Recap: Hot Springs Planet Tenrei

Warning: This recap contains discussion of content not suitable for all audiences. It contains description of scenes with violence, adult language, nudity, sexual content and is not intended for younger viewers. Read at your own risk.

Hello everyone. Seeing as I'm going on vacation soon and going to see Solo while I'm there, I thought I would do something that I've been considering for a while. I thought I would finally look at the infamous hot springs episode of Outlaw Star, and while it finally aired in an uncut form on Toonami after previously being skipped due to its risque content; this will be one of my experiments before I hopefully get my computer repaired soon. Even though I will be omitting the images due to the NSFW content of the episode; there's still plenty to talk about. So, let's open up "Hot Springs Planet Tenrei!"

After a brief intro that tells the history of the titular planet, we get the rocking theme song, "Through the Night." I already talked about how much I love it last time, so let's move on.

The Outlaw Star lands on Tenrei, and after the crew is greeted by a local tourism bureau, they're all forced into festive swimwear and tacky Hawaiian shirts! Little side note, I notice how revealing and form-fitting the swimsuits are for Suzuka, Melfina and Aisha. You can see everything on them. It's really quite astounding: I mean, they're right there!

However, Gene has other ideas in mind, much to Jim's surprise. Rather than beautiful ladies, Gene is seeking a wizard that can make a series of caster shells he needs in his journey to the Galactic Leyline! So, before the dramatic multi-part finale, we get a hilarious breather; which is the animated equivalent of a sexy tropical vacation.


Some of the colorful characters that they come across on the planet include a surprisingly thirsty lizard lady, and a hitman who's trying to stop Gene from accomplishing his goals. Personally, I think the swim trunks and flip-flops undercut the intimidating effect the mask would have. The claws make him look like a gaudy knockoff of Vega from Street Fighter.


While everyone else jumps in the hot spring, Gene goes to scale Mt. Nantai to find the wizards he heard about. Between the shrines and tropical climate juxtaposed with big mountain ranges; this planet seems like a mix of Hawaii and Okinawa. Gene also runs afoul of Ark Manaf, a priest who points him in the right direction; but not before making him buy some souvenirs.

I must once again compliment how good a job they did with the remaster. The picture and sound quality are just fantastic, and I definitely plan on getting the complete series DVD and Blu-Ray in the near future.

Gene not only brokers a deal for some of the shells, but is told the people who can make the other kind he needs are on the neighboring Mt. Nyotai. However, it also turns out that Nyotai is lorded over by the same witch who turned the planet into a tourist trap! The master of Mt. Nantai will also make Gene the last shell he needs in exchange for pictures of the witch in her birthday suit... the episode definitely earns its TVMA rating. Just as well that it's airing in a timeslot where the moral guardians are sleeping. There's also a running gag of the hitman getting knocked off the mountain as if he were Wile E. Coyote.

Also, as an aside, Aisha can apparently only be satisfied by bathing in lava. This character is definitely the antithesis of the similarly-designed Merle from Escaflowne.

Gene stumbles upon the hot spring, and by proxy; the Witches of Mt. Nyotai! What happens next is another amusing part of an already hilarious episode: Gene manages to win the shells and the sexy footage over a game of table tennis! Yes: the most inherently amusing of all the party games.

Gene is able to get the shells he needs and give the sexy video to the priests! Boy you gotta love shows made in the '90s sometimes: they've mastered magic gunplay and faster-than-light travel, yet the witch still manages to get her revenge with an exploding VHS tape! A small price to pay for T&A: a face full of soot. So, we close on the hitman failing to catch the last train and Gene flying off to continue his search for the Galactic Leyline! 

Despite all the decolletage, "Hot Springs Planet Tenrei" is a fun little episode that provides a good breather to have its plot points in before the denouement of the show. I still consider this anime to be a great companion piece to Cowboy Bebop and Trigun; and with the remaster in HD; there's never a better time to check it out. I am pleased with how this experiment is turning out, so there are a couple more I want to get out before I go on vacation. I will also be seeing Solo while I'm there, so I'll be back in June after I finish my screenwriting class. That's all for now. See you, space cowboy.