The highly anticipated CG anime short, Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express, has released its second trailer, revealing additional cast members and its theme song ahead of its confirmed July 3 debut. This project serves as a sequel to animator Yōhei Kameyama’s viral 2022 short, Milky☆Highway. Kameyama is notably taking on multiple roles for the sequel, including direction, writing, production, character design, modeling, animation, and editing, largely by himself.
An Interstellar Commute Gone Awry
The narrative of Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express centers on the superhuman Chiharu and the cyborg Makina, who find themselves under arrest for violating space traffic laws. Their mandated community service tasks them with cleaning the “Milky☆Subway,” an antiquated interplanetary train. However, what begins as a seemingly straightforward assignment quickly spirals into chaos when the train unexpectedly rockets into deep space. The duo, along with a group of fellow misfits, are plunged into an unpredictable and action-packed journey. The official English website describes the chaotic premise as “No purpose! No principle! No point! A never-before-seen space-train spectacle, powered by nothing but pure momentum!”.
Expanding the Galactic Crew
The second trailer for the short introduced several new voice cast members who will bring life to the eclectic group of characters joining Chiharu and Makina on their unexpected adventure. Momoko Terasawa voices Chiharu, while Anna Nagase takes on the role of Makina. New additions to the cast include Hisako Kanemoto as Akane, Mikako Komatsu as Ryōko, Kōki Uchiyama as Kurt, Makoto Koichi as Kanata, and Yoshitaka Yamaya as Max. The expanded cast is set to provide compelling performances, enriching the storyline with depth and intrigue. The sequel significantly expands on its predecessor, featuring four times more characters and twelve times the runtime.
A Nostalgic Galactic Tune
Adding to the unique charm of the anime is its theme song, “Gingakei Made Tonde Ike!” (Fly to the Galaxy!). This track, a 1977 song by the iconic Japanese girl group Candies, sets a high-energy and somewhat nostalgic tone for the interstellar escapade.
Global Premiere and Accessibility
Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express is set to premiere on July 3 on the Tokyo MX channel in Japan at 9:54 p.m. JST. For global audiences, the anime will be simultaneously streamed on YouTube. In a significant move to enhance accessibility, the short will be available with dubbed versions in ten languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Thai, Indonesian, French, Hindi, and Russian.
From Graduation Project to Global Phenomenon
The original Milky☆Highway short gained widespread recognition, particularly after serving as Yōhei Kameyama’s graduation project for Kadokawa’s Vantan Game Academy CG Animator major. It amassed over 6.75 million views combined across its original and English-subtitled versions, demonstrating Kameyama’s unique vision and appeal. His decision to undertake nearly every aspect of the sequel’s production, from direction to animation, highlights his hands-on creative approach and dedication to the “Milky☆Universe”.
