Bodacious Space Pirates: Abyss of Hyperspace

This is a 2014 theatrical-feature spin-off of a popular book/manga/cartoon franchise, more literally known in Japan as Miniskirt Space Pirates. Although the film sports lavish animation, viewers who are not already familiar with the background are in for a stormy voyage, as a veritable navy of characters are introduced with no quarter given to newbies watching. Heroine Marika is a high-schooler of the far future who has inherited a space pirate ship, the Bentenmaru. Although too young to fully go out privateering, Marika still gets to take the vessel for spins on do-gooder missions with a number of piratical old family allies (one, a frightful-looking but friendly Terminator-esque cyborg). And this leads them to stumble across a fugitive boy with a parrot-shaped transforming robot and a mysterious legacy from his lost scientist-father (think treasure map) that promises a valuable secret at the “bottom” of hyperspace (it's a conceit that hyperspace here is a fluid medium, complete with water pressure). Frantic, furious, and confusing, this toss-off would be of interest only to banner-waving fans of the franchise. Available in separate DVD and Blu-ray editions, rated TV-14, and presented in Japanese with English subtitles, this is optional, at best. (C. Cassady)