Outlaw Star
Outlaw Star | |
星方武侠アウトロースター (Seihō Bukyō Autorō Sutā) | |
---|---|
Genre | |
Created by | Hajime Yatate, Takehiko Itō |
Manga | |
Written by | Takehiko Itō |
Published by | Shueisha |
Magazine | Ultra Jump |
Demographic | Seinen |
Original run | September 20, 1996 – May 20, 1999 |
Volumes | 3 |
Anime television series | |
Directed by | Sunrise |
Licensed by | |
Original network | TV Tokyo |
English network | |
Original run | January 8, 1998 – June 25, 1998 |
Episodes | 26 |
Light novel | |
Outlaw Star Ginga no Ryuu Myaku Hen | |
Written by | Tiba Katsuhiko |
Illustrated by | Saitou Takuya |
Published by | Shueisha |
Imprint | Super Dash Bunko |
Demographic | Male |
Original run | October 1998 – February 1999 |
Volumes | 2 |
Light novel | |
Unkai no El Dorado Seihō Bukyō Outlaw Star | |
Written by | Miho Sakai |
Illustrated by | Saitou Takuya |
Published by | Shueisha |
Imprint | Super Dash Bunko |
Demographic | Male |
Published | July 14, 2000 |
Volumes | 1 |
Spin-off | |
Outlaw Star (星方武侠アウトロースター, Seihō Bukyō Autorō Sutā, lit. "Starward Warrior Knight Outlaw Star") is a Japanese
Outlaw Star was originally serialized in the monthly
Critical reception for Outlaw Star has been mostly positive. Many reviewers praised the anime series, particularly its animation style and its balance of dramatic and comedic elements. However, some found fault with the show's pacing, believing that the storyline quality begins to wane after the first few episodes. Sunrise produced a spin-off television series titled Angel Links (星方天使エンジェルリンクス, Seihō Tenshi Enjeru Rinkusu, lit. "Starward Angels Angel Links"), which aired in Japan in 1999. Preliminary plans were made to create a direct sequel in the form of a single-episode (OVA) called Sword of Wind, but production never began.
Plot
Outlaw Star is a space opera/space Western set in the fictional "Towards Stars Era" (到星歴, Tōseireki) universe.[4][5][6][7] During its past, an asteroid containing a material known as "dragonite" crashed in the fictional Arashon desert of northern China. Scientists found that the dragonite contained properties related to "ether", an energy source that would allow spacecraft to travel faster than the speed of light, and thus traverse large distances of the universe in a short time.[6] As new colonies were formed throughout the vast reaches of outer space, pirates, assassins, and outlaws began to threaten humanity's new frontier. To create order, the Earth Federation established four empires: USSA, Einhorn, Piotr, and Tenpa.[4] However, internal power struggles within the factions and conflicts amongst one another become abundant, leading to inevitable lawlessness. The storyline starts shortly after an infamous outlaw named "Hot Ice" Hilda flees from the Kei Pirates, a branch of the Tin'Pa. Hilda has stolen from them a highly-advanced prototype ship dubbed the XGP15A-II and a suitcase containing a bio-android called Melfina, the only being capable of interfacing with the ship.[4]
Outlaw Star opens on the backwater planet Sentinel III, on which the protagonist
The Outlaw Star
Production
Outlaw Star was created by Morning Star Studio.
The animated television series of Outlaw Star was produced by Sunrise and directed by
Media
Manga
Outlaw Star was serialized in Japan's monthly
Anime
The 26-episode anime adaptation of Outlaw Star began broadcasting in Japan on TV Tokyo from January 8, 1998, and ended on June 25, 1998, though the broadcast began on January 9, as it was in a 1:15 A.M. time slot.[17] The series was licensed by Bandai Entertainment. The English version was produced by ZRO Limit Productions and was aired on the evening Toonami block beginning on January 15, 2001
and ended on February 21, 2001.
Bandai released the first 13 episodes of Outlaw Star on
On March 16, 2017, Funimation announced[56] that Outlaw Star would be released in North America in both standard and Collector's Editions on June 13, 2017. Each edition includes a DVD and Blu-ray copy of the series, while the Collector's Edition comes in a metallic chipboard artbox designed after the XGP-15A2 and includes a 100-page artbook. Following Funimation's acquisition of the series, it aired again on Cartoon Network as part of Adult Swim on the Toonami programming block starting on August 20, 2017, and concluding on March 18, 2018. Due to its late night broadcast on Adult Swim, the anime was aired with fewer edits and included the U.S. television premiere of episode 23.[57]
CDs
The opening theme and the two closing themes of Outlaw Star were published in Japan in 1998 as CD singles by
Light novels
A series of light novels based on Outlaw Star has been released in Japan by Shueisha under its Super Dash Bunko label. Outlaw Star Ginga no Ryū Myaku Hen (OUTLAW STAR 銀河の龍脈編, lit. "Outlaw Star: Chapter of the Galactic Dragon Vein"), was written by Katsuhiko Tiba (千葉 克彦 Chiba Katsuhiko), illustrated by Takuya Saitou (斎藤 卓也 Saitō Takuya), and released in two volumes on October 1998 and February 1999. The two books are an adaptation of the anime series, retelling the early events that trigger Gene and company's search for the Galactic Leyline.[64][65] Another light novel, Unkai no El Dorado Seihō Bukyō Outlaw Star (雲海のエルドラド 星方武侠アウトロースター, lit. "El Dorado Covered With Clouds: Starward Warrior Knight Outlaw Star"), was written by Miho Sakai, illustrated by Takuya Saitou, and released as a single volume on July 14, 2000. The novel features an original plot involving the Outlaw Star crew pursuing a serial killer named Billy McAglen in a mining town called El Dorado.[66]
Other merchandise
A hardcover guidebook titled Muhōmono no Kioku – Seihō Bukyō Outlaw Star (無法者の記録―星方武侠アウトロースター, lit. "Outlaw Record – Starward Warrior Knight Outlaw Star") was published by
Reception
Critical reception for Outlaw Star has been favorable. Eric Luce, Ivevei Upatkoon, and Michael Poirier of EX.org all gave similarly positive reviews for the Japanese manga, Japanese anime, and English anime versions of Outlaw Star respectively.
Critical reception for the plot of Outlaw Star has been mixed. Churosh found that though the series features many clichés of 1990's science fiction anime, Outlaw Star manages to transcend them as well. "Maybe it doesn't go anywhere that other series haven't already been", the reviewer stated. "But boy, does it have a damn good time getting there."[74] Upatkoon observed that the plot "[takes] off with a bang at the beginning" and then begins to drag.[71] Keith Dawe of Animerica also noted this about the anime's pacing, stating that even as the first few episodes do well to begin the narrative, the show's writers rely too heavily on inertia to advance it. He went on to remark that the series suffers from "unfocused scripting" and that "one has to endure the occasional cheesy episode to reap the rewards of a show that is clever, pragmatic and amusing". However, Dawe did regard the English script writing and voice acting, and called the over-the-top introductory narration for each episode a reminder that the show should be enjoyed for what it was.[4] Owens commented that the plot will not seem very original, but that it does seem to have direction, despite said direction not being very clear.[73]
Outlaw Star has received very modest commercial success and miscellaneous viewer recognition. The initial shipment of the manga's first volume sold out nationwide in Japan.
Legacy
In 1999, Sunrise produced a spin-off television series titled Angel Links (星方天使エンジェルリンクス, Seihō Tenshi Enjeru Rinkusu, lit. "Angels of the Stars: Angel Links"). Outlaw Star and Angel Links take place in the same universe; characters from both series appeared in an episode of Outlaw Star, but the two have little else in relation.[85][86] Morning Star Studio also drafted a proposed sequel to Outlaw Star in the form of a single-episode OVA special titled Outlaw Star 2: Sword of Wind on its official website with character designs and a plot outline.[87][88] Set three years after the events of Outlaw Star, it was to continue the adventures of Gene Starwind in his new starship named "Sword of Wind". Due to the lack of the franchise's popularity in Japan and the busy schedule of animation director Mitsuru Hongo, no production date was set.[76][89] In October 2001, Takehiko Itō commented that his team only had static, preliminary plans for the sequel series and that they could perhaps continue the manga series in the future.[89]
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Release schedule * OUTLAWSTAR COMICS USA Var.
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External links
- Outlaw Star at Ultra Jump (in Japanese)
- Outlaw Star at Sunrise Studios (in Japanese)
- Outlaw Star (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
- Outlaw Star at IMDb