Back in the pinnacle of the 1990s, consumers couldn’t get enough of science fiction media, and anime was no exception to this ongoing trend. Although many would point to obvious Outlaw Star.

Outlaw Star was a sci-fi fantasy space opera, originally written by Takehiko Ito and published by Shueisha in 1996. Two years later, the short series was adapted into anime by the studio Sunrise and backed by producers Crunchyroll, BI:, and Anime Limited, airing a total of 26 episodes detailing the story of Gene Starwind and how him along with his fellow cohorts got wrapped up in a much larger conspiracy surrounding a legendary ship run by an android, mysterious treasure, and the many organizations that are set up to thwart Gene at every turn, trying to beat him to it.

Outlaw Star Released at the Greatest Time for Space Galaxy Adventures

Yet it’s Largely Forgotten to This Day Among Other Sci-Fi Anime

Outlaw Star set a special kind of precedent for adventures in space, just a few years before the prolific Cowboy Bebop and the more comedic Space Dandy. The classic anime style from the 90s falls in line with some of the most popular titles at the time with its sharp contrasting colors that helped the characters stand out in a rich environment of painted backgrounds depicting citylife, the vast beauty of a rich and vibrant starscape, and the diverse worlds Gene and his crew travel to in their journey to find the Galactic Leyline.

One of the fascinating parts about Outlaw Star is that the story follows another popular yet underrated movie that didn’t debut until 2002, Treasure Planet by Walt Disney Pictures. The two share a lot of similarities with a protagonist interested in embarking into space, and yet each has their individual reasons for their motivations. Through unforeseen circumstances, they come across a niche artifact that gives them the opportunity to set out in search of a treasure that is sought by outlaws and pirates alike. Both didn’t get much acclaim upon debut, but upon reflection, they deserve much more recognition.

The anime heralds a lot of the unique characteristics of its time with its rustic color palette, flashy animation during the most action-packed moments, and a punchy soundtrack. Outlaw Star had all of the makings to become an anime that stood out in the 90s, but tragically, it’s been largely forgotten decades after its initial release.

Outlaw Star Didn’t Get Nearly as Much Attention as it Deserves

After Hits Like Star Wars, Anime Was Oversaturated With Galactic Stories

By all means, Outlaw Star couldn’t have released at a more perfect time after the excitement of the Star Wars trilogy led to an increase in demand for more films and shows taking place in space. Yet it’s still mentioned nearly as much as other classics from around its time, such as Black Cat, Trigun, and other similar space operas that would come to follow only just a few years down the line. The sole attention should have highlighted the anime in a way that would bring it incredible notoriety.

Outlaw Star is still a remarkable trophy of its era, showcasing all that’s beloved from the 90s.

While Outlaw Star had a really good formula between its mix of sci-fi and fantasy, fans agree that the narrative was often lost between the hijinks and comedic elements that served as filler rather than driving the plot forward. The anime had a great diverse cast that were unique in their own way between spacephobic Gene, who still carried all the overbearing confidence of Star-Lord, Hilda the outlaw who was written off far too soon, Melfina and her mysterious origins and connections the leyline, and Jim Hawkings who serves as an homage to Treasure Island.

The series could have done more with each of the crew’s storylines rather than explain a bulk of it within the first few starting minutes of the episode. Perhaps if it were longer or directed its episodes to focus on fleshing out the characters between their search for the treasure, Outlaw Star could have had a much more grounded fanbase that still speaks of it to this day. Nevertheless, the anime is still a remarkable trophy of its era, showcasing all that’s beloved from the 90s while remaining an equally elusive prize as the Galactic Leylines.