The Vision of Youth - Farewell 999

 The Vision of Youth – Farewell 999 (Parts One and Two)

TV Episodes 112 - 113

Note:

For our very lengthy finale, I am splitting things into three posts. The first shall cover the television ending, the second the manga ending and the third will contain my overall thoughts and analysis.

TV Episode Summary:

In the first episode, the narrator explains how the 999 departed the Bat Planet and headed to “Prometheum”, its final destination, the planet where Tetsuro will be getting his free mechanical body. Maetel thinks of how Tetsuro’s journey is finally coming to an end, and his courage will be put to the test. The 999 starts speeding up and Maetel says it is to avoid a black hole that is near Prometheum. The 999 arrives at the planet Prometheum and starts descending down into it. Tetsuro says this is where there journey together will come to an end. Tetsuro is sad, hoping their time together would have lasted longer. The Conductor comes in and thanks the passengers for traveling with them and that this is the last stop. The 999 makes its way down to the heavily advanced society on Prometheum. The Conductor says farewell to Tetsuro, although Tetsuro says he’s not sure if this is goodbye. He’s not sure if he is going to get a mechanical body or not.

A vehicle pulls up and a woman made of translucent glass steps out. She says her name is Mirai and she is Tetsuro’s guide on this planet. Maetel confirms that the planet assigns such guides to people who have come here in search of a mechanical body. Mirai invites Tetsuro to come with her to the factory. Tetsuro tells Maetel and the Conductor he wants to see things to the very end. He shakes the hand of the Conductor and says goodbye. Maetel also says goodbye and gets in the vehicle. Tetsuro notices numerous human bodies below the ground, and Maetel says this is where the original human bodies are left for those mechanized. Tetsuro says this reminds him of Pluto and she says that Pluto can’t compare to here, where the bodies are so numerous that they cover the entire surface of the planet. They arrive at the factory and Mirai says it is a lovely paradise and a place where those who have gotten mechanical bodies can have rehabilitation.

Mirai is about to bring Tetsuro into the factory but Maetel says he has 24 hours to make his decision. Maetel tells Tetsuro to use this time to think it over. Maetel starts walking away and tells him to not let others affect this life-altering decision of his. We see Maetel walking across the ground where numerous bodies are laid to rest. She walks to a crystallized-like structure and aims a beam from her ring at it, which permits entry. Maetel says she is here, to her father. A capsule appears before her, and we hear the mysterious voice that has spoken to Maetel throughout the whole series, now revealed to be her father. Maetel says she is on her way to see her mother. He says the time has finally come, but the events to transpire may be difficult for her. She says she is prepared. For the sake of Tetsuro and other young boys she shall steel her heart. He says he feels the same way and she should go on.

Tetsuro and Mirai walk around and she shows him how everyone is happy. We see a lot of people with mechanical bodies drinking and kids running around. Tetsuro says they are just lounging around and asks when they work or study. A few near him laugh at that question. They claim they can live forever and there’s no need to work hard or study. Tetsuro is thinking like a poor person. Tetsuro thinks of how there must be something they can do with the power of eternal life. Suddenly a machine man jumps off from a high building above, The machine people around call him a fool for killing himself. Tetsuro asks why he did it before he dies and he claims living eternally is boring and hard. He’d rather be dead. The man asks Tetsuro if he still has a human body and Tetsuro says he came here on the 999. The man recognizes the name Maetel and says to not let Maetel trick him. She is the daughter of Queen Prometheum, ruler of the mechanized empire.

We see Maetel head into a large structure and up an optical elevator, wearing the capsule that her father’s consciousness is in around her neck. She heads to a throne room where her mother is sitting. Prometheum asks Maetel to come up to her so she can see her face. Maetel puts her head in her mother’s lap. She says she can’t continue this journey any further. Prometheum says it is up to Tetsuro; if he gets a machine body her journey will be over. If he rejects it, she will have to begin a new journey with another boy. Prometheum asks Maetel why she has this look on her face; after all she is helping the machine empire. They need the courageous hearts of boys like Tetsuro. Prometheum asks about Maetel’s father and she says he is in the capsule, handing it over to her. Prometheum says it serves him right. A subordinate transports in, saying Tetsuro is besides himself, and searching for Maetel.

Tetsuro runs around yelling for Maetel. Maetel arrives in a vehicle and runs up to him. Tetsuro asks her if she’s the daughter of Prometheum and she nods. Tetsuro asks why she kept it a secret and if she had another goal in mind for him. Mirai appears and says she will speak for Maetel. Mirai claims Prometheum is trying to create an eternal world without death. But to expand the universe they need courageous boys at the front. Maetel has brought many boys like that here, he is just another of them. She says for his late mother’s sake he should take his machine body now. Tetsuro looks around at the lazy machine people around and thinks to himself if human life is more virtuous than this. He says he has made up his mind. He will not be getting a machine body. He doesn’t care why she brought him here; he has learned many valuable lessons along the way including the beauty of mortal life. He thinks his mother would understand that. Maetel sheds a tear and leaves.

One of Prometheum’s subordinates grabs a hold of Tetsuro. Tetsuro asks if Maetel was behind this and yells at Maetel as he is taken away. Maetel tears up, then walks away. Prometheum is surprised that someone would oppose her will. Maetel’s father says he expected this from Tetsuro and that Prometheum loses. Prometheum says the mechanized empire will not be shaken. Maetel’s father says Tetsuro is no ordinary boy. He is a future warrior and her heart will be slain by his noble warrior’s gun. She angrily tosses the capsule aside. She is confident that no one can defeat her. One of her subordinates is transported in. Promethum isn’t satisfied with just killing Tetsuro, she wants him and the 999 thrown into the nearby black hole. Maetel, who is inside, hiding behind a pillar, grabs her father’s capsule. As she runs with it in her hands, we hear him saying how by throwing him into the reactor she can destroy the planet and to not worry about him. He is willing to sacrifice himself to save the rest of the universe.

We see the Conductor working on the 999 as Tetsuro is brought there and tossed inside, bound. Tetsuro tells the Conductor to get his handcuffs off. Suddenly the 999’s whistle goes off. Meanwhile we see Maetel descend towards the core of the planet. Her father tells her to throw him in. Suddenly a spectral form of Prometheum appears and asks if she intends on killing her, her own mother. Maetel’s father says Tetsuro is as good as dead if she doesn’t act. Maetel hesitates and drops the capsule, saying she can’t do it, she can’t kill her mother. The 999 starts taking off. The Conductor asks the Locomotive why this is happening and it says it is special orders. Maetel is thrown in a cell and watches out the window as the 999 takes off. Prometheum says she won’t forgive her for her betrayal. The 999 makes it out to space. Tetsuro is still bound. The orbital rails are gone and the 999 starts drifting towards the black hole. Tetsuro realizes Prometheum is trying to kill him and destroy the 999. Tetsuro says he doesn’t want to die; not like this.

As we start the second episode, the 999 drifts towards the black hole. Tetsuro remains bound. The Conductor tells him there is nothing they can do to escape; the 999 will be destroyed. Tetsuro encourages the Conductor; they can’t let Prometheum beat them like this. The Conductor takes out Tetsuro’s cosmo gun and uses it to destroy his bindings. The Locomotive says they are being pulled in by tractor beams and there’s nothing they can do. If they go faster they risk breaking up into bits. The Locomotive ultimately relents though and goes along with their request. Prometheum says the 999 and Tetsuro will be no more and she and her father will soon join them.

Maetel blasts the door to her cell open with her ring laser then uses a whip to take out the two guards. She makes her way to a control room where she takes out the remaining soldier. She contacts the 999, asking for Tetsuro and says she’s turned off the tractor beam. As long as she’s alive, she’ll be on his side. Tetsuro starts controlling the 999 himself, and it starts moving! Tetsuro tells the Conductor to ensure the 999 is fixed; he’s going back to planet Prometheum to get Maetel. Prometheum’s subordinates tell her about the 999 escaping its doom. They don’t know where Maetel is. Prometheum orders them to kill both Tetsuro and Maetel. Tetsuro makes his way onto a vehicle making its way to the tower where Prometheum is. Tetsuro walks down the halls and notices Mirai walking by. She makes her way to a part of the factory where machine bodies are disposed of. She is about to jump in but Tetsuro grabs a hold of her to stop her.

Mirai says she has failed as she was supposed to guide Tetsuro into a life of being mechanized and he chose to remain a human. Tetsuro slaps her and says she has her own life to live for. A small device spots them and shoots at them. The two of them run into Maetel on the way out. Tetsuro says he is sorry he ever doubted her. Tetsuro says they should go back to the 999, but she says she has something she has to do first. Tetsuro realizes she’s going to kill Prometheum. He is distressed as she is her mother, but Maetel says she isn’t going to hesitate this time. She needs her father’s energy capsule in order to do it. The capsule is with her mother and Tetsuro thinks there’s no way she can do it. Mirai says she will be able to get it. Meanwhile, Prometheum is angry at her underlings for not having captured Tetsuro and Maetel yet. Mirai comes in, saying she wants to talk about the whereabouts of Tetsuro and Maetel. She rushes up and grabs the capsule out of Prometheum’s hands and runs away. The soldiers shoot at her and hit her in the chest. Mirai hands the capsule over to Tetsuro as she dies and says because of him she learned how to live.

Tetsuro hands the capsule over to Maetel. Maetel’s father says it is up to her now. Tetsuro and Maetel make their way to the planet’s core. Suddenly Prometheum’s voice rings out and tells Maetel to stop this. They should talk it over. Maetel says she’s not going to fall for it. Her clothes will now be clothes of mourning for all the young people who died at Prometheum’s hands. Suddenly Prometheum appears and grabs Maetel. Prometheum tells Tetsuro if he shoots, Maetel will die. Maetel drops her father’s capsule and when Prometheum lunges for it, Tetsuro shoots at it and it falls into the planet’s core. Prometheum goes towards them, saying she will take them with her when an explosion from below strikes her. Before she dies she says with this planet’s reactor destroyed, the planet will fall into the black hole. The planet starts shaking as Tetsuro and Maetel make their way out. We see parts of the city being destroyed.

Maetel tells Tetsuro to carefully look at those mechanical people around them. While they have eternal life, when it comes down to it, they can’t do anything; they are just quivering in fear. Tetsuro and Maetel make it back to the 999, which starts to take off. The 999 is able to successfully start and begins taking off from the planet. Explosions continue to occur across the planet as the 999 heads into the atmosphere. Maetel watches, tears in her eyes. The entire planet of Prometheum explodes shortly after. Maetel says her mother used to be so kind, like Tetsuro’s mother. But once she set out to build a utopia of eternal life, she changed, becoming distant. She misses the days when she and her parents happily lived together and wishes she could go back to those days, crying. Tetsuro puts his hand on her shoulder, saying this is the first time he’s seen her cry. Maetel hugs Tetsuro, crying.

The 999 returns to the station at the Bat Planet. Tetsuro steps out, saying he can start a new journey. The Conductor asks him where he’s going and he says back to Earth. It won’t be easy, but he vows he will return there, even though mechanical people are still in charge. The Conductor says it is very admirable and he’ll pray for his success. Maetel says she’s heard what he’s decided and he’s grown up; she’s glad. He has an unlimited amount of possibilities ahead of him. Maetel starts crying but stops and says he has something to take care of; he should get on first. Maetel kneels down and kisses Tetsuro then walks off. Tetsuro steps back on the 999, first in shock, then chuckles.

Tetsuro notices an envelope on the chair in front of him. In it is a note from Maetel that says today they part ways. Tetsuro looks out the window asking for Maetel, but she’s nowhere to be seen. He then spots her sitting in another train, the 777. The 777 starts taking off. The letter says she bids him farewell. Now that he can stand on his own two feet, they must part ways. She’s journeyed all this time knowing this day would come. We see her sitting in the train with another boy. She is now leaving to lead another boy to his future. They’ll probably never see each other again. She will treasure their memories in her heart and continue her eternal journey. Tetsuro waves goodbye to Maetel as the 999 and 777 diverge in their paths. The narrator says people say that the 999 is a train that runs within young boy’s minds. Tetsuro thinks to himself, maybe from the very beginning, his journey was really a solitary one. Maetel was a vision that propelled his journey, a fleeting dream towards the future.

TV Episode Cast:

Tetsuro Hoshino – Masako Nozawa

Maetel – Masako Ikeda

Conductor – Kaneta Kimotsuki

Prometheum – Ryoko Kinomiya

Maetel’s Father – Banjou Ginga

Mechanized Captain – Yasuo Tanaka

Mechanical Car Voice – Kouji Totani

Mirai – Keiko Yokozawa

Narrator – Hitoshi Takagi

Yasuo Tanaka previously appeared as the mayor in episode 89, Captain in episode 96 and Pastor in episode 99. Keiko Yokozawa previously appeared as Hanako in episodes 60 – 61, Naya in episode 85 and Zoya in episode 98. Beyond their recurring roles played here, Banjou Ginga and Kouji Totani have both previously appeared as minor characters.