Used in the series for attacking and boarding ships, the arms on many ships in Outlaw Star help to develop a sense of physicality for the pilots during intense space-fighting scenes. But an interesting addition to many ships in the series are robotic arms, often referred to as ‘Grappler’ arms.
But then again, in the vacuum of space it stands to reason that you don’t always need the most aerodynamic design. While some are sleek and jet-like, many of the ships in Outlaw Star have a more bulbous shape and while stylish, don’t seem like the most aerodynamic crafts. One of the ways that Outlaw Star stands out is in the design of the various spaceships. The series’ style and setup makes it feel very similar to that of Cowboy Bebop, and the two have been compared to each other in the past. The series follows Gene and his crew as they search for the fabled Galactic Leyline and uncover the secret past of Melfina, a bio-android designed to directly interface with the Outlaw Star. Through a run-in with an Outlaw named ‘Hot Ice’ Hilda, Gene winds up the pilot of the spaceship XGP15A-II, later renamed to the titular Outlaw Star. The show follows the adventures of Gene Starwind, a gun for hire that runs a scrap shop with 11-year-old Jim Hawkings on the somewhat podunk planet of Sentinel III. Excepting a cringing Fan Service episode and some pretentious opening narrations, this is a colourful and entertaining Anime Space Opera though the early death of Hilda is regrettable, being doubtless the price of her having more charisma than the male lead.Ī spin-off series was the 13-episode Angel Links ( 1999), also based on a Takehiko Itō manga, about a non-profit pirate-battling security company run by teenager Meifon Li.In the age-old conflict of what is cooler: an outlaw, an astronaut, or a pirate? Outlaw Stardared to say ‘What about a combination of all of those?’ Outlaw Star was originally a manga series that ran between 19, but North American fans will most likely remember the anime adaptation more, as the manga was never translated to English. Melfina is a little passive, but is balanced by Suzuka's combativeness whilst Aisha's volatility makes her the most enjoyable character. Jim, atypically for a young male sidekick, is almost likable – mainly because his sniping is justly directed at Gene's overconfidence and habitual avoidance of preparation. The characterization offers few surprises (see Clichés), but usually does not annoy. Gene chooses Melfina and defeats the baddies. We learn that Melfina is the key to an ancient civilization's Library of science and Technology: "a machine god" which can grant any wish. Eventually, the Outlaw Star's crew, senior pirate Hazanko (Kato) and the McDougal Brothers – the last accompanied by knowledge-hungry Professor Gwen Khan (Aono) – enter the Leyline. There are many adventures on the way, including a variable- Gravity Prison: the main buildings are at 3g, the punishment block at 10g. Finding it, along with Malfina's destiny and vengeance on the McDougal Brothers, are the show's main story arcs. Hilda wanted the ship to locate the Galactic Leyline, for which Aisha is also searching but like Gene she has no idea what it is. The crew – which includes Gilliam II (Hashi), the ship's well-spoken AI – are bolstered by ninja assassin "Twilight" Suzuka (Yamauchi) and a disgraced young officer from the Ctarl-Ctarl Empire, the anthropomorphized cat Alien, Aisha Clan Clan (Miyamura), who can turn into a musclebound werecat providing there is a moon nearby.
Hilda sacrifices herself so her companions can escape Gene renames the XGP15A-II the Outlaw Star in her honour. Their pursuers include the McDougal Brothers, Ron (Nakata) and Harry (Kashiwakura), the pirates who killed Gene's father. The four then go to recover the XGP15A-II, an advanced Spaceship previously stolen from the pirates by Hilda: Melfina is its navigator (a job which, perhaps inevitably, requires her to be naked).
#GENE STARWIND NAKED ANDROID#
Despite pirate interference they succeed: inside is a young Android woman, Melfina (Kawasumi). On a backwater planet, twenty-year-old Gene Starwind (Shibuya) and his eleven-year-old assistant, Computer wizard Jim Hawkin (Matsumoto), are hired by the outlaw "Hot-Ice" Hilda (Fujitato) to help acquire a container. The human race colonized the Stars, with three dominant agencies arising, the Space Force (representing the authorities), Pirates, and rugged individualists called Outlaws. Long ago, the discovery of Dragonite crystal in a meteorite led to the invention of the Münchausen Drive (see Rudolf Erich Raspe), which enabled Faster Than Light travel.
Voice cast includes Takeshi Aono, Toshiko Fujita, Takaya Hashi, Tsutomu Kashiwakura, Seizo Kato, Ayako Kawasumi, Rica Matsumoto, Yuko Miyamura, Kazuhiro Nakata, Shigeru Shibuya and Sayuri Yamauchi.