by “I’m alive! I’m alive, the conductor!”
Forty-one years ago, today, March 26, 1981, was the day when the final episode of the anime “Galaxy Express 999”, “The Vision of Youth, Farewell 999, Part 2” was broadcast.
The endless journey around the galaxy of Tetsuro Hoshino, a boy seeking a mechanical body, and Maetel, a mysterious beauty, has finally reached the end of the planet Promethium. The two finally arrived at the destination where the machine’s body was free, but Tetsuro was just saddened at the end of his trip with Maetel, and Maetel’s eyes were filled with deep grief.
Tetsuro, who was given a 24-hour grace period to become a mechanical body, loses sight of the meaning of life for humans who have acquired a mechanical body, and witnesses the appearance of indulging in pleasure or committing suicide.
Meanwhile, Maetel meets her mother, Queen Prometheum, revealing her astonishing facts. Maetel is on a journey to gather boys to become pioneers for the prosperity of the mechanical empire, and many boys have been sacrificed in the past.
Maetel has long suffered from her conscience, and she complained that she could no longer go on a journey, but Prometheum said that if Tetsuro couldn’t become a mechanical body, she would travel again. She coldly said that she would go out and bring in a new boy.
Tetsuro, who finally refused to become the body of a machine, will be arrested by the order of the Queen. Suffering between her love for her mother and her feelings for Tetsuro, Maetel turned her back on her taken Tetsuro, and she had no choice but to endure silently.
Prometheum’s subordinates throw Tetsuro into 999 and leave the place. The conductor receives a special order and launches the 999 without knowing why, but the orbital rail is lost, and the 999 is about to be dragged into the black hole by the guided wave emitted from the planet Promethium. It will be. Promethium had decided to execute Tetsuro, not to mention 999.
Tetsuro scolded the bearish conductor and tried to survive, but the 999 control computer burned down, and he was in a more difficult situation. However, Maetel, who decided to be on Tetsuro’s side until the end, managed to escape the crisis and Tetsuro managed to drive 999 with his own hands and headed for the confrontation with Queen Prometheum.
“Farewell, Tetsuro. Farewell, Maetel”
Tetsuro, who joined Maetel after many twists and turns, arrives at the power reactor of the planet Promethium. It was Maetel who tried to destroy the power furnace with a pendant that contained the will of Maetel’s father, who had great destructive power, and Promethium appeared there.
Prometheum tries to entice Maetel by calling him “a dear daughter”, but Maetel says that his black costume is “a mourning dress to mourn the many young people killed by his mother” and “this mourning dress cannot be polluted”. He speaks with a strong will and tries to throw a pendant.
After being rubbed with the Promethium that had entered her stop, Maetel dropped the pendant, but Tetsuro immediately flicked it with a warrior’s gun and succeeded in dropping the pendant into the power furnace. The Queen died with the collapsing planet Promethium, and Maetel and Tetsuro ran to 999, where the conductor was waiting.
Tetsuro, Maetel, the conductor, and 999, who barely succeeded in escaping, arrive at the station just before Promethium, “The Bat Planet”. Tetsuro talked brightly about the future prospects when he showed his father and his mother the sleeping earth as wonderful earth with his own hands.
Tears spill from the eyes of Maetel who saw the appearance of Tetsuro who grew up splendidly. Maetel urged Tetsuro to “get on first because he’s done his job,” and kisses Tetsuro when he leaves.
It was a farewell greeting.
The train will start running with a letter from Maetel and Tetsuro. And on the train on the opposite platform, you can see Maetel. The day has come when the long, painful, sometimes fun, and unforgettable journey of the two is over and their new journey begins. Maetel was in tears, and Tetsuro was stunned, but at the end, he waved his hand with a cheerful smile and said goodbye to her.
