SCAN SPORT – The son of Charden, creator of the famous cartoon credits, has revealed that the space privateer owes its French name to a formidable left pillar of RC Toulon then of Stade Niçois, Jean-Claude Ballatore.
Harlock is an orphan. Its creator, Leiji Matsumoto, a big name in manga, died on February 13 at the age of 85. On social networks, the son of Stone and Charden revealed the incredible story of the name of the most famous space corsair.
«We are in 1978 and my father is in the ranks to write the credits of a Japanese cartoon called Captain Harlock, he says. He already has the music in mind, the one you may know, and starts writing the text. He hums “Captain Harlock” over the chorus tune, but it doesn’t suit him. He finds the diction of the words too choppy.»
Éric Charden then starts looking for a name that would be easier to pronounce. “At that time, my father was a friend of a manager of the Stade Niçois where a renowned player played, Jean-Claude Ballatore“, continues his son, also an author and melodist.
Read alsoCaptain Harlock: Memoirs of Arcadia, a brilliant tribute to the space privateer
Jean-Claude Ballatore is then a left pillar renowned for his toughness in the French rugby championship. Finalist in the French Championship with Toulon in 1971, he was then one of the half-dozen players (including André Herrero) kicked out of the RCT and finding refuge in Nice. where he remained for more than twenty years. First as a player then, from 1979 and a ruptured Achilles tendon, as a coach. He will also lead the Nice club to the Parc des Princes in 1983 in the final against Béziers (14-6 defeat). Before, in 1991, to take the sporting direction of RC Toulon, crowned champion of France the following year.
«My father met Jean-Claude Ballatore and was impressed by his physique, his power»
«My father had the opportunity to meet him and was impressed by his physique, his powerreveals Baptiste Charden. Ballatore, Harlock… In my father’s author’s mind, it’s good! He tries on the music and it’s sold. Out of nowhere, the name Albator was born. He will still have to convince French production that the Japanese name Harlock sounds less good than Albator, to the ears of the French…»
«Harlock, Harlock. From the bottom of the golden night…The credits song, composed by Éric Charden and Didier Barbelivien and performed by Jean-Pierre Savelli, will rock generations. And still trots in many heads. Without anyone knowing the rugby origin of the surname. “It is very likely that Jean-Claude Ballatore himself still does not know today that he is the main inspiration for the name of the famous Space Corsair“, concludes Baptiste Charden. It is now done.