From the looks of it, most previous reviews were based off watching only part of the series. And if I had chosen to do the same my review might look a lot different also.

Moretsu Pirates has an interesting premise to be sure - pirates in space, and not just any pirates, but 'miniskirt' pirates as one alternate title has it! And for a light entertaining series it's not bad but it really never progresses from anything more than that.

I found the plot was very thin with no real overarching storyline that compelled me to watch more. Sure, the first few episodes where the setting and characters are introduced were interesting enough but midway through this series I was really questioning why I kept watching other than just to close it out for myself.

What I Liked:
* Animation - the character animation was good not great. What really stands out are the ships - fantastic! Detail on the pirate ships is amazing, CG-ish in nature which looked great in 720p.
* Narrator - for some reason I enjoyed the opening narration which always had some kind of space piratey advice to offer.
* BGM - very well done and more than just setting the tone it was fun to listen to.
* Final episode - I'll admit the final episode was pretty good, lots of action and some questions answered.

What I Didn't Like:
* Opening - if there's a more annoying opening song I haven't heard it yet. Now the ED I actually enjoyed but OP, no way.
* Plot - or lack thereof. As I stated previously, there's not really a 'plot' plot. Things just happen and we get to watch. There's about as much character growth as there are changes of outfits (they never change!). And the only tension is brought about by some random enemy that lasts an episode or two and then is gone.
* Romance - again, nada. Ok I lied. There's some lesbian romance. WTH? I thought a series about pirates was sure to include some romance on the high seas but sadly there was none to be found. And throwing in the lesbian schoolgirl romance include girl-on-girl kissing was out of place and frankly over the top.

No, I wasn't expecting anime of the year going into this but there were so many ways this could have been much more than what it turned out to be.

Disappointing! (show less)

Note that some places call this show "Moretsu Pirates", and other places call it "Bodacious Space Pirates".

It has aired up to episode 8, at the time of this review, and so far it has been fantastic.

The story is set in a future where space travel is commonplace. The first episode begins by following a typical school girl, but a bigger picture quickly emerges; her estranged father has died and she can choose to take over his role as captain of a space pirate ship.

The story is really nicely done, and we see hints at her elite abilities right from the start. I don't want to spoil things for anyone, so I won't say anything more specific. The pacing of the story is excellent and doesn't feel forced. At the end of every episode, I've been left highly anticipating the next episode.

The setting of the show is also cool, with nice ideas for futuristic technology often shown in the background.

The characters are also great. They have plenty of variety, and nice interactions.

As for the quality of the animation, this show is astonishing. Loads of cool effects, and stunning scenery are used throughout. The animation is also smooth and clear.


Easily my favourite anime this season, and I hope it gets a western DVD or Blu-Ray release. 10/10! (show less)