Maetel Legend (DVD)

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Video:
The video aspect ratio is 1.33:1 (full-screen on 4:3 monitors). The picture quality and colors came through crystal clear to me. The character design and general style are pure Matsumoto, with the graceful and stylized humans and precisely drawn machines and mechanoids. Leiji Matsumoto´s works have always had their own definitive look, and once you´ve seen it, you´ll recognize it anywhere.

Audio:
You can watch the show with either Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo Japanese with subtitles or DD 2.0 stereo English. I chose to watch it in Japanese with English subtitles. There´s nothing special in the audio mix. I loved the voices actors, both the younger and older Maetel voices were what I had expected. The young Emeraldas was also really good, the voice actress managed to get both the youth and steel in her character.

Extras:
There are few extras, but you can´t say that CPM didn´t try. The first extra is one I haven´t seen before, a Trivia Game. There are three questions, all of which show you a short scene and then ask a memory question. For the record, I got one of them right on the first try and the other two right on the second try.

The second extra is "Meet the Cast", which has a short text bio combined with a moving scene for seven of the main characters in the series.

The final extra is "About Leiji Matsumoto", which is an all text account of Matsumoto´s career, from its humble beginnings writing manga as a child, to its current height.

--Miscellaneous--
There isn´t anything inside of the case. However, the case is clear, and there are black and white pictures on the inside of the cover as well as Japanese and English credits.

Film Value:
The moment I got my hands on this DVD from the mailbox, I was dying to watch it. I´m a huge fan of everything Leiji Matsumoto touches, even those Daft Punk music videos. Out of all of his works, the "Galaxy Express 999" series has been my high favorite, with its mysterious Maetel, youthful Tetsuro, and the various places they visit on their journey through the Sea of Stars. Matsumoto has said in an interview that Emeraldas was sent out to fight and Maetel to love. I´ve often wondered why he would say that, since it only seems to be true on the surface. Emeraldas may have her own warship, but she has found true love with a man named Tochiro. While Maetel may be like a mother to Tetsuro, her enemies blanch in fear and usually retreat just at the sight of her. I suppose that they were more alike than it seems at first glance, and after watching "Maetel Legend", I think I could be right.