Outlaw Star | Retcon_404 (Anime Retrospective)

[@th4tguyukn04]

Man. Those Toonami promos always hit hard. “See you starside…”

[@c146w]

Amen, Toonami was really something special back then and those Peter Cullen voiced promos as well as their music videos composed of clips of shows including Outlaw Star still have a small rent-free space in my head even more than two decades later now (born '89 so would have been about . Pretty sure the Gundam Wing promo will be part of what flashes in front of my eyes when I die.

[@Grnvolpe]

The one titles "Broken Promise" is my favorite. A boy has a right to dream. It gives me shivers

[@GerardoSantana]

Facts. Outlaw star had some of the best ones

[@CantankerousDave]

The translator here: Factoid 1: Toonami wouldn't let us use the word "kill," which is unfortunate when one of your main characters is an assassin. Factoid 1a: I also wasn't allowed to use the word "ennui" in one of the previews "because it's not English." Factoid 2: In case the ending credit homages to classic sci-fi pulp magazine covers weren't a clue, a lot of elements were lifted from E. E. Smith's "Skylark" series, as well as one guy who has an actual Lens on his wrist.

[@KamikazeSP06]

Whoa whoa. Like THE translator. Full respect my guy?🙌🏽🙌🏽

[@vhsmemories504]

Aisha clanclan awakened something in me as a kid.

[@justinjacobs1501]

The cat girl awakening is strong with this one

[@Gaia_Gaistar]

Was Hilda for me. RIP Cyclops.

[@Kendalon]

Aisha and Faye Valentine, Ultimate Waifus

[@MrDarksol]

She seriously awoke in something in me by the time I became an adult and talking with my friend made me realize do I like Aisha...... And then I looked up who voiced her in english and then I balanced the positives with the negatives and yep I like strong cat women now.

[@speedytypermananswers5551]

khajiit has no words for you

[@kingkiba29]

The fact that Jim never finds out that he unalived someone he was falling for, stuck with me for decades. One of the saddest stories told for me in anime.😢

[@c146w]

As a 6th or 7th grader and Jim then being my favorite character to boot, that hit me real hard in my adolescent feels.

[@TheOutlawedStarr]

Was my favourite episode

[@jailcatjones3250]

Same! The way he cheered after winning then heading back in hopes of meeting her was heart breaking

[@justsomeguywithsunglasses8418]

We are adults. You can say the word "killed."

[@Zanarthis]

At least amongst my friends, possibly among the wider anime fanbase, Outlaw Star, Cowboy Bebop, and Trigun made up "The Three Great Space-Westerns" of the 90's. Truly peak entertainment. A veritable Golden Age. I miss it dearly...

[@srntnjl523]

You're not the only ones, for sure. These 3 are classics.

[@griffinharp1106]

I wish we got more space anime now too

[@Jetsetradio]

"A boy has the right to dream. There are endless possibilities stretched out before him. What awaits him down the path, he will then have to choose. The boy doesn’t always know. At some point, the boy then becomes an adult and learns what he was able to become. Joy and sadness forever will accompany this. He is confronted with the choice. When this happens, does he bid his past farewell in his heart? Once a boy becomes an adult, he can no longer go back to being a boy. The boy is now a man. Only one thing can be said: A boy has the right to dream, for those endless possibilities are stretched out before him. We must remember; All men were once boys." That quote is etched onto my very being.

[@danielramsey6141]

“What does thy desire?” I swear, that “Dream” segment Toonami really had me introspecting into my own self. Sometimes it’s you, just as much as when people saw that Zoom Focus from Space of Earth past Pluto. Our World isn’t the center of the universe. Maybe we are truly alone. And yet, we aren’t. We have to keep pushing, keep going. To live. We have to make purpose, in order to find it.

[@CantankerousDave]

You're welcome. I wrote it (the translation, anyway).

[@c146w]

@@CantankerousDave uh more info please? Are you saying you worked on the translation/localization of the show when it was brough over to the US?

[@CantankerousDave]

@@c146w Yup. I had a lot of shows on Toonami/Adult Swim -- this, The Big O, Ghost in the Shell, Wolf's Rain, Witch Hunter Robin, etc. I was actually given a choice between working on this or on Cowboy Bebop - the same dub studio did both. Bebop has had way more cultural impact -- and is actually remembered -- but I'll always have a soft spot in my vintage sci-fi loving heart for Outlaw Star. edit: Checked a list of AS titles. I forgot Samurai Champloo and Moribito. On TechTV/G4's "Anime Unleashed" block, I see Geneshaft, Last Exile, and Lain.

[@TheArtisticwarrior]

@@CantankerousDave Thank you for your work! It really helped me grow. I really loved this anime and Wolfs rain!

[@Mr.Smiley_J]

During English class, one of my classmates, Yucef, used Melfina's song as his original poetry reading. The class was all stunned by its beauty and the teacher congratulated the kid on his writing skills, while me and my anime buddy stared at each other in disbelief. "Way to go Mel!" we cheered as he went back to his seat. He looked embarrassed, but didn't fess up. Lol.

[@BigaloMax]

31:00 Fun fact Rons Caster design is actually based of off a Buddhist religious artifact known as a Shakujo

[@williamcase426]

Oh yeah. One of my childhood favorites. There's no way Joss Whedon wasn't taking notes for Firefly from this, despite denying it.

[@paulstamm3955]

When one scene from the first episode was perfectly lifted from Outlaw star, it’s hard for him to argue

[@Mr.Smiley_J]

That was the main reason I didn't watch Firefly. My buddy told me it's just live action Outlaw Star without being Outlaw Star and no Aisha. Pass.

[@williamcase426]

@Mr.Smiley_J Nah, it's different enough that it's worth a watch and if you like one you'll probably like the other.

[@bro-brolostinthought81]

Melfinas song lives rent free in my head love this series 🤌🏾

[@broodo1]

Cowboy Bebop, Outlaw Star, & Trigun The Holy Trinity of Anime Space Westerns 🔥🔥🔥

[@andrewowens4421]

I always loved Outlaw Star and I glad you did a retrospective on it. Honestly, the next one you should do should be Vandread. That's another of my favorite Space Operas.

[@datharo5]

I rarely watch anime more than once or twice and this was one of the ones that I've watched several times... Thank you, toonami blocks! I appreciate you doing outlaw Star justice. It's a great series that didn't get the same popularity simply because of when it was released. Like how Gundam X was in direct competition with shows like Evangelion Neon Genesis, so it doesn't get much love.

[@LongTran-kp3kz]

Outlaw Star was pretty awesome. Hell, even my Gen X dad liked it. He really liked Aysha actually.

[@scottsetzke7967]

We all do

[@twelfthknight]

Gene's Caster is one of the most underrated weapons in SF/Fantasy. Not only is it just cool in and of itself, but the variety of effects for each of its magic shells makes for a whole lowkey magic-system. It's one of the many reasons I wish we got more from the Outlaw Star universe.

[@TheHKZero]

We technically did but it's super poorly recieved.... If you want more Angel Links does exists.

[@twelfthknight]

@@TheHKZero Oh, Angel Links? It's been a long while, I think I tried it and dropped it fairly quickly. That's a shame.

[@1337penguinman]

I like to think of it as a sci-fi version of D&D scrolls.

[@marocat4749]

@@1337penguinman kind of, as gun

[@driftingswordsmanzer]

Joss Wheaton took inspiration from Outlaw Star with FireFly and Serenity. I remember watching OS as a kid and then FF/Serenity years later seeing river come out of that box just like melfina did. Same ship too just a different color. Both worlds are inspired with Asian cultures. Both main leads are expert gunman, also…SPACE! Fantastic series, both are.

[@marocat4749]

Ha ha ha, definitly, and i do like the adam baldwin catgirl. And not to diss on firefly, but yes he did for sure. Even straight up scenes.

[@KamikazeSP06]

Outlaw Star is still one of my favorites of all time. It’s in my Top 5. I’ve rewatched about 6-7x and it still holds up IMHO. One thing etched into my memories was the soundtrack. The 1st ending song “Hiro no Tsuki” I played to the end every time. It was so… somber. With the beautiful paintings scrolling thru. And then that opening song!!!! 💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽 I do think it got overshadowed by Cowboy Bebop. But this show I always preferred more.

[@mykierobbins9489]

Outlaw star was my first anime in the 90s. My sister had just been born, and my brother and I would sit on the couch, watch outlaw star, and have our baby sister sitting in between us while she slept. Good memories.

[@KamikazeSP06]

What a first to have bro💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽

[@ninjabreadman8166]

Watching this on DVD with my family so they have a healthy appreciation for the classics 😁

[@omegaXjammur]

Thank you for recapping Outlaw Star. Now I realize that the true antagonist of the show were the parking fees.

[@marocat4749]

Its like a watanabe series aalways about broke people

[@ItsCorbinGreen]

Is that ape escape time station playing in the background…. A man of the culture 🤝🏾

[@dmann1982]

I have this anime on DVD. I rate this personally higher than Cowboy Bebop and Trigun, and wish I had a Caster Gun, even if it is just a replica. As for Aisha being best girl, yes, but she is also bats*** insane. There is an anime series you might want to look into, that is within the same universe as Outlaw Star by the way, Angel Links.

[@sadierobotics]

"Space punk" it's a space western. That was the year of the space western; Bebop, Trigun, and Outlaw Star all fall into the genre.

[@speedytypermananswers5551]

That episode when the kid met the cute girl and her cats. He has to go take off for a while and told her, coincidently she was in a hurry and told him the she has to go for a moment and that she'll be back. Then the crew were under attack by an assassin ship. Turns out the girl is an assassin and her cats are grownup aliens that look exactly like cats. They killed that ship that was trying to kill them. And then the kid headed back to the planet to meet that girl but she didn't return, he thought he got stood up and left. Not knowing that they killed them. Seeing that episode as an 8 year old kid, that leave a mark on ya for a few days. The ending song of this show is very beautiful and in this episode it feels more haunting before.

[@Zachattack1212]

ITS RETCON TIME BABY!!! Perfect timing too. I just got my dinner so now I have something to watch while i eat lol

[@Nomadic_Gaming]

LETS GOOOOO my favorite anime of all time fuckin absolutely amazing show its among the peak of the peak era of anime

[@justsomeguywithsunglasses8418]

....watch more anime....

[@Nomadic_Gaming]

@@justsomeguywithsunglasses8418 i have i still consider it peak cry more

[@justsomeguywithsunglasses8418]

It just is a shockingly depressing comment. Like, jesus dude...this? You are basically George Michael from Arrested Development drooling over Ann. Her?

[@Nomadic_Gaming]

@@justsomeguywithsunglasses8418 again cope more idc if you wanna be a snob about it i have my reasons and i wouldnt expect someone rocking the most mid “antagonist” in anime history as a pfp to understand

[@justsomeguywithsunglasses8418]

@@Nomadic_Gaming You don't know what cope means.

[@Malibuva]

One of my favorite classic anime series. Still love the Toonami inspiration promo videos for it as well. I also don't recall this video recapping the the demon of the water planet episode. "A boy has the right to dream. "

[@sensoriko]

Outlaw Star does have a spinoff series called Angel Links that has the two Space Force characters as part of the cast but they aren't part of the Space Forces in the show

[@Slychosis.]

“Take that you lil space bastard” was peak. Loving the candid humor this video.

[@Keshin4539]

Oh man, Outlaw Star was definitely one of those pivotal animes watched during my formative years. So much fun and adventure and the simplistic, albeit space/tech babble that went over my head as a kid, was fantastic. Thanks for covering this and great job as usual! Glad you're having fun with the Green Screen too

[@supsup335]

One of my favourite series of all time. Underapprechiated and left by tge wayside for too long.

[@supsup335]

Mirroring cowboy bebop and trigun, one of the best psrts of the show, that makes it so accessable, is the amazing english dub.

[@6Sense_]

Thanks for putting this out. I’ve been a huge fan of Outlaw Star ever since I watched it on Toonami and then owned the dvds to watch it uncut. Haven’t watched the video yet but I’m looking forward to when I can.

[@guadalupev30]

Even better, I own the blu-ray.

[@azureandnoir3274]

a childhood favorite im so glad its getting some attention i always recommend this and s-cry-ed

[@Sp33ddialz]

This was one of my first anime back when I was a freshman in highschool. Toonami was in it's golden age back in the late 90/00s

[@ToonamiT0M]

Playing Broken Promise during an Outlaw Star review. Nice touch.

[@justsomeone8310]

Remember staying up and sneaking out to the TV to watch this on adult Swim, and I have wanted my own Caster ever since.

[@jessehernandez8419]

Fuckin' A right 🤘🏻

[@nilus2k]

Late 90s Anime was just all about the scifi western in one form or another to a degree. Trigun being the most direct but this and Cowboy Bebop also fit that mold. This one being also about pirates and magic did make it stand out from the other two in its own way. The fact that this was also one of the early Toonami block show is why it’s much loved today by US fans. Not sure how well it was received in its motherland.

[@JobeStroud]

Great show. I remember watching it on that Cartoon Network series at night back in the 90's. One thing I will say. 99.999% of all of us men will think if we will matter. Most of us know that we won't, in history. Just the people we help to affect history. It is called a monopole. It exists. Though, it would just rip his arm off since it would be 0-6K MPH instantly. It is full of people who drew versus using 15 FPS CGI. How sad it has become.

[@edsawyer422]

So glad this video came out just in time for my yearly rewatch. Outlaw Star became my favorite of all time after that initial Toonami run. Fantastic retrospective!

[@supsup335]

The magnet scene on the prison planet is actually a very hard science tging, if stretched to its limit. Under known scienc, natural monopoles, like the one gene uses SHOULD exist, but we have yet to realise them outside of electro magnets. A little science for the scifi show😉

[@ThatsCoolJoshua]

probably my first Toonami anime. what a life.

[@martinhennigan1113]

Never has a anime left me wanting More.

[@V4Now]

This is the return, of the space cowboy!

[@Burningwithecstasy]

Glad you enjoyed Outlaw Star. I saw a few episodes on Cartoon Network back in the day and didn't see the entire series until years later on DVD's delivered in the mail by Netflix. Always love seeing the different spaceship designs. So cool!

[@thisithis]

TMS Entertainment is a Japanese Anime Company that made a ton of Anime and distributed 3 American/Japanese Anime in the 80s. And later a Canadian/Japanese anime in 1999. The shows were Bionic Six, Mighty Orbots, Galaxy High School, and Cybersix.

[@ZRFehr]

Siiiiiick, this is one of those shows I saw as a kid that just stuck with me forever despite not rewatching it. Loved the character and ship designs so much.

[@Ratchetfan321]

Hopefully Eureka 7 next.

[@Gaia_Gaistar]

Hilda's deaths scarred me back in the day. I feel like I mourned her for a month. But I also loved Gene and Melfina too. 90's anime hits different, I bought the boxset for Outlaw Star like fifteen years ago or something and still have it next to my Cowboy Bebop boxset. I should rewatch it sometime.

[@MrFutago87]

I think the big cylinder design for the leyline is a reference to Rama from the Arthur C Clarke story "Rendezvous With Rama".

[@Dazreil]

Exactly what I thought as well

[@drwombat1978]

Dude I remember watching this on toonami back then. Came home everyday after playing with my friends to watch this. Loved it

[@Thekowaikaiju]

Meant to drop a comment; thanks for the spotlight on this series! It's been overshadowed long enough lol.

[@Bill-uw1oo]

Bro, great use of green screen for that added transformative factor to the anime clips!

[@julianbruce7595]

I freaking love this anime. Very underrated

[@sunbroninja2868]

Great video! Outlaw Star had some of the best ending credits songs as well

[@ethanrobinson8789]

You really make some of the best anime reviews and you’ve put me on so many forgotten gems. You’re awesome man

[@futureDreamer4]

"Are just going to keep running away?!" - Hilda This line sticked with me for years. Always face your problems, there's no running away. Hilda's a legend.

[@michaelsmith2262]

I have to say that I really did enjoy your video on outlaw star. It is one of my favorite anime of all time. I can tell you and everyone here, that whenever I just need something to watch I always go to outlaw star. Hope everyone has an awesome Day. It truly is one of the best anime outlaw star.

[@mauriceryan3636]

Great video, Outlaw Star is my all time favorite anime Also, the music from Pokémon Trading Card Game for GameBoy Color at 19:49 was nostalgic as hell, thanks for that!

[@noneed4me2n7]

It’s nice to remember better days, and my earlier adventures into weebdom. Outlaw Star was always a fun watch and I even still have the soundtrack. The caster guns were badass. I think Tenchi Muyo was also premiering around the same time. Where I got my handle.

[@thrillhouse4151]

Such a beautiful show, the setting was amazing. One of the reasons I hold that era in such high regard, it’s so cool.

[@bjg8638]

Love this show. Such a fun ride. Still have the DVDs. Shout out to Toonami back in the day for introducing me to a bunch of wonderful anime like this one.

[@krono5el]

the 90s were on fire, this is one of our favorite animes of all time along with all the other legendary ones from that time.

[@jmfowler9062]

I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS! I'll rewatch the gundam retrospective series in thanks

[@StruggaBugga]

39:15 I remember watching this scene on Toonami of Ron finding Harry and thought they cut out a scene of showing him all fucked up.

[@skipatrolslayer]

I just rewatched this series about a month ago. I love this show and the intro is one I never skip.

[@FreddieLane9001]

Epic anime. Iconic. Needs a remake. Great ost too

[@erinherrington2501]

The background soundtrack you chose for this video is 🔥🔥🔥. I heard Digital Devil Saga and Parasite Eve in there

[@savlufei]

You pick awesome music for your vids! Appreciate you put the track names in them as well.

[@valwill5247]

"You gonna just keep running away?"

[@MrDarksol]

Oh yes outlaw star, one of my favorite old school anime to the point where in 1 of my birthdays years ago, I decided to buy the box set of the entire anime series as a birthday gift. Then I proceeded to marathon the whole thing at a time where it was cool to buy DVD's instead of just trying to find the series on digital storefronts and it felt really good to watch it especially uncut. The world was interesting, the characters were fun even Gene despite my dislike of pervy guy characters nowadays, that hot springs episode was goated, years later my friend got me to like Aisha and finally the ship fights were great and the Grappler arms......GOD!!! Not to mention the opening theme song is still in my head rent free and I always occasionally look it up every time whenever I want to remember this anime. Yeah there are some hiccups here and there but I don't think they detract my love of this show anymore especially when nowadays most people don't even know about this series and even more so I find it sad that even in the super robot wars series, this series didn't get put into any of the games that we got later on but yet Cowboy bebop did. I'm pretty sure I know why but it's still not fair because we could have had outlaw star teaming up with any of these other sunrise franchises. Either way great to see that you were talking about this good classic anime!

[@danielramsey6141]

The Crazy thing about Outlaw Star to me is that it had ALOT of Voice Actors CrisCross between Its Show and Cowboy Bebop. And it Makes sense, though Hilda’s voice Actress went to Voice The Major in “Ghost In The Shell” that aired on Toonami/Adult Swim!

[@DSTkunn]

Always love to see some Outlaw Star appreciation and even the little bit of the old Pokemon TCG Gameboy ost snuck in the back. Lol

[@Tachi20]

I loved the hell out of this when it came out. It scratched an itch I had no idea I had.

[@bombomos]

This is hands down on of the best anime of all time. This ahow got me into starship designs. Its so damn good

[@tv_tim]

I remember first watching this show in the early 2000's when it aired during the daytime on Toonami; I even remember that they flat out cut at least 1 episode from that run on top of just cutting out stuff from airing all together. Then MANY years later, I saw it on the late night block of Toonami and saw they stuff they cut out and it was a much better experience; one of the (if not the only one, dont remember for sure) episodes was actually kind of story integral.

[@WhitzWolf92]

I was looking away missed the pop-up for the Zoids Legacy track, but was thinking "huh, this sounds really familiar" just as it got to 37:17 and I knew exactly where I had heard it before!

[@berserk4souls]

For the last several years this has become a annual watch. It’s much deeper than I remember at times in certain episodes. It’s a shame that this show will live in the shadow of Cowboy Bebop simply because of the same setting. I love that over the years more and more people are discovering or rediscovering Outlaw Star and not labeling it a Bebop rip-off so it gets a fair chance. It was great watching this show when I was 13 and it’s even better and some how more relatable now that I’m 31.

[@lauraazure6462]

An anime movie sounds like a great idea!

[@IRJOE5]

One of my favourite 90's anime! Wish it had a second season

[@shingshongshamalama]

Hearing someone casually call it "Armored Trooper Bottoms" is just so cursed please continue.

[@jamaldavis3224]

Ah yes. One of the best spacefaring, catgirl,taoist arts,gun blastingly heartfelt anime to ever exist

[@highmarshalbalian680]

YES!!!!!!! The best anime of all time! My opinion ofc

[@karloavera]

Badass opening theme! I still listen to it on one of the mixed CDs I made way back when 😆

[@jeebay5188]

Okay, going to say something that to some might be controversial. I prefer Outlaw Star over Bebop. When I get the itch to watch either then I’m watching the movie and or a couple episodes for Bebop and I’m good. Outlaw Star on the other hand, I watch from start to finish.

[@calebgrant2652]

LET'S GOOOOOOOO- THROUGH THE NIGHT BAYBEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

[@Talon1124]

Lets freaking go!! This was the first anime I knew was an anime, and I loved it all.

[@Alex.Holland]

every now and then i re watch the first 4 episodes, for the feels.

[@kaplatyad]

Damn i'm obsessed with style of space westerns. I wish more anime were produced in this style\genre besides Cowboy Bebop and Trigun... My friend told me that Firefly had similiar concept. Maybe i will check it out.

[@francesfuego6950]

Ooohhh ho ho you know me so well . Everybody dubs outlaw star I have it comfortably number from the space punk era

[@LongTran-kp3kz]

Ugh. You're making me wanna watch this again... which I may very might...

[@rtaylor2682]

Damn haven’t seen this show in 2 decades 👴🏾 but it still hits

[@MrJakeros]

I'll admit. Most of this series has been consigned to be depths of my memories, but one thing that has always stuck with me was the second ED of that series. It's goddamn ethereal. Also, Melfina and Gene were a thing in the end.

[@dk6419]

One of the best wish they did more!

[@jortharob3406]

Outlaw star was always my favorite between the 3 Trigun comes in second and Cowboy Bebop third.

[@TerrenceChilds-xz3xu]

I used to have this show on DVD

[@IHGUwuy]

Yeahhhh, I was waiting for this one!

[@fcm3d]

Man I freak'in loved this show as a kid.

[@PostModernCereal]

such a good show! IBO will be fantastic too.

[@weeblbob233]

Gene using an M79 nade launcher with magic rounds is still welded into my memory. Always bitchin about not being able to find ammo for it too. Good times. ....................Aisha though. Goddamn.