When I choose to watch a sci-fi anime that takes place in space, I go into it expecting a certain style. What I don't expect is a deadly serious, hard sci-fi space opera that takes tons of inspiration from guys like Asimov, Kubrick and Wells. That's exactly what Space Fantasia: 2001 Nights is, and it caught me off guard. This is not something you see every day in anime; I don't need more than both of my hands to think of other anime films/series that use the genre in the same way. The film is really good, telling 3 interconnected short stories that span centuries and the universe itself. Nothing is taken for granted in this; the scenarios are grounded in science and realism like the bulk of early serious sci-fi is. It's all very artistic, heady, and speculative, and if you're into that type of sci-fi, you pretty much need to seek this out. It's almost a crime that I didn't know this even existed until a little over a month ago; why this has never once been licensed for release and officially translated into English is a real mystery, and a shame. I could see this having a large, vocal fanbase if more people were aware of it.
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