is a manga series written and illustrated by Leiji Matsumoto. An adaptation of Wilhelm Richard Wagner epic music drama Der Ring des Nibelungen, it tells the story of space pirate Captain Harlock and his crew as they try to stop a man who has stolen gold from the center of the galaxy and forged it into a powerful ring. It was adapted into a six-part original video animation series titled . Overview of the manga The Harlock Saga manga, like many of Leiji Matsumoto's works, remains unfinished. Eight volumes were published (both in Japanese by Shinchosha and in French by Kana Press), with the last two of a planned three available online in English. The first series, Rheingold (2 volumes), was the basis for the Harlock Saga OVA series. Walküre (3 volumes) is the second of a two-part story dealing largely with the events surrounding the epic voyage and subsequent death of Great Harlock, Captain Harlock's father, in 2964 AD. The story begins immediately after the events depicted in Rheingold. Wotan, lord of the gods of Valhalla, is furious over Captain Harlock's earlier appearance in Valhalla and his insolence toward himself as lord of the gods. Wotan does not care that Harlock has just gotten through saving Valhalla (and Wotan's hide); he wishes the whole affair had never happened. To that end he orders his daughter Brunhilde and her cohorts, the legendary Valkyries, on a journey back through time with orders to kill Harlock while he is still a youth. In order to accomplish her mission Brunhilde must cross swords with Great Harlock, the father of the boy she has been sent back in time to kill. The both of them must also deal with the Metanoids (who make their first appearance here in a Matsumoto story), who have designs of their own for the universe that do not take into account the gods of Valhalla. Caught up in this storm of events are four singular young people. First is young Harlock (or "Little Harlock" as his father calls him), a teenager who has a great destiny ahead of him but must first live long enough to achieve it. Second is young Tochiro Oyama, young Harlock's best friend and the spitting image of his famous father Dr. Oyama in looks, personality, and intelligence. Third is young Emeraldas, who along with her younger sister Maetel have chanced upon an ancient starship