Can you live like a warrior? Can you love like a mother? Can you cherish like a poet? What are your ambitions, and what will they cost? And if you cannot achieve it in this life, do you bow your head or seek to extend it? All around the universe there are those who ask themselves these kinds of questions, for there are as many dreamers as there are stars in the sky. Galaxy Express 999 is a story about these dreamers and the decisions they finally come to.
"Hey Maetel, I'm gonna take the Galaxy Express to get a mechanical body and live forever!"
It's this single statement from Tetsuro that'll define a series spanning over a hundred episodes, yet only a single facet of the genuine gem Galaxy Express 999 truly is. This wish developed from Tetsuro following his mother's death shows the nature of how life and science has evolved in their universe, and sets the tone for the various planets and locations he will visit on his way to the legendary planet at the end of the railway line: one that promises to grant visitors a mechanical body for free.
There's an old saying about an adventure being about the journey not the destination, but here one can find an interesting subversion. Galaxy Express 999 makes traveling through the universe remain constantly intriguing whilst also keeping the final destination as an ever-looming presence throughout Tetsuro's thoughts and actions. It's a unique harmony that brings forth an overall question that will shape the entirety of the show: should Tetsuro actually seek eternal life?
To face this question, the show is segmented into an episodic format that usually features one per location in the universe, while sometimes being split into two episodes. Each of these locations generally bring a new idea or formatted society that will offer Tetsuro a fresh perspective of life. There's a planet where humans have mastered robotic automation to the point they no longer leave their homes due to being obese from laziness. There's a city where only those whose bodies shine the brightest are accepted among society. There's even a place where talking dinosaurs seek mountains for educational study. And each of these locations consist of people with their own moral questions to answer, for the universe is filled with dreamers unsure of how to pursue their wishes. As Tetsuro helps these people, or stands against them, he will find his own answer through the lessons they teach.
By the time you finish Galaxy Express, you'll probably realize this show isn't just about Tetsuro. It's about the Conductor, Maetal, and every single character who's ever appeared in the show. Their desire to pursue what they dreamed of and what became of them for such a wish, it is these stories that Leiji Matsumoto have written which should each be cherished in their own standing. Through them you may find your own dreams in the stars just as Tetsuro did, and come out the other side of the tracks with a smile on your face.
Sayonara Galaxy Express 999
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