A recipient of the Badge of Combat Heroism, Captain Harlock was the commander of the Deathshadow, a battleship in Earth's spacefleet. In the beginning of the film, the Deathshadow is defeated in battle against the Illumidan invaders. Harlock is forced to return to Earth and surrender. As the movie progresses, Harlock meets those who will become his lifelong friends and fight by his side.
Quote: "With this flag flying...With this flag flying...I will go!"
Interesting Fact: In Matsumoto's original manga of Star Blazers/Space Cruiser Yamato, Harlock is Alex Wildstar/Mamoru Kodai.
The actual voice of the Voice of Free Arcadia, an underground radio station of the Earth resistance, Maya is also Harlock's love interest. Although she seems frail and weak on the outside, she is a powerful speaker and has a strong will.
Text of some of her on-air speeches.
A licensed Free Space Trader, the beautiful Emeraldas commands her own ship, the Queen Emeraldas. She is a long-time friend of Harlock, and some say she is actually Harlock's female alter-ego.
Quote: "You people know nothing of real heroes. You know nothing of the true frightfulness of the men of Earth, you pathetic aliens."
Interesting Fact: In the Matsumoto-verse, Emeraldas is actually the sister of Maetel in Galaxy Express 999.
Also a recipient of the Badge of Combat Heroism, Tochiro Oyama is an expert tinkerer, builder, and general technical type. In the beginning of the movie he seems to be down on his luck and lives like a beggar, but after meeting Harlock the two become inseparable friends.
Tokargan soldier in the service of the Illumdian forces, Zoll led the squad which boarded the Deathshadow to accept Harlock's surrender. Although technically an enemy, Zoll comes to respect Harlock.
Zoll'a younger sister, and the last pure Tokargan female.
Quote: "Brother Zoll...Save Tokarga...I tried my best...but it was too hard..."
La Mime is of an unknown race (cyborg?) whose planet was destroyed by the Illumidans. Initially she serves as some sort of administrative being for the Illumdians, but later on she joins Harlock's crew. She is the one with no mouth, just like Hello Kitty.
Commander of the Illumdius Occupation Forces on Earth. Although he is Harlock's enemy and adversary, he is an honorable man who respects Harlock as a fellow warrior, like the knights and samurai of old.
Quote: "Shooting down those who dare try to return to this Earth where only a harsh fate awaits is something I won't do. They are true men. We must meet them as befits knights."
Zeda's second-in-command. He has neither the honor nor the character of his commanding officer and is your basic scummy bad guy.
Quote: "Get lost and stay lost! You'll never fly again!"
- Triter
Prime Minister of the puppet government set up to legitimize the Illumdian occupation. Total collabrator and
sellout.
Quote: "Earth is choosing to maintain its cooperative relationship with Illumdius."
- Phantom F. Harlock
Distant ancestor of Captain Harlock. Aerial explorer and adventurer. Wrote the Arcadia book that Captain Harlock carries around.
Quote: "Dreams do not vanish, so long as people do not abandon them."
Distant ancestor of Captain Harlock. Messerschmitt Bf-109e fighter pilot for the German Luftwaffe during World War II. In one of the flashback scenes it is he who meets Tochiro's distant ancestor, cementing the bond between the two families.
Quote: "The warrior's way is to take responsibility for his actions."
- Toshiro Ooyama
Tochiro's distant ancestor. Japanese exchange scientist visiting Germany. It is his chance meeting with Phantom F. Harlock II which forms the link by which Harlock and Tochiro would be joined in the distant future.
Quote: "So long as the blood of my descendants continues to flow...I will never forget you!"
- Old Tokargan Soldier
One of Zoll's Tokargan comrades-in-arms, he boards the maiden voyage of the Arcadia of My Youth as a Tokargan representative. He looks a lot like Orion/Tokagawa from Star Blazers/Space Cruiser Yamato
Voice of Free Arcadia