in Miyuki, Madoka in Kimagure Orange Road, and Mikami Reiko in Ghost Sweeper Mikami. She also played Lily in Heavy, Sawamoto Aki in Junk Boy, Sara in Mother: Saigo no Shoujo Eve, Sonnet Barge in Blue Sonnet, Fengji in the third Sangokushi movie, Keiko in Hiatari Ryoukou, Nozomi in Nozomi Witches, Jill in A Penguin's Memories, UFO-chan in Dokushin Apartment Dokudami-sou, Milk in Karuizawa Syndrome, Kiyomi, the motorcycle rider, in Sotsugyou: Graduation, Asuza in Laughing Target, Sister Angela in One Pound Gospel, and big sister Shizuka in Tomoe's Run!, all Orphan releases.
• Noda Keiichi (Clarke) played Pete in Call of the Wild, Balga in Andromeda Stories, Otto in Captain Future, Worsel in Galactic Patrol Lensman, Tetsuya in Great Mazinger, Fritz Bittenfeld in the original Legend of the Galactic Heroes, and Slash in the Mahoromatic franchise. He appeared in Stop!! Hibari-kun!, an Orphan release.
• Ooki Tamio (Leo) played Aramaki in the GITS movies, the title role in Planetarian: Hoshi no Hito, Dr. Tenma in the 1980 version of Tetsuwan Atom and Tezuka Osamu Ga Kieta?! 20 Seiki Saigo no Kaijiken, Dr. Ross in Tetsuwan Atom: The Blue Knight, Darai Sem in Amon Saga, Captain Victor in Michite Kuru Toki no Mukou ni, Lensky in Hoshizora no Violin, and Ibuya in Hidamari no Ki. The last six are Orphan releases.
• Nakanishi Taeko (Narrator) - see Yuki 1080p

A Gift from Earth

• Naya Gorou (Adam Robinson Jr.) played Koichi Zenigata in Lupin III, Juzo Okita in Space Battleship Yamato, Shocker in Kamen Rider, Yupa in Nausicaa, Dr. Alex Gordon in Heavy, Schott in Hashire! Shiroi Ookami, King Magma VII in Kaitei 3-man Mile, Weedon Scott in White Fang, and Yamaarashi in Botchan; the last five are Orphan releases. His deep voice provided the narration in Shinzou Ningen Casshern, Vampire Miyu, Golden Boy, the original Dororo, and other shows.
• Tokumaru Kan (Miller, one of the workers terraforming Ozma) - David Ryan in Silent Service; appeared in AWOL, Bagi, Bavi Stock II, Eien no Filena, ACOJL: A Ghost Story, Sangokushi (1985), 
• Kitamura Kouichi (Gilford, financial advisor to the Robinson Foundation) played Henju in Kimu no Juujika, Honda Sadonokami Masanobu in the Sanada 10 special, Paolon, the intelligent spaceship in Hi-Speed Jecy, Professor, the wise old cat, in the Ultra Nyan OVAs, and Coach Naoko in Nine and its sequels, and he appeared in Hidamari no Ki and Dokushin Apartment Dokudami-sou, all Orphan releases.

The Songs of Distant Earth

• Tanaka Ryouichi (Asimov) appeared in Barefoot Gen, Chibi Maruko-chan, Devilman, Koi Kaze, Vandread, Nine, Yukiguni no Oujisama, and Dallos. The last three are Orphan releases.
• Yada Kouji (TV announcer) played Dr. Gero in the Dragon Ball franchise. He appeared in all the GeGeGe no Kitarou iterations through 2007, Haguregumo, Cat-Eyed Boy, Nine, and the Sangokushi movies. The last three are Orphan releases.

The Robinson Children

• Satou Chie (Girl) played the title role in Cutta-kun Monogatari, Bo-chan in the Crayon Shin-chan franchise, Sallie McBride in Daddy Long Legs, Jim in Huckleberry Finn Monogatari, Nobuko in Roujin Z, and Kanchi in the Yokai Watch franchise .
• Nakajima Chisato (Ellen Robinson)(played Mari in the Kinnikuman franchise and appeared in Kimu no Juujika, Nine, Nora, and Tenjou Hen: Utsu no Miko, all Orphan releases
• Fuchizaki Yuriko (Chris Robinson, Joachim Robinson) played Megumi in the Ah! My Goddess franchise, Kaori in Akira, the title role in Bit the Cupid, young Paul in The Dog of Flanders movie, Ibuki in Maison Ikkoku, Li Kohran in the Sakura Wars franchise, Lily in the Spirit of Wonder properties, and Rushe in Bastard!
• Murata Hiromi (Karen Robinson) played Sakumi in Bobby's Girl and Tetsuko in Toki no Tabibito: Time Stranger.
• Horikawa Ryou (Toby Robinson) played Shutendou in Shuten Douji, Vegeta in Dragon Ball, Naoto in Slow Step, Anthony Brown in Candy Candy, Reinhard in LOGH, Tadao in Ghost Sweeper Mikami, Kai in Kizuna, and Andromeda in Saint Seiya. He starred as Shinya in Okama Hakusho and appeared in Tenjou Hen: Utsu no Miko, Chameleon, Hi-Speed Jecy, Lunn no Kaze, and the first two Sangokushi movies, all Orphan releases.
• Shou Mayumi (Maureen Robinson) played Yoriko in It Rained Fire, Misao in Aoki Honoo, Minako in Bride of Deimos, Ayako in Kimami ni Idol, Gannet in Hoshi Neko Full House, Peggy in A Penguin's Memories, Yuko Kurita in the Oishinbo movie-length specials, and Baby Boar in Katte ni Shirokuma, all Orphan releases.
• Shioya Yoku (Harry Robinson) played the title roles in Kariage-kun and the Umi no Triton TV series and movies, Ryouta in Slam Dunk, Jinpei the Swallow in Gatchaman, and Cosmo Yuki in Space Runaway Ideon. He played Pvt. Abe in The Harp of Burma, the young priest in A Ghost Story, Shotaro in Growing Up, Ritt in Samurai Gold, Tsuri in Tenjou Hen: Utsu no Miko, Yuzuru in Laughing Target, Mickey in Milky Passion: Dougenzaka - Ai no Shiro, Mizuki in Nayuta, and Zhuge Jun in the first Sangokushi movie, all Orphan releases.

The director, Takeuchi Yoshio, also directed Space Cobra, Kizuoibito, Oishinbo TV and specials, Ipponbouchou Mantarou, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Children, and Night Head Genesis.

The original subtitles were by Kanjisub and Shinsen-Subs. Perevodildo found a transcript of the hardsubs (I don't know where; I don't ask questions), translation checked, and typeset. Darkonius checked the results and undid many of Perevodildo's changes (I don't know which ones; I don't ask questions). I edited and redid the chapter titles and some signs (don't ask which ones; I don't answer questions). VigorousJammer and Uchuu QCed. Uchuu provided a lot of interesting references for translation notes. WOWmd encoded his own Domesday Duplicator rip of a Japanese laserdisc that Batty had bought and provided. The raw is way too big, 60fps, and anamorphic to boot, but who's keeping score these days? To paraphrase Blaise Pascal, the encode is large, because WOWmd didn't have time to make it smaller. VLC and mpv display the show at 738x554, but MPC-HC displays it as 640x480. YMMV.

I hope you can tell that I really liked Space Fantasia 2001 Nights. It reflects the glory days of "hard" science fiction, before the written genre was taken over by fantasy and the anime genre became mostly mecha. There's a tiny bit of nudity, but they're robots, so it doesn't count. You can get the show from the usual torrent site.

 

 

 

 

 

Arabian Nights: Sindbad no Bouken

Arabian Nights: Sindbad no Bouken (Arabian Nights: Sinbad's Adventures) is a 1962 Toei Douga full-length cartoon. It's part of Orphan's Toei Douga project to redo many of the pre-1975 Toei cartoons, in high-definition if possible.

Sindbad no Bouken is very much in the early Toei mold: rounded character designs, animal sidekicks, occasional use of full-rate (24 fps) animation, and (too many) sappy songs. (Toei's style began to evolve in the mid 60s toward more angular, comical character designs at the anime-standard 12 fps.)  The story bears no relation to any of the seven tales in the Sinbad the Sailor story cycle, itself a late addition to the Arabian Nights story collection.

In this version, Sinbad is a young man who yearns to go to sea, as does his young friend Ali. One day, an old man is washed ashore from a shipwreck.

Before dying, he tells Sinbad and Ali about a mysterious island in the southern seas, full of gemstones and wonders. Sinbad and Ali stow away (with their cat Peppi) on a trading vessel.

When they are discovered, the gruff but kindly captain lets them stay and puts them to work, under the tutelage of two comical and bumbling hands, Abdullah and Yasim.

Sinbad is a natural sailor, and Ali a hard worker, so the two fit right in.

At their port of call, the realm of a gentle king who likes to play with toys,

Abdullah sings a silly song about his guitar spouting gold and gems when played. This attracts the attention of the king's conniving vizier, Torfa, who covets both great wealth and the king's daughter, Princess Samir.

When the guitar turns out to be just an ordinary instrument, he throws Adbudllah, Yasim, and Sinbad in prison. But Ali, still at large, shows great ingenuity in finding Princess Samir - at one point, he literally pulls the turban over Torfa's eyes.

He convinces her to rescue his comrades. She'd like to get away from the vizier, so she uses her agile bird, Kuppi, to help everyone escape and goes with them on their ship.

The evil vizier has an animal sidekick of his own, the aptly named Hell Bat.

The vizier orders the bat to track the princess, and it overhears Sinbad convincing his captain to change course and seek the island of treasure. 

Torfa promptly sets out on his own ship, determined to usurp both the treasure and the princess. After many adventures and vicissitudes,

the inevitable happy ending is reached for all the good guys.

The voice cast belongs to an earlier era, but there are some familiar names:

• Konshita Hideo (Sinbad) appeared in other Toei films, playing Tarou the Tiger in Wanpaku Ouji no Orochi Taiji, Cho Hokkai in Saiyuuki, and adult Rock in Wan Wan Chuushingura. The last two are Orphan releases.
• Kuroyanagi Tetsuko (Ali) is the daughter of Kuronayagi Cho. She was a pro
  minent character in Chocchan Monogatari and the main character in Totto-chan: The Little Girl at the Window. She played Petronella van Daan in The Diary of Ann Frank and Squeeky in Jack and the Witch, both Orphan releases.
• Dazau Hisao (Abdullah) has no other anime credits.
• Tsujimura Mahito (Yasim) played General Hound in Manxmouse and appeared in Kaitei 3-man Mile, Yamatarou Comes Back, Hyakumannen Chikyuu no Tabi: Bander Book, and Bremen 4, all Orphan releases.
• Tagiguchi Junpei (Captain) brought his distinctive voice to the roles of the Professor in The Green Cat, Van Helsing in Don Dracula, Dr. Yamanado in Fumoon, Scratch in Techno Police 21C, the villainous king of Kanemacchi Castle in Grimm Douwa: Kin no Tori, the Mouse Thief in Stop!! Hibari-kun!, the colonel in Maris the Choujo, and Dong Zhung in the first Sangokushi movie, all Orphan releases. He also played the Millennium Earl in D.grayman, John Trelawney in Treasure Island, and Dr. Laughton in Metropolis.
• Nagai Ichiro (King) starred in numerous shows, playing grandfather Jigoro in Yawara!, the off-the-wall narrator in Gosenzosama Banbanzai!, Professor Hajime in Queen Millennia, and Happosai in the Ranma 1/2 franchise. He appeared in Nijuushi ni Hitomi, Ore no Sora, Nayuta, One Pound Gospel, Rain Boy, Manxmouse, Nora, Hidamari no Ki, Yuukan Club, Amon Saga, Botchan, Ipponbouchou Mantaraou, Tengai Makyou, Toraemon, and Yamato 2520, all Orphan releases
• Shindo Noriko (Queen) appeared in Wanpaku Ouji, Saiiyuki, and Princess Knight.
• Kawabuko Kiyoshi (Vizier Torfa) played Mouta as an old man in Rain Boy, the Horned King in Saiyuuki, Hidaka in King Fang, Wan Laiming in Tezuka Osamu Mongatari: I Am Son Gokuu, and Dr. Mead in Cosmic Fantasy, all Orphan releases.
• Satomi Kyouko (Princess Samir) played Tsutomu in Maken Liner 0011 Henshin Seyo!!, an Orphan release, and appeared in other Toei releases, including Devilman, The Flying Phantom Ship, and Kikansha Yaemon D51 no Daibouken.
• Iwao Kingshirou (old Sailor) played the Bull Demon King in Saiyuuki and Kaneto Honma in King Fang, both Orphan releases. He also appeared in Wanpaku Ouji no Orochi Taiji and Perrine Monogatari.

The film had two directors. Kuroda Yoshio helmed Gulliver no Uchuu Ryokou, Flanders no Inu (TV and movie), Peter Pan no Bouken, Tobira o Akete (an Orphan release), and numerous Hello Kitty properties. Yabushita Taiji directed Anju to Zushio-sama. The screenplay was by Tezuka Osamu, working with novelist Kita Morio. Sindbad no Bouken was one of Tezuka's last contributions at Toei Douga. He founded Mushi Productions the following year, where he did his own version of 1001 Nights.

Arabian Nights: Sindbad no Bouken has many good sequences, but it suffers from bland characterization of the leads, Sinbad and Samir. Sinbad is more a poster boy than a real sailor, and Samir is saddled with the same sort of insipid song that cursed poor Rin Rin in Saiyuuki. As a result, the comic characters, Abdullah, Yasim, and Ali, and the hissably villainous vizier, run away with the movie. There's the usual surfeit of animal sidekicks: cat, bird, and bat. The baby whale that appears several times almost became a sidekick on the ship, but the Toei execs thought that was too preposterous.

The sailor's songs are funny and appropriate, but the first of them, The Song of Heavy Cargo, plays under too much dialog to be heard clearly and has been left untranslated. If anyone can find the OST, which is on the third CD of the rare ten-disc anthology Toei Douga Chouhen Anime Ongaku Daizenshuu, we'll update the subs.

Perevodildo translated and timed. Yume translation checked. I edited and typeset (very little). Nemesis and Paul Geromini QCed. The raw is a web rip from Ioroid. Names and terms have been localized to their Western versions, so Sinbad rather than Sindbad, Vizier rather than Minister, etc.

I liked Arabian Nights: Sindbad no Bouken better than Saiyuuki, but it would take more time for Toei to find a unique style and break out of the faux-Disney mode. The movie is "all ages" with some scary sections, like Disney cartoons of the era. You can get it from the usual torrent site.