‘Outlaw Star’ anime exemplifies memorable characters, great development

An anime series I’ve recently finished and added onto my space anime list is “Outlaw Star.”

Beside the fact that everything about this show was perfection, and has one of the best theme songs in existence, what really kept me interested was the characters and their developments.

I’ve realized my type of space anime shows, or the three I’ve watched, have many parallels. Perhaps the most important is that the main characters are usually these so-called tough guys with dark or disturbing pasts.

The main character of “Outlaw Star,” Gene Starwind, is a 20-year-old outlaw that’s traveling the galaxy to find a treasure in what’s called the “Galactic Leyline.”

He, like two of my all-time favorite characters Spike Spiegel and Vash the Stampede from “Cowboy Bebop” and “Trigun,” has a dark past that he holds onto. He’s terrified of flying in space and he never faces his fears or confronts his past, just like the other two characters.

Eventually he does come to face his disturbing and tragic past, but in the meantime he dedicates his life to living as an outlaw while traveling through space with his crew.

I loved this show a lot because three out of five members on Gene’s ship, the Outlaw Star, are female, and two of them are the strongest characters.

Aisha, Melfina and Suzuka, the three female leads, are all lovable characters that bring “girl power” into a show that’s more targeted towards men. Though, as in pretty much any anime, they are sexualized to no end, which is the show’s biggest letdown. However, they’re usually the saviors in the series, not the typical damsels in distress.

The characters are all unique in their own ways. For instance, Gene’s right-hand man, Jim, is an extremely smart 11-year-old, who, in many cases, acts like Gene’s guardian because he always has to keep him in line.

The plot not only focuses on Gene and Jim overcoming Gene’s fear of space, but the viewer is also able to connect with every character on the “Outlaw Star” because they all have fears and strengths that they overcome.

All the characters share the same interest in finding the treasure, which is ultimately the reason they’re all on Gene’s ship in the first place.

Suzuka and Aisha were the only two who weren’t on the ship in the beginning of the show, but they realized they could all work together to find the Galactic Leyline and eventually become friends, too.

Strangely, my favorite character isn’t Gene. I find him to be the most unlikable character. I appreciate him nonetheless because eventually, during the last episode, he changes for the better, which is the best kind of character development.

All characters eventually overcome their obstacles that prevented them from reaching their goals, and they all end up together on the Outlaw Star because, in the end, it’s their home and the only place they’ve felt connected to other people.

I loved “Outlaw Star” because it’s perhaps one of the best shows in showcasing great characters and their development.