Uchuu Kyoudai

On a fateful summer night in 2006, Mutta Nanba and his younger brother Hibito witness what they believe to be a UFO flying toward the Moon. This impressing and unusual phenomenon leads both siblings vowing to become astronauts, with Hibito aiming for the Moon and Mutta, convinced that the eldest brother has to be one step ahead, for Mars.

Now an adult, life hasn't turned out how Mutta had pictured it: he is diligently working in an automotive company, whereas Hibito is on his way to be the very first Japanese man to step on the Moon. However, after losing his job, Mutta is presented with an unexpected opportunity to catch up to his younger brother when the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, commonly known as JAXA, accepts his application to participate in the next astronaut selection. Despite self-doubts about his prospects, Mutta is unwilling to waste this chance of a lifetime, and thus embarks on an ambitious journey to fulfill the promise made 19 years ago.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Nanba, Mutta Main

Hirata, Hiroaki Japanese

Nanba, Hibito Main

KENN Japanese

Apo ing

Sawashiro, Miyuki Japanese

Itou, Serika ing

Sawashiro, Miyuki Japanese

Makabe, Kenji ing

Katou, Masayuki Japanese

Young, Deneil ing

Ishida, Tarou Japanese

Bold, Vincent ing

Tsuda, Kenjirou Japanese

Nasuda, Shigeo ing

Aoyama, Yutaka Japanese

Jay, Brian ing

Ootsuka, Akio Japanese

Kaneko, Sharon ing

Ikeda, Masako Japanese

Nagai, Kouji Producer, Planning

Watanabe, Ayumu Director, Episode Director, Storyboard

Kobayashi, Katsuyoshi Sound Director

Ishii, Toshimasa Episode Director, Storyboard

Reviews

May 21, 2025

ngoc2702

Recommended

Oh boy, you wouldn't expect an anime series to be this realistic. On a broader level, it's a story about two brothers whose dream is to become astronauts and one day set foot on the Moon. That's all I’ll say about the storyline—I don’t want to spoil too much. Just know it’s worth your time. The series does an incredible job of depicting the emotions and obstacles involved in becoming an astronaut.

On top of that, it’s grounded in reality. The story references real people, events, how the mission operates and technology related to space exploration. From legends like Yuri Gagarin and Neil Armstrong, to the ... International Space Station, the Lunar Rover, Jets T-38 and the Orion spacecraft used in NASA's real Artemis mission—you’ll definitely learn a lot about space from this series. :)

Beyond the realism, the way the plot is written is incredibly logical. Every subject and character adds meaning to the series. No detail is wasted, no character is without purpose, no matter how minor. Every message is delivered in a way that’s both surprising and delightful—it’ll make you giggle with its humor and leave you amazed at the same time.

This isn’t your typical anime. It feels like a real documentary and solid entertainment all at once. Enjoy! ;)

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Aug 7, 2024

cerkaz

Mixed Feelings

I went into this anime expecting a comedy, since that's the genre it's tagged with. However this is not a comedy anime, you might have a laugh at every 5th episodes but don't expect constant comedy each episode..

For the anime itself, it's very slow paced, the characters are a bit bland aswell. it's not even an anime about space either but about going to space, as in preparation and training. I also dislike their flashback/think back way of telling stories. You'd get constant recaps in the middle of an episode whenever MC completes a goal or think back about something you litterally just saw ... a few episodes ago, it adds to the slow pace.

For some good things, i like the space theme and despite being a bit outdated they stay somewhat accurrate to the real nasa, you might learn a few things about space, which makes it interesting at times.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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Apr 21, 2025

RainyAura

Not Recommended

If you're looking for a neverending, light-hearted slice-of-life about pursuing and training for space, this might be the anime for you! If you are looking for the day-to-day life of actual space activities, this is NOT the anime for you.

Space Brothers is about the journey to becoming an astronaut through trials that the real astronauts might have gone through, outlining some authentic experiences, risks and sacrifices along the way. It frames itself as an inspiring journey so that you too may undergo the trials to become an astronaut someday.

The comedy of the series was okay (4/10) but fades and doesn't do enough to carry it ... through the lengthy recaps and flashbacks you may see 3 to 10 times and overall glacial story pace. The characters (5/10) are adequate. The music (5/10) contains a triumphant guitar riff that you will hear over 100 times, but is otherwise standard.

The art is adequate (5/10) with nothing notably low quality, but it doesn't stand out either. However the story is a crawl (3/10) and expectations should be minimal. What is the strange light that flew to the moon? Will Mutta make it to Mars? Will the two brothers be in space together? If you find yourself asking these questions following the first few episodes, this is not the show for you.

There are some profound life lessons to learn from Space Brothers and wisdom to gain from the experiences of the characters. Parts of the show continued to fuel my awe and wonder for the things above us. However, these moments are sparse and the show in total was an agonizing viewing with no mainline payoff.

Please consider these before embarking on the series and look past the glowing score. The show should be avoided if it's not something you are specifically looking for.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

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