Outlaw Star

 Another Space Opera made Anime by Sunrise Studio in late 90s and this one is surprisingly very good. When it comes to a swashbuckling space adventure, Outlaw Star offers a definitve experience. Outlaw Star tells the story of a young bounty hunter named Gene Starwind journey to become a renowned Outlaw, something similar to 40k Rogue Trader. His fate will intertwined with Top Secret experimental Spaceship and mysterious girl named Melfina.

 Being produced by Sunrise, Outlaw Star have similarities with Cowboy Bebop, being a space adventure of bunch of Space Misfits with a heavy influence of Chinese Aesthetics to begin with. When it comes to production value, Outlaw Star is no slouch either as it is backed with very good writing. But i think the setting is what charms me with Outlaw Star, didn't expect that Space Magic or Spaceships with Arms works surprisingly well for a Space Opera setting which just prove a good writing goes a long way.

Personally i am more fond of Outlaw Star over Cowboy Bebop as the former's cast are more colorful and the story ends in less depressing note. To be honest the rich world building that Outlaw Star had could have made a very good RPG setting too. For some reason Outlaw Star didn't really succeed even if it had almost everything that makes a good space opera which rather saddens me. Because it showcase that good writing doesn't guarantee anime will sell which is very crucial in Japan for Continuity of series, which Outlaw Star considered to be failure. It is unfortunate, because i think Outlaw Star could have more things to offer with its great potential but at very least it conclude most of the things properly within 26 episodes.  So if you like Cowboy Bebop or Space Opera in gerna, Outlaw Star is a very good anime to jump straight to .