Lost Universe

Lost Universe (ロスト・ユニバース, Rosuto Yunibāsu) is a series of science fiction light novels, running from 1992 to 1999, by Japanese author Hajime Kanzaka. It was later adapted into a 26-episode anime television series by E&G Films that ran April 3 to September 25, 1998 on TV Tokyo in the same time slot that the anime adaptation of Kanzaka's previous work Slayers had been in.

Lost Universe
Front cover of the first novel.
ロスト・ユニバース
(Rosuto Yunibāsu)
Light novel
Written byHajime Kanzaka
Illustrated byShoko Yoshinaka
Published byFujimi Shobo
ImprintFujimi Fantasia Bunko
MagazineDragon Magazine
DemographicMale
Original runDecember 20, 1992 – April 20, 1999
Volumes5
Manga
Written byShoko Yoshinaka
Published byKadokawa Shoten
ImprintKadokawa Comics
MagazineMonthly Dragon Junior
DemographicShōnen
Original runDecember 1997 – November 2002
Volumes4
Anime television series
Directed byTakashi Watanabe
Produced byNoriko Kobayashi
Yoko Morimura
Yumiko Yazaki
Masaki Yamakawa
Written byHajime Kanzaka
Mayori Sekijima
Yasunori Yamada
Music byOsamu Tezuka
StudioE&G Films
Licensed by
ADV Films (2000-2007)
Nozomi Entertainment (2007-present)
Original networkTV Tokyo (1998)
English network
Original run April 3, 1998 – September 25, 1998
Episodes26

The anime is known as "Universe Police" in China and Hong Kong.

Plot

In Slayers, it was mentioned that the main characters of that series live on a world that is one of the four created by the mother of all creation, called the Lord of Nightmares. This world was known as the Red World. Lost Universe, however, takes place in a different world, known as the Black World. Whereas the demi gods of the various worlds such as Ruby-Eye Shabranigdo and Dark Star Dugradigdo had physical presence in that world, they appear in the Black World as "Lost Ships", intelligent space ships of unknown origin that have powerful or somewhat divine powers with more advanced technology than any other device in the universe. Their rarity and superiority has sparked suggestions that they have been made by an advanced ancient alien civilization or by coming from the beginning of the universe itself. Being a central part to the plot the "Lost Ships" are intelligent beings with different loyalties and even their own agenda. Kane Blueriver, a "trouble contractor," inherits a "Lost Ship" from his grandmother and from there, he and his sidekick Milly, together with Canal, the ship's computer, journey to find a source of the evil that threatens the universe.

Characters
Kain Blueriver

Voiced by: Souichiro Hoshi (Japanese); Steve Metz (English)

Kain Blueriver (カイン・ブルーリバー, Kain Burūribaa) is an intergalactic trouble-Contractor. He is a tough and reckless adventurer who captains Sword-Breaker, the legendary lost space ship from an ancient civilization. He acquired his spaceship from his grandmother and constantly recites quotes of her. A free spirit, keeps an open mind whatever the situation. Ever the optimist, he is always confident he will prevail over whatever troubles await him. His motto is "carry out any difficult assignment to the end!" Kain is the master of the Psi-Blade, a weapon of psi energy, requiring tremendous mental strength. He wears a black cloak, likes his grandmother.
Mille

Voiced by: Tomoko Ishimura (Japanese); Larissa Wolcott (English)

Millennium Feria "Millie" Nocturne (ミレニアム・フェリア・ノクターン, Mireniamu Feria Nokutaan), is a happy-go-lucky girl whose catchphrase is that she aspires to be the "best in the universe". She joins Kain on their space adventures as an assistant and sometimes private detective. She has very basic detecting skills like opening a locked door with her hair pin. At work, she is indeed the best shot in the universe, but at home on Sword-Breaker, is another matter. Providing a bit of comedy, she routinely blows up the kitchen, but somehow the meals turn out delicious.
Canal Volfield

Voiced by: Megumi Hayashibara (Japanese); Jessica Schwartz (English)

Canal Volfeld (キャナル・ヴォルフィード, Kyanaru Vorufiido) is a female human-like hologram that serves as the Sword-Breaker ship's computer. She has green hair styled in two long braids. She has a distinctive personality, emotions and reasoning abilities. Her usual form is a teenage girl, but if necessary, and she can morph her form into a baby, a noble lady or other objects, whatever is needed to help Kain in his missions. Her motto is "carry out any difficult assignment to the end, as long as it shows a profit!" In this respect she is much like Lina Inverse from the series Slayers, with whom she shares a voice actress. Canal's mind functions as a computer, and she is very practical, analytical and logical. On the other hand, she sometimes shows her emotions when she teases Kain for his mistakes or has a quarrel with Millie. She is a bit selfish, doing a lot of negative actions for the Sword-Breaker owner (Kain Blueriver), like turning off Life System only for getting a job that Kain did not want.
Rail Claymore

Voiced by: Hikaru Midorikawa (Japanese); Bill Wise (English)

A handsome and smart police inspector of Interstellar Police. Kain has a sort of inescapable "give-and-take" relationship with this young inspector. He often contacts the crew of the Sword breaker with mission requests, that are not always requests.
Nina Mercury

Voiced by: Masami Suzuki (Japanese); Camille Chen (English)

The secretary of Raily Claymore. Nina is so deeply in love with Raily that she is fascinated by his gaze and forgets what she is doing. Two running gags in the series focus on her accidentally spilling coffee on Rail, and shortening out any machine with the slightest touch. The latter is actually useful in several adventures.
Stargazer

Voiced by: Jouji Nakata (Japanese); George Spelvin (English)

The master of a giant company called Gazer Konzern and the boss of mega-crime organization; Nightmare. He is the master of the Lost Ship Dark star and intends to control the whole universe. Stargazer possesses a power to destroy the mind of a person from afar.
Spreader of Darkness

Voiced by: Yasunori Matsumoto (Japanese); David Stokey (English)

A young-looking guy who works for Stargazer, and master of Goln-Nova, one of the legendary Lost Ships. He commands Glen and Carly at Nightmare. He was injured in the battle with Alice 10 years ago and has since been in stasis. He woke up after sleeping for 87016 hours in a capsule.

Media

Light novels

When the first novel of Lost Universe was released in 1992, it enjoyed moderate success, while Kanzaka was already having negotiations in the works for the Slayers anime.

Anime
Main article: List of Lost Universe episodes

Lost Universe ran for 26 episodes and was plagued with numerous production problems. Most notably, large amounts of the raw work for the first few episodes was destroyed in a studio fire and had to be quickly replaced leading to fairly sketchy quality for those episodes. It also ran in during the Southeast Asian financial crisis of 1998 which severely limited budgets for anime series across all studios. A Lost Universe film was rumored in 1998, but was cancelled in favor of more Slayers films.

Lost Universe is distributed in North America by Enoki Films, and was originally licensed for American distribution by ADV Films who released the series onto both dubbed and subtitled VHS tapes and bilingual DVD. Following ADV's bankruptcy in 2009, the rights to the anime have since transferred to Nozomi Entertainment who re-released the complete series in a new bilingual DVD box set. The entirety of the show's English dub can be streamed and watched for free on Nozomi Entertainment's YouTube channel.

The 4th episode entitled Yashigani Hofuru (ヤシガニ屠る), lit. "Feasting on coconut crab"), which aired on April 24, 1998, was initially animated by a South Korean animation company, San Ho Studio. Because of the studio having only basic reference sheets of the characters to go by, the result wound up being dismal in quality that it was later reworked for the Laserdisc releases and the term "yashigani" would later be adopted by Japanese anime fans as a derogatory term for poor art and animation in anime. The San Ho depiction of that episode is no longer considered canon.

Further reading
  • "Lost Universe VHS Vol. 6-7". Anime News Network.
  • Houston, Don (December 29, 2007). "Lost Universe - Thinpak Collection". DVD Talk. Internet Brands.
  • Beveridge, Chris (September 12, 2000). "Lost Universe Vol. #1". Mania.com. Demand Media. Archived from the original on December 12, 2013.
  • Sternenberg, Melissa (April 30, 2004). "Lost Universe". T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews.

References
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