Outlaw Star

On the planet Sentinel III, Gene Starwind and his young partner Jim Hawking run the creatively titled “Starwind and Hawking Enterprises”, a small business that handles any job that comes their way, from machinery repair to bounty hunting. But whilst Jim is more concerned with the practical, day-to-day concerns of their operation, Gene dreams of getting out into space and making a name for himself as an outlaw.

As luck would have it, Gene soon gets a taste of the adventure he craves after taking on a job as a bodyguard for a woman named Rachel. Naturally, not everything about this job is as it seems, and in short order Gene finds himself caught up in a series of events that results in him taking command of the state-of-the-art spaceship the Outlaw Star and its bio-android navigator Melfina. Now, Starwind and Hawking Enterprises must work even harder to clear their ever mounting debts, stay one step ahead of the vicious Kei pirates and begin a search for clues about Melfina’s past and her connection to the mysterious Galactic Leyline.

When it comes to straightforward, adrenaline-fuelled sci-fi adventure, you can’t go far wrong with Outlaw Star. Set in a universe where futuristic technology exists side by side with arcane and powerful magic, there’s rarely a dull moment from the first time we meet Gene and Jim to the conclusion of their adventures. From fast-paced and intense spaceship battles to one-on-one duels, the series is never short on the action, brought to life by the detailed animation and excellent soundtrack.

That being said, Outlaw Star isn’t just about flashy spaceship battles and disconnected adventures- events are tied into an ongoing storyline which often sees even the most throwaway of lines from one episode gaining significance later on. This is very much a coming of age story for flawed but likeable hero Gene, as he goes from being a rookie who can barely keep his supper down every time he goes into space, to a more seasoned outlaw- without ever losing his optimism or sense of humour along the way.

Like any 26 episode series, you can expect to see some filler along the way, and it is a tribute to Outlaw Star’s mature and tongue-in-cheek sense of humour that even the weakest of episodes makes for an entertaining half-hour. The series also manages to fit in the occasional more tender or poignant moment, a welcome contrast that rounds out the emotional range on offer.

Sadly, enjoyable as the series is, it’s a ride that ends all too soon. Fortunately, no major plot threads are left unresolved, but as the series comes to a close there’s a definite feeling of having only scratched the surface with regards to what this universe has to offer. The same can also be said for character development- a cast that includes a shapeshifting catgirl, a deadly assassin and a psychotic cyborg (to name but a few) easily makes the grade for being described as both eclectic and interesting, but with the focus so firmly on Gene, the other characters spend all too little time in the spotlight.

In Summary

If not the deepest or most original of series, Outlaw Star nonetheless delivers a solid helping of sci-fi adventure. With its mix of fast paced action, humour and a likeable cast of characters, this is one series that should remind you just why you got into anime in the first place.