History Anime / OutlawStar

[[quoteright:240:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/240px-Crew_of_the_Outlaw_Star.jpg]]

->''"Outlaws. This was the name given to those who travelled space with only his freedom as his guide."''

Based on a popular manga by Takehito Ito, the first show in Sunrise's ''Toward Stars'' universe, ''Outlaw Star'' is an old-fashioned SpaceOpera writ large.

In the universe, there are three major powers: the [[SpacePolice Space Forces]] who enforce the law, the {{Space Pirate}}s who defy it and the "outlaws" who owe allegiance to neither side. Gene Starwind, a big fish in the small pond of his home planet, dreams of going to the stars. A simple bodyguard job quickly spirals out of control and ends with him coming into possession of the most advanced spaceship in the galaxy (which he dubs the ''Outlaw Star'') and the biological navigation system that controls it, an ArtificialHuman named Melfina.

This is only the beginning of his problems, as between trying to scrape together enough cash to pay for his new ship's upkeep, he has to contend with both the Space Forces and {{pirate}}s trying to get the ship back as they all race against each other to reach the mysterious "Galactic Leyline". Helping Gene are his young partner Jim Hawking, the exotic but hot-tempered CatFolk alien Aisha Clan Clan, the sword-wielding assassin Twilight Suzuka, the somewhat incoherent shipboard AI Gilliam, and others who come and go from the plot. If you like "pulp"-era science fiction, you'll like this show.

''Outlaw Star'' is available uncut on VHS and DVD from Bandai in North America, and an edited version of most of the series has been shown on both {{Toonami}} and AdultSwim. The show is available in Australia from [[MadmanEntertainment Madman]].

Rumor has it that Joss Whedon's ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' was heavily influenced by ''Outlaw Star''. This has, appropriately enough, been {{Jossed}} by the man himself on multiple occasions in interviews, who says that he was actually inspired by ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Killer_Angels The Killer Angels]]''. Certain common elements between the two still raise a few eyebrows, though.

See also ''Anime/AngelLinks'', also a part of the ''Towards Stars'' universe.
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!!''OutlawStar'' provides examples of:

* TheAbridgedSeries: As seen [[http://www.youtube.com/user/OLSAbridged#p/c/E753E8B1AE9AE1EF/0/0KUgZVMnwqg here]].
* TheAlcatraz / PenalColony / DeathWorld: Hecatonchires. A ShoutOut to Hal Clement's [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesklin Mesklin]], with three gravities at the the location of the prison and ten at the poles (the punishment zone).
* AkashicRecords: [[spoiler:Kahn comes to the Leyline theorizing that it is such. It states that it can be that and much more.]]
* AlwaysCamp [[CampGay Gay]]: Fred Luo.
* AndTheAdventureContinues
* AsteroidThicket: Several, one of which is passed through during the race, and is later the site of a duel between [[spoiler:the Outlaw Star and the El Dorado.]]
* BattleRoyaleWithCheese: Twice!
* BlackBox: Technology from SufficientlyAdvancedAliens, which was put into [[MacGuffinGirl Melfina]] to make it work.
* BigOlEyebrows: Just about everybody; it's a common trait of Takehito Ito's character designs.
* BrokeEpisode: Most of the time, mainly due to the sheer cost of the ship's upkeep: docking fees, repair costs, ammunition, etc.
* ColorCodedForYourConvenience:
** Red: Gene
** Orange: Fred
** Yellow: Jim
** Green: Aisha
** Blue: Melfina
** Violet: Suzuka
* [[AdvertisingTropes Commercials]]: Isn't this a slogan that just screams "We'll do anything, please pay us!"
-->'''Jim Hawking''': ''Hello! You've reached Hawking, from Starwind and Hawking Repairs! We fix everything from tractors to relationships, so how can we help you today?''
* CoolStarship: If its name is given, it's this. The titular ship, El Dorado & Shangrila, and Geomancer.
* DeadlyUpgrade: The three rare Caster Shells, numbered [[FourIsDeath 4]], 9, and [[ThirteenIsUnlucky 13]], are so powerful that when one is fired it also takes away part of Gene's life. Furthermore, all the numbers are synonymous with death or misfortune in different cultures.
* DepletedPhlebotinumShells: Caster shells are rare shells containing just enough mana to activate the spell on/in them. Think of a caster gun as a gun that casts [[FinalFantasy Ultima]] and that's the reasonable explanation for Gene preferring them so much.
* DoAndroidsDream
* DragonsUpTheYinYang
* EpicRace: One episode is like this.
* {{Expy}}: The Outlaw Star itself is an expy of the RealLife pseudo-spaceship the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_X-15 X-15A-2]]. In the first few episodes the Outlaw Star even has a strikingly similar color scheme and its designation of ''XGP-15A2'' is no coincidence either.
** "GP" is thrown into the designation to indicate it's [[FormulaOne really, really fast]] and just to be [[RuleOfCool cool]].
* FacialMarkings: Aisha has a little blue triangle on her left cheek. It stays with her even when she morphs.
* FailureIsTheOnlyOption: C'mon, did anyone believe they'd ''really'' strike it rich, ever?
* FantasyKitchenSink: [-[[RecycledInSPACE In SPACE]]-]!.
* FiveManBand:
** TheHero: Gene.
** TheLancer: Jim.
** TheBigGuy: Aisha.
** TheSmartGuy: Gilliam.
** TheChick: Melfina.
** TheSixthRanger: Suzuka.
* ForgottenSuperweapon: The Caster pistol -- [[{{JustifiedTrope}} justified]] by the difficulty of getting ammunition.
* GetIntoJailFree: Gene arranges himself to be sent to an [[InSpace outer-space]] [[TheAlcatraz Alcatraz]] in order to get the information that an inmate has regarding the MacGuffin.
* GirlInABox: End of the first and second episodes.
* HandCannon: Gene describes Duuz's blaster like this.
* HyperspaceArsenal: Gene has one, with a [[StandardFPSGuns Standard FPS]] loadout. To note: pistol, [[RevolversAreJustBetter revolver]](one loaded with paintballs), SawedOffShotgun, GrenadeLauncher, [[{{BFG}} Caster Gun]].
* HotSpringsEpisode: Episode 23, "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Hot Springs Planet Tenrei]]" (as might be suspected from the title) dropped its HotSpringsEpisode dead smack dab in [[BreatherEpisode the middle of the series' climactic plot]] {{Arc}}. {{Toonami}} dropped this episode from the dubbed airing in the U.S. simply because of how much nudity would have to be edited out of it. However, unlike typical fanservice episodes, there is a significant plot point in this one that may lead to confusion in following episodes, as Gene obtains four exceedingly rare caster shells; that's why he really went there in the first place. Another discontinuity involves Tobigera, one of the [[QuirkyMiniBossSquad Anten Seven]], who is named in the group's introduction, but only seen in this episode. The [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe4lEAIX_Zk reason]] he's never seen afterward is just [[RapidFireComedy part]] of why this episode is also highly regarded for being ''[[CrowningMomentOfFunny funny as hell]].'' Fortunately, it's available on DVD.
** He is seen afterwards. [[spoiler:He's the one left behind on the Geomancer, and is made part of the ship when Hazanko combines with it.]]
* ImprobableWeaponUser: The titular ship, and others like it, is called a Grappler ship. Meaning it has arms. And uses knives and handguns.
* IndyPloy: All of Gene's plans seem to degrade into this. It's a common theme for the series.
* InstantOracleJustAddWater
* InTheFutureWeStillHaveRoombas: The titular ship is full of little canister-shaped robots that do repairs and minor labor, and which act as extensions of the ship's AI. The crew paints faces on them.
* LadyLand: Mount Nyotai: from episode 23, complete with a sign that warns, "No Men Allowed!" Justified as a women-only bathing area on a [[HotSpringsEpisode hot springs planet]] with the added BilingualBonus of "nyotai" meaning "female body."
* LayingOnAHillside
* LargeHam: '''Lord Hazanko! The mightiest Tao Master in the universe! Caster Shells will not work on him!'''
* LeyLine: The Galactic, uh, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Leyline]].
* MacGuffinLocation: The Galactic Leyline.
* MadScientist: Gwen Kahn, the designer of the Outlaw Star and Melfina. Just one conversation with him is enough to show that he's a bit ''off''.
* {{Magitek}}: Space pirates use magic on their ships.
* MissingEpisode: "Hot Springs Planet Tenrei" was never aired on Toonami or AdultSwim due to the excessive {{Fanservice}}.
* NoGuyWantsAnAmazon: Fred Luo, who is unwillingly engaged to [[AmazonianBeauty Reiko]] [[StatuesqueStunner Ando]], the [[WorldsStrongestMan "Strongest Woman in the Universe."]] Of course, Fred [[CampGay doesn't swing that way]] in the first place.
* NoodleIncident: How the crew came into possession of caster shells #4, #9, and #13; if the viewer doesn't see the HotSpringsEpisode omitted from Western television. Which was explained as a noodle incident in the following episode.\\
\\
The episode, of course, is the kind of thing you get when someone ''does'' explain a Noodle Incident. It's every bit as weird as your imagination would make it out to be.
* OneHundredAndEight: The {{Big Bad}}'s pirate faction is the "One Hundred and Eight Stars."
* OnlySaneMan: Jim Hawking when he attempts to weather the storms of Gene's IndyPloy.
* OurWerebeastsAreDifferent: The Ctarl Ctarl are a race of CatFolk aliens who can shapeshift into big alien feline beasts. [[spoiler:And of the Anten Seven can change into a two-tailed wolf.]]
* PerpetualPoverty: Starwind and Hawking Enterprises. Profit, you ask? Never heard the word before!
* PlanetTerra: Humans are mostly referred to as just that, but some characters refer to them as Terrans. Notably Aisha, and usually with a note of derision.
* PoorlyDisguisedPilot: The cast meets two secondary characters from ''Anime/AngelLinks'', a series in the same [[TheVerse 'Verse]].
* RealityEnsues: The crew never gets out of BrokeEpisode territory and in the epilogue for the final episode, [[spoiler:Gene ends up having to serve time for the crimes he committed escaping pirates at the beginning of the series.]]
* TheRestShallPass: The fights inside [[spoiler:the Galactic Leyline]] proceed this way.
* RiseFromYourGrave: Shimi at the end of episode 15.
* SapientShip:
** The titular ship has a sentient onboard AI called Gilliam, but must also be connected to the WetWareCPU, Melfina, in order to function properly.
** Hilda's ship, Horace, seems to have a similar AI system.
* ScrewDestiny
* {{Seinen}}
* ShoutOut: Jim Hawking == [[TreasureIsland Jim Hawkins]]?
** [[StarTrek Gene and Jim?]]
* SolemnEndingTheme: [[http://youtu.be/d5yjcPHEhIk This]] for the first thirteen episodes, and [[http://youtu.be/EYh-dCFb4Sg this]] slightly less solemn[[hottip:*:but still far more solemn than the opening theme]] theme for the remainder of the anime.
* {{Space Is an Ocean}}: A major theme given by the opening narration at the beginning of each episode. Also physics.
* {{Space Is Noisy}}: In almost any space scene in the anime. Most likely related to the fact that space is also an ocean.
* SpaceOpera
* SpacePirates: It's kind of a major portion of the plot.
* SpaceWestern
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Nguyen Khan is actually the scientist's official name. Most people spell his name as the pronunciation Gwen, which is correct pronunciation of Nguyen (for North Vietnamese anyway).
* SpoilerOpening: There's a reason Hilda doesn't appear in the opening's TeamShot. Though she does often appear in other official art, like posters.
* StarfishAliens: That psychic cactus thing.
* SufficientlyAdvancedAliens: [[spoiler:The Galactic Leyline]] is an artifact from these.
* SwissArmyGun: The Caster
* TeamShot
* ThemeTuneCameo:
** "Through the Night" plays from the ad ship the Outlaw Star is hired to tow in episode 14.
** Then in episode 21, Melfina sings one of the ending themes.
* TriggerPhrase
* {{Troperiffic}}: As [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKKQQZcl4K8#t=06m39s one reviewer]] puts it:
-->"This show gets a free pass for being the most wish-fulfilling sci-fi title '''''ever'''''. Everything you can love about sci-fi is here: [[WackyRacing space races]], [[ExplosionsInSpace space combat]], [[SingleBiomePlanet diverse planets]], [[AnotherDimension alternate dimensions]], [[StarfishAliens weird aliens]], [[GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe hot aliens]], [[BizarreAlienBiology aliens of questionable gender]](seriously, what is [[http://images.absoluteanime.com/outlaw_star/swanzo.jpg that?]]), [[HumongousMecha giant robots]], [[ArtificialHuman bio-androids]], [[HollywoodCyborg human cyborgs]], [[GirlInABox cold-sleep]] [[MysteriousWaif beauties]], [[OurWerebeastsAreDifferent shapeshifting]] [[CatFolk beast men]], [[FamilyFriendlyFirearms laser]]-[[GunsAndGunplayTropes gun fights]], [[SingleStrokeBattle sword fights]], [[GoodOldFisticuffs fistfights]], [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking paintball]], {{Mad Scientist}}s, [[MagicPoweredPseudoscience Tao magicians]], [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot robotic panthers, kung-fu housecats]], ''and'' a HotSpringsEpisode that is actually ''[[CrowningMomentOfFunny funny]]''.
* TruceZone: Blue Heaven.
* UnitedSpaceOfAmerica: Thoroughly averted. The galaxy in the TS timeline is thoroughly Chinese in culture if not in government. Complete with Hong Kong-style {{Truce Zone}}s such as [[WretchedHive Blue Heaven]].
* {{Unobtainium}}: Dragonite apparently one of the rarest substances in the universe. Given that it's needed to power faster then light drives, and its nonrenewable one wonders [[FridgeLogic how they've kept from running out of the stuff]].
** Perhaps because space is infinite and the human sphere of influence is constantly expanding so new sources are found.
* TheUnseen: The Tendo King, enigmatic ManBehindTheMan with Tao magic ability implied by [[BigBad Hazanko]] to be god-like. The Tenpa Emperor takes this UpToEleven with [[InformedAbility implied]] power far exceeding that.
* UsedFuture
* WagonTrainToTheStars
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Doubles as FridgeHorror. One episode features Aisha entering a fighting tournament. Because Ctarl Ctarl aren't allowed in the tournament, she poses as a professional wrestler named Firecat, locking the ''real'' Firecat in a locker and stealing her uniform. At the end of the episode the entire building is set on fire, and the main characters are shown to have escaped. But what happened to the real Firecat, last shown still being stuck in the locker?
* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman
* WoodenKatanasAreEvenBetter: Suzuka seems to be able to cut anything with her wooden sword, up to and including oncoming trucks. This seems to be because she mostly uses it to make [[RazorWind cutting]] [[SwordBeam shockwaves]].
* TheWorfBarrage: Gene's bazooka
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* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Nguyen Khan. Most people spell his name as the pronunciation Gwen, which is correct pronunciation of Nguyen (for North Vietnamese anyway).

* BrokeEpisode: Most of the time, mainly due to the sheer cost of the ship's upkeep: docking fees, repair costs, ammunition, et cetera...

[[Trivia/OutlawStar The Trivia page]].

* UnitedSpaceOfAmerica: Thoroughly averted. The galaxy in the TS timeline is thoroughly Chinese in culture if not in government. Complete with Hong Kong-style TruceZones such as [[WretchedHive BlueHeaven]].

* UnitedSpaceOfAmerica: Thoroughly averted. The galaxy in the TS timeline is thoroughly Chinese in culture if not in government.

* {{Unobtainium}}: Dragonite apparently one of the rarest substances in the universe. Given that it's needed to power faster then light drives, and its nonrenewable one wonders [[FridgeLogic how they've kept from running out of the stuff]].

* BrokeEpisode: Most of the time.

* WetWareCPU: Melfina, of course, but Harry can function similarly. It's part of the reason for his obsession with her.

Rumor has it that Joss Whedon's ''{{Firefly}}'' was heavily influenced by ''OutlawStar''. This has, appropriately enough, been {{Jossed}} by the man himself on multiple occasions in interviews, who says that he was actually inspired by ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Killer_Angels The Killer Angels]]''. Certain common elements between the two still raise a few eyebrows, though.

See also ''AngelLinks'', also a part of the ''Towards Stars'' universe.

* TheAlcatraz / PenalColony / DeathWorld: Hecatonchires. A ShoutOut to HalClement's [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesklin Mesklin]], with three gravities at the the location of the prison and ten at the poles(the punishment zone).
* AlwaysCamp [[CampGay Gay]]: Fred Luo

* AsteroidThicket: Several, one of which is passed through during the race, and is later the site of a duel between [[spoiler:The Outlaw Star and the El Dorado.]]
* BattleRoyaleWithCheese: twice.

* DeadlyUpgrade: The three rare Caster Shells, numbered 4, 9, and 13, are so powerful that when one is fired it also takes away part of Gene's life. (All the numbers are synonymous with death in differing cultures.)

* DuelingShows: This show is almost like an anime version of ''{{Firefly}}''

* FacialMarkings: Aisha has a little blue triangle on her left cheek, it stays with her even when she morphs.

* NoGuyWantsAnAmazon: Fred Luo, who is unwillingly engaged to the "Strongest Woman in the Universe." Of course, Fred [[CampGay doesn't swing that way]] in the first place.
* NoodleIncident: How the crew came into possession of caster shells #4, #9, and #13; if the viewer doesn't see the HotSpringsEpisode omitted from Western television. Which was explained as a noodle incident in the following episode.
** The episode, of course, is the kind of thing you get when someone ''does'' explain a Noodle Incident. It's every bit as weird as your imagination would make it out to be.
* OneHundredAndEight: The [[BigBad Big Bad's]] pirate faction is the "One Hundred and Eight Stars".

* OurWerebeastsAreDifferent: The Ctarl Ctarl are a race of CatFolk aliens who can shapeshift into big alien feline beasts. [[spoiler: Subverted with one of the Anten Seven who can change into a two tailed wolf.]]

* PoorlyDisguisedPilot: The cast meets two secondary characters from ''AngelLinks'', a series in the same [[TheVerse 'Verse]].

* RealityEnsues: The crew never gets out of BrokeEpisode territory and in the epilogue for the final episode, [[spoiler: Gene ends up having to serve time for the crimes he committed escaping pirates at the beginning of the series.]]
* SapientShip: the titular ship has a sentient onboard AI, but must also be connected to the WetWareCPU, Melfina, in order to function properly. Near the end of the series, [[spoiler:Hazanko's mind and body fuse with his spaceship, forming partially-biological version of this trope. [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel the results of the overall formation of the sapient ship in question and the face features of Hazanko in that form will give you the willies for years]].]]
** Harry also functions like Melfina does. Hence his obsession with Melfina.

* ThemeTuneCameo: "Through the Night" plays from the ad ship the Outlaw Star is hired to act as a tugboat for in episode 14.

* TheAbridgedSeries: As seen here http://www.youtube.com/user/OLSAbridged#p/c/E753E8B1AE9AE1EF/0/0KUgZVMnwqg

* BlackBox: Technology from SufficientlyAdvanceAliens, which was put into [[MacGuffinGirl Melfina]] to make it work.

* CoolStarship: If it's name is given, it's this. The titular ship, El Dorado & Shangrila, and Geomancer.
* DeadlyUpgrade: The three rare Caster Shells, numbered 4, 9, and 13, are so powerful that it also takes away part of Gene's life whenever he uses it (as all the numbers are synonymous with death in differing cultures).

* {{Expy}}: The Outlaw Star itself is an expy of the RealLife pseudo-spaceship the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_X-15 X-15A-2]]. In the first few episodes the Outlaw Star even has a strikingly similar color scheme and it's designation of ''XGP-15A2'' is no coincidence either.

* NoodleIncident: How the crew came into possession of caster shells #4, #9, and #13; if the viewer doesn't see the HotSpringsEpisode omitted from western television. Which was explained as a noodle incident in the following episode.
** The episode, of course, is the kind of thing you get when someone DOES explain a Noodle Incident. It's every bit as weird as your imagination would make it out to be.