Adieu Galaxy Express 999
Directed by Rintaro7.088%7.0
It's been three years since the destruction of planet La Maetel, but the Machine Empire is as great of a threat as ever. Teen Tetsuro, now a rebel fighter, learns that Galaxy Express 999 is returning and that Maetel is on it.
Where to Watch Adieu Galaxy Express 999
- SammySam2471d agoAdieu Galaxy Express 999 takes a film that I felt was so eager to rush as fast as it could to its ending, looks at the adventure, the disconnect inherent in the first film and really reflects on it, holding up a mirror to not only Tetsuro as a character and his refusal to let go of the past and grow but the audience as well. We all must face and truly confront the past. We must be ready to truly face tragedy before it consumes us wholesale. Ghosts are all over this film, specters of the past leading Tetsuro back through what feels like the same journey, majorly because it is. It repeats beats, character ideas, even appearances, but none of them are as triumphant this time. Maetel is much quieter this time, nobody is eager to stick around, everything feels colder, more hostile, this universe is at a stalemate, comrades come and go in horrific ways. This is an endless battle that cannot end as Tetsuro, and by extension the audience, clings to the past, to the adventure, to the love and the loss of before. But there's no true catharsis, no true warmth, just reflections of the past used as bait to lure you into facing the reality of the now. The idea that chasing eternal youth, holding onto your childish self, unable to see past today, past a singular moment in time is tantamount to suffocation, to death itself. And existence maintained by sacrificing the lives of those around you in order to maintain your childish illusion of eternity, of adventure, of what life is "supposed" to look like vs. what it actually is. The world doesn't have the same spark it used to, it's being drained and bombed out in pursuit of stagnation, of the same spinning wheel we were in before. Tetsuro, and we as well, must grow, must face the past, must kill it, must surpass it and carve out our own desires with our own hands. Live a life of our own carved out beliefs, of our wants and desires, not the desires of those before us. We must be the younger generation that fights with their ideals to change the world. The generation after you must do the same. So on, and so forth. For all eternity. Our memes must pass forth into the future. I see the vision now Rintaro. "Farewell, Galaxy Express 999"
- RichardAugust 3, 2025Set three years after Galaxy Express 999, this sequel finds Tetsuro Hoshino older, tougher, and caught in a new fight against the Machine Empire. When he learns Maetel is aboard the returning Galaxy Express, he’s pulled back into a journey that forces him to confront his past and what it means to stay human. The film leans into themes of mortality, identity, and farewell, with Rintaro’s direction delivering surreal visuals and emotional depth. The animation holds up well, and the voice cast bring real weight to their roles. Cameos from Harlock and Emeraldas are a nice touch for longtime fans. It’s not without flaws, some pacing issues and heavy-handed monologues,but it’s a poetic, melancholic send off. For fans of Leiji Matsumoto’s universe, it’s essential. For newcomers, it’s a haunting invitation to explore the stars.
Adieu Galaxy Express 999 Trivia
Adieu Galaxy Express 999 was released on August 1, 1981.
Adieu Galaxy Express 999 was directed by Rintaro.
Adieu Galaxy Express 999 has a runtime of 2h 15m.
Adieu Galaxy Express 999 was produced by Ken Ariga, Chiaki Imada, Leiji Matsumoto, Yoshio Takami.
It's been three years since the destruction of planet La Maetel, but the Machine Empire is as great of a threat as ever. Teen Tetsuro, now a rebel fighter, learns that Galaxy Express 999 is returning and that Maetel is on it.
The key characters in Adieu Galaxy Express 999 are Tetsuro Hoshino (voice) (Masako Nozawa), Maetel (voice) (Masako Ikeda), Emeraldas (voice) (Reiko Tajima).
Adieu Galaxy Express 999 is rated TV-14.
Adieu Galaxy Express 999 is an Animation, Science Fiction, Action film.
Adieu Galaxy Express 999 has an audience rating of 8.8 out of 10.