Gun Frontier is a 1972 manga by Leiji Matsumoto. It introduces Tochiro Oyama, best friend to Matsumoto's classic hero, Captain Harlock, who is in turn depicted as a gunslinger in the Old West. In sharp contrast to other Matsumoto's stories, Gun Frontier is a comedy adventure rather than a space opera. Also, unlike other Harlock stories, in Gun Frontier, Harlock is depicted as Tochiro's sidekick. It is a harsh and barren wasteland, where the weak aren't allowed to dream. It is also a sacred land for true men, for there is no place a man can feel more alive. This is the Gun Frontier. Sea Pirate Captain Harlock and the errant samurai, Tochiro arrive in the United States on the Western Frontier. Along with a mysterious woman they meet along the way, the two friends challenge sex rings, bandits, and corrupt sheriff. They are searching for a lost clan of Japanese immigrants, and they will tear Gun Frontier from end to end until they find it. Since the original manga, there has been a novel and a 2002 anime adaption of the series.
Characters
Tochiro Oyama Franklin Harlock Jr. Sinunora Shizuku Darkmeister is the leader of the "organization" that guides the world. He desires Tochiro and all the other Japanese immigrants so that he can force them into slavery. He wants to use their superior knowledge of metalcraft to create unparalleled weapons to use in war to overthrow the American government. His face is never shown, but he is revealed to have incredibly long fingernails. It is also believed that he wears a mask of some kind.
Printing history
In 1975, the original manga series was compiled into three volumes. In 1988, the manga was reprinted and which Leiji Matsumoto added more content into. In 1999, Leiji Matsumoto published his first novel, Gun Frontier II. The novel was published by Daiwa Shobo and it was told in a non-erotic way compared to the original manga. The novel is now out of print.
Anime
In 2002, an anime adaptation of the original series aired on AT-X. The opening theme song is called "Style" by Grand Zero, while the ending theme song is called "Ame to Sanbika" by Umeno Yoshizawa. It started being streamed in the US on Hulu in Fall 2009. In Latin America, it aired through Animax, beginning July 5, 2006. The title was translated to Frontera sin ley, except in Brazil where the original title was kept.
