As the Space Race continues, Gene hasn't given up his obsession with finding the MacDougall Brothers. But confronted with more than one enemy in the race proves to be a challenging test for the young crew and its pilot. Soon, the crew of the Outlaw Star faces a new problem...money's tight again, so everyone starts taking small jobs to make ends meet and having Harry MacDougall take a special interests in Melfina can be a little unsettling. Can Gene protect her and at the same time protect himself from the Assassins known as the Anten Seven? *"Outlaw Star is cool. WE DIG IT!" - Gamers Republic *Outlaw Star is cool. Very Cool. A funky, fastpaced sci-fi adventure!"- -EX:Anime *Based on the successful Japanese manga by Takehito Ito             

In this second two-disc set of adventures, Gene Starwind and Jim Hawking shift operations to the planet Heifong, accompanied by the lovely assassin Suzuka and the cyborg Malfina. The Ctarl-Ctarl alien Aisha Clanclan joins them as a rather fractious partner. During a high-stakes space race, Gene discovers that MacDougall, the enemy he met in episode 9, is really two brothers: Harry, a psychotic cyborg, and Ron, a gelid sadist. Nasty as they are, the MacDougall brothers are small potatoes compared to the real threat Gene and his friends face. In "The Seven Emerge," Lord Hazano, the head of the 108 Stars pirate gang, sends a band of dreaded murderers after them. Hazano wants Gene's ship, the Outlaw Star, which rebel pirate "Hot Ice" Hilda gave him before she was murdered by the MacDougalls. A secret coalition of pirates and Space Force agents developed the ship: with Malefina acting as its guidance system, it's the only vessel capable of reaching the fabulous treasure hidden at the Galactic Leyline. Although he's unable to discover the nature of the treasure or the location of the Galactic Leyline, Gene resolves to take his crew there at the end of episode 18. But there's still time for plenty of comic adventure, including Gene's entry in the distaff events of the Galactic Strongman Contest as "Jenny." Rhinestone-in-the-rough Gene Starwind may remind viewers of a cross between Kain Blueriver in Lost Universe and Vash the Stampede in Trigun. Like Kain, he comes out on top in misadventures that never quite cover his expenses, and he's as formidable a marksman as Vash. But he lacks the metaphysical bent that enables Kain to wield a psi blade, and the viewer looks in vain for Vash's reverence for life and self-deprecating charm. Outlaw Star delivers an engaging, rather dark brand of comedy-adventure, although the clean-up artists on the series do very sloppy work: Gene's features change noticeably from scene to scene. Episodes included: 10. "Gathering for the Space Race," 11. "Adrift in Subspace," 12. "Life and Death Struggle with the El Dorado," 13. "Advance Guard from an Alien World," 14. "Final Countdown," 15. "The Seven Emerge," 16. "Demon of the Water Planet," 17. "Between Life and Machine," 18. "The Strongest Woman in the Universe." Rated 13 and up for nudity, sexual situations, profanity, and violence.

An Outlaw's life can sure be complicated. After encountering other outlaws, pirates, and the evil known as the Ctarl-Ctarl, Gene and company are speeding along happily through the galaxy. However, with the final battle at ahnd, the crew of the Outlaw Star must find the legendary Galactic Leyline before the MacDougell brothers and the powerful Hanzanko finds it first. The battle for absolute power begins as the Outlaw Star's crew must put their lives on the line to save the universe from these powerful madmen. A battle that will rage across multiple planes of existence in the climactic conclusion of Outlaw Star.             

This rollicking comedy-adventure concludes as the characters finally reach the mysterious world known as the Galactic Leyline. After searching for clues about it in the cyclopean ruins of "Grave of the Dragons," Gene Starwind poses as a prisoner to free the man who knows its coordinates. The expedition to the enigmatic planet turns into a four-way race that pits Gene and his crew against Hazanko and the Kei Pirates, the MacDougal Brothers and Professor Gwen Kahn, and a Ctarl-Ctarl battle cruiser. At the Leyline, Gene, Melfina, and Suzuka confront the pasts that shaped their identities. Suzuka duels with the Pirate who murdered her family--and copied her face (a new twist on identity theft). Gene remembers his life as an orphan after his father sacrificed his life to save his son during a pirate attack. Melfina, who wants to know her true origins, receives a surprising answer. Katsuhiko Chiba's screenplay sometimes staggers, like Gene the morning after a heavy night. Episode 23 is a long digression set in a hot spring with lots of slapstick comedy and jiggle shots, but very little story development. However, the filmmakers do a noteworthy job of preserving the tone of the series and the personalities of the characters while raising the stakes. Gene demonstrates his untapped potential when he engineers an interplanetary jailbreak and battles the maniacal Hazanko, but he remains a devil-may-care rogue: he doesn't turn into a smarmy Good Guy. All the major characters survive the climactic fights, including the evil MacDougal Brothers, which leaves open the possibility of sequels. Gene, Melfina, and Jim Hawking may have returned to the backwater planet Sentinel III--and to a staggering debt to equipment dealer Fred Lou--but they're not likely to stay there. Rated 13 and up: nudity, profanity, sexual humor, and violence. 

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