Running time: 25 minutes
Number of episodes: 26
Vintage: 2003-10-04 to 2004-04-17
Age rating: Older Children (May contain mild bad language, bloodless violence)
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Science Fiction, Shounen, Slice of Life
Director: Goro Taniguchi
Script: Ichiro Okouchi
Production: Sunrise, Bandai Visual, NHK
Source: Anime News Network
Planetes is one of those great shows that only comes along once in a while. It was based off its original manga, but the anime turned an already good story into a better one. The main story focuses on Technora, a space-age company, and it’s debris division. The members of the debris division are in charge of picking up space trash, also known as debris, that’s floating around in space. I wasn’t really aware of this, but debris objects around the earth travel at over 8 Km/s and even a tiny screw can cause huge damage to a ship, space station, satellite, etc. The show grounds itself in reality and really tries to depict a realistic space environment.
Planetes takes place in 2075, and because of a very realistic problem in space, debris retrieval was made mandatory to all space companies. It is described as combined effort, and every space company must have debris personnel. However, because debris retrieval does not provide a company any means of profit, they fund their sections very loosely and make it very difficult to do a good job. The crew in Planetes are an earnest bunch and they truly believe they are making a difference by making space-age commuting safer. They thrive in their line of work despite all of the associated hardships.
The cast is excellent, starting off with a very original and energetic lead character named Hoshino Hachirota, nicknamed Hachimaki. Hachimaki is the best EVA suit pilot in the business, although his skills are not recognized by anyone except his team. He’s the one in charge of all the hands-on debris retrieval for Technora. Accompanying Hachimaki is the newbie named Tanabe Ai. You’ll see her come in the first episode since she is brought in to fill a much needed vacancy in the debris section. She becomes Hachimaki’s partner in space after he teaches her the basics. There’s also Fee Carmichael, who is captain and pilot of the DS-12, also known as Toy Box. She’s probably the sharpest of the group and handles all of the space coordination with the ISPV-7 or “Seven,” the main Technora ship giving orders to the crew. There’s also Yuri Mihairokoh who is Fee’s first officer and co-pilot who helps all-around wherever there’s a need.
The rest of the characters are the section chief, his assistant, and a temporary female employee that does desk work. They’re secondary characters and never go outside into space, but they fit their roles really well with the rest of the crew. Picking up debris is what you’ll see throughout the beginning of the show. It will, however, change drastically with a completely different pacing. As you learn about each of the character’s hopes and dreams, you’ll see how some of the characters try to make their lives better and actually fulfill their dreams. There’s quite a few bumps in the road, but it’s quite emotional to see how the “trash” people grow and earn the respect of those above them in the company. Planetes, in my opinion, is graced without a dull moment. I was able to cruise through the entire series without feeling bored or sidetracked as everything was as cohesive possible and really grounded within the realm of the anime. I will point out that near the end things really get heated and you may feel the same way I did and start cursing at the show. It’s all intentional though so keep watching. It’ll all make sense and once the dust settles you’ll be treated to one of the most satisfying endings I’ve been able to experience in anime.
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