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Studio : Sunrise
Also involved: Bandai Visual Co., Ltd.
Licenced by : Bandai Entertainment
Length : 26 Episodes
Year : 2003
Genre : Science-Fiction - Drama - Comedy
Synopsis :
The year is 2075. Humans have constructed cities and space stations on the moon. The story follows Hachirota Hoshino, 25, in his fourth year working as a space debris cleanup man. Now he is entrusted with showing a rookie, Ai Tanabe, the ropes. He also finds out certain things that make him think about his future.
Added : 2005-10-30
Synopsis by : Idjota
Last update : 2010-02-03
Last update details : Modify info
Score : 8.58
Number of reviews : 12
Link(s) :
Official #1 : NHK's Planet ES's Website (japanese)
Official #2 : Official Planet ES Website (japanese)
Song(s) :
Opening #1 : Mikio Sakai - Dive in the Sky
Ending #1 : Mikio Sakai - Wonderful Life
Ending #2 : Hitomi - PlanetES
Release(s) :
2004-06-15 -- Episode(s) 15 by Ishin-Anime. BT Link
2004-06-01 -- Episode(s) 14 by Ishin-Anime. BT Link
2004-05-08 -- Episode(s) 13 by Ishin-Anime. BT Link
Found 57 releases. Click here to [ Find them! ]
Hits : 10834
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Posted by : Lightningcount12 
Posted on : 2010-01-10 
An older work of Goro Taniguchi proves to be an excellent piece of science fiction that really explores how the real world may be far into the future.
Story (8/10): Planetes takes place in the future where humanity has expanded into space, while still mostly living on Earth. The story focuses on a group of debris haulers, who clear dangerous man-made debris from the atmosphere. In spite of the importance of their job, the debris section, dubbed the “half section,” is poked fun at as a low level job. I loved how the story really detailed plight of the hard-working lower class and the greedy, status quo corporate structure that exists at the top even in a future setting. From start to finish Planetes perfectly blends the real world with the future where it exists. The first two thirds of the series covers the days and the lives of the main cast in the debris section, interlaced with the themes of class struggle and global exploitation. The latter end of the series focuses on the main character, Hachimaki, choosing to make a drastic life change by aiming for a difficult goal. The final episodes have the everyday normal cast getting swallowed by world turmoil. While there are some ridiculous and pointless episodes along the way, the majority of the storyline is interesting.
Characters (9/10): While the story certainly moves the characters in this anime, the characters seem to constantly be developing. While a lot of them are sort of your average Joe and Judy, they can still be really fun and some of them very dramatic. The relationship between the two main characters was done well; particularly, by having both recognize and date each other halfway through the show, rather than today’s standards of needing 25-50 episodes to make a confession; of course, they also experience heavy conflict as a couple when they do finally get together, otherwise the show would get boring. Tanabe pulls off being the huge advocate of “love conquering all” while never being obnoxious. My favorite character is the tough, big sister/ship captain Fee; she proves to be an extremely reliable human being and a strong backbone to support other cast members. I also have to note Locksmith, a cold-hearted villain who, refreshingly, puts on no mask and simply admits to his cruel nature. The problems he causes for the protagonists and antagonists gives the story a great jolt for the fast-paced final third of the series. This cast does not try to be special or fall into any anime stereotypes (except these guys in one episode who act like Naruto), they are just an ordinary group of people who can act extraordinary in the moment.
Animation (7/10): It is not the most beautiful piece of work. However, this is another situation where more gritty animation is better suited. It was refreshing to not have too many attractive characters given the setting. The ships and internal structure of the stations look really bland; but, this look is what one should expect from basically a corporate building in space. Nonetheless, appropriateness of the animation does not always mean I leave visually impressed.
Music (7/10): I was not impressed with the musical score. The OP grew on me, especially with its choice of an animated clip of human kind’s past explorations and discoveries leading into its present expansion into space (although it did give me chilling “Faith of the Heart” flashbacks from Star Trek Enterprise). The ED never really did grow on me, but I recognize it was not a bad song. Other musical scores within the series seemed to fair better for my ears. The big plus in this series is the sound. Every little sound made by the ships, suits and devices helps the audience really get into the current situation. While I do not believe any of the music deserves particular praise, the excellent sound coordination is worthy of boosting this score.
Entertainment (8/10): There were some pointless episodes along the way, but Planetes was still an enjoyable ride. I love social pieces, and this anime is one of the best straight social pieces around. The addition of realistic science fiction made the show even better. The cast was quirky, but they were never boring. When first beginning this show I admit to questioning how there could be action to add to the drama and comedy; fortunately, there was a lot more action than anticipated.
Fans of social pieces on class struggle at both personal and global levels, and lovers of science-fiction and detail to technology will absolutely need to see this somewhat unknown anime. Also, anyone who appreciated other Taniguchi works like Code Geass and Infinite Ryvius should give this anime a chance.
Posted by : Veld
Posted on : 2009-01-31 
This was an enjoyable anime. It accurately followed a great sense of realism that really made it come alive for me. Most of the characters were well developed, believable, and interesting. I enjoyed this anime but I found it suffered from a few huge flaws that just made it a whole lot less appealing.
Animation:
The animation was really good. There was an amazing sense of realism throughout most of this anime. 9/10
Music:
I did not hate the music, but it was not at all memorable or amazing in any way. 6/ 10
Plot:
The plot did not really start to develop until towards the middle or end, but I still enjoyed the beginning episodes. 9/ 10
The Bad:
What I really hated about this anime was that it tried to shove the moral views of the writers right down your throat instead of really just let you think about it and decide for yourself what you think.
Another thing that I did not like about this anime was that some of the most level headed characters lost it or totally broke character occasionally. It just made some of the plot seem less believable.
The last thing I found bad about this anime was the ninja episode. It seemed so out of place that it just left a bad taste in my mouth. After watching a few episodes that were very realistic the ninja episode just stuck out like a guy in an orange suit at a funeral.
The good:
I really liked the main characters. Each of them seemed to deal with some very understandable problems and seemed well developed and fairly likable. Though some of the minor characters were sort of static and uninteresting there were many that were quite complex and had very interesting histories.
The realism of this anime is amazing. It just seems so much like they really are in space. The animators did a very good job with zero gravity.
The ships all seem very reasonable and probably fairly accurate as to how ships will look in the future. The realism really makes the anime come alive.
Overall, I enjoyed this anime, but the flaws were just really bugging me. With a little more work on the presentation and the omission of the ninja episode, I would have given this anime a nine. The flaws just took away too many points from an otherwise good anime.
I have to give this one a seven.
Posted by : Terentius
Posted on : 2008-05-04
Whoever comes up with a show that concentrates on refuse collecting must be insane. Whoever comes up with a show that concentrates on refuse collecting IN SPACE is a genius!
Animation
I was thoroughly impressed with the sheer detail of the machinery and technology.
The character designs were decent, but I felt the main focus of the series was on the concept of realistic interplanetary space travel and this is where PlanetES really shines. There was a genuine sense of realism with the technological designs of the machinery. So much so that wouldn’t look out of place from a NASA concept sketch book. Technically superb.
Story
There were times in other shows, where I felt the pace was either too hasty or too pedantic. That cannot be the case here. It was brilliantly well-paced with time being given to explore each of the characters and their individual stories. Even the fictional history of 21st century space travel was well conceived. I once never got bored at all throughout the entire 26 episodes.
Characters
I felt that much was spent on the 2 main characters of Hachimaki and Tanabe, perhaps to the detriment of the rest of the cast. This was rectified from the 7th episode onwards where everyone had managed to get some decent screen-time. For a show that highlighted wonderful technological advances, PlanetES still retained a strong and varied set of characters.
Music
This area was the weakest part of the show. I wasn’t overly impressed with the OP and ED. The one strong point was the realistic sound effects.
Summary
Considering the subject matter of refuse in space, PlanetES remains one of the more original and thought-provoking shows I have encountered recently. It almost sounded like a bad joke when I read the synopsis, but I soon realised that it was an incredibly serious topic. The way that PlanetES showcased some of these problems of space-travel was pure genius. Topics ranged from picking up debris that could kill hundreds, to the huge sociological disadvantages of not being a citizen of a wealthy space-faring nation. I found PlanetES to be a gem of a title and I would recommend it to many who love watching ‘realistic’ sci-fi.
Posted by : fresh_no_concept
Posted on : 2006-10-21
Another fun series that apparently nobody watched (save for the eight people before me). No matter. PlanetES provides just enough to keep the viewers interested; an impressive feat considering it's pretty much just about trash collectors. It may be in space, but c'mon, it's still trash collecting. What can be fun about that?
I find it funny that space is so polluted, ships have difficulty charting orbits and trajectories around Earth. Littering just doesn't stop. Another tangent, sorry. PlanetES actually takes a while to kick in storywise but it makes up with some great characters. The personnel of the Debris Section are fun indeed, whether they're bouncing around with otaku ninjas or dancing half naked for lottery numbers. About halfway into the series, the romantic interests finally kick in and the plot twists and turns to much of my delight. Hey, the story also provides closure; something I always admire.
The character designs are in no way attractive but you get used to them. In fact, it's kind of fitting because I do not really expect much attraction in character designs of employees in the trash collection business. Animation is pretty awesome though. I wish I could say the same about the music. The OP and ED are absolutely boring, something I usually cannot stand when watching an anime series.
All is said and done and PlanetES is able to entertain. It's good sci-fi material and has some interesting messages to convey regarding environmental protection and social class distinction. A great watch for anyone who decides to pick it up.
Posted by : kauldron26
Posted on : 2006-08-17 
Planet ES is a truly amazing and magnificent anime. As a matter of fact i can honestly say that this anime knocked me on my ass. I have heard so much about this anime, but the concept of garbage men in space just never appealed to me.
Can you believe i had this on my computer for 2 months without watching it because i just didnt feel the urge or motivated to. Then couple of days ago, i was just like wut the hell, i'll try it. And can you believe that I watched the entire series, all 26 episodes in a row that saturday.
Not since Cowboy Bebop, Wolf's Rain and Berserk has an anime just shattered me. And how glorious it was. I was overwhelmed with exhileration, joy, anger, sadness, contemplation so many emotions. I wish i could meet the production team and shake their hands for this masterpiece.
The animation is perfect in every single way. No hyper-realism in emotional expressions and no exagerrations. Just plain reastic art of perfection. The Space scenes are just breath taking.
The sound is also realistic because they take into account the concept of a vacuum unlike star wars. The music was just incredible and blended perfectly with every scene.
This anime is about the characters and the concept of space and the future itself. Believe me when i say you can honestly relate to each and every character, because you either experienced their emotions or no someone like them. These characters grow and u live their lives... their joy, fears and pain.
The Value of this anime is not only treasurable but it also has a great rewatchablity concept. like i said i watched every single episode in a row. from 5pm to 2 am.
The story is the greatest part of this anime. words cannot describe its greatness... Just absolutely perfect in every way. You will laugh, you will awe, you will thrill, and you will cry.
Give this anime a chance... open your mind, Not only is this masterpiece intellectual, its also funny, touching, exhilerating, breath taking, heart breaking, entertaining and fun.
Posted by : Frundock
Posted on : 2006-01-17
This show is a late discovery for me. I had heard and watch the first episode, but back then it didn't catch my attention. Now, I could watch the entire series and be extremely satisfied with the results.
PlanetES is a nice blend of social problems in the future. How humanity may end up, and what we could look like at the end of the 21st century. What's great is that most, if not all technologies displayed in this anime are beleivable. The setting in which the characters evolve is really well made and add a depth right from the start.
Character are well made and of various type. One might complain that they don't improve much throught the show, but subtle and appreciable change do come from time to time. Even if the show centers on Hachimaki and Tanabe, we get nice work on every other character of the show.
Storywise, the show follows a steady pace. Never does it feel really rushed. It's a constant progression toward a very satisfying ending and lots of interresting events.
Technical side of things is near flawless. Animation level, for a TV series, is really high. Sound effects, are well used. Only complain would be a limited soundtrack, althought it is well used.
Watch this and prepare to be impressed! Especially if you like scifi.
Posted by : Tevesh
Posted on : 2006-01-03
Straight up, PlanetES is not a nine out of ten. It is an eight point five, but considering that it deserves some love and respect, I have decided to round up instead of down. The manga to PlanetES is like a concentrated shot, while the anime puts some drama in the series that 'dilutes' it. Personally, I consider this an improvement. Except for that damned ninja episode, I am on the anti-ninja side of the fence even though I normally love ninjas. Everyone likes PlanetES but the true question is whether you are ninja or anti-ninja. What the hell am I talking about? Watch this series to understand.
PlanetES is a good series that simply accumulated so many brownie points that it managed to push from good, which is an eight, to a theoretical nine. This is a hard sci-fi series, rather than fake sci-fi that anime requires to live. There are episodes dedicated to explaining 'what ifs' and social situations based purely on scientific implications. What happens if there is a war in space? How would someone born and raised on the moon be affected? There's cancer in space!
There are a lot of serious subjects in this series, but the series' optimism wins in the end. It is easy to get depressed and realize how futile things can be when you're alone in the world, but this series makes a case for "Love conquers all" or "Keep Hope Alive". This is the extra stuff that was added from the manga, and depending on your taste, you may or may not enjoy the 'extra toppings'.
Enjoy this spiffy little title and decide which side of the fence you're on. Ninja, or anti-ninja?
Posted by : dlingaddict
Posted on : 2005-03-12
This is proabably one of the more underated shows, though looking at these other reviews you wouldn't know it. Most of the people you talk to don't seem to like PlanetES. I'm guessing because that since it's in space, people are expecting giant mechas to be flying around shooting everything in site. Well, that doesn't happen here, and you know what? It doesn't matter.
Story: A little drawn out, a little slow, but if you stick with it, overall, it's very satisfying. It's literally very much like a soap opera. It's an introduction of alot of characters, and there's no world they have to save, or great mission they all have to do (well there sorta is, but it's not the focus of the story). What it's really about is their relationships with eachother, and what they want out of their future in space. It's really a personal growth story for everyone in here. So no action, no wars, but if you're looking for a little drama and stories about life, this is good.
Characters: And so continuing from the above paragraph, the characters which really make the whole story. Again, it's about individual people, the reasons they came to space, and as they live and experience new things and meet new people, how they decide to live their future, or fight for something new, or how their dreams aren't what it seems to be, or the new dreams that they create. The loves they find, the loves they lost, the sacrifices they make to get what they want. It's really all about the characters.
Animation: It ranges. Everything that has to do with space, is good. Details on the machinery, movements are smooth as they float around, you really believe they're in space. However for the eye candy guy that I am, I need a couple of beautiful people. These people are... real to say the least. Of course, not everyone is beautiful.. and neither are these people. If it wasn't for the voice, I'd thought that Ai (the main character girl) was a rather effiminate looking boy. But of course, it's about their growth as people, not their looks, so it didn't take the attention away from what's important.
So this really is a good show. it didn't get full marks because not everyone will like it, as some people would probably find it boring, and it can be if you're only interested in action coming at you in miles a minute. But if you're looking for something a little more substantial and memorable, then definitely give this a once over.
Posted by : fukui
Posted on : 2004-06-11
Planetes is a realistic show, and one of relevance. I'm not referring to the realism behind the technologies and space physics (for which I don't understand nor care about), but rather, the subject. The problem of space debris is very real and is something that humans must face sooner or later.
This anime depicts sensibly what the world could possibly be like 70 years from now. It serves to educate and raise awareness. It separates itself from other shows that might be entertaining, but at the end of the day, plain useless. Aside from the topic of garbage in space, issues like terrorism and global politics are also touched upon. Although the proficiency to bring about these points and the exact message of the show on them is debatable and up to one's own interpretations; in terms of raising awareness, Planetes does a commendable job. It is one of the few shows that will make you think, and for that, it is in the higher echelon of anime.
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One point is deducted for the first 10 episodes that were overall too dull to endure. However, those episodes are requisite for the proper enjoyment of the remaining 16 episodes which simply blew my hat and socks all the way to proxima centauri. For that, this show is a must see.
[Note re: ep6] I am one of the few that totally enjoyed this episode. Watch it with an open mind and perhaps it'll brighten up your day/night the same way it worked its magic on me.
Posted by : dsyf
Posted on : 2004-05-31
PlanetES is one of the best drama series I've seen for awhile. It is inspiring, thrilling and touching.
Strengths:
The storyline is amazing (other than some filler episodes like the Ninja ones)! Each episodes focuses on building up the characters and slowly brings it to a climax in the last few episodes. The plot involving terrorists was awesome and realistic. You actually feel what the characters are feeling whether it's insecurity or fear or happiness.
Weakness:
Other than a few filler episodes, I think the animation is bit flawed. Some parts of the animation looks really cheap, like scenes in the office. However, since it's a drama that focuses on characters and story, this doesn't affect the enjoyment of the series. Some character designs could be improved as well.
Posted by : AlDim
Posted on : 2004-05-11
Planetes is definitely my favorite show of the last season. I'm really glad that finally a space sci-fi anime took the harder choice of being realistic and serious instead of ignoring the laws of physics to look and sound more attractive to the common viewer. It proves that with some good sound direction the lack of sound in space is not a negative thing at all. Radio communication, music, etc. are more than enough to compensate.
A lot of thought and research has gone into all aspects of the world and story. Most anime/manga creators do their work without spending any effort to learn about the material they are dealing with and understand it. It's great that there are shows like Planetes which stray away from ignorance and popular cliches.
The plot and characters are great (apart from the two managers of the Debris Section, they are supposed to be comic relief but end up just being a bother). However all the main ones are interesting and get a lot of development. The storyline is quite engaging and has much relevance to issues like terrorism, monopolization, oppression of poor countries, etc. It also deals with more personal things like striving to accomplish one's dreams and love. The beginning is a bit slow and dull at times, with one episode that's completely out of place, but once the show picks up it gets better and better until it reaches a great and very satisfying ending.
The sound is on par with the rest. As I already said the the sound direction fully compensates the lack of sound in space. A notable mention is the music. It is quite similar to another work by the same composer - Scryed. At times it is kinda funky and jazzy but that provides a great contrast once the more emotional pieces come in. The voiceovers are also very good with some very minor exceptions.
Overall I think the series was a thoroughly satisfying experience. I'd love it if realistic sci-fi shows like this one keep getting made.
Posted by : Yebyosh
Posted on : 2004-04-23
Planetes the anime. It is pretty much based on the manga of the same name. We start off with a debris collection team (akin to garbage collection on Earth) and end up with a "save the whole world" (well, actually a city and a dream) ending. The starting is slow and has some bumps along the way.
The Good:
Artwork is pretty clean and nice. The lines are clear and colours vibrant. They stuck with dull colours for space but interiors are all brightly coloured. A nice contrast. Thankfully they did not garnish space with a Warhol-like chaotic mess. Though the characters are not pretty, it is good since there are no distractions and allows you to focus on the story and presentations.
Refreshing. This anime is a refreshment from the deluge of sci-fi space animes out there. It does not go into high-tech space battles. Nor does it go into too much melodrama. What it tries to present is just normal drama. Though there are some faults (see Bad), I think it pretty much did it well.
Except for a few instances (possibly bad editing or for dramatic effect), the anime crew tried to stick with realism in as much situations as possible, an example being that in this anime, you won't hear any sound effects in space. It helps to immerse you in the Planetes world and makes you think that the things there are all possible.
The Bad:
One point deducted because of the absolutely stupid ninja episode. This is subjective since there are others who found this episode entertaining. This episode however came as bad taste to me, making a mockery (as per the 2 managers) of the series.
Another point to be deducted because of the two managers in charge of the Debris Section Hachimaki is working in. These two caricatures of ineptness, uselessness irritated me to no end. If that wasn't enough, the show dares to put it that they populate the entire Debris collection industry...
Last point to be deducted. The show polarises the themes and characters to such extremes that they become stereotypes. What's more, they browbeat you with the presented themes quite often and so overtly that I felt it became propaganda (rich-vs-poor, terrorism & attempts to justify it, very down on his luck fella will do good if he just works hard - emphasis on the down on his luck, the naive idiotic "love conquers all" etc). They are not interested in making you think what the ideas presented were but rather "look, this is how you should think these things are!"
The Ugly:
Designs are ok for characters. For the space vessels, they are very well done, looking quite realistic and what would be reality in some years to come. However these designs seem to be inherited from the manga. What is not in the manga (namely mechanical exo-worksuits - not the space worksuits, & interior mechanical items) comes across as childish ventures that might not possibly work. A kind-of setback to the realistic space vessels.
So what is this show about? I think it is a drama set in space. It doesn't force you to think too much but throws some stuff at you. If you don't mind a slow start, this is a good show to watch. Due to the Bads, I give this a 7/10.
Side-Note: To me, the manga which inspired this anime is way better. Primarily because it doesn't smack you around with their own extreme views. It just presents and lets you think. A lot of plots & stories in the anime came from the manga and some of them were badly adapted. Hachimaki & Tanabe actually come across as very real characters in the manga instead of the stereotypes in the anime. If you have the chance, try to get the manga.
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