Planetes (Vol. 2)
The sci-fi seriesPlanetes(2004) grows much more interesting and original as it progresses, with the tone shifting from silly to serious. When Ai and hersempai/instructor Hachimaki visit the moon for some downtime, they're attacked by an inept troupe of ninja wannabes who make the Keystone Kops look poised. During the ensuing melee, Hachimaki breaks his ankle and spends the rest of his vacation hobbling around the lunar hospital. When he and Ai return to work gathering space debris, they experience a series of linked adventures that reveal more about the pasts of Hachimaki, Fee, and Yuri. The filmmakers deftly unfold the back stories, transforming a fairly standard cast of characters into a group of intriguing individuals. DVD extras include an interview with actor Jamieson Price, the voice of Yuri, and a discussion with NASA scientists Mark Matney and Eugene Stansbery about the threat orbiting debris poses to space exploration. (Rated 13 and older: violence, brief nudity, alcohol and tobacco use)--Charles Solomon