Review of "I'm a Space Miner": The charm and excitement of space adventure

"I'm a Space Miner": The appeal of the OVA depicting the dreams and reality of space

■Overview of the work

"I'm a Space Miner" is an original anime OVA released on November 11, 1994, written by Umanosuke Iida and Horseman U. Ranchfield. It was also directed by Umanosuke Iida, produced by Triangle Staff, and copyright belongs to KSS 1994. The work is made up of one episode, and became a hot topic due to its mechanic design and detailed settings.

■ Story

Tortatis is an asteroid fixed at one of the Lagrange points. Nanbu Ushiwaka, the only boy living on this asteroid, dreams of getting a small vehicle pilot's license to find his place among the adults working as miners. When Ushiwaka heads to the test site, the second huge project in the history of Tortatis is underway, to fix Halley's Comet, which is closest to the Earth, in the same orbit as Tortatis. Ushiwaka's father, Nanbu Mitsusaburo, is also involved in this project, and Ushiwaka dreams of becoming a great space pilot like his father.

■Explanation

"I'm a Space Miner" attracted attention for its mechanized design and detailed settings. It was originally planned to be six volumes long, but ended after two. The original author, Forsman Ranchfield, the screenwriter, Tsutomu Iida, and KAN CHAN, who wrote the lyrics for the theme song, are pseudonyms of the director, Umanosuke Iida, and the mechanized designer, Muchos Mechahinos, is a pseudonym of Masahiro Maeda. This work depicts the dreams and realities of space development, and the growth of a boy.

■Cast

・Nambu Ushiwaka: Yamaguchi Kappei ・Kawaramachi Fuki & Takoro: Hidaka Noriko ・Nambu Mitsusaburo: Otsuka Akio ・Nambu Yumiko: Ichijo Miyuki ・Shinkawa: Ueda Yuji ・Chief Kane: Tsujimura Masato ・Chief Ando: Kyoda Naoko ・Kamimura: Kashima Nadayuki ・Female doctor: Orikasa Ai ・Instructor Noda: Hashi Takaya

■ Main staff

・Original Story: Forceman Ranchfield・Director: Umanosuke Iida・Screenplay: Ritsuko Hayasaka, Tsutomu Iida・Chief Animation Director: Toshihiro Kawamoto・Character Design: Toshihiro Kawamoto・Mechanic Design: Isamu Imakake, Muchos Mechahinos・Mechanic Animation Director: Katsutoshi Tsunoda・Art Director: Junichi Taniguchi・Color Design: Yumiko Katayama・Director of Photography: Seiichi Morishita・Sound Recording Director: Kazuhiro Wakabayashi・Editing: Takeshi Seyama・Music: Kenji Kawai・Theme song: "I'm a Space Explorer" (Lyrics: KAN CHAN, Music: Kenji Kawai, Sung by Fumihiko Tachiki)
Animation: Triangle Staff Production: KSS, Softgarage

■ Main Characters

A 12-year-old boy, the only one living on the Southern Ushiwaka asteroid, Tortatis. Although he feels out of place among the adults on Tortatis, he dreams of becoming a great space pilot like his father, Mitsusaburo, who works on the front lines of the Halley capture project.
Mitsusaburo Nanbu: A member of the Planet Catcher Corporation, a Japan-based space development company, involved in the four-year plan to capture Halley. Ushiwaka's father.

■ Appeal and evaluation of the work

"I'm a Space Miner" depicts the growth of a boy against the backdrop of the grand theme of space development. In particular, the mechanical design and attention to detail in the settings became a hot topic and made a strong impression on viewers. The gap between Ushiwaka's dreams and reality, and the way he grows within that gap, resonated with many viewers. The relationship with his father, Mitsusaburo, is also depicted in depth, and the themes of family ties and challenging dreams are also part of the appeal of the show.

However, viewers were disappointed that the series ended with only two volumes instead of the six originally planned. Nevertheless, the short but dense story and the charm of the characters continue to be loved by many fans. In particular, the setting, which pays attention to the details of the mechanical design, has a unique charm not found in other works, making it stand out among OVA works.

■ Recommendation points

"I'm a Space Miner" depicts the growth of a boy against the backdrop of the grand theme of space development. In particular, the mechanical design and attention to detail in the settings became a hot topic and made a strong impression on viewers. The gap between Ushiwaka's dreams and reality, and the way he grows within that gap, resonated with many viewers. The relationship with his father, Mitsusaburo, is also depicted in depth, and the themes of family ties and challenging dreams are also part of the appeal of the show.

The points that make me recommend this work are as follows:

• Detailed mechanic design
• A story about a boy growing up
• The theme is family ties and pursuing dreams
• A short but dense story and charming characters

For these reasons, I would especially recommend "I'm a Space Miner" to those who are interested in space development and mechanical design, those who like works that depict a boy's growth, and those who can sympathize with themes of family ties and pursuing dreams.

■ Related works

Like "I'm a Space Miner," the following works are also focused on space development and mechanical design.

• "Mobile Suit Gundam" series
• "Macross" series
• "Space Battleship Yamato" series

These works have also been talked about for their mechanized designs and detailed settings, leaving a strong impression on viewers. In particular, the "Mobile Suit Gundam" series is recommended for those who are interested in space development and mechanized designs. The "Macross" series is recommended for those who like works that depict the growth of boys. The "Space Battleship Yamato" series is recommended for those who can empathize with the themes of family ties and challenging dreams.

Conclusion

"I'm a Space Miner" depicts the growth of a boy against the backdrop of the grand theme of space development. In particular, the mechanical design and attention to detail in the settings became a hot topic and made a strong impression on viewers. The gap between Ushiwaka's dreams and reality, and the way he grows within that gap, resonated with many viewers. The relationship with his father, Mitsusaburo, is also depicted in depth, and the themes of family ties and challenging dreams are also part of the appeal of the show.

This work is especially recommended for those who are interested in space development and mechanical design, those who like works that depict the growth of a boy, and those who can empathize with the themes of family ties and the pursuit of dreams.