Throughout all of fiction, whether it be anime, television or film, there is no written rule that restricts world building. Often, stories are set in entirely new and fabricated worlds, while others are set in locations that exist in the real world.
The concept of living on the planet Mars arguably falls into both of these categories, as the Red Planet has not yet been fully explored; while it is real, any sense of life or community would have to be considered fiction at this point. There are several examples of space-set anime featuring life on the planet Mars, either within one fleeting episode or as the main setting.
10 Terra Formars Gives Mars Some Non-Human Inhabitants
Terra Formars revolves around the idea of Earth trying to colonize Mars, but running into resistance in the form of giant mutated humanoid cockroaches.
Numerous crews are assembled, named Terraformars, in a bid to collect samples of the roaches in order to properly assess the situation, but it never goes too well. This version of Mars is cruel and unforgiving, and perhaps aside from the giant mutant roaches, is arguably what Mars could well be like in terms of how unlikely it is that the planet can be colonized.
9 Space Battleship Yamato Presents Mars As Dangerous And Unpredictable
Mars is explored on a number of occasions in Space Battleship Yamato. It’s the planet where Sasha Iscandar fatally crashes and is later found by Susumu Kodai and Daisuke Shima.
Mars is also used as a destination for the Yamato ship when its warp driving capabilities are being tested, and it lands there for further repairs to be made. It is also used by the Earth Defense Force as a training ground of sorts for cadets. The atmosphere is thin on this version of Mars, making it difficult to properly terraform and inhabit.
8 Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Showcases A Terraformed Red Planet
Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans is an extension of the Gundam franchise, following a group of young soldiers as they fight back against the adults who have wronged them.
The futuristic and terraformed Mars is the setting for this anime and the events that transpire through the series. Unlike the state of affairs in Terra Formars, in Iron-Blooded Orphans the planet has been successfully colonized by humans. Mars and Earth share a symbiotic relationship, with the former depending somewhat on the latter for resources and their overall economy.
7 An Abandoned Base On Mars Is The Setting For An Episode Of Super Dimension Fortress Macross
In the episode of Super Dimension Fortress Macross aptly titled “Bye-Bye Mars,” the ship is forced to make a stop on Mars for much-needed supplies.
It turns out that this was pre-planned and they end up springing a trap laid out by the Zentradi when they reach an abandoned base. In order to free their ship and escape, the crew must blow up the base’s underground nuclear reactor. While their visit to Mars is rather brief, Macross made good use of the trope of visiting a mysterious abandoned base on Mars, which in itself delivers intrigue.
6 Mars Is Rather Earth-Like In Appearance Within The Cowboy Bebop Universe
With Earth rendered largely uninhabitable, humanity in Cowboy Bebop is effectively spread out across the Solar System. With the protagonists being a rag-tag crew of bounty hunters aboard a spaceship, naturally Mars isn’t the sole focus.
However, Mars is shown to be rather Earth-like, with cities, shopping malls, and much more. It even has a deserted theme park, with abandonment suggesting it has been there for a long time. In Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, the main events transpire on Mars, so it gets more of a focus than it did in the anime series.
5 Mars Is Borderline Uninhabitable In Martian Successor Nadesico
The planet Mars in Martian Successor Nadesico has not completed the entire process of becoming habitable, with an accident ultimately halting the terraforming process.
With the threat of aliens and their technology, this version of Mars is among the most dangerous of its anime depictions. Nadesico as a whole pays homage to many other sci-fi anime and the way that Mars is represented feels like another instance where other shows have inspired certain aspects.
4 Mars Daybreak Follows A Band Of Pirates Traversing The Struggling Planet Of Mars
Mars Daybreak is another anime based on Mars, created by Sony Interactive Entertainment and brought to life by the studio Bones. While this iteration of the planet is less dangerous than others, Mars’ status as an ocean planet makes water a valuable resource and survival is still hard-fought and fraught with danger.
The economy on Mars is in tatters, with food and work equally hard to find. The anime focuses on Gram and his friends after they join a band of wanted pirates on the run, with epic adventures ensuing.
3 Mars Is A Touristic Paradise In Aria
While the Mars depicted in Aria is similar to that of Mars Daybreak in that it has vast oceans, in Aria the planet seems much more serene, more of a holiday destination for tourists.
With it being renamed to Aqua, the planet pays homage to real-life Venice with its very own Neo-Venezia, where women ferry tourists around the vast waters of the city. It’s a pleasant change of pace to have a tranquil depiction of Mars considering all the death, destruction, and general hardships that come with most other iterations.
2 Mars Is Visited In A Flashback In Aldnoah.Zero
The lore behind Aldnoah.Zero is that in 1972 during the Apollo 17 mission, a Hyper Gate was discovered on the surface of the Moon, allowing for fast travel to and from the planet Mars, leading to its colonization. Tensions would eventually run high between Earth, Mars, and a splinter group, the independently declared Vers Empire.
When Slaine is being tortured in the episode “Then and Now,” he relives his childhood with Asseylum back on Mars through a series of flashbacks. Mars isn’t featured heavily as a main setting in Aldnoah.Zero, but it is of great importance to the entire story.
1 Carole & Tuesday Bring Salvation To The People Of Mars In Trying Times
Carole & Tuesday is a unique and widely well-received anime created by Shinichiro Watanabe and the studio Bones that tells the story of two girls who lead vastly different lifestyles but share the common goal of becoming musicians.
Their chance meeting on Mars leads to an exciting journey that sees them rise up the ranks and become a household name, while dealing with the pressures of unforgiving fans and thriving in a world where AI dominates the music industry. While Mars is the main setting for Carole & Tuesday, Earth is still inhabited and constantly referenced, with the topic of immigration becoming a planetary matter as opposed to it being an issue between countries in real life.
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