Space Cobra

In 1982, the anime series "Cobra" was shown in Japanese TV screens. With its charm and innovative character, it would win over not only them, but also Europeans, especially the French. Luc Besson has admitted being fan of the anime, and its main hero was created with one of the most famous French actors as model. Why did it influence France so much? Where does the magic of "Cobra" lie? This question has answers aplenty.

"Cobra", like many animes before and after it, started off as a manga, this one by the artist Buichi Terasawa. Having at first Alain Delon in mind, later modifying his hero's physique to resemble Delon's commercial rival, Jean-Paul Belmondo, he created a character that was brave, cynical, prone to risk-taking but confident enough to know he will win, always with a cigaret in his mouth à la "Le magnifique". His secret weapon, though, was none of these traits: it was the Psychogun, a ray gun hidden under his left arm, that could exterminate everything obstructing his way. And there was surely a lot that blocked his way to eternal relaxation. For, Cobra had two lives: in his first one, he was a space pirate with long black hair, that resembled Captain Harlock, roaming the universe with his sidekick, an android. In his second one, he was an everyman, Johnson, with blond hair and a face that seemed as if Belmondo was his brother. These two will become one when Johnson's memory will come back, making him remember his old life and restarting his adventures. Now, both the Galactic Police and the Galactic Guild, a crime syndicate composed of criminals different as chalk and cheese are after him. He, though, doesn't care: his aim is to ensure what is simply called a dream life, full of treasures and beautiful women.

This kind of attitude was inspired by Belmondo's early work with Godard, in "Breathless" and "Pierrot le fou". It is true that, if we observe Cobra's attitude towards life, he and Belmondo have no differences: both live for adventure, but also appreciate love and riches. None of them acts under the law, both being outlaws acting with their will as their compass. The will to transcend all boundaries of society found in Godard's films is indirectly also present in the anime, since the adventurous Cobra obeys nobody but himself and thus accepts no compromise, often putting himself in danger for the experience. The cigarette in Cobra's mouth was sported by his idol only one year later, in "Le marginal". This could be seen as a sort of reunion between these two heroes. Seeing Belmondo smoking with his prop in "Le solitaire" only five years later, Cobra would have been proud.

Beside his connection with Belmondo, Cobra also influenced, as mentioned above, the most Hollywood-like of French directors, Luc Besson. It is easy to see why. The lavish, slick, neon-lit urban settings of the anime could have possibly been an influence in Besson's depiction of the Paris Metro in "Subway", and Christophe Lambert's petty criminal Fred seemes like someone having a poster of Cobra in his room. Everything, from his appearance - uncombed blond hair - to his behaviour, which was a mixture of bravery and complete carelessness, could have been owed to Terasawa's creation. Cobra's style of funny science fiction seems tailor-made for a Besson film, the sixth element in his filmic five.

But, where does this admiration come from? Why would an anime inspire such love in Europeans? This could be attributed to its brand of comedic action. While not being short of memorable villains and Cobra's conformations with them, the series treats both his missions and the hero with a gentle irony that is refreshing to see. Too much seriousness would have killed the series, such a mood not being suited to a character personifying not the moral hero, but rather the petty, lucky hustler. Already having elevated Belmondo to legendary proportions, the French would have undoubtedly been charmed by his Japanese imitator. A behaviour that in other countries would seem great for a protagonist, but would limit itself to him, a character unknown, would have struck a chord with viewers in the Hexagon, due to being something already familiarised by an actor breaking box-office records at the time.

If Cobra's behaviour resembled a French actor's, then the show's score seemed to have been, to quote Godard, "Made in USA". A jazzy theme song, with a saxophone solo as infectious as the one in George Michael's "Careless Whisper", it accompanied the pulp-like adventures of the protagonist and together with the setting, gave the series a noir feeling impossible not to fall for. Already being used to it, the French changed the "générique" and gifted the series an even better song, interpreted by Olivier Constantin. "Homme ou machine/Nul l'imagine/ Quel est son secret/Nul ne le sait", sung he, while synthesizers wailed together with his voice. Lyrics that would stay in the head of a whole generation.

"Cobra" succeeded in France because it was a show tailor-made for this culture. From the protagonist, to the show's style and potential, every star seemed to align in order to create a cult series in the likes of "Dragon Ball" and "Nicky Larson". Like them, the series would face censorship, the adults not being able to understand the value of leaving a series intact and deeming every anime "made for children". Its style may have been just like the Belmondo films their children would go see in the cinema, but no animation could have the right to be violent or mature. Sure, "Cobra", with its scenes featuring naked women may have been scandalous, but what remains in the head is not them. It's the adventure, the fun, and the cult "générique". Unfortunately, not even Cobra's Psychogun could face the forces of censorship.

That the show's popularity remained the same even with the censored version just goes on to show how amazing it was. Terasawa knew what he had in his hands: a series destined for the whole world, with a hero not unlike those of the pulps of the past. A hero coming from Japan, who found his home in France. A home quite inhospitable, that nevertheless elevated him to the same status it had his hero. For, at the end of the day, they were both "magnifique", and what they left behind is more than beloved; it's cult. Now that none of them exists anymore, one thing is sure; they will have found each other up there, smoking and fighting their enemies together, all the while remaining the heroes of a generation. This is the best combination of all.

Pulp Sci Fi truly is a beautiful thing because it's not bound by any restrictions, their the stories where you feel anything to everything is possible and from all the strange and interesting things in them it makes the universe within the story all the more bigger. This is another of my favorite anime series of all time.

The Cobra series was a big thing at the time which makes sense as this series was out about the same time as sci-fi comic magazines like "Heavy Metal" and "2000 A. D." were massive hits in the 70's, though like a lot of pulp heroes Cobra has been forgotten. However, this series legacy lived on as it was highly influential and slightly predated other sci-fi programs over the years, from most other anime series like "Space Dandy", "Outlaw Star", and "Cowboy Bebop". Even movies like the 80's film "Star chaser: The Legend of Orin" and the TV show "Firefly." I really like the animation presentation which I think is smooth, this show has a lot of stunning visuals, from Cobra's ship which is cool, the robots, aliens, cities, worlds just everything in it's strange and vast universe which remind me of the things you would see on "Heavy Metal" magazine, I can't really describe it as their the things you just have to see to believe.

The music is great I really love the theme and end theme song which are both one of my favorite theme songs of all time. From the beginning theme which just has this jazzy noir tune to it and could almost sound like another theme for a James Bond movie which perfectly fits the series as Cobra is a pulp/noir like hero. The end theme which is a soft romantic tune that just give you a calm feeling.

The stories are good each of the episodes are always something different which is good as it gives the show that unpredictability factor as each episode always feels like a different adventure. But the show has some story arcs which give the show a bit of a throwback feel to the pulp serials for pulp hero figures most notably "Flash Gordon" and "Buck Rodgers", this makes sense since Cobra is one of those figures. The stories are colorful and memorable from one where Cobra is on a giant roulette wheel of death, may the good lord forbid the ball lands on zero or should I say him. An arc where he's undercover in a futuristic sport which is a crazy mix of baseball and football. And there is an arc which is a revenge thriller.

The show also does have some eroticism as you have a lot of females easy on the eyes in some rather interesting attire; but that was always part of the flavor of the pulps which was on appeal. However just like in the Bond movies the female characters aren't just for decoration but actual in many of the stories some are strong characters that can hold their own against danger and are useful in Cobra's missions.

Cobra is another of my favorite pulp heroes alongside "James Bond", "Flash Gordon", "Doctor Who", etc. Basically, Cobra is pretty much James Bond but in Space which is cool. One of the features of him is his psycho gun which is his left arm which is an arm cannon; in a way he sort of predates The Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes from "Captain America" and any other protagonist that has a cybernetic or weaponized appendage. This psycho gun is another of my favorite fictional weapons as it's a wicked cool weapon as it can wipe away anyone or almost everyone within a perimeter.

Though how the heck he can discharge the laser blasts without pulling the trigger or even charge up enough bolts is anyone's guess, does the gun work with his mind? Like in all the pulps it doesn't really matter you just roll with it because it's just a fun thought having a handy weapon which is both powerful, discharge as much as you want, and best of all never lose.

I really like the character as he's got sort of a mix of both a cowboy and noir protagonist charm. Though he's not too smooth as he might stumble just a little bit which is why he doesn't always get the girl or at least not until the second try. This to me makes the character slightly human, because as much as I like James Bond when it comes to romance, he hardly has to try he practically always wins in that game. But with Cobra this guy really has to put in the effort when it comes to having a significant other in his life and this applies even with the missions, he's on. We do see the guy struggle a little which once again humanizes him which I'm fine with as you really don't want your hero to come off too strong otherwise you lose the element of suspense. Though like with every pulp hero you can easily guess Cobra will win, but the suspense is in wondering how the heck he's going to do it.

This snake charmer has lots of venomous charm with the mind bolts to bite.

Rating: 4 stars.

A long time has gone by since I saw this anime, but it stuck in my head. Seeing it was like a dream. It is a bit abstract, not a rational film, quite romantic. I want to see it again!

Cobra (his right hand is a big gun, and he has the highest bounty of the universe on his head) and Jane (and her sisters), play good together.

I heard the film being called a sex-and-lasers space fantasy and that it would be the spiritual sister of Barbarella, and that sounds right to me. Give it a chance, don't turn away because of the its strong romanticism , and you will be rewarded.

The space-pirate Cobra (the man with the Psychogun in his left arm) is hunted by the police and mysterious guild. He changes his appearance and deletes his memory, but 5 years later his memory returns, together with his faithful robot Lady, he begins his quest for the lost treasure of Captain Nelson. "Space Adventure Cobra" is amazing in every way, it's cool, it's funny, and just so damn good it's unbelievable. The story is touching, Cobra is in some ways doomed to be alone, as he is always hunted by the guild. He is tossed into a tragic relationship with Captain Nelsons three daughters. The villains are bizarre and wonderful, especially the mysterious Zigoba, the sadistic Mr.Shultz, and of course Crystalboy. The music in the show is very good, nice and jazzy, and the main theme is just so catchy. Swedish dubbing was 10/10, with a memorable performance from Tomas Bolme. Space Adventure Cobra will forever be one of the best animated TV-shows ever made.