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Daft Punk’s 2003 Anime Film Is in Theaters Today – Those Who Were There Recall Its Creation: ‘It Was Magical, For Real’

'Interstella 5555' is screening today in 40 countries. Daft Punk's former manager Pedro Winter and label head Emanuel de Buretel recall its making.

Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo conceived of the idea for the project, which tells the story of an evil music industry tycoon who kidnaps and brainwashes an alien rock group, transforms them into cookie cutter pop stars, brings them back to Earth and weasels them to the top of the charts. They needed the sound as a skeleton.” Once they had the script, they had to get Matsumoto onboard, knowing the artist – whose manga series Space Pirate Captain Harlock had been turned into an animated show the Daft Punk members watched as kids – might get their vision. “While on a promo trip in Japan they met with Leiji Matsumoto, the legendary creator of the Space Pirate Captain Harlock anime to discuss their project with him,” says Emmanuel de Buretel, the founder of Because Music and former head of Virgin Records who signed Daft Punk to the latter label.

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