Outlaw Star
| Outlaw Star | |
| File:Outlaw star logo.jpg | |
| Genre | Space Western |
|---|---|
| Manga | |
| Written by | Takehiko Ito |
| Published by |  Shueisha |
| Anime | |
| Directed by | Mitsuru Hongo |
| Studio | Sunrise |
Outlaw Star (星方武侠アウトロースター, Seihō Bukyō Autorō Sutā, translated as Starward Warrior Knight Outlaw Star) is a manga and anime series created by Takehiko Ito.
The series takes place in the distant future, 150 years after the development as a spacecraft capable to travel faster than the speed of light. Outlaw Star follows the outlaw Gene Starwind and his 11-year old business associate Jim Hawking. Together they run a small jack-of-all-trades business on the backwater planet Sentinel III. After the two take a job as bodyguards for a mysterious outlaw, they find themselves the owners of the XGP15A-II, a highly advanced prototype spacecraft, and the caretakers of a bio-android named Melfina. Through the course of the series, the crew grows to include the assassin "Twilight" Suzuka and Aisha Clan Clan, a Ctarl-Ctarl.
The English language version of the anime series is produced by Bandai Entertainment and ZRO Limit Productions. An edited version of the television series aired on Cartoon Network's Toonami from January 15, 2001 to February 16, 2001.
Characters
- Gene Starwind: Main character and pilot of the Outlaw Star.
- James "Jim" Hawking: Gene's eleven year old friend and the engineer on the Outlaw Star.
- Melfina: The navigator on the Outlaw Star.
- Aisha Clanclan: A Ctarl-Ctarl that joins the Outlaw Star in order to find the Galactic Leyline.
- "Twilight" Suzuka: An assassin that joins the Outlaw Star in order to exact revenge on the Kei Pirates.
The entrancing song that is heard at the end of the credits with the futuristic backgrounds (reminiscent of American '50s, '60s, and '70s Science Fiction book covers) and innocent young girls is sung by Akino Aria.
- The Outlaw Star
The XGP15A-II, or Outlaw Star, is as its on board AI Gilliam II insists, "the fastest, most advanced ship in the galaxy." It was constructed by the Kei space pirate guild using connections with the Space Forces military. Powered by four plasma fusion Unsen engines and a powerful Münchhausen reactor for use with its "sub-ether" faster-than-light drive. In addition, it is a "grappler ship," a spaceship with manipulator arms modified for combat purposes. It is designed so that the Bio-Android Melfina, who was created by the scientist Gwen Khan, can link up with and control the navigational systems. This was intended for the sole purpose of navigating the Galactic Leyline.
It was originally stolen by Hilda and hidden in an asteroid by the star Farfallas. She later came back with Gene, Jim, and Melfina. However the Kei Pirates placed a Tao spell on her ship, Horus, and tracked them there. During the battle the MacDougall Brothers, who were secretly hired by the Space Forces to destroy all traces of their partnership with the Kei Pirates, arrived. In the end Gene, Jim, and Melfina escaped with the ship. Gene decided to name the XGP the "Outlaw Star", possibly in memory of Hilda. More could have been revealed unfortunately there were three extra seasons that were never edited into an english version of the show. These lost episodes remain to be discovered as Japanese versions.
Setting
Alien Races
- Terrans - Also known as humans. Terran is the term used by many space creatures to refer to humans. Gene, Jim, Fred and many others in the series are Terran. Referred to as "Commons" in the Japanese version. Terran comes from the Latin word, "Terra", meaning Earth.
- Ctarl-Ctarl - A cat-like race, Aisha Clanclan is a Ctarl-Ctarl. The Ctarl-Ctarl have amazing hearing and strength, as well as an ability to turn into a large, vicious beast. The Ctarl-Ctarl are a vast empire that, after many battles with Humans, have established trade treaties and are now on neutral terms. The Frontier - the area of space where most of the story takes place - lies in between the Ctarl-Ctarl Empire and the Terran Federation, and was established as a buffer zone after numerous battles between the two species. Its position is said to be 50 light years away from earth.
- Silgrians - A peaceful race in the Outlaw Star universe which resemble anthropomorphized birds. Physically they are usually at least 180 cm (6ft) tall, and have necks that can make a 180 degree rotation or can turn their head completely upward. Their eyes also have two lids. It is often complained that the Silgrians are 'too friendly' with human races.
- Corbanites - An industrious race of frog-like amphibians. Their natural habitat is in the water, so Corbanites wear environment suits that maintain an aquatic environment to their liking. With their technological advancement, most Corbanites fit their enviro-suits with translators that turn their native Corbonese into the local language.
- Sith - An insectoid race that are so alien to the other humanoid races that any manner of relationship with them is all but impossible.
- Lorgans - A secretive and distrusting people, the Lorgans are not mentioned much in the series. They apparently have such a strained relationship with the Terrans that the two races just avoid one another.
- Saurians - A bio-engineered race of reptiles created by Terrans by combining different strains of dinosaur DNA. Saurians are tall, powerful, imposing creatures with the intelligence and cunning of any Terran combined with the strength and viciousness of their great lizard ancestors. Duuz, who only debuted in Ep.19.
- Tenrei Aliens - Small, furry, rabbit like creatures that are only seen in the video introducing Tenrei. When the three wizards arrived on their planet, the pleasant little creatures welcomed them with open arms. They introduced them to the hot springs that held rejuvenating powers. This was their downfall. A seductive female wizard named Urt began opening more hot springs and also bringing in heavy construction equipment to start building hotels and the like. In the rapid expansion of humans across Tenrei, the small aliens were lost and are now presumed extinct.
Planets and space stations
- Sentinel III - A level 4 terraformed world. It is as Gene puts it, "A planet out in the middle of nowhere." It is the home of Gene and Jim. Primarily an agricultural exporter, two urban areas are mentioned in the series: Locust (Gene and Jim's hometown) and Hugo. The only known space port is the New Virginia Spaceport outside Locust.
- Blue Heaven - An asteroid colony, and a free town unaffiliated with any interplanetary state or any of the dominant pirate guilds. Its neutral status make it a popular stopover and resupply center for outlaws. Blue Heaven is only seen at the beginning of the series and the last episode. Mikey and Swanzo work as mechanics at Blue Heaven.
- Heifong III (also spelled Heiphon) - Where the majority of the planet-parts of the series takes place. It is one of the planets in the Heifong system, such as the water planet Heifong 7. It is a very expensive place to live (and port a ship).
- Symka 5 - A satellite station where Jim first met Hanmyo. These stations seem to have artificial gravity though the means by which it is simulated is unclear.
- Tenrei - A pleasure planet that is covered in hot springs. A long time ago, three wizards came to this paradise of nature attempting to resurrect the mana, the energy of nature. Instead, one of them happened upon the hot springs and turned the entire planet into her own interstellar vacation spot. The wizards are the creators of Caster bullets.
- Toward Star Inn - A spaceport where Gene tries to collect the bounty of legendary criminal Zomba. However, it turns out that the man Gene takes down as Zomba is a fake android with a much lower bounty. Suzuka collects the bounty by killing the real Zomba.
- Hecatonchires (from the mythical Greek figures, the Hecatonchires) - The planet where Gene, under the name Curse Hawkwind, is forced to travel to in order to free Saiyo Wong. It is a planet with wildly fluctuating gravity. The Gehenna prison is in a location of 3 Gs while its punishment facility at the north pole is 10.4 Gs. Until Gene shows up there has never been a successful breakout. However, since one of the prisoners had information about the Galactic Leyline, Gene risked an escape, using a monopole to break free from the prison.
Galactic Leyline
The Galactic Leyline is a location shrouded in myth fueled by rumors and superstition. Popular claims say that it is a holder of immense treasure of valuable metals or minerals, possibly the very rare material dragonite.
However to those who possess deeper information about the Galactic Leyline, it is actually known to be a 'universal library' created by an advanced but now-extinct race that possessed an unsurpassed knowledge of science, technology, and reality. Drawing upon Feng Shui, the word leyline means "a place where Chi collects." By manipulating the Chi lines (the timelines, referring to the idea that time is linear and branching, instead of looping and singular) of the universe, the Galactic Leyline has the ability to manipulate time, reality and causality, or fate, as if it were a physical law. Using the knowledge and power of the Leyline, one's wishes and desires can be granted. In simpler terms, the Galactic Leyline can be thought of as a "machine god" because of its advanced knowledge and understanding of the universe.
The Leyline Project, a joint effort between the Space Forces and Pirate Guild to locate the Galactic Leyline and access its power, was founded long before the story begins using secret information found in the ruins of the Grave of the Dragon. The Space Forces, for reasons described deeper into the series, later backed out from the project leaving the Pirates to continue with the research. The result of their efforts was the creation of the fastest and most advanced ship in the galaxy, the XGP15A-II and its navigator the bio-android named Melfina. Melfina was designed to function as a highly sophisticated navigational system and act as a medium to tap into the Leyline's power. The Galactic Leyline recognizes Melfina as "the Maiden of the Leyline" and grants 'wishes' only through her.
The Galactic Leyline itself takes the form of a large gaseous planet consisting of thick clouds and strong vortices that serve as protective barriers for the Leyline within. Only one guided by the Maiden in the XGP (or a ship nearly similar in speed and capabilities) can pass through this barrier via small wormholes created by the vortices of the planet. Entrance through any other means results in death or insanity from a brain-splitting screeching that only seems to affect organic creatures. Hazanko, the main villain, also gains entrance to the inner Leyline by means of powerful Taoist rituals that force the clouds to part.
Once through the outer atmosphere of the Leyline, ships enter a planet-sized cylindrical structure and are transported to an entirely different location with breathable air and normal gravity. This bizarre setting consists of landscapes of large crystal formations and strange foliage. The landscapes surround a mountain, on top of which is the door to the Leyline, which can only be accessed by Melfina. Once inside, Melfina and those with her are transported to the core of the Galactic Leyline (a large color-shifting sphere echoes in a booming feminine voice "Why dost thou return?," "What is thy desire?," and "There is but one path.") where the physical embodiment of the Leyline lurks. The Leyline's physical form resembles a serpentine cactus made out of wood, with Melfina's face. After granting the wishes of those with Melfina, the Leyline relocates itself to a random point in the universe to be found again.