25 years ago this underrated space western premiered on Toonami

Sci-fi and anime fans were well fed in the 1990s. FROM Trigun and Ghost in the Shell on Neon Genesis Evangelion and Cowboy Bebopviewers had plenty to choose from and these series have remained popular to this day. The latter in particular is often found to be the best space western anime ever made, and has also ended up on countless “Greatest Anime of All Time” lists. Its jazzy soundtrack, memorable characters and expert blend of suspense and well-timed comedy Cowboy Bebop on the map, but one other series in the medium managed to quickly become a cult classic after appearing on Toonami in the early 2000s: Outlaw Star.

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Although its influence was overshadowed in the decades following its broadcast on Western television, Outlaw Star's addition to the Toonami lineup on January 15, 2001 marked a major moment for the anime block and introduced eager viewers to something completely fresh and fun. Sci-fi antics replaced Superman: The Animated Series in the lineup and aired alongside heavy hitters like Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moonand Ronin warriorscementing it forever in the minds of young people who remember running home from school to binge on the daily anime.

While its impact on the medium is a far cry from those other masterpieces, Outlaw Star it remains a curious piece of anime history and a fun piece of media, packed with gun-toting action, spicy romance, plenty of goofy gags, and epic One piece– like a treasure hunt. Its consistent use of bright colors and memorable character designs continue to inspire, and the fast pace of the first few episodes makes for easy immersion for the long haul. However, once it reached the West, much of its depth and charm was unfortunately lost.

Outlaw Star was a unique addition to the Toonami lineup when it debuted on January 15, 2001, but a lot of content was removed

In the world Outlaw Starthe human race has discovered a way to travel faster than the speed of light via spaceships, thanks to the discovery of a mysterious material on Earth. While the ability to travel through space is a wonderful thing, human beings tend towards chaos and violence, and space has quickly been taken over by assassins, pirates, and outlaws, making it difficult for normal, peaceful people to travel outside of our planet. Protagonist Gene Starwind and his sidekick Jim run a normal business, but suddenly find themselves in possession of a powerful spaceship called the Outlaw Star, which can be used to find the “Galactic Leyline”, a legendary place full of treasure, knowledge and untold power. Of course, they are not the only ones looking for it, and danger is around every corner.

Many machines in Outlaw Star to the seasoned anime fan, he may seem familiar with legendary mecha artist Shoji Kawamori (Macross, Gundam) designing some of the series' vehicles and the titular spaceship itself. Moreover, although his music may not be as high-profile as Yoko Kanno's Cowboy Bebop soundtrack, the jams in this oft-forgotten sci-fi series were surprisingly composed by Kow Otani, who provided the music for the legendary action-adventure. Shadow of the Colossus. Those who just remember Outlaw Star will probably still vaguely remember its bombastic theme song, which packed a serious punch with both its sound and slick 90s visuals.

Censorship was commonplace for many anime series that appeared on Toonami, but Outlaw Starin particular, it saw heavy editing throughout its 26-episode run. Many instances of nudity and more raunchy scenes were changed or removed, profanity was replaced with more child-friendly language, and violent scenes were greatly reduced, all of which changed the overall feel of the space opera. Episode 23, which followed the crew of the Outlaw Star as they traveled to a hot springs planet, was cut entirely and did not air on Western television until 2018, when the series aired in Adult Swim's late-night programming block.

Outlaw Star was overshadowed by Cowboy Bebop, but set itself apart from other entries in the genre

While Outlaw Star contained many of the clichéd elements of a typical space western and was released during a more saturated era of the genre, its characters have stood the test of time. The crew is anything but ordinary, and Gene, despite being the captain, has a crippling fear of space, making every adventure that much more tense. Aisha Clan-Clan is of the Ctarl-Ctarl race and boasts feline features and super strength, while Melfina is a bio-android found tucked away in a suitcase and Suzuka is a ninja-assassin in a kimono. It's no surprise that this bizarre mix of personalities and backgrounds came about Outlaw Star popular with overseas audiences as individuality and freedom seemed to be at the forefront of the series' creation.

7 Underrated Space Western Anime

Space Western's are a subgenre in anime that has barely been touched, yet these series show why there should be more of the genre.

Soon after the anime series aired, many eagle-eyed viewers began making comparisons to the legendary 2002 live-action space western series. Fireflywhich was created by Joss Whedon. The two have some bizarre similarities, as many have pointed out Fireflycharacter River Tam and Outlaw StarMelfina has almost identical stories and revelations. The ships in both shows also look similar, and there are a few other suspicious details that have led many to claim that Whedon ripped off Outlaw Star in the creation of his masterpiece. The filmmaker denied the claims, saying the inspiration came after reading it The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. Still, the rumors persist. Needless to say, Firefly fans looking for something to watch shouldn't miss this piece of anime history.

While the space opera genre isn't as popular these days, some recent series have inspired new fans to go back and watch some of the seminal releases of the late 90s. 2014 Knights of Sidonia follows Nagate Tanikaze, who must become a space pilot to defend the last human settlement from a hostile alien species. Those looking for a dose of steampunk in their space western should look no further Appare-Ranman or Gun X Swordwhich are now streaming on Crunchyroll.