Forget your Saturday morning cartoons and wholesome heroes for a moment. Cast your mind back to the wild frontier of early 80s anime arriving on Western shores, often via battered VHS tapes passed between friends like forbidden treasures. Amidst the giant robots and martial arts epics, 1982's Space Adventure Cobra: The Movie landed like a neon-drenched, smoke-filled blast from a parallel dimension – a slick, stylish, and decidedly adult space opera that felt worlds away from anything else. This wasn't just animation; it was pure pulp sci-fi cool filtered through a uniquely Japanese lens.
Based on the long-running manga by the incredibly talented Buichi Terasawa, who sadly left us recently, the film throws us headfirst into the life of Cobra, a legendary space pirate long thought dead. He's living a deliberately mundane life, having wiped his own memory and altered his face, until a trip to a futuristic 'Trip Movie' parlour accidentally reawakens his past. Suddenly, he's back – cigarillo perpetually dangling from his lips, equipped with the iconic Psychogun (a powerful laser cannon hidden within his prosthetic left arm), and pursued by the ruthless Crystal Bowie, a golden-skeleton cyborg working for the sinister Pirate Guild.
A Universe Dripping with Style
What immediately grabs you about Cobra is its sheer visual panache. This is Osamu Dezaki territory, folks – the legendary director known for classics like Ashita no Joe and Rose of Versailles. His signature style is all over this film: dramatic freeze frames that linger like painted illustrations (his famous "postcard memories"), split screens heightening tension, and a use of shadow and light that lends everything a palpable, almost noir-ish atmosphere. The character designs, lifted straight from Terasawa's artwork (itself heavily inspired by French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo), are impossibly cool, blending 70s disco chic with futuristic flourishes. Think flared trousers, broad shoulders, and impossibly statuesque women, all rendered with a surprising level of detail for the era.
The plot itself is a whirlwind tour across a galaxy filled with bizarre aliens, hedonistic planets, and deadly adversaries. Cobra teams up with the bounty hunter Jane Royal (voiced with cool elegance by Akiko Nakamura) and seeks her two estranged sisters, Catherine and Dominique, who hold parts of a treasure map tattooed on their backs. It’s a quest filled with betrayal, psychic powers, laser duels, and a surprising amount of psychedelic imagery – particularly during sequences involving the ethereal Dominique (voiced by Yoshiko Sakakibara, who many anime fans will recognize from countless roles, including Haman Karn in Zeta Gundam).
That Retro Sci-Fi Feeling
Watching Cobra today is like unearthing a time capsule. The animation, while occasionally showing its age, possesses a handcrafted feel largely lost in modern digital productions. The backgrounds are often stunningly detailed, evoking a lived-in, slightly grimy futuristic aesthetic. The action sequences, particularly Cobra’s dazzling displays with the Psychogun, still pack a punch. There's a certain tactile quality to the cel animation and practical optical effects that resonates deeply with the VHS era experience. Remember squinting at the screen, trying to make out details through the tracking lines? Cobra was worth the effort.
One fascinating bit of trivia: the voice of Cobra himself, Shigeru Matsuzaki, isn't primarily known as a voice actor in Japan. He's actually a very famous singer! His smooth, charismatic baritone lends Cobra an undeniable swagger, perfectly capturing the character's blend of roguish charm and deadly competence. It’s a casting choice that adds another layer to the film's unique identity. While the film predates the more famous Cobra TV series (which began airing later the same year), it served as a stunning, high-budget introduction to this universe for many. Its blend of Western sci-fi tropes (think Star Wars meets James Bond) with distinctly Japanese sensibilities made it stand out.
More Than Just Nostalgia?
Does Space Adventure Cobra: The Movie hold up beyond sheer nostalgia? Mostly, yes. The pacing can feel a little episodic, reflecting its manga roots, and some of the plot twists might seem predictable by modern standards. The portrayal of female characters, while featuring capable women like Jane, definitely leans into the damsel-in-distress trope at times, a common trait of the era's pulp fiction.
However, its strengths remain potent. Dezaki's masterful direction creates an atmosphere unlike almost any other animated film of its time. The sheer confidence and style, the blend of hardboiled action with psychedelic fantasy, and the unforgettable central character make it a compelling watch. It captures that feeling of discovering something illicitly cool, something aimed squarely at an older audience smuggled onto the animation shelf. It wasn't trying to teach a lesson or sell toys; it was pure, unadulterated space adventure with a mature edge.
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Rating: 8/10
Space Adventure Cobra: The Movie earns a strong 8 for its incredible visual style courtesy of Osamu Dezaki, its undeniably cool protagonist, its unique blend of sci-fi, noir, and psychedelic elements, and its status as a standout piece of early 80s adult animation. While the plot is somewhat standard pulp fare and certain elements feel dated, the sheer artistic vision and atmospheric execution make it a must-see for fans of retro anime and stylish space opera. It perfectly encapsulates that feeling of discovering something bold and different on a well-worn VHS tape.