What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedSpace Pirate Captain Harlock
Shinji Aramaki · Film · 2013
If you loved Space Pirate Captain Harlock, start with Space Pirate Captain Harlock (Leiji Matsumoto, 1978) — a series from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Space Pirate Captain Harlock across media.
You crave the way Space Pirate Captain Harlock turns the vast, indifferent cold of space into a stage for individual rebellion.
Start with the source
The source
Space Pirate Captain Harlock
Leiji Matsumoto · Series · 1978
Books on the same thread
Ender's Game
Orson Scott Card · Book · 2013
Explores: Child Soldiers, Alien Invasion, Moral Ambiguity.
If the moral ambiguity and heavy stakes of Space Pirate Captain Harlock resonated with you, you will find the same crushing burden of command in this desperate war for survival.
銀河英雄伝説 (Legend of the Galactic Heroes)
Yoshiki Tanaka · Book · 1982
Shares a thread with Space Pirate Captain Harlock: Space Opera.
This epic mirrors the grand scale of Space Pirate Captain Harlock, replacing isolated piracy with sweeping political intrigue and the complex philosophy of leadership in a fracturing galaxy.
Weapons of the Metabaron
Alejandro Jodorowsky · Book · 2013
Shares a thread with Space Pirate Captain Harlock: Space Opera.
Like the nihilistic cosmic scope of Space Pirate Captain Harlock, this story follows a singular, legendary figure navigating the corruption of the universe with a sense of fated destruction.
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Hayao Miyazaki · Book · 2004
Shares a thread with Space Pirate Captain Harlock: Environmentalism.
The environmental desperation driving Space Pirate Captain Harlock is central here, as a lone leader fights to preserve the natural world against the crushing weight of human conflict.
Series on the same thread
Cowboy Bebop
Series · 1998
Shares 2 threads with Space Pirate Captain Harlock: Existentialism, Cyberpunk.
You will recognize the weary, existential outlook of Space Pirate Captain Harlock in the lives of these bounty hunters, who operate on the fringes of a broken, uninhabitable solar system.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Rafał Jaki · Series · 2022
Explores: Cybernetic augmentation, Dystopian society, Mercenary life.
This captures the gritty, dystopian essence of Space Pirate Captain Harlock, focusing on an outlaw who struggles to maintain his humanity while fighting against a corrupt, tech-obsessed society.
Arcane
Christian Linke · Series · 2021
Explores: Sisterhood, Dystopian Society, Technological Advancement vs. Social Decay.
The clashing convictions and social decay found in Space Pirate Captain Harlock are mirrored in this tale of two sisters caught on opposite sides of a brutal, technological war.
Psycho-Pass
Series · 2012
Shares a thread with Space Pirate Captain Harlock: Cyberpunk.
If the dystopian critique in Space Pirate Captain Harlock hooked you, you will appreciate this look at a society that uses ruthless technology to enforce a rigid, cold morality.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Orphans
The Light and Tragic Company · Podcast · 2025
This audio drama captures the same isolation and raw survival instincts seen in Space Pirate Captain Harlock, forcing characters to confront the haunting cost of life in space.
Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
Dan Carlin · Podcast · 2026
Explores: civilizational collapse, human nature, moral ambiguity.
The historical analysis here provides the real-world foundation for the themes of civilizational collapse and moral ambiguity that define the struggle of Space Pirate Captain Harlock.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Space Pirate Captain Harlock (2013) a direct remake of the 1978 television series?
The 2013 Space Pirate Captain Harlock movie is not a direct remake of the 1978 television series. While both versions feature the same protagonist and his crew defending Earth from invaders, the 2013 film presents a standalone narrative within the established universe of the original source material.
What order should I watch Space Pirate Captain Harlock in?
You can watch the 2013 Space Pirate Captain Harlock movie independently of other entries. Because it functions as a distinct cinematic adaptation, it does not require prior knowledge of the 1978 television series to follow the conflict between the crew and the space invaders seeking to conquer Earth.
How long is the 2013 Space Pirate Captain Harlock movie?
The 2013 Space Pirate Captain Harlock movie has a runtime of approximately 115 minutes. This feature-length adaptation focuses on the titular captain and his crew as they engage in a high-stakes battle to protect the planet Earth from space invaders.
Is the 2013 Space Pirate Captain Harlock movie related to the 1978 television series?
Yes, both the 2013 Space Pirate Captain Harlock movie and the 1978 television series share the same core premise. They both center on the character of Captain Harlock and his crew as they fight against space invaders who are attempting to conquer the planet Earth.