Lensman (1984 film)

Lensman: Secret of the Lens, known in Japan as Sci-Fi New Century Lensman (SF新世紀 レンズマン, Esuefu Shinseiki Renzuman), is a 1984 Japanese animated film based on the Lensman novels by E. E. Smith. Most of the CGI sequences were created by the Japan Computer Graphics Lab (JCGL). It was dubbed into English and released in the United States in 1990.[1]

Lensman: Secret of the Lens
Japanese theatrical poster
Directed byYoshiaki Kawajiri
Kazuyuki Hirokawa
Written bySōji Yoshikawa
Based onGalactic Patrol
by E. E. Smith
Produced byMichihiro Tomii
Tadami Watanabe
Masao Maruyama
Starring
Narrated byEiji Kanie
CinematographyIwao Yamaki
Edited byOsamu Tanaka
Music byAkira Inoue
Production
company
Distributed byToho-Towa
Release date
  • July 7, 1984 (1984-07-07)
Running time
107 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Plot

The story is about a farm boy named Kimball "Kim" Kinnison. From a dying Lensman of the Galactic Patrol, Kinnison receives a particular Lens. It contains information that would enable the Galactic Patrol to face a weapon created by the Boskone Empire. A non-human species, the Arisians, created the Lenses in order to stand up to the evil Eddorians. Through their Lenses, Lensman minds are merged with the cosmic consciousness of Arisia. Opposing the Patrol is Lord Helmuth, a Boskone leader and drug lord, who would stop at nothing to get his hands on the Lens.

The Boskone blow up the agricultural planet Mqueie where Kim lives with his father, Gary ("Ken" in the Harmony Gold dub). Now a humble farmer, Gary is one of the founders of the Galactic Patrol. If he hadn't lost an arm in battle, Gary would have been a Lensman himself. Having always dreamt of becoming a Lensman, Gary sacrifices his own life to secure Kim's escape from the pursuing Boskone fleet.

Kim escapes the Boskone with his horned and bearded near-human friend Van Buskirk. Through the movie's events, Kim also meets Clarissa MacDougall, a nurse and technician working with the Galactic Patrol. Like Gary, she cannot explain how the Lens could be transferred from the dying man to Kim.

Through the tutelage of a flying alien green dragon hero named Worsel, Kim gradually realizes the Lens's power, which provides the key to Helmuth's defeat. He transmits the formula to the Galactic Patrol fleet, knowing that their planned attack against Helmuth would fail without the answer.

Voice cast
Characters Japanese voice actor English dubbing actor
(Harmony Gold, 1988)		 English dubbing actor
(Streamline Pictures, 1990)
Kimball Kinnison Toshio Furukawa Ryan O'Flannigan Kerrigan Mahan
Peter Van Buskirk Chikao Ohtsuka Jeremy Platt Michael McConnohie
Clarissa MacDougall Mami Koyama Melanie MacQueen (Aline Leslie) Edie Mirman
Worsel Nachi Nozawa Philboyd Studge Steve Kramer
DJ Bill Katsuya Kobayashi Greg Snow Greg Snegoff
Lord Helmuth Seizō Katō Abe Lasser Tom Wyner
Gary Kinnison Tadashi Nakamura Alfred Russell
Abe Lasser		 Mike Reynolds
Admiral Haines Hidekatsu Shibata Ray Michaels Michael Forest
The Lens Tadashi Yokouchi Abe Lasser Alexandra Kenworthy
LaVerne Thorndyke Takeshi Aono Drew Thomas Dave Mallow
Sol Yuko Saito Theodore Lehmann (Leonard Pike) Robert Axelrod
Blakslee Yasuo Tanaka Unknown Doug Stone
Zuilk Shingo Kanemoto Ryan O'Flannigan Milton James

Reception

The movie received a mixed reception.[2][3][4]

The GURPS supplement for Lensman references the film.[5]

References
  1. Lenburg, Jeff (2009). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons (3rd ed.). New York: Checkmark Books. pp. 195–196. ISBN 978-0-8160-6600-1.
  2. Solomon, Charles (1990-09-27). "MOVIE REVIEW : 'Lensman' Focuses on Jazzy Effects, Not Plot". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  3. "Lensman". The Washington Post. 1990-08-31. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  4. "Lensman". Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  5. GURPS Lensman. p. 3. There exists a Japanese anime and comic book series with the same name as this work. It has nothing whatsoever to do with Doc's story, and is not authorized.
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