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113
TV
Finished Airing
Sep 14, 1978 to Mar 26, 1981
In the distant future, humanity has found a way to live forever by purchasing mechanical bodies, but this way to immortality is extraordinarily expensive. An impoverished boy, Tetsurou Hoshino, desires to purchase a pass on the Galaxy Express 999āa train that travels throughout the universeābecause it is said that at the end of the line, those aboard can obtain a mechanical body for free. When Tetsurou's mother is gunned down by the villainous machine-man hybrid Count Mecha, however, all seems lost. Tetsurou is then saved from certain death by the mysterious Maetel, a tall woman with blonde hair and a striking resemblance to his mother. She gives him a pass to the Galaxy Express under one condition: that they travel together. Thus, Tetsurou begins his journey across the universe to many unique planets and thrilling adventures, in hopes of being able to attain that which he most desires. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
7.2/10
Average Review Score
77%
Recommend It
13
Reviews Worldwide
At first glance, any series of 100+ episodes requires a real commitment on the viewers behalf, in many ways its a big gamble (with their time). If the series sucks then you feel like you just wasted an enormous amount of time on nothing, when its a success you walk away with a great sense of enjoyment and that it was time well spent. Galaxy Express 999 (pronounced the 3-9 in the series) delivers in every category. Galaxy Express 999 is one of the chief anime that created the foundation for the space opera genre in anime, the vast majority of new series sincehave their foundation stem from this (among the others such as Harlock, Yamamoto, etc.) series. What most newer viewers might think about new and recent anime as being riveting and ground breaking, is usually a remake of an older series; back when everything was still done by hand, and without all the eye candy available today. Creators had to rely on their stories and the characters to make a successful anime. Matsumoto does that in GE 999 without having the recycle plotlines in any of the 113 episodes and tie all of them together into a deep insight into the human condition and reminds us of many things we take for granted. Story: GE 999 is set far into the future (around the year 3000) where people can achieve immortality through the use of mechanical bodies. A person's mind is put into a purely mechanical cyborg body giving them an infinite lifespan. The story starts out with one of the main character's Tetsuro being chased by cyborg hunters. One of them shoot and kills his mom, where its her dying wish for Tetsuro to become strong and live a long immortal life in a mechanical body. Tetsuro meets up with Maeel who helps him board the legendary galaaxy express 999; where one can travel to a planet where mechanical bodies are given away free. Through the use of space trains (mass transit with a touch of romantic old style) Tetsuro and Maetel travel to dozens of different worlds; each unique in its own way. Art: For a show that's over 30 years old, the animation and artwork quality are very good. Matsumoto has his own unique style for character designs (much like Miyazaki). Throughout the series he often borrow other characters from his other anime's either as the character themself (like captain Harlock) or uses character design very similar to his other characters from other series. Sound: Creating realistic sounds to match all the different environments and planets that they (Tetsuro and Maetel) visit throughout the series is done very well. While its nothing spectacular on its own, the soundtrack never sounds out of through the course of all the stops the 999 makes. Characters: The meat of the series is built up largely in the characters, each character has their own agenda/purpose in the grand scheme of things. There's really 3 main characters, though the series is focused around Tetsuro and his journey. You have Tetsuro, a homeless, poor and very confused character at the start. Maetel is his traveling partner that acts as a guide/escort/protector during his journey through space. Then you have the conductor, at times he can play a key role in the story; though somewhat comedy relief as he's more like a ghost with clothes on. The development of the characters is a large part of the series. Tetsuro being new to space travel and cruel world that lies ahead relies on Maetel for guidance. When he first boards the 999 he is a really weak person with no skills or experience. Much of the series is about him learning how things really work out there, and becoming a real man. It could be said that its a coming of age story, but there is much more to it than just watching Tetsuuro mature. Along the way he see many different types of people, and what it means to have a mechanical body. Enjoyment: At the beginning Tetsuro is a naive, annoying pest that never does what he's told despite what dangers he might face. In the beginning of the series it can be tough to watch him make stupid mistakes to the point you want to reach into the screen and strangle him for making such stupid judgment errors. As he travels to more and more planets he really learns what it takes to survive out in the harsh reality of space; many of these lessons are done the hard way with him doing exactly what he's told not to do, usually requiring Maetel to come save him. Some characters/character designs might show up several times throughout the series, but each episode is truly a new adventure - Matsumoto never recycles a storyline. You never feel that you're watching recycled scripts/plots like other long series like Inu Yasha, Ranma or Urusei Yatsura are guilty of doing. There is also a big element of mystery throughout the whole series in the character of Maetel. From her detailed knowledge we know she's traveled the same route on the 999 several times before. While she is always looking afterTetsuro, at times you get the feeling that she's got a hidden agenda and is stinging Tetsuro along for an anterior purpose. And no one really knows what exactly she is, throughout the series she is somewhat an enigma of mystery as she frequently knows what's going to happen beforehand. Overall: GE 999 is a great series once you finally settle in with it. The character development and depth is enormous and spectacular. There's a number of episodes that are 2-parters; aside from those each episode brings something new. While frustrating at times, many of the mysteries and odd things that go on during the series don't get tied up till the very end (last few episodes) leaving you guessing the whole time as to what or who Maetel is, and what unique value there is in being human.
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One of Leiji Matsumoto's Masterpieces, this is one of those unique exprerience anime that come once in ten years, a classic of Space Operas, Galaxy Express 999 is a life Journey. Our Journey takes place in a rather futuristic setting where humans are able to transfer their minds to a mechanical body in order to achieve enternal life. While this seems to be a somewhat perfect world, it is in reallity a dystopian Universe full of opression, suffering and tragedy for the poor and the weak ones. Our Protagonist, Hoshino Tetsuro,a proud and rightous young boy boards the Galaxy Express 999 with help of mysterious Maetelin order to reach the planet where you can get a mechanical body for free. If you are familiar with Leiji's works you will know what kind of Journey you will expect, for those who aren't, this will be a Journey full of Painfull situations, tragic heroes and shatered dreams, in other words, the definition of Drama. While the Story seems rather episodic, from time to time, you will get a tiny revelation about the storyline, which in my oppinion, is a boost in the morale of the viewer since it can be sometimes tyring to watch such a long anime. The art is that from Leiji's previous and future works, beautiful long-haired and fragile looking women, aerodynamic haired and proud males, small and sometimes comic looking elders. One small flaw I think is that, at some point females look like revamps from one another wich is a consequence of the large number of characters throughout the series. The Soundtrack is very good in my opinion, whether it is a comic or serious situation it addapts to the moment you are experiencing, you will sometimes listen Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata and songs sang by characters that add an even more dramatic tone to the scene. What I really want to say about this series is that this is a life learning experience, in each of the 999 stops you will get your persona lifel lesson out of the diferent situations that our protagonists will enconter, I felt that I learned something valuable from characters experiences, that is, in my oppinions, the greatest thing about this Anime.
Admittedly, when I was watching Galaxy Express 999, I was watching it cause it was related to Harlock (I wanted to fully prep myself for when the Harlock CGI movie became available to watch in English). But after watching it, it's an amazing series. The story may seem old nowadays, but the way the characters interact, and how they develop (more so for Tetsuro as he begins to realize getting a mechanical body would prove to make him more laid back and that everything his mother taught him about hard work would have seemed pointless in the end). The characters themselves are all unique andvery enjoyable. Tetsuro, despite how he became a bit of a brat in later episodes, is an enjoyable character, and he certainly becomes quite the badass for being a 10(?) year old. The Conductor was hilarious to watch in almost all episodes he was in due to his strict nature to follow the rules of the Galaxy Railroads, but also fighting the the 999's computer. Maetel is without a doubt my favorite character in the show, because of how complex, and mysterious she is. You spend the series wondering who she really is, and why she keeps asking her father to stop the journey with Tetsuro to Andromeda. The soundtrack is amazing, and so damn catchy (so much that I downloaded the soundtrack on my laptop) that the songs are all stuck in my brain and I don't want to get them out. From the opening song, to the next episode preview, I could listen to the soundtrack on a loop and never get bored of it. All in all, I fully recommend Galaxy Express 999. Despite it's 113 episode run, it's still a great series.
This has been a long time coming and the series is finally completed. Truly, Galaxy Express is an epic at heart and the first watched on this quest. Another original creation of Leiji Matsumoto, if the art style didnāt give it away already, this is a series coming in at 113 episodes. How did it live up to the legacy? It is long and episodic at its core. Now, this may sound like a total turn off right away, but the series sets a universe of mystery and true imagination that captivates the viewer. Each world our two main characters travel to has itsā own unique reasonto exist, evolution into why, and the life-formās interaction with the planet. Our young protagonist, Tetsuro Hoshino wants nothing more than to have a mechanical body to live an immortal life, but how can he get it when: a) itās expensive and he is poor b) the only way to get a free one is to get the expensive pass for the train 999 to take him to the robot planet Andromeda... Well, it just so happens he meets Maetel. This beautiful mystery woman gives him a pass as long as he joins her on the journey to Andromeda and she will be his tour guide. Therefore, the two set off on a journey unlike any other. Tetsuro discovers and learns countless life lessons, such as what it means to be truly human and the meaning of life and reasons to live, and many more. The story and development of Testsuro over his quest and encountering each planet is why to watch this epic. However, this is episodic even if each planet has its own story itself. Tetsuro and Maetel are always having their pass stolen, lives threatened, and/or seeing a young couple die they just met. It does get stale after a while. One would wonder why wouldnāt you become paranoid, stay in the train, and never leave the comedic relief Conductors side before reaching their destination. Anyways, never mind all of the faults and holes in GE 999, like a train in space it could go on forever. This is the only gripe the show has throughout. Overall, you can watch the epic series as follows: first 8-12 episodes, the two-part episodes in between, and the last 10. You wonāt miss a thing and the journey will be just as epic as the show.
It might have taken me over two years to finish, but despite the major time commitment that Galaxy Express 999 demands, it is one well worth pursuing and finishing, as its episodic and varied nature means that even when accounting for its (arguably excessive) length, it never ends up feeling particularly repetitive or overdone. The format of each episode of Galaxy Express is fairly basic. After Tetsuroās mother is killed by cyborgs, he sets out to travel on the 999, an old-timey steam train that flies across space, to go to the planet Andromeda, where he can get a mechanical body for free, and by extension,immortality. Long before works like Robocop and Cowboy Bebop decided to merge the motifs and conventions of the Western and sci-fi genre, there was Galaxy Express. For that matter, Tetsuroās hat and cloak are right out of a Clint Eastwood film, and the typical episode setup of Tetsuro finding his way onto a hostile new planet and finding himself having to sort out the local conflict is almost a direct pastiche of Eastwoodās own High Plains Drifter, but with less rape. Although Tetsuro going to a new planet and sorting out other peopleās problems is a common story route, it is not the only one present throughout the series, as there are some episodes in which Tetsuro has a rather minor effect on the overall events, and itās not uncommon for an episodeās most poignant moments to happen without him. But despite its sci-fi setting, the individual planets are able to take on just about any theme the writers could come up with: the futuristic urban metropolis is expectedly there, but also planets that didnāt evolve beyond prehistory, jungles, deserts, underwater cities, there was clear creativity on display, as the locales across each episode manage to all feel different, and even if the general premise still remains, it manages to avoid ever feeling like a rerun of an idea theyād already covered. This feeling of originality within each individual episode is further accentuated by the superb visual design, which manages to always feel imaginative yet believable. The landscapes are something to behold, not only for their impressive scale and use of architecture, but because the placement of characters within these landscapes manages to be just as evocative as the places themselves. Just like the desolate towns on the American frontier, most these planets are harsh places to live, if not because most the residents left for somewhere better, then because an oppressive regime is forcing them to stay. In all of its aspects, the stylistic use of cinematography is undoubtedly excellent, but the one area that stands out more than any other is the use of shadows and lighting, which manages to reinforce the ideas that were previously conveyed through the architecture in a manner that makes it a lot more engaging. The level of significance and attention to detail that Galaxy Express attaches to its visuals is almost comparable to a neo-noir, very few anime even begin to use lighting to this effect, and even fewer manage to make it work as seamlessly. The storytelling in Galaxy Express is remarkably nuanced, and manages to make good use of its episodic format, as while its stories are often parabolic, they are still given enough layers to acknowledge the different perspectives on the issues created, and the closing minute of each episode typically ends with either Tetsuro or the narrator contemplating and asking questions about what is right, rather than outright telling the viewer what they are supposed to think. The issues it tackles are certainly varied, the issue of cyborgs is undoubtedly a central part of the series, and the one point that comes up more than any other is the loss of humanity that comes when cyborgs are deprived of their original body, but the series is far from one-note. It might have come out during the height of dĆ©tente, but that didnāt stop them from doing an episode on mutually assured destruction and nuclear paranoia, plus other issues that donāt concern cyborgs, such as an episode that takes place in an actual Western-style town, stories involving social outcast bibliophiles or struggling artists, some of whom just so happen to be fans of series creator Leiji Matsumoto, a crossover episode with Captain Harlock, an episode that takes place in a post-scarcity society, and plenty of other cases that don't fit the stereotypical notions of a sci-fi story. Perhaps the most important of all, not only did Galaxy Express come up with the sci-fi Western 15 years before Robocop, they came up with the idea of having a golden irradiant briefcase whose contents are never revealed but manage to subdue anyone who looks inside it, 20 years before Pulp Fiction. Galaxy Express is a damn fine series, in some ways its episodic format makes it a jack of all trades, it does not focus intensely on a single aspect, but being this scattershot is not a negative point when it never manages to falter, nor does it ever feel like it would have been a much better series had it been a 13-episode character drama focusing on just one of these planets. The number of planets and different societies they are able to create feel limitless, and the visual design is a masterclass in visual design, which is only exemplified by great cinematography and use of lighting that make Galaxy Express a worthy successor to its Western origins. Samuel Johnson may have said āhe who is tired of London, is tired of lifeā, but he wouldnāt have said that if he got to fly a train into space and talk to a robot skeleton.