Synopsis

Gene Starwind is an outlaw who has dreams of going into space. He and partner Jim Hawking run Starwind and Hawking Enterprises, a small-time business where they offer to do any job, if the price is right. When Gene and Jim accept a job as a bodyguard for a suspicious client and find a sleeping girl locked in a storage capsule, they have no idea of the adventure that they are about to embark on.

Review

The story of Outlaw Star takes place in a setting where most of the planets have long been colonized and power is shared among three powers, the Space Forces, the pirates, and the outlaws. The pirates are avaricious treasure hunters who are led by a very well-organized guild of magic users. The space forces keep order as they see fit, and the outlaws are portrayed as the honest adventure seekers.

Although the overall story of Outlaw Star is only average, the series does a good job of emphasizing subplots and withholding key details in order to keep the show interesting and suspenseful. The main storyline really only comes into play during the last third of the series, although there are always elements of it present. Filler episodes are nominal, and the ones included are entertaining at least.

A slew of colorful characters (literally and figuratively) populate the world of Outlaw Star, and while some are relatively shallow, they all contribute something to the show. The characters are unique in that all of them undergo a significant change of some sort during their journey.

Gene is one of the most enjoyable male protagonists I?ve experienced in an anime. Smooth, confident, brash, and sarcastic, he has far more personality than your average leading male. It also helps that Gene is actually older than 14 and doesn?t suffer from major self-esteem issues. Despite Gene?s cockiness and apparent shallowness, he is actually a rather profound character and has several weaknesses, as evidenced by his ironic fear of space travel. This subconscious fear was caused by some experiences in his past that he must overcome in order to achieve his dream of space travel.

Jim is not especially interesting, but he does a good job of filling the sidekick role and providing occasional humor. His maturity level and very adult-like sense of responsibility provide an interesting contrast to Gene?s and his apathetic nature and vagabond lifestyle.

The bevy of female crewmembers that join Jim and Gene on their adventure helps to round out the cast by providing a variety of personalities, ranging from meek and mild to raging inferno.

The setting of the series is an eclectic mix of sci-fi and magical elements which I found rather intriguing. Although not entirely original, the theme was consistent and felt very natural, not forced or contrived. The backgrounds, weapons, costumes, and ships all had interesting details and a unique style, though I did not find the ?grappler-ship? theme all that clever or appealing.
Action is a strong-point of this series, and it is relatively frequent without being frantic. The fight sequences are well-choreographed and smooth and have a manga-like feel. There aren?t many static frames or short-cuts; it all looks fluid and high-quality.

The animation and art direction in general is high-quality, showing more care and attention to detail than most series. The overall atmosphere definitely gives the illusion of a fully-conceived world. There is no obvious use of CG, which gives the series a hand-drawn feel.

The audio is very solid. The voiceovers are well-done, conveying emotion convincingly and expressing the characters? personalities. The music is nothing special, but the up-tempo tracks accentuate the action and work well with the overall theme. The intro tune is fairly catchy, but the closing theme seems strangely out of place.

Conclusion

Having watched this series a couple times over the years, I feel that it has some definite long-term appeal. The characters are enjoyable, the action is well-done, and there is enough humor and suspense to keep you entertained throughout. The character, environment, and ship designs provide an added bonus to watch. Although not particularly poignant or emotional, it is one of the most enjoyable and memorable shows I?ve watched, and has something to offer to a variety of different audiences.

-Review by Reptile (21 Jun, 2006)

Audio:	Good voiceover work and energetic soundtrack
Video:	Smooth, detailed animation
Plot:	Interesting theme with unexpected twists
Style:	Great imaginative style blends technology & magic
Characters:	Vivid cast with great personalities
Violence:	Moderate but not graphic
Language:	Mild
Nudity:	Moderate (some innuendo)
Genre:	Scifi
Episodes:	26
Rating:	4.0 of 5
Share

You must login to submit a comment.