Locke the Superman


Locke the Superman is a Japanese manga series created by Yuki Hijiri, which was later adapted into a movie and three OVA releases. The movie was given an obscure video release in the United States by Celebrity Home Entertainment as Locke the Superpower, which was rather heavily edited to 92 minutes, removing violence, nudity and any adult bits. Both it and the OVAs were later licensed and released by Central Park Media under the original name. Ten volumes were published in Poland under the title Locke Superczłowiek. In Australia and the UK the movie and the Lord Leon OVAs were licensed by Manga Entertainment for release in 1997, but both were quietly dropped from the release schedule due to financial issues facing the UK branch.
As of 2012, Discotek has licensed the original Locke the Superman film from 1984 and it was released on November 6. This is the first ever DVD release in the U.S. It was from the uncut, remastered, anamorphic telecine print used for the Japanese DVD release. Discotek provided both the Japanese audio with English subtitles and the original English dub from the 80s, which was previously released on VHS.
In November 2020, the original Locke the Superman film from 1984 was released on Blu-ray by Sentai Filmworks.

Plot

The chronicles of the space age written through a certain immortal psionic's activity.

Characters

Main characters

;Locke
;Liza/Eliza

The Christian era

2000s

; 王志明
;Captain Tatjana Klochkov
;Kate Ronwall

The Universal era

The first year

;Irina Markelov/Malkove
;Dr. Kent Ronwall

The Allies of the Solar System age

;Machiko Grace
;Pederson
;Lemus
;Julius Flay
;Governor Santos
;Elaine Bernstein
;Colonel Viktor von Stroheim
;Alfred Klaus
;Wilhelm Katō

The Galaxy Federation age

;Erika
;Wallenstein
;Lianna Migault
;2nd Lt. Marian Lluis
;Amazona
;The Duke of Zenon Noor
;Wolff
;Eric G. Russell
;Lady Kahn
;Ryū Yamaki
;Jessica Olin/Amelia
;Cornelia Prim
;Lugh
;Ken Yamaki and Haruna Yamaki
;"The Twilight Warrior"
;Haruki Fujishima
;Albert Carian
;Lord Leon
;Flora Lane
;"Great Jorg"
;Doc
;Elena/Neon
;Azalea Ratwick
;Ran Svendsen
;Nia
;Eno
;"Tsar"
;Cassandra Al Hassan, commonly called Cass
;Stanislav Berkoff, commonly called Stan
;Ernest Abel
;Ariel Grant
;Gürnberg
;Clau Roni
;Serga Roni
;Riot Alexey
;Captain Francis, "The Holy Spirit" Fran
;Rag Yahato
;Lema
;Kumi Nielsen
;Domenico Ruska
;Professor Riger
;Auguste Lloyd
;Nagato
;Octavias
;Nana
; Ku, Nii-Go, Nii-Hachi, San-Ichi
;Teo Fabi
;Adele
;Soi
;Rosanna

Publication and conception

Yuki Hijiri published this manga series in a dojinshi published by Sakuga Group for the first time in 1967. He went to the commercial magazine, Monthly OUT by Minori Shobō, in 1978. It then appeared in Weekly Shōnen Gahōsha's Shōnen King from 1979 to 1988, when the magazine ceased publication. Thereafter the manga changed magazines many times.
Most chapters are equivalent to one or two volumes of the comics. The era of each chapter varies and the events do not occur in chronological order. The series "Detective Hunt and Assistant Locke" was originally a part of the series' main continuity. However, it became gradually inconsistent in a number of places, eventually resulting in being retconned as taking place in a parallel universe.

Media

Manga

The original manga series was released from 1967 to 1971. The Polish manga company Waneko licensed and published the manga series from 1999 to 2001 by under the title Locke Superczłowiek. Parts 1-8 were published as single volumes, while the last two volumes were published as double volumes. It was one of the first Japanese comics published in Poland.

SG series

Released by SG Planning.
  1. Nimbus and the Negative World
  2. Give Love in This Universe
  3. Child of Junan
  4. Cosmic Game
  5. 'Liza'''''

SG remake

Released by SG Planning.
  1. 'New World Command'''''

[Shōnen Gahōsha] series

Serialized in Shōnen King.
  1. Tiger of the Flames
  2. Millennium of the Witch
  3. Lord Leon
  4. Storm in Ronwall
  5. Planet in the Winter
  6. Cyber Genocide
  7. Sword of Light
  8. Outer Planet
  9. The Star and The Boy
  10. Star Gazer
  11. The Twilight Warrior
  12. Ship of Fools, Mind Buster
  13. Battlefield in Empty Space - Part 1
  14. Battlefield in Empty Space - Part 2
  15. Moon Hunter
  16. Wandering - Part 1
  17. Wandering - Part 2
  18. The Chronos Trap
  19. Permanent Traveler
  20. Primula
  21. The Magician's Mirror
  22. Song of the Earth
  23. Lost Wings
  24. Chartreuse
  25. Astro Race
  26. The Death of the Superman - Part 1
  27. The Death of the Superman - Part 2
  28. Dark Lion
  29. Golden Fang
  30. Red Serpent
  31. Keeper of the Book
  32. Final Quest
  33. King of the Darkness
  34. Desperado
  35. Evil Deity's Advent
  36. Prince of the Phantom
  37. Child Prodigy
  38. 'Solitaire'''''

[Media Factory] series

Serialized in Monthly OUT, Monthly Megu, and Comic Flapper.
  1. Tears of the Saint — Part 1
  2. Tears of the Saint — Part 2
  3. Tears of the Saint — Part 3
  4. Mirror Ring — Part 1
  5. Mirror Ring — Part 2
  6. Brain Shrinker
  7. The Sword of Nemesis — Part 1
  8. The Sword of Nemesis — Part 2
  9. The Sword of Nemesis — Part 3
  10. The Moon of Clanvert
  11. We're Always Prepared to Take Your Cat Out For A Walk.
  12. Wizard in the Sky
  13. Menuett
  14. Kadett
  15. The Gate of the Constellation
  16. Omega — Part 1
  17. Omega — Part 2
  18. Omega — Part 3
  19. Eternal Pupil — Part 1
  20. Eternal Pupil — Part 2
  21. Eternal Pupil — Part 3
  22. Lonely Princess
  23. Knight in the Wilderness
  24. Epitaph — Part 1
  25. Epitaph — Part 2
  26. Epitaph — Part 3
  27. Epitaph — Part 4
  28. Sneering Man — Part 1
  29. Sneering Man — Part 2
  30. Sneering Man — Part 3
  31. Sneering Man — Part 4
  32. Holly Circle — Part 1
  33. Holly Circle — Part 2
  34. Holly Circle — Part 3
  35. Children of the Time – Part 1
  36. Children of the Time – Part 2
  37. Children of the Time – Part 3
  38. Dragon Blood – Part 1
  39. Dragon Blood – Part 2
  40. Dragon Blood – Part 3
  41. Dragon Blood – Part 4
  42. Fang of Gaia – Part 1
  43. Fang of Gaia – Part 2
  44. Fang of Gaia – Part 3
  45. 'Longing'''''

Shōnen Gahōsha revival series

Serialized in Young King OURs.
  1. Rainbow in the Winter — Part 1
  2. Rainbow in the Winter — Part 2
  3. Rainbow in the Winter — Part 3
  4. Rainbow in the Winter — Part 4
  5. Liza
  6. Quadra — Part 1
  7. Quadra — Part 2
  8. The Frozen Constellation — Part 1
  9. The Frozen Constellation — Part 2
  10. The Frozen Constellation — Part 3
  11. Nirvana — Part 1
  12. Nirvana — Part 2
  13. Nirvana — Part 3
  14. Nirvana — Part 4
  15. Winds Embraces — Part 1
  16. Winds Embraces — Part 2
  17. Winds Embraces — Part 3
  18. Winds Embraces — Part 4
  19. Winds Embraces — Part 5
  20. Winds Embraces — Part 6
  21. Winds Embraces — Part 7
  22. La Fleur – Part 1
  23. La Fleur – Part 2
  24. La Fleur – Part 3
  25. La Fleur – Part 4
  26. Mirror Cage – Part 1
  27. Mirror Cage – Part 2
  28. Mirror Cage – Part 3
  29. Mirror Cage – Part 4
  30. 'Mirror Cage – Part 5'''''

Anime

Film

The first film, Witch Era, was released on March 11, 1984, and shown together with Future Boy Conan: The Big Giant Robot's Resurrection compilation film. The 119-minute film was produced by Nippon Animation, distributed by Shochiku, and directed by Hiroshi Fukutomi. The screenplay was written by Atsushi Yamatoya, the animation director was Susumu Shiraume, and the music was composed by Gorō Awami. The title is also sometimes translated as Millennium of the Witch.
;Cast

OVAs

Lord Leon
Lord Leon was a three-part OAV released from October 25 to December 16, 1989. The animation was produced by Nippon Animation, distributed by Bandai Visual, and directed by Noboru Ishiguro. The script was written by Takeshi Hirota, the animation director was Masahiro Sekino, and the music was composed by Keiju Ishikawa.
The opening theme, "Try to Believe", had lyrics by Machiko Ryū and vocals by Toshiya Igarashi. The ending theme, "Distant Aurora", was composed by Kisaburō Suzuki, arranged by Eiji Kawamura, and performed by Yukiko Nagao and Cotton Time.
;Cast
New World Command was a two-part OAV, with part one released on August 22, 1991, and part two released on October 24, 1991. The animation was produced by Nippon Animation, distributed by Bandai Visual, and directed and written by Takeshi Hirota. The animation director was Atsushi Shigeta, and the music was composed by Tomoki Hasegawa. The theme song, "Elana", had was composed by Tetsuji Hayashi, arranged by Hasegawa, and was performed by Sayuri Saitō.
;Cast
Mirror Ring was an OAV released on December 22, 2000. The animation was produced by Sido Limited, distributed by Biblos, and directed by Yūsaku Saotome. The script was written by Katsuhiko Koide, the character designs were by Junichi Hayama, and the animation director was Yūji Moriyama. The theme song, "Lost World", was performed by Chikako Sawada.
;Cast

Novel and other publications

A novel, Witch Era, written by Tomoko Konparu and illustrated by Yuki Hijiri, was released on March 15, 1984, by Shōnen Gahōsha through their SF Romantic Novel imprint. It is a novelization of the film of the same name.
A card came was published through Epoch Co. in 1984. A PC cassette game for the MSX/X1/PC-8800 was released by Pony.

Reception

The first film, Witch Era, received mixed reviews. Silver Emulsion called the film "not terrible...or bad" and criticized a "lack of connection" with the main character.
New World Command was criticized for being "far less appealing to the average eye than the movie".