Galaxy Express 999

Galaxy Express 999 is based on a manga written and drawn by Leiji Matsumoto. The anime was produced by Toei Animation, and directed by Nobutaka Nishizawa. Galaxy Express 999 ran for 113 episodes, which aired on Fuji TV from September 14, 1978 to April 9, 1981. There are three Galaxy Express 999 films (released in 1979, 1981, and 1998). An OVA, Maetel Legend, was released in 2000. This was followed by the spin-off anime series, Space Symphony Maetel, which aired from 2004-2005.

Galaxy Express 999 is set in the year 2221, which is a space-faring and high-tech future. The wealthy people of Earth have become mechanized people with “machine bodies.” Much of what happens on Earth centers around a very high-tech city called Megalopolis. Those who cannot afford the machine bodies are forced to live below the city of Megalopolis.

The story begins with a boy named Tetsuro Hoshino and his mother heading toward Megalopolis. They have heard the rumors that machine bodies are supposedly given away for free on the planet Andromeda (which is the end of the line of the Galaxy Express 999, which is shaped like an old-fashioned steam locomotive). However, in order to get to Andromeda, one must be able to afford a pass on the Galaxy Express 999. Tetsuro and his mother plan to work and save money for the passes they need. Tetsuro wants to have a machine body, so he can live and have the freedom that the poor humans on Earth don’t have.

On their way to Megalopolis, Tetsuro and his mother and hunted by a group of mechanized people, led by Count Mecha. Tetsuro’s mother is shot. Tetsuro’s mother hands him the pendant she was wearing around her neck, and tells Tetsuro that she wants him to obtain a machine body. She dies, and Tetusro must run away to avoid capture by Count Mecha and his group. Tetsuro collapses in the snow, and thinks he’s going to die.

Tetsuro wakes up and finds himself in a house with a woman named Maetel. She offers him passage on the Galaxy Express 999 if he will be her traveling companion. Tetsuro agrees. After avenging his mother’s death, Tetusro and Maetel board the Galaxy Express 999 and start their adventures.

Galaxy Express 999 is a bit of a “dark” anime. With the themes that are presented in this anime, in addition to some nudity, I would recommend this series to anime viewers who are sixteen or seventeen years of age and older.