As the 999 traverses the cosmos, it stops at various planets and moons, each serving as a self-contained story about the human condition.
Tetsuro meets , a tall, enigmatic woman in dark winter clothing who bears a striking resemblance to his late mother. She offers him a priceless, unlimited-use pass for the Galaxy Express 999 —a space vessel designed to look like a 19th-century steam locomotive—on the condition that he takes her with him. Journey Through the Sea of Stars
: On their travels, Tetsuro encounters people who have already sacrificed their humanity for machine bodies, only to find themselves plagued by loneliness, displacement, and a desperate craving for the warmth they lost.
The saga of is a melancholic and philosophical space opera set in the year 2221. It follows a young, destitute boy named Tetsuro Hoshino , who seeks immortality in a future where the wealthy trade their flesh-and-blood bodies for mechanical ones. The Quest for Immortality
: In the 1979 film adaptation , Tetsuro finally confronts Count Mecha at his Time Castle to satisfy his lust for revenge. The End of the Line
