Issue date: 9/7/07 Section: Opinion

In the year 2075 it is a common part of daily life for humans to travel to and from the Earth. However, just as there is pollution on Earth from human activities, there now exists the problem of debris in space. Even the smallest piece of debris can be responsible for a catastrophic tragedy. This is how one of the suborbital passenger liners met its unfortunate destruction, for it was ripped apart by a collision with a simple screw that had reached a velocity as high as 8 km/s (or 17,895.4903 mph, thank you Google calculator). This led to the creation of the Debris Section, to clean up and keep orbital paths clear of potentially hazardous debris. "Planetes" focuses on one particular Debris Section, or "Half Section" as it is commonly called, which is comprised of a very misfit crew.
"Planetes" seems different from many anime right from the start. The style of artwork is very unique. Unlike most anime where the characters have super shiny hair and skin, the characters have much more subtle features, details and overall look much more realistic. The story itself is quite original. It focuses on the problem of all the debris and those whose job it is to collect it to make space travel and exploration safe for others. Though the job is not the most profitable and is often looked down upon, it is necessary. The misfit members of the Debris Section nobly do their job while providing very funny entertainment to the viewer. The Stevens Anime Club will be showing "Planetes" this Friday, September 7th, at 9PM in Burchard 118, and will be continued on September 14th and 21st, also at 9PM.

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