The movie version of Space Adventure Cobra comes right out of the center of anime's intrepid Space Age. The same year publishing began for the manga versions of Akira and Naussicaa of the Valley of the wind, Buichi Terasawa's name-making series had been serialized for several years, and founded the basis for its continuing popularity with the release of this movie (which was shortly followed by the more manga-accurate version of the TV series.
The plot is something of a conundrum, mostly due to confusion as to whether the movie represented a separate part or a "retelling" of the events of the series. In brief, Cobra and his android partner Lady must assist bounty hunter Jane Flower in preventing the Pirate Guild from controlling an artificial, wandering planet. Jane is part of a set of triplets (the daughters of the last Queen), and the planet's course can only be changed if only one sister is alive or if they "all love the same man." Yes, that's right. I'm not making this up.
I'll leave additional details for you to see for yourself. As a consequence of the plot (and due to the nature of the old school Sci-Fi genre) various instances of cheese occur. In fact, Cobra is one of the cheesiest Sci-Fi flicks I know of from the 80s. Mix touching romantic moments in with loss, the fate of the galaxy, and gun-toting action makes for that kind of a flick. Oh, did I mention the classic psychedelic disco scene on the snow planet? Inevitably--as a movie version of a much longer story--the plot is not only changed but also compressed. Occasionally this is obvious, and this may serve as a turn-off for some viewers.
For some this may come as a surprise, but as I see it on every other count Cobra is a shining star in the Sci-Fi library. Early 80s Sci-Fi anime is not reputed for the attention to detail and (dare I say?) beautiful art designs that come as part of this movie. Terasawa's style gives clear indications of his work's intent. Scantly clad (or where weather dictates full wear, jumpsuits that hide little work too) women, storm trooper esque bad guys, and the manly man of all space cowboys: Cobra.
(NOTE: incorporating both Jap and English versions here) Another surprise for me when I first watched it was the soundtrack. The music of the Japanese version is excellent. It plays a great part in setting the mood where required, and can even distract your mind from the hugely cheesy scenes that often creep up. The characters in Cobra's original dub are all voiced well. The voice of Cobra especially. The English version, unfortunately (though not unexpected) doesn't match-up. It's the more common version available in the states; and while some of the cast actually fits as far as sound goes, much of the dialogue comes off insincere and thus tends to put the movie down. The English soundtrack isn't half bad (done by a group called Yello), but this is one of those instances where I absolutely prefer the Japanese version of things.
The characters in Cobra are some of the best one can find in the genre. It is unfortunate that their full potential can't be realized in the movie-length format, but the makings of greatness for them is very clear. The obvious plus is our hero Cobra. After changing everything about himself (appearance, voice, etc) to hide from the Pirate Guild, Cobra reveals his identity effectively to get some tail. He has a playboy demeanor, mixed with a Han Solo/Captain Harlock occupation and an attitude about life most would love to have. Cobra really presents himself as the perfectly balanced character by the end of the movie. He is not so over-the-top that he can't descend to take things seriously; nor does he fall into the dark, brooding persona often associated with lone male characters. Uniquely armed with a revolver and his powerful, mind-controlled "psychogun," Cobra may actually be the best protagonist of any Pop Sci-Fi anime movie ever.
The other major character of note is the antagonist: Crystal Boy. One of the leading figures in the Pirate Guild, Crystal Boy has a personal vendetta to kill Cobra in the process of fulfilling the operation. He isn't your average villain. Not only is he a massive figure, his body consists of liquid glass, making him virtually unharmable. If that wasn't enough, he can pull his ribs out to use as weapons. HIS RIBS FOR GOD'S SAKE! This guy is a walking death machine. If he isn't the best original idea for a villain ever, he only takes second seat to Joseph Kucan's enigmatic "Kane."
What can I say about Cobra? I love it to death. I'm a sucker for the cheesy Pop Sci-Fi movie that represents a different time. Back when the James Bond model of manliness was king, and disco mattered, and women were the center of the universe. Sure, Cobra borrows from a lot of mainstream stuff. James Bond (never more clear than during the opening song sequence), Star Wars, even the short story "We Can Remember it for you Wholesale." Unlike many Sci-Fi works though, Cobra possesses a special spirit all its own, and creates original content within itself that more than compensates for any resemblances to other works. It's not for everyone. Non-oldies and Non-Sci-Fi fans should avoid Cobra like the plague (one notable exception, see the comments on the blog index). For we old fogies that still dream of seeing the days of riding faster-than-sound cars, using jetpacks, and zooming along at lightspeed Cobra is one hell of a trip.
And if I must close this review with a last thought to encourage you to watch Cobra, I will steal a line from the "bad sub" version of the movie to which I was first introduced (again, see comments on blog).
"The passion is the bullet of his magic gun!"
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