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I already own the first release of this movie and I'm definitely buying the collector's edition.

Hello G. Kincade,
I don't agree at all with your views of the series or of Joss Whedon. But I did click that it adds to the discussion as all opposing viewpoints should be welcome.
As a bonus I learned OUTLAW STAR and will now look it up. Thanks for your honest opinion.
Kindest Regards,
Rock Hunter

Firefly is one of the best tv shows out there, and Serenity is a great extension of that. As for G. Kincade, I would like to respond that there can exist many different versions of the same genre, or even the same story. Joss Whedon's voice, his characters, his sense of humor, and his universe all make his creation entertaining and definitely worth the many fans' continued and continuing devotion.

Of course, the only similarity between Firefly and Outlaw Star is that a girl appears naked in a box. But fans of Outlaw Star can't seem to stop obsessing over that fact.

One of the best series I`ve ever seen.
Please some more films like Serenity.

[Deleted by the author on Aug 27, 2007 12:55 PM PDT]

"Firefly was a ripoff of...(anime) anyway..."

Well, what in the damned 'verse ain't?

Seriously though, rip-off or not, the show still rocked.

C. M. Nakashian, you could not have said it better. All things build on others and a truly original concept is few and far between. It ultimately become brain fodder for the next best thing anyway. Joss's strength and unique talent is in his writing. The sarcasm underscored by witty, intelligent observation.

Firefly's characters are wonderfully complex individuals. I would be happy to see this series resurected, so bring it on!

Interesting interview, though I thought the interviewer didn't follow up with more questions when Whedon was saying stuff that was practically begging for follow-up. For example, Whedon says "...except for Jewel." As an interviewer, I'd have asked him to elaborate. Maybe such follow-ups are unnecessary for longtime fans, but I'm a more recent fan, and was wanting more information about 4 times during that interview.

I find it very hard to believe as an artist that Joss Whedon had no previous knowledge of Outlaw Star. Of course artists borrow from the cannon of others and there is nothing new under the sun but we at least give credit where credit is do by saying we were influenced by the creativity of others work. It is mind blowing to imagine that such a popular anime (had regular rotations on cartoon network around the same time period) was never seen by Whedon. If it were only the subtle admission of the girl in a box then it might be understandable coincidence but that is hardly where the similarities end. I've seen both and can make far greater comparison to the theft of ideas even if the entire show isn't verbatim.

- Each of the female characters were considered an asset that factions fought for control of because
of their powers. They were both weapons and keys to goal of control and power. They had mysterious backgrounds and could be turned on and off of their programmed mission and purpose.

-On a lesser note these were both cowboy or outlaw ballads in space. The crews of both ships were made up of a rag tag group of criminals moving from one place to the next trying to survive off the grid of the society that has made them outcasts. They make their money where they can.

-The main characters use weapons that are primitive for the future they live in. Guns are replaced with typical sci-fi lasers or plasma energy. Outlaw Star even goes a step farther and has the very talented use grappler ships which combat with mechanical arms instead of mounted guns.

-Much of the underlying messages are similar. Both of the shows promote a libertarian type of sensibility versus a powerful centralized planetary or global control.

Never-the-less with these and more similarities I liked both shows and the film. I feel that such things don't discredit the authors but Whedon in his statements and his fan bases denial only serve to protect the project from creative intellectual license. It is a good thing for him that the Outlaw Star series wasn't made by Disney.