Der Ring des Nibelungen

Der Ring des Nibelungen is a manga by Leiji Matsumoto using the opera by Richard Wagner as a motif. An OVA called Harlock Saga: Der Ring des Nibelungen was released as an adaptation.

Overview
Matsumoto had envisioned to create a manga version of Wagner's opera of the same name using Captain Harlock and his crew as the main cast. The series was originally published in Shinchosha but the magazine was discontinued with only mentions in a few used car ads. It was later continued through Web Magazine Web Shincho until both the third and fourth parts of the manga were discontinued.

Plot and Sections
The series is separated into four parts, each corresponding with the four parts of the original Der Ring des Nibelungen.

Part 1: Das Rheingold
A ring with the power to dominate the entire universe was crafted for the leader of the Nibelungen, Alberich from the materials of the planet Das Rheingold. Alberich's golden ring was then given over to Valhalla's leader Wotan. All of this is being told to Captain Harlock and Tochiro Oyama by Miime, Alberich's younger sister. Harlock with the help of his crew and extended friends including Emeraldas and Maetel work together to stop Alberich's ambitions in order to save the lives in the universe.

Part 2: Valkyrie
Wotan with the power to transcend time and space through Alberich's ring sends his daughter Brunhilde and the nine Valkyrie sisters to kill Harlock and Tochiro for their involvement in Das Rheingold in spite of saving their home. In the year 2964, Earth had been defeated in the war against the Metanoids bringing in a Dark Era. Great Harlock and Dr. Oyama get their families off Earth using the Death Shadow. On the planet Metabloody, all parties come upon each other with Brunhilde sharing a drink with the Metanoid knight Helmazaria. On this planet the younger Harlock and Tochiro meet with the sisters Emeraldas and Maetel on the 999. Emeraldas also comes across the ship that would share her name.

Part 3: Siegfried
In this Great Harlock based tale, Great Harlock controls the Death Shadow as the only thing standing between the Metanoids and their goal of conquering the universe. Brunhilde the Valkyrie shield maiden has defected from her fathers plan of killing Great Harlock's son and joins the Space Pirate in his battle telling him of a treasure that can turn the tide of the war while being prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Part 4: Götterdämmerung
With the death of Great Harlock, a decade passes with Captain Harlock on the Arcadia. Miime has told him everything about what lead to his father's death. Furious, Harlock prepares for battle with Emeraldas to challenge Wotan and Valhalla's hold over the universe. Wotan's actions to change Harlock's past had caused Twilight of Gods, an event that could mean the end of Valhalla. But what could be the end for some is the beginning for others.