Planetes Deluxe Edition Book 2

Planetes #3-4

by Makoto Yukimura, Brendan Wright (Adapter), Yuki Johnson (Translator)

The award-winning hard science-fiction saga concludes in this definitive omnibus! Hachimaki makes the cut for the Von Braun Jupiter mission, but what awaits him past the farthest frontier? Back home, his compatriots Fee, Yuri, and Tanabe become embroiled in a war that threatens to trap Earth forever behind a wall of deadly space debris!

Genres: Manga, Science Fiction, Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Comics Manga, Seinen

528 pages, Hardcover

First published May 10, 2004

About the author

幸村誠

Reviews

[Artemy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second omnibus concludes the Planetes saga, and it's just as fantastic as the first one. At first, this series may leave an impression of a more comedic and humorous one, but it's actually much more concerned with philosophical and existential themes like our place in the world as a species, human worth, the humanity's constant push for progress and exploration against all odds and the great, all-conquering power of love. Come to think of it, Planetes is very similar to Chris Nolan's movie Interstellar, though it predates the film by a decade and explores almost all the same themes in a much more thoughtful and meaningful way. Makoto Yukimura's storytelling is wonderfully poetic and subtle, and his artwork is luscious and absolutely stunning. Overall, it's an incredibly moving series and one of the best mangas I have ever read. Highly recommended.

[E. G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

--Planetes Omnibus, Volume 2

Planetes Supplement Part 2: Being 70% happy is all right
Planetes Extra Phase: Ah, I just wanted to say that! Buzz! My cell phone on vibrate!! Incoming message! Chihuahua!

[Nashelito · Rating 5 out of 5]

Космічні подорожі та пригоди глибоко хвилювали мене з дитинства.

Завдяки оповіданням, які друкувалися в совєцькому журналі "Юний тєхнік", я ще на початку 90-х років познайомився з Стівеном Кінгом, Гаррі Гарісоном, Робертом Шеклі, Едмонтом Гемілтоном та іншими класиками Sci-Fi. Згодом сільська бібліотека відкрила мені доступ до ширшого кола вигаданих світів, створених Айзеком Азімовим та Реєм Бредбері, Кліффордом Сімаком та Робертом Гайнлайном. Тридцять років тому я також читав книги Кіра Буличова та братів Стругацьких, але за це вже вибачте-пробачте.

На гроші з першої стипендії (1999 рік, в касі університету мені видали приблизно 9 грн) я купив на базарі в Кам'янці-Подільському "Дюну" Френка Герберта і так захопився цією космічною оперою, що навіть зробив по ній доповідь для одногрупників на парі з філософії. Це був єдиний предмет за п'ять років студентства, іспит за який я отримав майже автоматом. Майже, бо встиг ще побалакати з викладачкою про Декарта та Сковороду, перш ніж мене зливалися і відправили оддихати.

Є лише дві манґи, які мені подобаються найбільше — Vinland Saga і "Блукальці". Цікаво, що обидві вигадані і намальовані Макото Юкімурою. Мабуть мені просто подобається стиль малюнків цього автора, його спосіб розказувати історії, те, як тонко йому вдається показувати переживання персонажів, ну і вибір тем, звісно. Обидві — з моїх улюблених: космос та вікінги. Чи відгукнеться у мені щось тоді, коли одного разу хтось напише про вікінгів у космосі? Побачимо :)

Макото Юкімура робить для мене у "Блукальцях" так само, Крістофер Нолан зробив у "Інтерстелларі", або як Павло Остріков у "Ти - космос" — дає відчути самотність і загубленість людини (і всього людства) у безкінечному просторі Всесвіту — але не страшним, а направду романтичним.

Космічні баталії "Зоряних війн" це, звісно, добре, але ви спробуйте просто чесно та совісно виконувати свою роботу, збираючи космічні уламки на орбіті Землі, переводячи міжзоряної фурою радіоактивні відходи або несучись крізь вакуум до Юпітера з дослідницькою місією...

Макото Юкімура показує людині людину дуже зблизька — в обмеженому просторі космічних кораблів і безмежному — під час виходів у відкритий космос, де торкається зокрема і питання відповідальності, в широкому сенсі — за дітей, коханих, власне майбутнє і долю цілого світу...

Дивовижна, чудова манґа, а мо' й взагалі — улюблена 🖤

[Liam || Books 'n Beards · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good conclusion, but I wish it had kept going :( A better end than the anime, anyways.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic continuation/conclusion to the series. I love the existential questions, the pondering and space gazing in this series. Maturation of characters in this second omnibus, less high jinks and angst, and more meaningful conversations. The art is superb.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful! The characters grow, develop, get married and we learn their pasts. This volume becomes very emotional as the many facets of love are explored. Also, the characters struggle with their place in the world when faced with the vastness of space. A few new quirky characters keep some humour to temper the darkness. I loved the characters and this is one series I'll probably re-read. Not only a great story but a quality book that will be a keeper for my shelves.

[Nicolas · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Review of the 2 volumes) A setting with so much potential, but I found the story to be pretty flat and unexciting - no real intersection between the two at all either. Occasionally suffers from continuity where the story doesn't seem to translate from panel to panel. Some characters don't feel fully developed and leave you wanting (much) more. Perhaps I came in with the wrong expectations.

[Zachary · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's...... just over. It was a beautiful journey :-(

[Rawan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, beautiful art and premise, engaging story, but I felt that some of the threads were dropped and never picked up which made the narrative a bit choppy. Worldbuilding is amazing. Some characters don’t feel sufficiently fleshed out/integrated. In general though Planetes is an incredible series!

[Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

My second time reading Planetes, and I enjoyed it as much as the first. This series takes place in the near future when interstellar travel is possible and humans have colonized the moon. We follow a crew that cleans debris in Earth’s orbit (space janitors basically), with one member going on a mission to Jupiter in the second half. There’s an overarching plot, but Planetes is more a series of vignettes about these people and their lives in space and on Earth. By turns funny, sad, philosophical, and always human, these vignettes are beautifully written and usually have a theme that comes full circle. Yukimura rarely uses the overexaggerated emotion common in manga, opting instead for nuance at every turn. I will say, however, that the series can feel wandering at times and not especially meaty. If you're looking for a story with a concrete beginning, middle, and end, you won't find it here. But Yukimura's pacing and art are excellent throughout. It’s a great, thought-provoking series that I highly recommend.

(Planetes was Yukimura’s first manga, making it all the more impressive. He did Vinland Saga after this, which I still need to catch up with. Let this be my reminder.)

[João · Rating 4 out of 5]

"God is out there, hiding in the vastness of space, just watching our pain. I'm not so generous as to keep letting him do that forever."

Planetes quickly became one of my favourite pieces of media when I finished the first volume. It talked to my love for space and it felt so real that it pulled me into it, into the lives of these debris collectors who were just struggling to get by. I'm pained a bit that the second volume didn't fully live up to my expectations, it's wasn't bad by any stretch of the word, it was quite good, 4 stars good. However, it felt a bit all over the place and rushed, the quiet personal moments that made the first volume so good, felt few and far between and didn't leave the impact that the previous ones did. I still enjoyed it quite a bit and it was good to jump into the lives of these characters one last time. I encourage everyone who liked the first volume to read this one but to temper their expectations a bit.

[Dominique · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually really enjoyed this volume. It looked more into the past of the captain of the debris collector ship, Fee and what her life at home was like. I was semi disappointing to find that we weren't going to be fallowing Hachimaki more closely on his Jupiter mission or his new found relationship. But fallowing Fee and the other crew members in their rebellion against the government in the space war was very interesting. I don't know when the story will be continued but when it is I am excited to see what is going to happen. 

[Koen Claeys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect manga about space exploration, the Kessler syndrome and what it means to be human.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

i would read pieces of this before bed, and so it has been a nice, slow journey back into the atmosphere. brilliant story and great art. one of a kind read.

[shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would have been happy to see this go on and on and on.

#JanuaryinJapan

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Supports the well known fact that Elvis was an alien

[Romain · Rating 5 out of 5]

« If we live alone ... and we die alone ... what's the point of going through it all in the first place? »

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am quietly scared of saying a work of art "moved me". It invites others to come and see if it will move them as well, and submitting yourself to judgment. "Really? Emotional catharsis from t h a t?" The sort of stuff you might get teased for.

This second half of the series spends more time delving into the characters, and it is hard not to resonate. The main conflict, if you could say there is one, is each character's struggle with desire. What do they? How are they going to get it? What happens when life gets in the way? Did they lose themselves somewhere along the way?

Maybe I am just in a time and place (Space even) where these questions are front-most in my mind.

Beautifully illustrated, and ends in a satisfying way.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Still more dragging parts, but great universe and good character development.

[mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved all 1060 pages of this series

[Nathaniel R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is great science fiction, while not falling into tropes you'd find in most science fiction. It's also great manga. An easy recommend to anyone.

[esooklal14 · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are all in space

[Олександр Дуленко · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is in my top 3

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humans reach Jupiter and learn to love people.

[yuna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m soooooooooo drunk @fee

feeeeeeeeeeeeee😭😭

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Top shelf. A story not about love or winning, but the human condition. No villain twirling a mustachio, no damsel in distress, no knight in shining armor (spaceship). Also, a good intro to manga to the uninitiated: the style of asides and many of the other little things going on in the background of the images.

One drawback: I think it might have lost something in the translation. The societal norms and societal history of Japan is so very different. As close/good as a translation can be, it is never 100% true.

That being said, it is great. Good enough to read again.

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phew, this was a heavy read, just like the first one, but for some reason I had more trouble with it this time. Maybe also because we just kept switching between characters and I couldn't follow it all the time. Sometimes it was just plain boring, other times it was just gorgeous.

All in all, still an amazing volume and still a series that I really like and would recommend.

[Connor Foley · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the definitive space exploration pieces of media/art I’ve come across. The story of a group of space debris collectors expands and encompasses a vast array of human emotion and experience in the setting of space. Reminded me alot of the genius Cowboy Bebop, minus the action. Aces on the characterization and character growth across the board. Huge fan.

[Janta · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was okay, but I felt like there was a lot of random stuff that never really amounted to much of a story. The ending was mostly meaningless, in which a character came to a banal, commonplace conclusion. I'm not sure if the series is ongoing or not, but if not there are several plot threads that do not get resolved. Yeah, that's how life *actually* is, but is that why we read fiction?

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic series! I loved the pacing and the time dedicated to character development.
Key themes like exploration, family, love and optimism made this a really heartwarming read, too.