Starchaser: Legend of Orin.

It does have some early CGI, this is true - though to refer to the animation as stunning is perhaps overselling it a little. It was also in 3D originally, but the production wasn't started as a 3D film - since the 3D process used here required a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, parts of the film that were drawn before the producers moved to 3D are severely cropped at the top and bottom to fit that ratio, rather than actually being re-animated in the "scope" ratio. Definitely a project done on a tight budget, it's mostly interesting as relatively early, flawed work from companies that are now some of Korea's more prominent animation studios - most of the film was done there, and a Korean company holds the copyright to the film. I'm not sure the degree to which Filmation was involved, or why they're not mentioned in the credits, but they did have something to do with it IIRC. Also notable for being thoroughly politically incorrect in true '80s style, with heroes smoking and sexy robots getting spanked.

I'd love to see this someday. Filmation didn't animate the film though. They couldn't do anything this good in a thousand years.

As the above poster said, I believe the actual animation was done in Korea. Perhaps Filmation had some sort of consulting role.

According to the end credits, the copyright holder is Young Soong International-- IMDB lists four other production partners including Filmation, who I'm guessing handled the voices and music. Going by their names, the animation team was primarily stateside talent working out of Seoul.

Anyone else seen the 3D version? There was an alternating-field release in Japan, on the obsolete VHD format. The 3D is quite good, and much subtler than its live-action contemporaries.

And yeah, that business of reprogramming the girl robot through a panel in her butt? Unsettling.

Heh, I see Michael Winslow is in the cast. Must play a robot.

I have this DVD and it's fun. Not sure how I missed it way back when.

I think it only played in a handful of theaters.

Just recorded and watched this off HDNet Movies. What a bizarre little movie. Definitely a Star Wars ripoff but still some interesting stuff in it.

Definitely some CG going on in calculating the geometry of some of the ships as they were flying. And the character animation of the humans was kind of crazy always just kind of waving their hands or making weird faces (or just not maintaining a consistent internal skeleton for them).

Anyway, don't know how much more it'll be on HDNet Movies but it seems like it was at least an interesting movie to see. Perhaps the most because of some weird relationship between this female robot and imitation Han Solo. At one point he removes the metal butt plate on her ass (against her will) and starts probing her to make her more docile. The whole scene is amazingly creepy.

Yes a terribly shameless Star Wars knockoff with some awesome non-pc moments, I have to say tho I actually really enjoy this little film (I certainly enjoy it a lot more than the prequels).

For an animated flick that's essentially a cobbled pastiche of other scifi properties this actually works quite well in my opinion. I'm almost surprised someone hasn't bought the rights for a live action remake considering the current environment in Hollywood.

I recorded it onto a VHS tape from cable (back when we did that sort of thing) and watched it several times. I remember quite liking it back then, although I'd be a little afraid to see it now.

I own it on dvd Greg, it's pleasantly surprising how watchable it's remained.

I may have to check it out again. When I try to remember it, parts of it become intertwined with my memories of Titan AE, which by the way, I don't think is nearly as bad as it was made out to be. But that's a different thread.

Sweet Jesus, you read my mind. I think I'll go start a Titan A.E. thread right now...

Picked the DVD up a while back during one of Deepdiscounts sales and watched it for the first time about a year ago with my brother. We both enjoy animated movies from the 80's so we definitely got a kick out of it and I'm glad to have it in my collection. One things for sure, they don't make it like this anymore which is part of the charm.

Plenty of todays teens and twenty-somethings that appreciate overly familiar sci-fi and 80's animation should definitely track this down. It's a helluva lot more worth watching than a film of its kind has any right to be. Honestly, I said it above, but if the prequels were half as fun as this they'd have been a shitload more watchable.

 

Since my younger days, I've always enjoyed watching this as a double with Bakshis Fire & Ice personally - derivative 80's animated fantasy goes very well with derivative 80's animated sci-fi.

After my folks got divorced back in the early '80s, my dad would pick my brother and up on the weekends, and there was a VIDEO STORE, like, two doors down from his law firm -- he'd always pick out movies we'd like (and I bunch I never would've even tried myself, were it not for him). Starchaser was one I had him rent at least two or three times, as I recall, and then it later got taped on The Movie Channel a few years later.

 

Dad, I miss you.

I was another kid who rented this on a regular basis back in the 80s. I didn't see it again for a long time, but revisited it a few years back and found that while it was a little creaky in places it actually still held my attention and entertained me (which very few childhood favourite kid's films tend to do). And yeah - the fact that it hugely rips off Star Wars and a few other things totally flew over my head as a kid.