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Starship Operators
Anime DVD Review
When the Kibi government surrenders without a struggle, it maroons the space cadets in the middle of a training mission. They decide to fight back independently, but without funding, they have no hope of re-supply. Their only solution is to partner with the Galaxy News Network, in exchange for exclusive rights to the action and good ratings. The cadets become, in essence, stars of their own reality TV show - with their lives, and the fate of their homeworld hanging in the balance.
Starship Operators took us by surprise by starting out as a slightly dull space drama with generic characters. But then the storyline got underway — and by episode 4 we were hooked. The series is an incredibly clever twist on "reality TV" while also being a tight dramatic space opera (with tons of internal politics) with a mysterious subplot AND scientifically accurate space battles!
One particular twist to the show that we enjoyed is that, while the actions of the "enemy" are secretive, every action the protagonists take is broadcast to the universe, so, they start out at a tactical disadvantage. Furthermore, tactics sometimes give way to the influences of the producer, who may want "good TV" at the cost of someone's life, or even the safety of the entire ship.
Starship Operators is a well-plotted space opera with a good amount of technical accuracy. If you like Gundam or Planetes, give this a try!
Below: Characters and scenes from Starship Operators.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, March 2006
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