This was a manga series that later made it to TV/Video. Unfortunately it stayed a minor hit in Japan and barely made cult status in the states.There was only one feature length film released stateside and it played mostly art theaters.Young lad (Skywalker-san?) inherits the power of the Lens from a dying warrior. Now he needs to learn to use it to fight off the Boscone. (I spent half the film wondering why they were fighting a chocolate drink.) This was of course after the lad's father sacrifices himself to save his son.Now he needs to move on.He learns to use his power while being chased and also chasing. A lone female comes into his life to help. Along with a friend of his late father. You're typical gruff big guy.This movie clearly got influence from the Spielberg canon. The young ladies Princess Leia hairstyle. The Lens=the Force. And one scene ripped off completely from Indiana Jones. You'll see it easily.A rocking adventure worth sitting through. And good for younger kids too. Meaning it's more adventure less apocalypse.And the fight in the disco was a trip.

The original Lensman series of novels is a classic of the genre. It's pure adventure SF with some substance (here and there) and I've always wondered why Hollywood hasn't filmed it verbatim because it's just the kind of thing they love: massive explosions, super-weapons, uber-heroics, hero gets the girl, aliens (great CGI potential), good versus evil in the purest form, etc etc. Instead (and bear in mind I'm a Japan-o-phile and anime lover) we get this horrendous kiddies movie that rips the guts out of the story, mixes in Star-Wars (ironic as the latter ripped off the books occasionally) pastiches and dumbs the whole thing down to 'Thundercats' level. To see Kimball Kinnison, the epitome of the Galactic Patrol officer and second stage Lensman portrayed as a small boy is pitiful (etc). I just can't understand why the makers did this because they obviously had the rights to the story and could have made far more money (FAR!) by telling straight. It makes no sense.

anyone remember the days where the SciFi channel use to show anime films about 6-7 years ago? well out of all of them, only 3 stuck in my mind, first being Akira for sheer brilliance in animation and detail, next was Fist of the North star for the outstanding entertainment, and finally there was a quietly known feature film called The Lensmen. this film from start to end was amazing, because of the story, yes it seems very similar to Star Wars, but you have to remember that the books were made about 50 years before George Lucas started his little project that would change the world, even then he copied the theme from Flash Gordon.this should get a DVD release, to do it justice and then the world will realize how good The Lensmen really is.

Heard of this anime film about ten years ago, and finally got off my duff and watched it on VHS. So much in it to recommend, I don't know where to start, except that it's a classic Sci-Fi adventure like some of the early Heinlein juvenile novels (never read the Lensmen books, but I will now) and the Star Wars Trilogy, just in anime form. The characters are interesting, and the music score and rock tracks go well with all the futuristic imagery. I am really wishing for this to be on DVD soon!