Underrated Sci-Fi Anime from Early 2000s Receiving Attention It Deserves

An anime from the early 2000s is gaining traction as a fan pointed out it would make a
great follow-up series to the anime Cowboy Bebop. This anime is Planetes, based on the hard
science-fiction manga written and illustrated by Makuto Yukimura. It is one that was not widely
recognized until more recently, and it is worth watching for fans of space and adventure, or just
a watch that keeps one on their toes.

Planetes takes place in 2075, exploring life where space travel and colonization are very
common, but human conditions are slowly deteriorating due to space debris. The space crew of
DS-12, the space debris collector ship, must travel around and clear the pollution. In this
process, they explore themes of relationships, the state of humanity, and human conditions. The
crew begins to struggle with the realities of their jobs after facing the dangers of space.

With space being talked about quite frequently in real time, more space-based anime are
in discussion, with Planetes being a main topic. It is an eye-opener that may change how space
travel is viewed.