hard to answer, because it's something we have always taken for granted. Now, what would happen if you were offered a chance to live forever, but would lose that humanity you took for granted for so long? Would it be an easy choice to make?| Current Issue | The Archives | Our Top 5 Articles | Ebay Auctions | The Shoppe |
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What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to be alive? It's kind of hard to answer, because it's something we have always taken for granted. Now, what would happen if you were offered a chance to live forever, but would lose that humanity you took for granted for so long? Would it be an easy choice to make?
That's the subject of Maetel Legend, part of the continuing saga of Galaxy Express 999. For a long time, I passed over the Galaxy Express 999 manga in Animerica magazine because I didn't want to get into something without hitting it from the ground floor. Now that I have seen Maetel Legend, I am anxiously searching for anything related to Galaxy Express 999. It was just that damn good.
The princess of a dying world, young Maetel faces starvation and death. Her planet is moving further from the sun and the days are getting colder. Soon, the planet will not be able to sustain life. Only machines can survive in the new environment and Hardgear, an evil scientist agrees to turn a number of Maetel's loved ones into machines. The whole planet agrees to become mechanized after Maetel's mother, the Queen goes through the process. All that is left of humanity is Maetel and her fiery twin sister, Emeraldas. There is no choice, as decreed by the Queen, and the twins' only other option is abandoning their homeworld to fight for freedom.
This is a superbly written story filled with intense, emotional and action packed events that really drive the story from point A to point B. I couldn't keep myself away from the television screen. The theme of the importance of humanity intrigued me. The old-style Voltron/Robotech animation peaked my interest and the action pumped me up. I didn't want this show to end.
Maetel is timid and really relies on her sister to get things done. The idea of her mother slowly turning into a robot destroys her, but her sister, Emeraldas keeps her head straight and plots the death of the evil Hardgear However, Hardgear cannot be killed by normal means and the only way to destroy his evil plan, may be to kill their own mother. It is the Queen herself who wants to die, slowly watching as her body turns into a machine and her mind starts to follow, erasing memories from her life. Are the remaining memories of motherly love strong enough to keep her from killing her own children?
If you don't become emotionally attached to the characters in this film, you have no heart. This is the best blend of drama and science fiction that I have ever seen in anime. Emeraldas breaks out as the most exciting character in the film. Her strength is inspirational and her actions are admirable. Still, while the characters are important to the film, it's the writing that really drags the viewer in. The whole film contains twists and turns and the ending is unpredictable. When you think it is going to zig, the film zags and when you think it will continue down that path, it zigs again. Maetel Legend is a true work of art. It is definitely a film that makes you think.
What does it mean to be human? Would you sacrifice your humanity to save yourself? When you sacrifice your soul, are you truly alive.
Send comments and questions about this article to Blackhart@ybfree.com.