Planetes
Abandoned artificial satellites. Tanks jettisoned from shuttles.
Refuse generated during space station construction.
This vast amount of junk floating in space, space debris, is a very serious threat.
This is a story of 2075, a time in which this space garbage has become a problem.
Why come to me?
Well, we went to his hotel, but he'd already given us the slip.
I thought that he might go to his old friend from his Martian pioneering days for help.
Sorry to disappoint you, but I haven't seen that scruffy face of his for three years now.
Oh, you haven't?
I'm told he's a bit whimsical, so perhaps he's gone back to the moon or to ISPV-5...
Director.
Yes, I know.
Well, if you find out where he is, please contact my main office at this number.
I hope you'll be able to help us.
All right, coast is clear. You can come out now.
Sorry to make you hide me like that, Gigalt.
Don't worry about it. We used to steal sausages together on Mars, remember?
Wow, that takes me back...
You don't want to go to Jupiter?
Are you kidding me? Do you have any idea how many years that'll take?
Seven, they said.
Geez, those guys don't know when to give up.
Besides, if they keep at it...
If they keep pestering me and I start wanting to go on this Jovian explorer of theirs,
...what the hell am I gonna do?
Soshite hito wa toki wo koeta yume wo miru, And people dream dreams that transcend time,
...seijyaku no umi ni idakarete. ...held in the arms of a still sea.
Tori ya kumo wo miagete wa... As they looked up at the birds and clouds,
...hakanai inochi moyashita... ...it set their ephemeral souls on fire...
...ikusen no asa ni. ...on a thousand mornings.
Hikari ga mukau basho e... I bet they're taking flight...
...habataku darou. ...to where the light is headed.
Negai wo hanatsu toki wa ima. Now is the time to launch your dreams.
Hatenaki yume wo noseta... Off into the frontier that is carrying...
...frontier e, ...boundless dreams, .
...tooku tooku dive in the sky. ...farther and farther, dive in the sky.
Planetes
Phase 17: His Reasons
That engine can go all the way to Jupiter...
More powerful than a motorcycle... More powerful than a plane...
Way...
Way more...
Yeah...
I've gotta do everything while I still can.
So this is where you've been, Sempai!
Sempai?
What the hell did you do that for?!
I tried to get your attention!
Huh? You did?
Doing some more running, huh?
For an astronaut, I don't have much endurance.
They said I've been focusing too much on weight training and neglecting my stamina.
That doesn't mean that you need to run on your day off.
You're one to talk, what're you doing at the office on your day off?
Our date!
Vega's new shuttle model is coming in, so we were going to look at it together.
Oh, right... Sorry, I'll go get ready!
Too late, it's already docked.
Oh.
Sorry.
Why's he so worried about endurance? He's got more than enough to be a debris hauler.
It's not like he's going out for the Olympics or anything.
He didn't have to blow off our date like that.
Sleep with him, already.
You two haven't done it yet, right?
B-But we've only been going out for a month and a half!
And he had Spatial Loss Disorder for a month of that...
You might think that it's only been a month and a half, Tanabe,
...but he might think that it's already been a month and a half.
Maybe, but...
I'm not telling you to give it away or anything,
...but don't you think you should seal the deal one of these days?
C'mon, one more bar, just one!
What's the big deal?
I might have an easier time trying out for the Olympics.
Is it that hard to get picked for, uh, what's it called?
The Jovian explorer Von Braun.
To get picked for the Von Braun?
Developing Jupiter has great significance for humanity.
If you're one of those first crew members, your name will go down in the history books.
All humanity, huh? I guess he's right...
Hachimaki! Here's to your safe return!
Oh, thanks. Thanks, I appreciate it.
C'mon, man, this party is for you!
How many people are gonna try out for that ship?
Just counting the in-house applications, if you include the ones...
...from all of our group companies, they say there will be more than 1000.
What're you gonna do if you pass the test, Cheng-Shin?
What do you mean?
You'll be gone for seven years, right? What about your family or girlfriend or whatever?
Well, my parents are one thing, but having a girlfriend would make it tricky.
How could you ask a girl to wait for you for seven years?
Yeah, I hadn't thought of that...
You can't take either one with you...
All members of regular shift squad C, assemble in Section 4 meeting room after regular muster.
This is the last time I'll be coming to the OSA.
All members of regular shift squad C, assemble in Section 4 meeting room after regular muster.
I've been replaced. I've been making too many mistakes lately.
Paging Technora...
They're finally calling me, huh?
Can I ask you something?
That thing you said earlier. "I'll never be one of the nobility."
What did you mean by that?
Paging Technora!
I meant that no matter how delicious the food was, I wouldn't be able to enjoy it...
...if the peasants who made it were starving.
Technora!
Paging Technora!
Even though I've worked so hard for so long to become one.
So in the end, it all hinges on the tandem mirror engine?
Didn't I warn you about this, Mayer?
I said that using a new engine system would be risky!
We should have made do with an older engine model with a proven record.
Perhaps, but that man never would have gone along with it.
Locksmith?
There's no denying the man's brilliance, but he seems to act on his own authority far too often.
I think we need to put a bell on him.
Yes, I think you're right. One that is disposable.
In that case, I think I have the perfect candidate.
A fool in that position... will cause us trouble.
Not to worry, the man is very capable.
But he doesn't know the meaning of the word harmony.
I'll admit that he showed some skill in stabilizing his division's performance,
...but if we keep him any longer, he'll bring us nothing but trouble.
Huh?
Hey, there was a Mr. Nora here. Where did it go?
I don't know, it was here this morning.
Well, that's just great...Our section is in charge of that thing.
Good afternoon, ladies. Where might I find Debris Section?
Debris Section, sir?
Yes, I'm looking for a Hachirota Hoshino. He's in Debris Section, yes?
Director.
Yes, sir, here he is. Just a moment, I'll page him.
That's all right, I'll go in person. Just give me a printout of the directions there.
Yes, sir.
Look, we have that second engine to gather data on its output threshold values,
...not just the theoretical values.
Try increasing the output to just short of the danger zone. Act like you're trying to break it.
Here you are, sir.
Try increasing the output to just short of the danger zone. Act like you're trying to break it.
But sir, if we actually break it, responsibility will have to be placed somewhere.
Responsibility? I'll take full responsibility, of course.
Verifying space weather report.
No solar activity watches or warnings have been issued at this time.
I'm here to conduct the flight crew check.
Claire?
The rest of the crew hasn't boarded yet?
Isn't the flight crew check a job for new employees?
I've been making mistakes that even new employees wouldn't make. I can't blame them.
Come on, everybody, give me a hand with these!
You're the one who said you'd do it, Lavie.
Well, the chief of Public Relations Section asked me to.
Like I'm gonna help you look better to others...
Are you doing anything later, Sempai?
Want to go to this with me?
They're having a Japanese food fair at the Spica.
Starting today?
They even have tonkatsu.
Plus...they say you can even have the food brought up to your room.
Sure...Why not?
Excuse me, would you happen to be Hachirota Hoshino?
Yeah, that's me.
I'm Werner Locksmith, director of the Jupiter project.
The Dr. Locksmith?!
The designer of the Von Braun?! The developer of the tandem mirror engine?!
Well, yes...
I-I saw your tandem mirror engine! It totally blew me away!
Thank you, I'm glad to hear it.
Incidentally, your father wouldn't happen to be here, would he?
My dad?
Yes.
Sorry, I haven't seen him for years.
He didn't do something, did he? That old man of mine has a screw loose.
No, not at all. Your father's talents are almost legendary.
Really? They are?
Yes, Goro Hoshino made five Earth-Mars trips as chief engineer...
...on ships that used traditional circuit coil fusion engines.
Oh, wow! I had no idea that your father was such a great man, Sempai!
We're about to wrap up the engine tests for my Von Braun,
...but the magnetohydrodynamic regulator system is still rather unstable.
Which is why I need your father's experience and intuition.
Your father is indispensable for this project.
You're certain that he isn't here?
No, he isn't here.
I can't seem to track him down...
I'm sorry to have bothered you.
Um, excuse me? Wait a minute!
Wow, what a surprise! To think that such a big shot paid our office a visit.
Are they gone?
Excuse me?
I-It's alive!
What's gotten into you? Somebody's obviously inside the thing.
Who could possibly be inside there?
Geez, I should've known.
Hey! How have you been, dumb son 'o mine?
Planetes
I got tired of playing cat and mouse with those guys on the moon,
...so I came all the way back here to Earth orbit.
Good grief, those guys are persistent.
Allow me to welcome you to Debris Section.
I have heard many stories about your exploits from Gigalt.
Call me Goro. Nice to meet'cha!
Make yourself at home.
Um...How do you do?
My name is Ai Tanabe.
Um, Hachimaki...er, Hoshino Sempai has been taking me under his wing.
Oh, so you're taking care of a cute little thing like her, are you?
Keep the comments to yourself, you perverted old geezer!
Hey, is that any way to speak to your father?
Then why don't you try acting like one for once in your life?!
Anyway, why are you trying to dodge those guys?
You should just accept the position on the Von Braun!
Why would I go and do a damn fool thing like that?
Are you kidding me?
Jupiter's a treasure trove of deuterium and helium!
If we can tap those resources,
...it'll mean a limitless supply of energy for humanity in the 22nd Century!
If you all yourself a man, that's a challenge that you can't pass up!
W-What the hell is so funny?!
Oh, nothing. Nothing at all.
Geez, you're one annoying old fart.
I've had enough of all this. I'm heading back down to Earth.
Or more to the point, the whole "fate of humanity" thing is a young man's game.
I'm not interested.
We already did a threshold test on the #2 engine the day before last, didn't we?
They say that Chief Locksmith wants us to do it one more time.
He's one self-centered boss, isn't he?
We shouldn't complain. C'mon, let's get back to work.
Right, we should just be grateful that they even hired us.
You have a point. And the research team is here, so there'll probably be food for us, too.
I've been removed as OSA liaison, too.
I was even threatened with a demotion to Half Section yesterday.
There's no shame in working at Debris Section. Even Hachimaki...
Hachi is a thoroughbred, remember?
He can stay true to himself no matter where he is.
It's true that Hachi's father is a famous engineer, but you can't blame Hachi for that.
I'm a child of immigrants, and I couldn't even read until I was eight.
You can't blame me for that, either.
Our lives are different, the ones you guys were given and the one I've been given.
And whose fault is that?
So, you're coming back next month, then?
That's right. I've got a posting on Earth this time.
I'll be an instructor at an astronaut training academy.
Goodness, you actually sound like you mean it. Are you serious about retiring this time, Goro?
Dead serious. You have my word this time.
I swear, it amazes even me that I can wait...
...for a husband who doesn't even come home once a year.
I know, I'm sorry.
No one could blame me if I went out and had an affair or two, now could they?
Yes, dear, you're right as always.
Well, I'll be waiting, but I won't be holding my breath.
Mind your health, all right?
Sure, you too. I love you.
I'll call you again soon. 'Bye.
Considering how you've left her high and dry all this time,
...you've got balls, saying "I love you" like that.
Don't eavesdrop on conversations between a man and his wife, boy.
You're turning down the Von Braun because you want to shack up with Mom?
You're choosing a woman over a spaceship after all these years?
Yeah, that's right. I love your mother.
And here I thought that space always came first with you!
Oh, I get it. You missed me, is that it, beloved son of mine?
This is Jupiter we're talking about! No one's ever been there!
There's a limitless supply of energy waiting there!
Do you have any idea how important this is for the human race?!
What's so funny?
"Earth is the cradle of humanity, but one cannot live in a cradle forever."
Know who said that?
That's a quote from Tsiolkovsky, what about it?
Yep, that's right. A fine little quote from the father of space flight.
Then why are you doing this? Jupiter is...
Hachirota, you're being suckered. That was Tsiolkovsky's great lie.
What?
That Russian geezer dreamed of the stars at the dawn of the 20th Century,
...and he lied to make that dream come true.
That great Sempai of ours was a clever man.
He got all of humanity to think that his personal dream was their own goal!
I came up here into space because I wanted to.
I'm going back because I'm tired of it. End of story.
Space is never gonna be developed by guys who are afraid to put their own dreams first.
The dark side of the moon?
They say it might be the tandem mirror engine! They're getting confirmation now!
What's up?
Massive neutrino readings detected along Earth-moon orbit!
Seismograph readings are...
Our flight's departure will be delayed until we've made sure it is safe to do so.
-Sounds like there's been an accident. -Yes, on the moon...
They said that they don't know when our flight will be able to leave!
Laser transmission from lunar surface branch!
They're requesting emergency assistance from the OSA and all Earth-orbit branches!
Understood. All right, good work. Go ahead and shut it down.
Thank you.
I suppose we'll have to postpone our attempts to woo astronaut Hoshino for another day.
Make arrangements for a press conference.
A press conference, sir?
There's been an incident during the threshold test on the #2 engine.
The researchers are probably all dead.
We're probably looking at huge losses in both money and personnel.
The incident was the result of my orders, so I am fully responsible.
And so, I have to hold a press conference and explain my actions.
After that, I guess I'll have to go see the top brass and be yelled at for a while...
I'm sorry to hear that, sir.
Me, too.
You were an indispensable part of the Jupiter project.
Oh, you're worried that I'll be fired?
Oh, don't you worry about me.
I wouldn't be replaced even if I blew two or three labs to smithereens.
And why do you think that is?
It's because I'm a man of genius who is incapable of loving anything but spaceships.
There was an accident on the moon?
Yeah...
It's the tandem mirror engine... There's been a meltdown.
It's the one that we saw a while back.
It blew up?!
Chief! It's starting in eight minutes!
Edel, make sure we have all the paperwork!
Well, we're off to the emergency meeting!
Sure.
We come to you from the EDC's emergency meeting room.
Hurry, hurry!
We come to you from the EDC's emergency meeting room.
Does my hair look all right?
We come to you from the EDC's emergency meeting room.
It's fine, it looks perfectly natural.
It appears that the press conference is about to begin.
It's fine, it looks perfectly natural.
It appears that the press conference is about to begin.
A press conference is starting!
Questions will be fielded by Dr. Werner Locksmith,
A press conference is starting!
Questions will be fielded by Dr. Werner Locksmith,
Well, now, this should be interesting.
...director of the Jupiter project that the EDC is heavily promoting.
"Locksmith," I think that youngster's name was...
We would now like to issue a statement regarding the tandem mirror engine explosion...
How's he gonna take the blame for this?
We would now like to issue a statement regarding the tandem mirror engine explosion...
With all its Technora backing, the Von Braun might be in trouble, too
We would now like to issue a statement regarding the tandem mirror engine explosion...
With any luck, it'll just push back the completion date.
...at the New Alamagordo test site.
With any luck, it'll just push back the completion date.
Yes, all our efforts are currently focused on...
...the search and rescue operations for the 324 missing personnel.
Can you explain the structural defect that was pointed out in the MHD regulator?
It took you five hours to issue a statement! Doesn't that point to organizational problems?!
I insist that you ask your questions only after raising your hand and being called upon!
Please raise your hand first! I will call on you!
Will there be any changes in the engine design?!
Silence! Can I have silence, please?!
It sure is chaotic down there...
It goes to show how serious this is.
I bet the moon is gonna be swarming with debris...
Estimates place the total losses at two trillion dollars.
How do you intend to take responsibility for this incident?
I am entirely satisfied with the data we obtained from the engine that exploded.
The next one won't fail. Rest assured on that account.
Good day.
-What's that supposed to mean?! -Are you kidding?!
You're supposed to resign when you take responsibility for an accident!
I'm sorry, but there will be no further questions at this time.
And we now return from the press conference.
Repeating our top story, there has been an explosion at the New Alamagordo test site...
What kind of monster is he? Lots of people just died!
He's gonna try to continue their testing like nothing even happened?!
I can't believe that guy! Right, Sempai?
You're going to call me a liar, and you've got every right to say it.
Well, there's a ship that I wanna crew.
She's still under construction, but I think she'll be a real beauty.
Well, isn't that just fine and dandy?! I half expected this, anyway.
By all means, take your time and have your fun!
She hung up on me.
You're gonna take the job, Dad?
That youngster... What was his name? Locksmith?
He's an interesting one. His lack of humanity is one thing,
...but he didn't make the slightest effort to hide how self-centered he is.
A heartless bastard like that is gonna do some fine work.
Self-centered...
Well, I guess that means that there isn't much difference between him and me.
We're just a couple of sad creatures who'll stop at nothing to feed our hunger for space.
You haven't gone home yet, Sempai? Your father left already.
You didn't even see him off. You two must really be on bad terms.
Space is never gonna be developed by guys who are afraid to put their own dreams first.
Tanabe.
Yes?
The name they gave the Jupiter explorer is the Von Braun, right?
Locksmith gave it that name.
Yeah?
Von Braun was a scientist who developed a rocket weapon called the V-2...
...under Nazi sponsorship during World War II.
When they finished that rocket which would go on to take so many lives,
...one of Von Braun's associates turned to him and said something.
"Today marks the birth of the spaceship."
About twenty years later, Von Braun sent the first men to the moon in his Saturn rocket.
What's your point?
I think...I'm the same kind of man he was.
Well, I'm going to go put these away.
The screening for the crew will continue according to schedule.
The first round of tests will be held on Earth, so there won't be any problems on that end.
But, sir...
Even if groups opposing the project turn up, as long as they don't do anything to interfere...
Director!
We just received a message from astronaut Hoshino.
He contacted us?
Yes, sir. The message says that he will accept the Von Braun chief engineer position!
Well, now, that takes care of my chief engineer!
I'm still short on key EVA personnel.
This man would make an excellent candidate,
...but he'll be dead before the Von Braun gets underway.
Gutto mizu wo nomihoshi, We gulp down some water...
...yuuyakegumo miageru no sa. ...and look up at the evening clouds.
Kyou mo ichinichi ga owatte, Let's wind our way home...
...gairoju no shita wo kaerou. ...under the roadside trees as another day ends.
Yaru koto darake de tenpatte, Even if life's so hectic that our tempers flare,
...muri wo shite, tsumazuite mo, ...we push ourselves too hard, and we stumble,
...nani ka kanarazu tsukanderu sa. ...I know there'll be something to grab hold of.
Kiraku ni ikou ze. Let's move on without a care in our hearts.
Subarashii jinsei dakara, It's a wonderful life,
...jibun wo aisuru yuuki wo motou. ...so let's have the courage to love ourselves.
Atarashii doa tataite... Let's take it one step at a time,
...hitotsu hitotsu aruite yukou. ...knocking on new doors on the way.
Subarashii jinsei na no sa. It's a wonderful life.
Kimi mo boku mo subete no hito mo... You and I and everyone else...
...yorokobi to kanashimi no imi... ...keep on searching for the meaning...
...sagashitsuzukete, so just on my way. ...of joy and sadness, so just on my way.
Next Time: Debris Section's Last Day
Disbanded?!
Next Time: Debris Section's Last Day
Give me debris any day. We can recycle debris and make money off it, unlike you people.
Next Time: Debris Section's Last Day
Fired.
Next Time: Debris Section's Last Day
We don't need you!
Next Time: Debris Section's Last Day
You're serious about this?
Next Time: Debris Section's Last Day
The human race needs us!
Next Time: Debris Section's Last Day
I did it...
Next Time: Debris Section's Last Day
It's the perfect ending for a hero who keeps space safe.
Planetes