5 Forgotten Space Opera Anime Titles Better Than Any Modern Sci-Fi Show
There will be no Cowboy Bebop – because the series is so famous that every self-respecting anime fan should have seen it by now.
Live-action shows are cool, but animation allows creators to bring even the craziest ideas to life. That is why today we are going to remember the anime titles about wandering through the vast interstellar ocean.
Dashing heroes, fascinating plots, bright worlds – such stories deserve to be known by as many anime fans as possible.
1. Space Adventure Cobra, 1982
Johnson, a humble clerk visiting the Trip Movie company to enjoy a dream adventure, makes a shocking discovery – he is actually the notorious space pirate Cobra, who staged his own death, altered his appearance, and spent the last five years living an ordinary life.
Armed with the galaxy's only psycho gun, concealed within his left hand, and accompanied by his loyal android companion, Lady, Cobra embarks on a thrilling new journey.
Their mission: to uncover a legendary treasure, guided by a map left by Captain Nelson. The key to finding it lies in the fragments of the map tattooed on the backs of Nelson's triplet daughters.
2. Hakugei: Legend of the Moby Dick, 1997-1999
Captain Ahab and the crew of the schooner Lady Whisker are the most famous whalers in the galaxy. This is the name given to adventurers who hunt "whales" – starships abandoned for various reasons that have become a source of spare parts, metal, and valuable cargo.
Teenager Lucky becomes a cabin boy on the Lady Whisker, but not just for the sake of it, but to urge Ahab to hunt the White Whale – a mysterious and sinister spaceship.
3. Arcadia of My Youth, 1982
By the close of the 30th century, the Solar Federation had fallen to the Illumidas Empire, leaving Earth under the conquerors' rule. Captain Harlock, a war hero, was stripped of his rank by the Empire's puppet regime.
When Harlock intervenes to save his beloved Maya, he draws the wrath of the Illumidas. His fate takes a turn after meeting Tochiro, a genius engineer, who leads him to the mighty battleship Arcadia.
After enduring tragedy – losing Maya and being branded a criminal – Harlock takes to the stars, transforming into a beacon of defiance for Earth's oppressed people. And so, the legend of the galaxy's most infamous space pirate is born.
4. Outlaw Star, 1998-2001
Fighter Gene and young hacker Jim provide a variety of services, from repairing equipment to catching criminals. One day, they are hired by a mysterious beauty, and the companions are drawn into the search for the legendary treasure of the galaxy.
Their team is joined by the android Melfina, the samurai assassin Twilight Suzuka, and the cat-like eccentric aristocrat Aisha Clanclan.
The heroes face a journey full of deadly dangers – other adventurers, space pirates and an unprincipled scientist are on the hunt for the treasure.
5. Galaxy Express 999, 1979
In the year 2122, humanity has spread across the galaxy, traveling not in traditional spaceships but aboard colossal space trains – the Galaxy Express lines. In this futuristic society, the wealthy can cheat death by transferring their consciousness into immortal mechanical bodies.
Tetsuro, a poor young boy, dreams of escaping his harsh life by obtaining one of these mechanical bodies. His only chance is to board the legendary Express 999, a train that departs Earth just once a year, bound for a distant planet where such upgrades are granted for free.
With the help of the enigmatic Maetel, Tetsuro secures passage on the train as it journeys toward Andromeda, making stops at strange and wondrous worlds along the way. Through his perilous adventures across space, Tetsuro begins to question his desires – is immortality really worth the cost?
