This Anime About Space Garbage Should Be Your New Sci-Fi Obsession

(Welcome to Ani-time Ani-where, a regular column dedicated to helping the uninitiated understand and appreciate the world of anime.)

Throughout the many entries in this column, I’ve expressed a few times how much I admire when an anime show breaks away from the medium’s traditional high school setting and dares to tell a more mature story about adults — like the phenomenal psychological thriller “Monster.” To be sure, anime is more than shonen action anime about guys with superpowers in fantasy worlds. It can also encompass slice-of-life dramas, romances, sitcoms, and even a show about people whose job involves collecting debris in space.

Such is the premise for the 2003-2004 anime series “Planetes,” which is based on the manga by the same name by Makoto Yukimura (who also created the excellent “Vinland Saga”). The show takes place in 2075, a time when space exploration is common but is now hindered by the debris surrounding Earth, which can cause catastrophes. At the heart of the series are the members of the Space Debris Section (itself part of a giant conglomerate), who spend their days removing said debris in order to make it safe for people to both enter and leave our planet’s atmosphere.

At first, “Planetes” starts out as a workplace drama about the interpersonal relationships of the Space Debris Section’s workers. However, it quickly becomes a show about the isolation of space, late-stage capitalism, the challenges of working for massive corporations that don’t care about you, and the ways that corporations and governments could exploit space travel for profit (much like they ruined our home planet’s environment for their own benefit). The result is simply one of the best sci-fi stories ever.

“Planetes” was directed by Goro Taniguchi 20 years before he helmed the fantastic “One Piece Film: Red” and written by Ichiro Okouchi, who later went on to write “Devilman Crybaby,” and “Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury.” This is to say, the show not only looks stunning but also has a great balance of interpersonal drama and high concepts sci-fi driven storytelling.

Indeed, this anime looks fantastic. Fans of old-school detailed mechanical animation should find plenty of mouth-watering visuals in “Planetes,” which is filled with analog sci-fi goodness like hand-drawn spaceships, computers, hundreds of buttons, switches, detailed space suits — and have I mentioned how good the ships look? There is something truly unique and satisfying about the grounded, gritty design of space in this show, how real and full of weight things appear. Studio Sunrise (“Cowboy Bebop,” “Gundam”) animated “Planetes,” which has a distinctly turn-of-the-century futuristic style. Hence, the show’s universe is completely devoid of smartphones and instead has video call payphones all over the place. There are also handheld gaming devices (although multiplayer requires a cable to play) and everyone still uses floppy disks for data storage.

Rather than feeling dated, watching “Planetes” in 2025 imbues the series’ aesthetics with a whole different meaning. The lack of more “modern” technology makes it clearer just how underfunded the Space Debris Section really is (to the degree that they’re still using floppy disks in 2075). Similarly, “Planetes” is a pretty relatable and timely office story that’s concerned with the drama of people being stuck together thousands of miles away from anyone else and struggling to get by. As a result, the main characters form messy romantic relationships while an assistant manager constantly nags them for trying to do the right thing (when all he wants to do is get a raise). 

Still, it’s not all doom and gloom. We also get a thrilling yet funny episode all about a woman desperately trying to find a place to smoke a cigarette when every smoking room has become the location of a terrorist attack. Think of “Planetes” as the grittier, more grounded cousin of “Fired on Mars.”

Much like “For All Mankind,” “Planetes” has a real affection for space despite its many dangers. The series shows the effect of longtime exposure to radiation in space on veteran astronauts, who frequently get cancer or have deadly accidents at work. And yet, the show still argues for the incredibly alluring mystery of the final frontier and how easy it is to fall in love with space. At the same time, when a character is briefly left behind during a solar flare incident, it causes them to develop a psychological condition known as “space loss disorder,” which leads to a nuanced and gripping storyline.

Where “For All Mankind” is full of optimism that space will eventually lead to humanity solving its problems, “Planetes” argues that treating space as just another place to exploit is, well, no good. It’s an anime series full of deeper commentary in general. Take the bureaucracy plaguing the main characters and how the Space Debris Section is constantly being under-appreciated, mocked, or threatened with budgetary cuts by those who believe its employees are merely doing menial work. The show also tackles the issue of nepotism and depicts company cover-ups that border on violating the Geneva Convention. 

Then there’s the commentary on class and how those of lesser means are constantly being taken advantage of, even in outer space. Take the episode that focuses on a group of blue collar workers that’s been stranded on the moon as the result of a work visa scam. Meanwhile, the Space Debris Section’s employees are unable to climb the ladder despite years of work, so they spend their days buying countless lottery tickets in the hopes of earning a bigger paycheck. Worse still, there’s even an episode that shows life insurance companies descending upon the main characters like locusts as they try and take advantage of the dangers of their job to prey on the company’s most vulnerable and desperate workers.

It’s the show’s political commentary that allows “Planetes” to shine the most. Though some of this is also present in the original manga, the anime series heavily expands upon its source material when it comes to the political turmoil surrounding the Space Debris Section and its workers. The show is constantly arguing that allowing the same corporations and governments that are currently ruining our planet to suddenly gain access to space would not only be a terrible idea, but it would also make things worse for everyone. That’s because space exploration widens the economic gap on the series’ version of Earth, with only first world countries being able to reach space. They then monopolize its resources, preventing anyone else from profiting.

INTO, the show’s answer to the U.S. (in the manga at least; it’s more of a United Nations-like organization in the “Planetes” anime), even manufactures terrorist threats in order to get defense contracts in space. It also clandestinely places mines in space to deter its enemies from going up there, too.

The series’ politics are best exemplified in the El Tanika episode, which centers on a small South American country facing discrimination and the group of scientists desperately hoping to make their home a player in the space exploration game by building a spacesuit. Unfortunately, the guy representing the group and making the deals in space gets deported after INTO invades El Tanika and begins deporting any citizen who’s outside the country (including, yes, space).

As bleak as the show gets, however, “Planetes” is still based on a manga by the author of “Vinland Saga,” itself a decidedly grim and violent show that nevertheless argues for peace at every turn. Here, too, “Planetes” finds hope in smaller gestures of goodwill toward humanity, like the minor actions people can do that echo throughout a group of friends or even a community. In space, everything can seem separated and alone, but it’s all connected in some way.

“Planetes” is a show for those who want to see a more mundane and grounded take on a story set in space. It’s an anime that depicts the marvels of the Moon being colonized, Mars being made accessible to humanity, and even Jupiter becoming our next frontier, all without shying away from recognizing the injustices, inequalities, and other disasters waiting to happen the moment you give powerful people access to another realm to exploit.

As a workplace drama, there are enough characters to like and root for on “Planetes,” as well as plenty of small subplots that slowly build up to a thrilling central narrative. The grounded and more realistic look and art style also makes the show more accessible for those who are new to the medium or aren’t wild about the more exaggerated designs found in anime. Finally, with this being a series intended for adults, it lacks the kind of juvenile humor and fan service often found in anime targeted at younger viewers. Instead, “Planetes” treats its characters like real people, which makes their dilemmas feel relatable and recognizable. It’s simply a sci-fi masterpiece.

Watch This If You Like: “For All Mankind,” “Gravity,” “Star Trek: Lower Decks”

“Planetes” is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.