Outlanders | |
![]() Cover of Outlanders bunkobon volume 1 featuring Princess Kahm | |
アウトランダーズ (Autorandāzu) | |
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Genre | |
Manga | |
Written by | Johji Manabe |
Published by | Hakusensha |
English publisher | |
Imprint | Jets Comics |
Magazine | Monthly ComiComi |
Demographic | Shōnen |
Original run | January 1985 – November 1987 |
Volumes | 8 |
Original video animation | |
Directed by | Katsuhisa Yamada |
Produced by | Hiroshi Iwata Tomoko Satō |
Written by | Kenji Terada Sukehiro Tomita |
Music by | Kei Wakakusa |
Studio | AIC & Tatsunoko |
Licensed by |
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Released | December 16, 1986 |
Runtime | 48 minutes |
Video game | |
Developer | Victor Musical Industries |
Publisher | Victor Musical Industries |
Genre | Action role-playing game |
Platform | Famicom |
Released | December 4, 1987 |
Video game | |
Developer | Cross Media Soft |
Publisher | Victor Musical Industries |
Genre | Action role-playing game |
Platform | NEC PC-8801 |
Released | April 1988 |
Outlanders (アウトランダーズ, Autorandāzu) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Johji Manabe. The story follows the alien Kahm, crown princess of the interstellar Santovasku Empire, who invades Earth and meets and falls in love with human news photographer Tetsuya Wakatsuki. The couple and their allies soon find themselves caught in a war between Earth's military, the Santovasku invasion forces, and an ancient clan seeking vengeance on the Santovasku. Outlanders is largely a space opera series that combines aspects of science fantasy, romance, comedy, and fan service.
Outlanders was created out of Manabe's desire to try his hand the space opera genre. He was driven by his penchant for illustrating attractive, sword-wielding girls and large, detailed spacecraft, as well as his interest in science fiction epics such as the original Star Wars Trilogy. Outlanders was Manabe's first serialized work and was featured in the Hakusensha manga magazine Monthly ComiComi between January 1985 and November 1987.
Individual chapters of Outlanders were collected and sold as eight tankōbon volumes in Japan during its publication in Monthly ComiComi. The series spawned an anime adaptation in the form of an original video animation (OVA) by Tatsunoko Production, released in Japan in December 1986. The manga was translated into English by Toren Smith of Studio Proteus and licensed in North America by Dark Horse Comics beginning in 1988 as one of its earliest manga properties. The OVA received two English dubs: the first from U.S. Renditions in 1993 and the second from Central Park Media (CPM) in 2006. Critical reaction to the anime has been largely mixed regarding its tone, animation, and sound design, though many agreed that the adaptation condenses too much of the manga's plot.