We're off to outer space...

Over the past few years I've read any number of Sci-Fi themed postings on blogs. Whether its about Sci-Fi TV shows, movies, novels, comic books, or games, it seems like nearly every possible one I'd ever heard of has been covered...except for one.  There were three major sci-fi influences in my life growing up: Star Trek (Kirk/green slave girl style), Star Wars (Make mine midichlorian free please), and STAR BLAZERS.  Hands down one of the best theme songs ever.  I'd watch an episode while scarfing breakfast, then sing it running all the way to school, and I still find myself singing it now and then out of the blue.  In fact I am sure if call either of my brothers and say 'Our Star Blazers" they'd sing every damn line.  I can't think of a whole lot of things that stick with you through life or make such a huge impression on you, but Star Blazers is certainly one of them.  Here is the opening theme...get ready for greatness!

In my mind Star Blazers is kind of the best mash up of Star Trek (one crew, one ship) with Star Wars (save the world mission, young boy grows into manhood and leadership, old trusted Sensei passes on, lots of combat).  What also made it so intense was the time limit: One year to save the Earth! At the end of every episode it would say something like, "Only 214 days left for the crew of the Yamato to save the Earth!" Holy Cow-will they do it?  I COULD NOT miss an episode because I had to know IF Derek Wildstar, Mark Venture, and the rest of the crew of the Yamato would save the Earth! We'd gobble breakfast while watching the crew struggle to save the Earth battling the foppish and evil Gamilon Leader Desslok to reach Iscandar!  

If for some reason you are unfamiliar with the brave crew of the Space Battleship Yamato, the power of the wave motion cannon, and Star Blazers in general you have a fantastic new discovery!  A live action movie version of Star Blazers just opened in Japan!  I can't wait to see it, here is a clip below.

 

We're off to outer space
We're leaving Mother Earth
To save the human race
Our Star Blazers

Searching for a distant star
Heading off to Iscandar
Leaving all we love behind
Who knows what danger we'll find?

We must be strong and brave
Our home we've got to save
If we don't in just one year
Mother Earth will disappear

Fighting with the Gamilons
We won't stop until we've won
Then we'll return and when we arrive
The Earth will survive

With our Star Blazers