Hello all, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’re embarking on another new adventure, as we try out the first episode of something I have absolutely no experience with: Bodacious Space Pirates. Amazing title aside, I don’t really know what to expect from this one; its author Yuichi Sasamoto hasn’t had any other works adapted into anime, while its director Tatsuo Sato has lead a few notable series, but nothing I’ve actually seen. Sato’s most notable credits are likely Martian Successor Nadesico, Cat Soup, and Shigofumi, all of which have maintained some level of fame or prestige in anime circles, but his most recent credits have failed to have much staying power. All in all, what little context I do possess gives me no clear indication of what to expect here; I’m going in totally blind, with only the punchy charm of that old-timey adventure serial-esque title to guide me. Let’s explore the first episode of Bodacious Space Pirates!

Episode 1

We begin with a narrator explaining the expansion of the Galactic Empire. As humanity expanded, the empire took in more territory, but more outlying territories maintained their own local governments. Our story begins at a planet called Sea of the Morningstar, a frontier planet

After their economy and population grew, Sea of the Morningstar apparently attempted to rebel from its parent empire, the Stellar Alliance

Apparently the rebels were aided by space pirates, leading to an unexpected victory

These larger worldbuilding beats point to a very popular general aesthetic: the “space frontier,” where the narrative tropes and larger-than-life characters of the Age of Exploration or Wild West eras can be combined with the unique appeal and future-minded worldbuilding of science fiction. Tonally, these stories often come across like early 20th century adventure serials, in the same tradition as things like Flash Gordon or Indiana Jones (something this show’s title seems to be gesturing towards). Thematically, they often echo the ideas you commonly see in cowboy or late-samurai-era dramas: independent heroes disappearing within an increasingly civilized world, or more directly, how personal freedom will be swallowed by either government or corporatization over and over throughout human history

This cut to the OP on “time for some piracy!” seems to indicate this’ll be a pretty lighthearted adventure, though

The characters have a sharp-lined, almost shoujo-esque look. The CG ships also look pretty fine

Two girls are our leads, who by hair color and stance alone seem to be The Genki One and The Somber One

Our lead is “introduced” through an analysis of her piloting as she approaches the planet. A choice that sets her piloting apart as a special talent from the very beginning; for stories about young people with heroic destinies like this, it’s a common trick to open with a sequence of them demonstrating both their desire for a greater life, and the signature talent that will presumably take them there

“After all, she is HIS daughter.” The hooks are often pretty deliberate in the early minutes of a new show, insisting you watch just a few more minutes to get some mystery answered

I like the wide open sky of this layout as she lands. A shot that tonally emphasizes the vastness of the universe beyond this world, an aesthetic call to adventure

Ooh, this city is beautiful. Clean cobbled streets and glittering canals

Our other lead briefly appears from behind as we pan across the city. Another very slight hook, a promise of the meeting to come

“Dramatic hooks” are often considered in purely narrative terms, but basically anything that creates a sense of expectation can work to keep the audience invested. An axe hanging prominently on the wall between two characters can be a hook all by itself

Our lead works at a maid cafe, because why not

Cold brew is apparently also all the rage in the space future

Marika Kato is the MC. It feels kinda like she’s being scouted specifically for Adventure

“I’m an old friend of your mother.” Another classic beat: following in your heroic parent’s footsteps. Chasing a parent’s shadow is a pretty universal sentiment, and also makes somewhat more explicit the coming of age metaphor of much fantasy literature

Marika seems vaguely interested in exploring space, but also pretty content with her current life

Some lovely background art as she bikes home. Really nice color work for this beautiful planet

I appreciate the charmingly bullshit design of their Space Door. In spite of clearly possessing traditional handles, the door actually spins its double doors so they’re perpendicular to the ground, and then slides open as a single block. That’s a dedication to infuriating design

Marika refers to her mother as Ririka, which seems unusual

“The captain of the Bentenmaru, Gonzaemon Kato, has passed away”

This space lady’s pocket watch is extremely fancy. I’m fond of this show’s antique-yet-futuristic designs, even if they kinda verge on steampunk-esque aesthetic indulgence. Top hats don’t need cogs, what are they even there for!?

Apparently Gonzaemon was actually Marika’s father

Ririka claims she didn’t tell her daughter about her husband/Marika’s father because “she forgot all about it until just now.” This woman knows how to live

And then they just offer her the captainship, because apparently these things are hereditary

Interesting visual tricks for Marika reflecting on their dinner conversation. Their dining room has been replaced by a sprawling room with a floor like a navel map, and the shadows of spaceships flying overhead

The space pirate woman overfills her glass of wine, which spills onto the table and covers the camera’s eye. While these surrealist touches are certainly unusual, I’m not actually sure what they’re really doing for the active drama

Apparently they have an “official pirating license,” which is an inherent contradiction, but I guess this worldbuilding needs to come together somehow

It seems even within this world, space pirates are a bit of an anachronism. Another echo of this subgenre’s cowboy/samurai roots; many of the most famous stories in those modes take place at the end of an age of heroism, and often the protagonists’ “heroism” is largely inspired by the fact that they can no longer find steady work in an age of peace

Marika’s school friend is named Mami

I imagine it’d be hard to focus on school gossip if you’d just learned you were the heir to a sick-ass pirate ship

They are super-duper hyping the reveal of Marika’s new teacher, which means it has to be a member of the ship crew

Yep, it’s the helmsman. Kane McDougal is his name

He introduces Chiaki Kurihara, the black-haired girl who was so prominent in the OP

Marika has a good “oh shit, I’m gay” face

Chiaki gives Marika an icy stare as she walks by

It looks like the pirates are actively scouting Marika’s school for any potential pirates-in-waiting. This is an extremely fun concept, and reminds me of the school/scifi split of something like Code Geass, or the better parts of Valvrave

Oh no, Marika’s maid cafe is full of nefarious thugs!

And then Chiaki arrives. The light bleeding in from the open door makes for an excellent dramatic contrast with her all-black hair and outfit, as if she’s ringed in divine light

Marika’s friend Mami gets a lot of endearing character acting flourishes. I like her awkward, curious shuffle down towards Chiaki

Some strong gap moe here, as the straight-laced Chiaki is undone by the allure of the chocolate parfait

“Why are you working at a place like this?” “Because I’m scheduled for today.” An extremely good immediate dynamic between these two

SUDDENLY, LASERS

And Done

That was a lot of fun! Bodacious Space Pirates’ first episode had an attractive overall look, moved quite efficiently through its setup, and seems to have an excellent sense of perspective and joy regarding its own very silly narrative. The show feels like a knowing riff on classic adventure serials and the omnipresent hero’s journey, presenting a world that seems tailor-made for goofy, energetic escapades. A breezy watch at the moment, but a very enjoyable one all the same, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of the dynamic between Marika and Chiaki. Space adventures, ho!

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