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At first, I was recommended this show from a friend of mine. He said it was very good and that I'd love it. I was skeptical at first. Sure, I've heard of this show, but is it all it's hyped up to be? Does it deserve the praise it gets? To find out, I simply watched the series. Now, that I'm done, I can finally give my answer.

Firstly, I'd be remiss to not mention how much I love the premise of the show. A space western with a rag tag group of bounty hunters exploring the solar system is done amazingly well. The potential a ... show like that has is utilizes every aspect of it's world here. Each plot, while not really connected to each other, fully explores the concepts set up and gives plenty of opportunities to build character.

Speaking of which, I found myself falling in love with every character. Each one of them is defined by their past and we get to explore that, understanding how these characters got to where they are by the time of the show. The amount of great character building is mind blowing and left me immensely satisfied. The characters at their core aren't that complex, but get fleshed out as the series carries on, giving us their perspectives, and allowing the world to become more three dimensional. From the first episode, these characters are relatable in their motives and actions, and yet we see them do things quite literally out of this world. I found myself becoming emotionally invested in each character, and found each character moment great.

On that topic, I should talk about the writing. Each episode, while separate from each other, only works in the show's favor. We see more and more of this universe and the people inside of it. While conceptually, this seems far out, the show does a fantastic job at grounding everything and making it feel realistic in a lot of ways. For example, Jet passing Spike a cigarette using zero gravity. While very minor, it's a moment I love because it makes sense in context of the world. It feels like the characters have lived here and know everything about the world, like we're just looking at a moment.

The plot of each episode is also very tight and well done. The stories are short, but wrap up in a satisfying way at the end of each episode. It never feels rushed, and instead feels like each action in the episode lead to a natural conclusion. We get to see a few characters and locations get explored and by the end, there are no loose threads. Because of that, each episode is wholly focused on making our characters consistent and our plot logical. That is the show's best strength. Giving us an interesting concept with a logical plotline. Our characters act completely in character, and make decisions that follow that. Because of that, we get satisfying payoffs because of the logical through line.

I'd be remiss not to mention the music. Every single song underscores the action perfectly, and gets us in the mood of the scene. The theme alone gets this section a ten, but every other song is great too.

One other thing I love is the animation, It's amazingly expressive for the characters. I found myself looking at shots a few times to see all of the character's reactions simply because of the entertainment I'd get seeing how creative the animators got at expressing emotion. The settings also look phenomenal. Each cityscape and planet feel lived in and full of character. Some of them would make great wallpapers simply from how much is in them.

So, now that I've got my thoughts out, do I think this show is good? Absolutely. It's the best anime I've had the pleasure of seeing with some of the best characters in media period. The setting alone got me hooked, but I stayed for the character interactions and tight plotlines. I'd highly recommend watching it and, if it's been a few years, watch it again. You won't be disappointed.