Queen Emeraldas

From Animepedia

The Queen Emeraldas is a 4 episode OVA made by Leiji Matsumoto to show what becomes of some of the characters after the Galaxy Express 999 movies. This particular OVA takes place approximately 5 years after we last see them in Galaxy Express. The first 2 episodes were produced by Studio OLM, and the second 2 were produced by Multi Access Company and released the following year.

Plot

An outcast on Earth Hiroshi heads to another planet, Daibaran, to prove his worth. He stowes away aboard a freighter to get to the planet, en route the ship is attacked by the Afressians. The Afressian ship bears a painted skull and crossbones on its hull, and is captained by Commander Eldomain. Just as the Afressians unleash a vicious attack to finish the freighter off their beams seem to hit something. Its invisible but htey know its there, Suddenly before them powerful beams come out that destroy several of their ships, and then it materializes above them, the Queen Emeraldas, with its blood red pirates flag. The Afressians fall back and the freighter is able to make it safely to Daibaran.

Hiroshi and another stow away, an old man, head to one of the three towns on the planet. The planet resembles the old west, complete with saloons. To prove himself Hiroshi gets a job at the roughest saloon in town.

Eldomain returns to his base to attempt to explain to Bararuuda about the attack. She sends him back out to find the identity of the ship that attacked him, and warns him not to fail.

As Hiroshi is working at the saloon Eldomain and the Afressians show up and demand to know what ship attacked them. Hiroshi attempts to stand up to them and they throw him around. As Gamon pulls his gun to kill Hiroshi for the first time Emeraldas speaks up, calling Gamon a coward if he is unable to face a boy fairly. Gamon proceeds to pummel Hiroshi. Hiroshi is able to get about five or six hits in, but is hit about two hundred times. When Gamon pulls the gun a second time to kill Hiroshi, Emeraldas pulls her rapier and melts Gamon's weapon. She reveals her true identity and that it is her ship they are looking for. Two of the Afressian guards run in fear just at the sight of her, leaving Gamon and Eldomain. Emeraldas demands that Eldomain remove the skull and crossbones from his ship, stating only two ships may carry the symbol, her ship, the Queen Emeradlas, and Harlocks, the Arcadia. Both Gamon and Eldomain run from the saloon back to their ship.

Here they plan to ambush Emeraldas before she can reach the safety of her own ship. They open fire on her in the saloon to draw her out. She walks to the middle of town and draws her rapier, as if for a duel, and waits for the ship to pass back around. The Afressians open fire on her and when thes moke clears she is left standing unscathed, pistol drawn. She opens fire blowing the wing off of their ship, and behind her rises the Queen Emeraldas.

As she boards her ship Hiroshi asks Emeraldas if the planets energy crystals could build a ship like hers, she asks him where he's heard such a thing. Hiroshi answers about a man he's heard of that built a ship here all by himself named Tochiro. Emeraldas is shocked, she knows this name, the name of her ownly love, the man who built both the Arcadia and the Queen Emeraldas. Emeraldas remembers her past where Tochiro was working on her ship, and explains to her that the skull and crossbones is a symbol of their pledge. The pledge between Emeraldas, Tochiro and Harlock, beteween the Arcadia and the Queen Emeraldas. Hiroshi tells Emeraldas that he wants a ship to be powerful and free, that he doesn't need anyone, he can live alone just like her.

Eldomain returns to Bararuuda, the Afressian queen. She is disgusted with his failure and she sets out herself to face Emeraldas. As she prepares the fleet Ruda questions the reinstatement of Eldomain. Bararuuda admits her feelings for him and his loyalties to her.

Hiroshi on his way home passes a cat being harassed by dogs. He begins to walk by not caring about the fate of the feline, but eventually breaks down and saves it.

Emeraldas incercepts a call for help from a ship bearing a skull and crossbones. She relizes that Eldomain did not heed her warning to remove the symbol and heads to the call. She attacks and boards the vessel that they were firing on, only to find that it was a trap, and realizes she was tricked. Back on Daibaran the Afressians attack and take the people hostage.

On the Afressian ship the hostages decide that they cannot always count on Emeraldas to save them and that they must work together to save themselves. Emeraldas does appear and Eldomain threatens to kill the hostages if she attacks or tries to run away. Emeraldas tells him not to underestimate the men. Eldomain laughs and asks her what she will do, to which she replies "I will not surrender, nor will I die". He then opens fire with all of the ships in the Afressian fleet on the Queen Emeraldas.

Meanwhile, the hostages try to figure out an escape when the stow away catt runs out of the cell. This distracts the guards and the largest of the hostages run into the forcefield blocking the beams so that Hiroshi can slide out and take out the guards. They are able to escape and head to the bridge. Eldomain recieves a message that the prisoners have escaped. The hostages reach the bridge and the barkeep shields Hiroshi from a blast. They are able to get a message out to Emeraldas that they are safe as Eldomain powers up his most powerful weapon the Domain gun. He fires it as Emeraldas gets the message. As the smoke clears the Queen Emeraldas is unscathed and opens fire anihilating the fleet.

Eldomain pursues the escaping hostages and fires on the ship only to be intercepted by Emeraldas. As he turns to flee a beam comes from no where and destroys Eldomain and his ship. Bararuuda commands her fleet to disengage and decides to fight Emeraldas herself. When Emeraldas confronts Bararuuda about firing on her own men, she states that Eldomains cowardice was unforgiveable, and that they will now fight honorably sword against sword.

Bararuuda and Emeraldas engage in a duel, and Emeraldas strikes the final blow, but refuses to kill Bararuuda. Bararuuda calls her foolish and says they will meet again, Emeraldas replies when they do, they will fight again. Suddenly Gamon enters and begins to shoot wildly in the room at Emeraldas. Ruda runs and shields Hiroshi from the blasts, getting hit herself. As Emeraldas is about to pull her rapier Hiroshi dives for a blaster and shoots Gamon killing him. Shocked that Ruda protected him Hiroshi asks her why, and she answers that he reminds her of her brother. Emeraldas notices Ruda's shoulder, that she is a mechanoid. Ruda syas whatever she may be she has pledged her loyalty to Bararuuda.

Back on her ship Hiroshi returns the blaster to Emeraldas, she inturn takes a gun off her wall and gives it to him explaining its significance; there are only 5 of these guns in existance, hers, Harlocks, her twin sister Maetel, Tetsuro who travels with Maetel, and the inventor of them Tochiro. Hiroshi has earned this gun, but if he ever disgraces it, she will never forgive him. Hiroshi returns to Daibaran to build his own ship with the help of his new friends.

Characters

Hiroshi Umino

Hiroshi is a young boy who escapes Earth in an attempt to make something more of himself. He seeks out the energy crystals on Daibaran so that he can make a ship, just like he had heard Tochiro made. Hiroshi is always attempting to prove himself, that he's strong and doesn't need anyone. In the end he learns that even though it seems Emeraldas is alone, she's not, everyone needs friends and something to fight for.

Emeraldas

Emeraldas is a space pirate that sails the sea of stars. She has only one true love Tochiro, a brilliant man who made her ship and the Arcadia, along with the most powerful weapons in the Leijiverse. She sails in a large ship with an 18th century wooden boat attached to it. This is where she steers from. There is a pirate flag that flies from the aft, painted red with the blood of one of her friends that was murdered (See My Youth in Arcadia) bearing a Skull and Crossbones. Her best friend is Harlock. She attacks any ship that bears the Skull and Crossbones symbol, for it represents a pledge. She sees a lot of Tochiro in Hiroshi and ends up helping him on his path.

Commander Eldomain

Commander Eldomain is the overconfident commander of the Afressian fleet. He captains a red ship that bears the skull and crossbones, dispite Emeraldas's warning. He has been apart of the Afressian fleet since it was created and is loyal to Bararuuda. At several points he thinks he has outsmarted Emeraldas or caught her off guard to only be defeated. He is a coward and dishonorable, which is what leads to his death by Bararuudas hand.

Gamon

Gamon is the second in command to Eldomain. He like Eldomain is overconfident, cocky and dishonorable. He beats up Hiroshi, who is half his size, and pulls a gun on him to kill Hiroshi twice. He attempts to shoot Hiroshi when they escape the cell in the back, and runs. At the end he tries to catch Emeraldas off guard and shoot her when she least expects it, only to be killed by Hiroshi.

Queen Bararuuda

Bararuuda is the Queen of Afres. She holds personal feelings for Eldomain because of how long he's been with her, and his undying loyalty to her. The only thing she hates is cowardice, which leads her to destroy Eldomain herself. She ends up dueling Emeraldas and losing. She tells Emeraldas to kill her, and when Emeraldas doesn't, she warns her that they will meet again.

Ruda

Ruda is a mechanoid. She was once Afressian, but has pledged her loyalty to Bararuuda. She saves Hiroshi because he reminds her of her little brother. She does not like Eldomain and finds him as nothing but a failure, and believes he will always fail. Ruda questions Bararuuda's decisions pertaining to Eldomain, and only wants the best for Afres and Afressians. She is a very honorable person.

Episode List

1. Departure
2. Eternal Emblem
3. Friendship
4. Siren