Space Adventure Cobra: The Movie
Often cited as the first anime in Dolby Stereo.
Space Adventure Cobra: The Movie is a 1982 Japanese animated epic space opera film directed by Osamu Dezaki, based on Buichi Terasawa's 1978 manga Cobra. Often cited as the first anime to use Dolby Stereo, it follows the bounty hunter Cobra as he battles the Pirate Guild and his archenemy Crystal Bowie.
- Release Year
- 1982
- Director
- Osamu Dezaki
- Based On
- Buichi Terasawa's 1978 manga Cobra
- Genre
- Animated epic space opera
- Notable Format
- Often cited as the first anime to use Dolby Stereo
- Country
- Japan
Quick Facts
- Native Name
- kanji = スペースアドベンチャーコブラ · revhep = Supēsu Adobenchā Kobura
- Director
- Osamu Dezaki
- Producer
- Tatsuo Ikeuchi
- Screenplay
- Buichi Terasawa / Haruya Yamazaki
- Based On
- Cobra · Buichi Terasawa
- Starring
- Shigeru Matsuzaki / Akiko Nakamura / Toshiko Fujita / Reiko Tajima / Akira Kume / Gorō Mutsumi
- Music
- Osamu Shoji
- Cinematography
- Hirokata Takahashi
- Editing
- Masatoshi Tsurubuchi
- Studio
- Tokyo Movie Shinsha
- Distributor
- Toho
- Released
- 1982 · 7 · 3
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The film opens with bounty hunter Jane Flower apparently killing a creature and taking its head. The self-proclaimed Cobra tails her, though she doubts his identity since Cobra is said to have died two years ago and to have had a special weapon called 'Psychogun' in his left arm. When the creature's head attacks them at Jane's home, she kills it and suspects the Pirate Guild, as she is on their hit list. Cobra reveals his Psychogun to stop the Guild's death squad, and Jane admits she had been looking for his help.
Reader's Guide
The film is based on the first arc of Terasawa's manga, specifically Cobra's involvement with the Royal Sisters and his battle with Crystal Boy. It was theatrically released in Japan on July 23, 1982. The film received multiple home video releases in Japan and internationally, including a VHS in 1991, DVD in 2001, and Blu-ray in 2015. An American dub by Streamline Pictures was released in theaters in 1995, though historians dispute the exact premiere date. The film was also released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in 2019, becoming the second domestically-produced anime in that format. Reception has been mixed: some critics praise it as a classic of 1980s anime sci-fi, while others call the plot nonsense and the animation dated.
Did You Know?
- The film is often cited as the first anime to use Dolby Stereo, though claims of 'Quadraphonic Dolby Surround' are inaccurate.
- Matthew Sweet's 1991 music video 'Girlfriend' used footage from the 1965 Japanese film 'The Birth of Japan', not from this film.
- Yello provided music for the film's international soundtrack, but the Manga Entertainment dub did not feature a full alternate soundtrack performed by them.
- The film was released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on November 26, 2019, but it was not the second domestically-produced anime in that format—earlier releases include 'Your Name.' and others.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Space Adventure Cobra: The Movie?
It is a 1982 Japanese animated space opera that adapts Buichi Terasawa's manga into a feature-length cinematic. The plot follows the bounty hunter Cobra as he takes on the Pirate Guild and his sworn rival Crystal Bowie across a sprawling galactic conflict.
Who directed Space Adventure Cobra: The Movie?
Osamu Dezaki directed the film, shaping its visual language and pacing for a big-screen animated epic.
What source material does Space Adventure Cobra: The Movie draw from?
The film is an adaptation of Buichi Terasawa's 1978 manga series Cobra, translating its space-western bounty-hunting premise into a theatrical narrative.
Why is Space Adventure Cobra: The Movie considered a landmark in anime history?
It is frequently cited as the first anime feature to be mixed in Dolby Stereo, a technical first that raised the audio bar for Japanese animation. Fans and historians often point to this as the moment anime sound design began competing with live-action film standards.
What is the central conflict in Space Adventure Cobra: The Movie?
Cobra, a solitary bounty hunter, is drawn into a escalating war against the organized Pirate Guild while simultaneously confronting his personal nemesis Crystal Bowie. The story plays out as a classic space-western showdown with the fate of the galaxy hanging in the balance.
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