Outlanders tells the story of alien Princess Kahm and Japanese news photographer Tetsuya Wakatsuki as they try to save the Earth from the invasion forces led by Kahm's father, emperor of the interstellar Santovasku Empire. The Santovasku use giant organic spaceships, or "Biomech," their advanced technology and their mastery of sorcery in their assault. Tetsuya learns from Kahm that her ancestors in fact came from earth and they've returned to reclaim their sacred home planet that mankind has subsequently spoiled. However, the invasion of the "sacred planet" is really the front for a struggle between two secret fractions from the Santovasku Empire, ancient rivals which have vowed to destroy each other no matter what the cost - even if this includes all of humankind. And Earth, too, has her share of sinister conspirators who solely seek advancement for their own benefit...
Outlanders was animated by Tatsunoko Production and is not listed on Tatsunoko's web site. There is an OutlandersOVA and the Outlandersmanga was distributed by Dark Horse Comics in the United States prior to the expiration of their license on the property. The Dark Horse version was translated by Toren Smith of Studio Proteus. U.S. Renditions released the OVA on VHS with an English dub produced by Animaze. In 2005 Central Park Media released a remastered version of the Outlanders OVA with a new English dub. A poll was conducted to select the voice actors, and 18,000 voters selected Sean Schemmel to play Tetsuya and Rebecca Soler selected to play Battia. Manabe would later revisit the Outlanders universe with the one-shot manga, The Key of Graciale. Although it is not a direct prequel to his earlier Outlanders manga in terms of plot, Princess Kham does return as heroine complete with her band of trusted servants in tow. The principal characters also make several cameos in Manabe's subsequent works, as do those from the other titles he has produced. The OVA condenses roughly the first half of the series into a single self-contained episode less than an hour in length; all but the main story elements, in addition to most of the non-essential characters, are subsequently dispensed with.
