Uchû kôkyôshi Mater: Ginga tetsudô Three-Nine gaiden

Despite having similar plot points, this turns out to be a prequel to the 1979 movie "Galaxy Express 999". Surprisingly, although computer animation was used to assist, this series actually displays a lower level of detail. The CGI works okay for the ships, however.Something that this series does offer that is sparse in the original 999 film is the interaction between Emeraldas and Maetel. These scenes are great to watch and really help fill in the details that aren't shown in the feature film. Animation for the classic characters is also nicely done, and helps add to the back-story.Pacing is pretty good, action scenes are nicely done, and characters are handled well (although Nazca is a bit abrasive up until near the end of the series). Again though, this series doesn't have the weight or sadness of the 1979 film. For those wishing to get into this series, it's recommended that viewers first watch some of the Captain Harlock episodes, then see the 1979 Galaxy Express 999 film, followed by this series. That way things will make more sense.