Hideo Kojima Shines a Spotlight on a Criminally Overlooked Hard Sci-Fi Anime MARS EXPRESS With a Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score
When Hideo Kojima starts talking up a movie, it’s usually worth paying attention. The visionary creator behind Death Stranding 2 has a long track record of championing films, shows, and anime that fly under the radar.
His latest recommendation points fans toward a sci-fi animated feature from 2023 that almost nobody saw but absolutely should have.
That film is Mars Express, a French-produced hard sci-fi anime-inspired movie that quietly arrived in its home country and barely made a dent at the box office. Despite strong word of mouth, it earned just $1.5 million and quickly faded from the wider conversation.
Now, with a Japanese release on the horizon and Kojima loudly praising it, the film is finally getting a second look.
Set in a futuristic world filled with corruption, conspiracy, and missing children, Mars Express follows space private investigator Aline and her android partner as a routine job spirals into something far more dangerous.
The story leans heavily into classic hard sci-fi ideas, blending noir detective vibes with philosophical questions about technology and humanity.
Kojima was quick to celebrate exactly that. Writing on social media, he shared why the film struck such a deep chord with him:
“The look, design, world-building, story, theme, authorial voice. It evokes the hard Sci-Fi anime that I love – the ones released in the ‘80s and ‘90s during the OVA boom from the likes of Mamoru Oshii, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, and Satoshi Kon,” Kojima wrote on X.
He went on to say how unusual a project like this feels in today’s landscape:
“It is a rare anime that could never emerge from streaming services or even from modern Japan. This French anime is something we ought to support and protect at all costs.”
Critical response backs him up in a big way. Mars Express currently holds a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, an impressive feat for any release, let alone one that slipped past so many viewers.
The Japan Times went even further, calling it “the best anime film of recent years,” while acknowledging the technicality that it wasn’t made in Japan. That distinction hasn’t stopped anime fans from embracing it.
For viewers in the United States who missed it the first time around, there’s no excuse now. Mars Express is available to rent or buy on Prime Video and Apple TV. If you’re into smart science fiction, adult animation, or strong sci-fi storytelling, this is one of those hidden gems that deserves a spot at the top of your watchlist.