I went into Planetes with low expectations, picking it up solely because I love sci-fi and the old-school animation style. But man, I was not ready for this. Planetes had everything I needed—romance, drama, action, a bit of slice-of-life, and a mix of both lighthearted and heavy themes. At times, it felt like I was actually living in space alongside the characters.
One thing I really appreciated was the contrast between the beginning and the end. At first, it felt like I was watching Friends in space, with a slow and relaxed pace. But oh boy, when it picked up, it really picked up. It reminded me of Made in Abyss—the early episodes feel chill and cozy, and then suddenly, you're hit with deep, intense themes like racism, oppression, terrorism, and more. It has everything, all wrapped up in Hachimaki's coming-of-age journey and his relationship with Ai.
And then there’s that moment—when Hachimaki has to decide whether to stay with the woman he loves, or move forward into the vast unknown of space. That hit hard. I laughed, I cried, I went through a rollercoaster of emotions. It’s been a long time since an anime made me feel this way—since I truly enjoyed an anime like this.
It brought back that feeling I had when I first started watching anime—the thrill of discovering something new, the excitement of unexpected twists. Of course, it’s not flawless. If I looked at it objectively, maybe it’s more of an 8/10 or even a 7/10. But for me? I was down bad for this show. Personally, it’s a solid 10/10.
