ULYSSES 31 TEST PILOT CHAPTER 1

In 1980, Telecom Animation, TMS Entertainment, and DiC Entertainment produced a pilot for the series, simply titled Ulysses 31. The pilot was released on VHS in Japan along with a couple of episodes by King Records in 1986. The pilot was only recorded in Japanese.

The story is virtually identical to episode one of the finished series, however the story was the only thing that was kept. Although all the characters were kept, some underwent major redesigns from a typical anime design to the one seen in the finished series, which is a mix of Japanese anime style and European art based on the appearance of classical Greek sculpture.

Renowned Japanese illustrators and animators Shingo Araki and Michi Himeno, who have worked in anime adaptations of famous manga, (e.g., Masami Kurumada's Saint Seiya, Fuuma no Kojirou and Ring ni Kakero, Riyoko Ikeda's Versailles no Bara, UFO Grendizer OVA) were responsible for the finished series' character designs, animation routines and visual style.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• ULYSSES
• 31

[Mesterius1]

Could you possibly add English subtitles to this?

[burlearth]

@Mesterius1 I could...if I spoke Japanese.

[aeryalmusic]

Woaw!

[theblazingangel]

I'm glad they completely changed Telemachus' looks. The blond one in the finished version is sexy. This one ain't. LOL.

[jone4s]

mostly it looks gruesome, compared with the finished series.. but telemach's hover-vehicle looks better here i find.. it looks more simple, but more elegant, interesting and believable... the rest not so xD, i'm glad they developed this destinctive style later.. i always thougt it was inspired by franco belgian comics, rather than greek statues.. but well...

[VampiyanKidsSubs]

@burlearth I actually have a translated fansub of this. It's just... unfinished. I'll probably upload it, even though it's not finished.

[blogodisea]

Telemaco looks a lot to Hayao Miyazaki productions. I think the worst design is Ulysses, that Tina Turner hairstyle is not good XD.

Thanks a lot for uploading this, it's very curious, we must respect this pilot like a jewel of peculiarity.

[burlearth]

Remove the url gaps and look at the DVD section of this site for the proof:

simonin . pagesperso-orange . fr/Ulysse31/

[burlearth]

Have you read the title? This was made before the series otherwise it wouldn't be a TEST PILOT -not for broadcast- by the Jap animators to show the French the style they were going for and ask what changes they would like. The French Ulysse 31 boxset has a booklet which states THIS PILOT was made before the series -there wouldn't be much point in making this 'test' after the series- and has the original character design sheets. CG has been since the mid-70's, some of it was reused in the series.

[scollaybaws]

@burlearth This ain't the first version. the original Ulysses 31 was on before C.G animation like this was invented. i used to watch it about 20ish years ago.

[Mesterius1]

Yeaahhh... I guess that's what I expected to hear;) Same with me. Would be great if someone speaking Japanese could do it, though.