Outlaw Star

Well now. We are back to plot again, and more importantly, back to the McDougal brothers. It has been a five-episode absence for them in the series, and they come back in a big and satisfying way. It doesn’t look like they’re aligned with Hazanko and the Anten Seven at this juncture, but what we don’t know doesn’t hurt us in the slightest. More surprises are nice at this point.

The crux of this episode involves Melfina feeling rather glum about not going anywhere with her origin finding wish. You know things are getting a bit real if she wanders into some space church right after a grocery run and strikes up a conversation with the local clergy. This scene, coupled with Jet Black getting metaphysical in the prologue helps set the tone for one of two conflicts this week, and does a terrific job intriguing. However, despite Melfina uncertain of her faith in Gene’s problem, their interaction is absent from said crux. In fact, Gene and Melfina spend most of the episode separated from one another thanks to the McDougals. read more

Because it not so much needs to be asked, but moreso because I want to: How do you follow an episode that injected a shitton of adrenaline to the series and gives Gene an impetus to get his ass in gear?

You have Gene and friends go on a salvaging expedition for some old man in another interpretation of a TV staple plot involving old men and the sea. Didn’t this just happen a few years ago in Space Dandy?

To our eternal relief, this episode is not as bad as it would seem, and doesn’t deflate the momentum of last week TOO MUCH (in fact, the way the episode is carried makes it seem like last week didn’t happen at all). One, Gene and Jim are both motivated towards the job, instead of Gene being dismissive and Jim being frustrated by such. Two, the captain is a charming enough curmudgeon thanks to his design and the creative adaptation of his English dub dialogue. Three, it gives Gene perspective on what it means to be an Outlaw, despite not being TOO related to the overall Galactic Leyland. And Four? read more

Ah, this is the episode with the scene bookending one of the original Toonami’s Outlaw Star promos back in the day. Personally, I like this tagline better than the reused “Time to roll the dice.” However, given my favourite tagline would not fit TOO much in 2018 than it would in 2000-ish, I guess it will have to do.

Even though, when one thinks about it, “time to roll the dice” wouldn’t make sense given how the original edit took great strides to censor out any allusion to gambling. I guess Gene and friends play some SD&SD (Space Dungeons & Space Dragons) inbetween jobs, which explains the use of dice. read more

I told you I’d be back. Also, I have noticed Jim has yet to make an appearance on the feature shot of an episode. So here I am remedying more matters. Then again, covering this series is in and of itself a remedy of mistakes long made in the past. Mistakes I, once again say, hope to fix.

Anyway, FILLER! Not just any filler, ENJOYABLE FILLER! After some Space Race adventures, we’re now privy to the inner workings of the Heifong branch of Starwind and Hawking Enterprises. However, like Sentinel and elsewhere, they’re not doing so hot. Gene is still dismissive about any job coming his way; Jim still harps on him to find anything (although he’ll draw the line on certain recommendations he finds questionable); Melfina’s just happy to be there; Aisha’s a go getter; and Suzuka must be so well-off from her job she can loiter around their HQ for lord knows whatever reason.  They’re all at their peak when it comes to how they act when they aren’t pegged for death. read more

Yup, the screenshot seen above is the moment I pretty much dropped the series from active watching. Again, to my eternal regret.

I say this because wow, this is a really good episode. I had initially thought this to be a continuation of the Space Race, where Gene and the gang get waylaid in the middle of it while Harry had a comfortable lead. Turns out, as seen in the last episode, it is not the case. The first part starts out interesting by way of throwing us in media res of the encounter’s beginning. Interspersed with their search for McDougal, we see Gene’s reaction to Harry’s video, the reveal of how the Galactic Leyline is interpreted by various people, Aisha’s ‘official’ joining up with the team, and their first encounter with Professor Khan. These are pretty good; everything is falling into place with all the important players finally coming around. The only exception is Suzuka, who doesn’t even appear in the episode. However, again we already know we will see her again, so all is well. read more

I’m shocked.

Not so much that I’ve regained interest after having it flag for a few episodes (although this is welcome), but also how very short the Space Race was period. In fact I was expecting to see the moment where I lost interest right here… but it’s not there.

What’s there is actually an intense little episode where Gene not only pushes the limits of the Outlaw Star, furthering its uniqueness as a ship, but also furthering the connection between him and the McDougals. The moment where he and Harry meet is a rather tense affair, with Gene not at all up for BS and wanting answers while Harry deflects and denies anything Gene throws his way. Predictable to be sure, but as an establishing moment to personalize their intertwined fates it is a good watch. read more

Ah, what a surprise. After almost getting murdered by pirates and escaping Sentinel 3, the series takes a small breather with this episode, bringing back a lingering thread muted by past events. I am of course talking about money issues. Sure, wherever our team is going (Heifong), might be rife with chances of making it big, the usual matter of making it by to get there, never mind making it by KEEP being there, still remains.

Although you have seen in previous episodes Gene and Jim butting heads, here it becomes even more pronounced and more detailed. Even in exile, the growth of Starwind and Hawking Enterprises is an ongoing project for its two titular owners. However, their disposition when it comes to unexpected conflict extends even to business expansion. Thus, we actually see Jim being legit infuriated at Gene’s lackadaisical approach to maintaining a business for a longer period of time instead of his usual, “Aw c’mon, Gene!” moments in the middle of a shitstorm. Gene is a regular proto-Space Dandy here sans the inclination to Boobies and lacking a pompadour, wanting to ride things out like they are a current. One might think he’s being TOO lazy, but the main action sequence in this episode (in a way that inspired the article title above) is all his work, and shows he does care… but he just wants to do it his way. read more