History Manga / GalaxyExpress999

* GodSaveUsFromTheQueen: In addition to Queen Prometheum, a lot of planets ruled by queens are pretty screwed up.
** InvertedTrope for the queen of the Dark Africa Nebula, where she is the one who is reasonable and kind by contrast of her subjects who are genocidal maniacs.

* RealityEnsues: On planet was literally split in half by its inhabitants so that one half contained the modern civilized citizens and the other the primitive savages; almost immediately after doing it, the "civilized" half exploded by collapsing on its own mass, and the other half also explodes before the episode ends.

* NoOSHACompliance: Seriously, [[CrapsackWorld the state of several planets are in]], makes you wonder if Galaxy Railroads is at all concerned with the safety of its passengers.

To date, only the first two movies, a portion of the second manga series and ''Maetel Legend'' have had a widespread release in the U.S./Region 1. (The TV series was subtitled by Nippon Golden Network and available in areas of the US with a high ethnic Japanese population.) A...somewhat [[{{Macekre}} liberal]] translation of the first movie was released in 1981, but we aren't going to talk about that. The translation work since then has been considerably more faithful to the source and (big surprise) much more enjoyable for it. Crunchyroll is currently streaming a subtitled release of [[http://www.crunchyroll.com/galaxy-express-999 the entire original 1978 TV series.]]

To date, only the first two movies, a portion of the second manga series and ''Maetel Legend'' have had a widespread release in the U.S./Region 1. (The TV series was subtitled by Nippon Golden Network and available in areas of the US with a high ethnic Japanese population.) A...somewhat [[{{Macekre}} liberal]] translation of the first movie was released in 1981, but we aren't going to talk about that. The translation work since then has been considerably more faithful to the source and (big surprise) much more enjoyable for it. Funimation is currently streaming a subtitled release of [[http://www.funimation.com/shows/galaxy-express-999/videos the entire original 1978 TV series.]]

* ExcessiveSteamSyndrome: Brought to the logical extreme by Creator/LeijiMatsumoto: the titular CoolTrain is a spaceship that looks like a train pulled by a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JNR_Class_C62 C62 steam locomotive]], smoke included. Justified out of universe by AuthorAppeal and in-universe by RuleOfCool (Maetel quickly points out it was built with that look because people preferred it to more modern-looking space trains).

* HeroicSacrifice: Claire in the anime and first movie [[spoiler:Metalmena]] does this twice in ''Adieu''. Obviously being a waitress on the 999 is a dangerous job.

* LukeIAmYourFather: [[spoiler:Faust, to Tetsuro]] in ''Adieu''.
** LukeYouAreMyFather: Queen Prometheum, ruler of the Machine Empire and [[spoiler:Maetel's mother]].
* MeaningfulName: Faust, Crystal Claire and others.
** Maetel's a pretty complicated one. Because of the [[JapaneseRanguage L/R ambiguity in Japanese]] it can be interpreted as either coming from the Latin word for mother, or the English word metal (or possibly the Creator/{{Mattel}} toy company) [[spoiler:both of which hint at her artificial nature]].
** Word of God says that her name was meant to read "Maeter" and derived from the Latin word "mater", which means "mother".

* PinocchioSyndrome - Inverted by Tetsuro's quest for a machine body.

* ReplacementGoldfish: Tetsuro's relationship with Maetel has aspects of this, especially when it's revealed [[spoiler:that she's using a replica of the body of Tetsuro's mother]].

* PoweredByAForsakenChild: the upper class use android bodies, powered by tiny energy cells that were made [[HumanResources by harvesting humans]].

* [[SpaceIsAnOcean Space Is]] [[strike:an Ocean]] [[SpaceIsAnOcean A Railroad]]: The Three-Nine runs through outer space as if on tracks. Harlock commands a battleship, while Emeraldas gets a bit more...bizarre: a wooden sailing ship, suspended from a giant...space-blimp sort of...thing.

* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: [[WellIntentionedExtremist Queen Prometheum]] is perfectly willing to [[spoiler:harvest organic beings as an energy source for mechanized citizens]].

* YouKilledMyFather: Tetsuro, during the first movie/arc to Count Mecha, who killed his mother and mounted her on a wall. His speech to the count could easily be translated into the full version.

* GoodScarsEvilScars: Captain Harlock and Emeraldas both bear scars under their left eyes.

To date, only the first two movies, a portion of the second manga series and ''Maetel Legend'' have had a widespread release in the U.S./Region 1. (The TV series was subtitled by Nippon Golden Network and available in areas of the US with a high ethnic Japanese population.) A...somewhat [[{{Macekre}} liberal]] translation of the first movie was released in 1981, but we aren't going to talk about that. The translation work since then has been considerably more faithful to the source and (big surprise) much more enjoyable for it. Funimation is currently streaming a subtitled release of [[http://www.funimation.com/shows/galaxy-express-999/videos the entire original 1978 TV series]].

* BewareTheNiceOnes - Don't mess with Maetel and don't threaten Tetsuro even if she isn't around.

* BigFatFuture - The second BigBad in the manga conquers Earth by offering enough free food to cause this.

* [[CollapsingLair Collapsing Home Planet]]
* CoolTrain - C'mon. A ''space train''? How could it be anything but?

* CrapsackWorld - Most of the planets Tetsuro and Maetel visit are in various states of decay. By the time of ''Adieu, Galaxy Express 999'', Earth has devolved into a state of perpetual war between humans and machines.

* CyberneticsEatYourSoul - Seen in several mechanized humans, though by no means universal.
* CutShort - The movie Eternal Fantasy ends with a StarKilling, EarthShatteringKaboom, vows to find a mysterious person that will fix everything, and a "To Be Continued in 1999". We're still waiting.
* DealWithTheDevil - The aptly-named Black Knight, Faust.
* DefeatByModesty - Emeraldas's android stand-in starts screaming "Don't look at me!" after Maetel cuts off its robes.
* DownerEnding - Nearly half of the TV series episodes!
* EarthShatteringKaboom - [[spoiler: Maetel's response to two doctors plotting to steal her and Tetsuro's bodies.]]

* FanService - Iconic as it is, Maetel takes off that coat pretty regularly. One of the eyecatches is her swimming in a bikini alongside a train in space.
* {{Flashback}} - Tetsuro remembers life with his mother from time to time, along with her death.
* GodSaveUsFromTheQueen - In addition to Queen Prometheum, a lot of planets ruled by queens are pretty screwed up.
* GoodScarsEvilScars - Captain Harlock and Emeraldas both bear scars under their left eyes.
* GrandTheftMe - Metalmena makes a (failed) attempt to hijack Maetel's body in ''Adieu''.

* HeroicSacrifice - Claire in the anime and first movie [[spoiler:Metalmena]] does this twice in ''Adieu''. Obviously being a waitress on the 999 is a dangerous job.
* KillThePoor - Rich nobles who have swapped their bodies for mechanized bodies are free to hunt the poor humans for sport.
* LadyOfWar - Maetel is well-mannered, well-educated, refined and cultured, and if you force her into a physical confrontation, on your own head be it.
* LaResistance - The organic rebellion against the mechanized empire.
* LukeIAmYourFather - [[spoiler:Faust, to Tetsuro]] in ''Adieu''.
** LukeYouAreMyFather - Queen Prometheum, ruler of the Machine Empire and [[spoiler:Maetel's mother]].
* MeaningfulName - Faust, Crystal Claire and others.

* {{Melodrama}} - As was common in {{Anime}} in TheSeventies (okay, anime even now).
* MissingMom - Tetsuro's mother.

* PrettyInMink - Maetel's fur trimmed outfit.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure - The 999's conductor.
* ReplacementGoldfish - Tetsuro's relationship with Maetel has aspects of this, especially when it's revealed [[spoiler:that she's using a replica of the body of Tetsuro's mother]].
* RobotGirl - Queen Prometheum, Crystal Claire, Metalmena, et al.
* PoweredByAForsakenChild - the upper class use android bodies, powered by tiny energy cells that were made [[HumanResources by harvesting humans]].

* [[SpaceIsAnOcean Space Is]] [[strike:an Ocean]] [[SpaceIsAnOcean A Railroad]] - The Three-Nine runs through outer space as if on tracks. Harlock commands a battleship, while Emeraldas gets a bit more...bizarre: a wooden sailing ship, suspended from a giant...space-blimp sort of...thing.

* SpaceshipGirl - The 999 gets its own in ''Eternal Fantasy''.
* ThemeNaming - The "Tetsu" in Tetsuro comes from the Japanese word for iron, while Maetel sounds like metal.
* TrademarkFavoriteFood - Tetsuro loves ramen and eats it whenever he can.
* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans - [[WellIntentionedExtremist Queen Prometheum]] is perfectly willing to [[spoiler:harvest organic beings as an energy source for mechanized citizens]].

* WhipItGood - Maetel's pretty handy with that whip she carries.
* [[YouKilledMyFather You Killed My Mother, And Hung Her On Your Wall!]] - Tetsuro, during the first movie/arc to Count Mecha. His speech to the count could easily be translated into the full version.

Another series in the Anime/{{Leijiverse}}, [[{{TheGalaxyRailways}} The Galaxy Railways]], further explores the trains-as-spaceships theme, but isn't really interwoven into the Galaxy Express continuity. Galaxy Express features cameos from [[SpaceBattleshipYamato a]] [[QueenMillennia few]] [[Anime/CaptainHarlock other]] Leijiverse characters.

!!Contains examples of:

Another series in the Anime/{{Leijiverse}}, [[{{TheGalaxyRailways}} The Galaxy Railways]], further explores the trains-as-spaceships theme, but isn't really interwoven into the Galaxy Express continuity. Galaxy Express features cameos from [[SpaceBattleshipYamato a]] [[QueenMillennia few]] [[CaptainHarlock other]] Leijiverse characters.

Originally serialized in Hit Comics from 1977 to 1987, ''Galaxy Express 999'' is part of [[LeijiVerse Leiji Matsumoto's larger universe]]. The story centers on Tetsuro, an orphaned street urchin who dreams of catching a ride on the titular space-train in search of a mechanized body and eternal life. He gets his chance when a mysterious woman named Maetel offers him a ticket - if he will travel with her along the way.

Another series in the {{Leijiverse}}, [[{{TheGalaxyRailways}} The Galaxy Railways]], further explores the trains-as-spaceships theme, but isn't really interwoven into the Galaxy Express continuity. Galaxy Express features cameos from [[SpaceBattleshipYamato a]] [[QueenMillennia few]] [[CaptainHarlock other]] Leijiverse characters.

* ExcessiveSteamSyndrome: Brought to the logical extreme by LeijiMatsumoto: the titular CoolTrain is a spaceship that looks like a train pulled by a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JNR_Class_C62 C62 steam locomotive]], smoke included. Justified out of universe by AuthorAppeal and in-universe by RuleOfCool (Maetel quickly points out it was built with that look because people preferred it to more modern-looking space trains).

To date, only the first two movies, a portion of the second manga series and ''Maetel Legend'' have had a widespread release in the U.S./Region 1. (The TV series was subtitled by Nippon Golden Network and available in areas of the US with a high ethnic Japanese population.) A...somewhat [[{{Macekre}} liberal]] translation of the first movie was released in 1981, but we aren't going to talk about that. The translation work since then has been considerably more faithful to the source and (big surprise) much more enjoyable for it. Funimation is currently streaming a subtitled release of [[http://www4.funimation.com/video/?page=show&b=279 the entire original 1978 TV series]].

S'more Entertainment has announced that they will release the Galaxy Express 999 tv series as a sub-only DVD release in North America. However, it won't exactly be what fans are expecting (see BadExportForYou).

* BadExportForYou / [[ScrewedByTheNetwork Screwed By the Distributor]]: S'More Entertainment, a company who usually doesn't do anime releases is releasing the entire TV series in North America on DVD, marking the series' first ever North American home video appearance. However, while there are subtitles (unlike their BoboboboBobo release), they are what's known as "hardsubs": subtitles that can't be turned off. Unfortunately for the North American fans, there are no plans for replacement sets with soft subtitles.