ΠΛΑΝΗΤΕΣ Wanderers プラネテス

The Greek word ΠΛΑΝΗΤΕΣ, which forms the title of this anime, means "wanderers". It is the word applied by the ancient Greeks to the "stars" (or so they seemed) which weren't fixed in the night sky, but wandered. This is how the modern English word "planets" derived. The anime deals with the situations that a futuristic society faces in the ending of the 21st century when space flight is common but there are still many unsolved societal problems such as global conflict and capitalistic exploitation. It is really a very deeply philosophical work that goes beyond the obvious simplistic anime to become a rewarding adult experience. The main characters are company workers that spend their time getting rid of "space debris" or literary... garbage! A very resourceful parallel.