Outlaw Star

Outlaw Star
Cover of Outlaw Star volume 1 as released by Shueisha
星方武侠アウトロースター (Seihō Bukyō Autorō Sutā)
Genre	Adventure[1] Space opera[2] Space Western[3]
Created by	Hajime Yatate, Takehiko Itō
Manga
Written by	Takehiko Itō
Published by	Shueisha
Magazine	Ultra Jump
Demographic	Seinen
Original run	September 20, 1996 – May 20, 1999
Volumes	3 (List of volumes)
Anime television series
Directed by	Mitsuru Hongo
Produced by	Shinjirō Yokoyama Naotake Furusato
Written by	Katsuhiko Chiba
Music by	Kow Otani
Studio	Sunrise
Licensed by	Crunchyroll BI: Anime Limited
Original network	TV Tokyo
English network	BI: CNX PH: GMA Network US: Cartoon Network/Adult Swim (Toonami)
Original run	January 8, 1998 – June 25, 1998
Episodes	26 (List of episodes)
Light novel
Outlaw Star Ginga no Ryuu Myaku Hen
Written by	Tiba Katsuhiko
Illustrated by	Saitou Takuya
Published by	Shueisha
Imprint	Super Dash Bunko
Demographic	Male
Original run	October 1998 – February 1999
Volumes	2
Light novel
Unkai no El Dorado Seihō Bukyō Outlaw Star
Written by	Miho Sakai
Illustrated by	Saitou Takuya
Published by	Shueisha
Imprint	Super Dash Bunko
Demographic	Male
Published	July 14, 2000
Volumes	1
Spin-off
Angel Links

Outlaw Star (星方武侠アウトロースター, Seihō Bukyō Autorō Sutā, lit. "Starward Warrior Knight Outlaw Star") is a Japanese media mix primarily consisting of an anime television series produced by Sunrise (now a division of Bandai Namco Filmworks) and a corresponding seinen manga series written and illustrated by Takehiko Itō. The series takes place in the "Toward Stars Era" universe in which spacecraft are capable of traveling faster than the speed of light. The plot follows protagonist Gene Starwind and his motley crew of an inherited ship dubbed the Outlaw Star, as they search for a legendary outer space treasure trove called the "Galactic Leyline".

Planned by Sunrise (under the Hajime Yatate pseudonym) and Itō, Outlaw Star first appeared as a manga originally serialized in the monthly Shueisha magazine Ultra Jump between 1996 and 1999 for a total of 21 chapters. Three volumes of collected chapters were published in Japan between August 1997 and January 1999. Although no official English version of the manga exists, it has been published in Chinese, German, Italian, and Spanish. Sunrise produced a 26-episode anime adaptation that was directed by Mitsuru Hongo and aired on the Japanese station TV Tokyo in early 1998. The animated series has since been translated and broadcast worldwide. This includes an English version from Bandai Entertainment that received an edited airing on the North American Cartoon Network blocks Toonami in early 2001 and later on Adult Swim in early 2002. Outlaw Star has been licensed for release in Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment and in Europe by Beez Entertainment. A few Japanese-exclusive audio CDs and light novels have been spawned since the start of the manga's publication.

Critical reception for Outlaw Star has been mostly positive. Many reviewers praised the anime series, particularly its animation style and its balance of dramatic and comedic elements. However, some found fault with the show's pacing, believing that the storyline quality begins to wane after the first few episodes. Sunrise produced a spin-off television series titled Angel Links (星方天使エンジェルリンクス, Seihō Tenshi Enjeru Rinkusu, lit. "Starward Angels Angel Links"), which aired in Japan in 1999. Preliminary plans were made to create a direct sequel in the form of a single-episode (OVA) called Sword of Wind, but production never began.