Let's Go To Space!

October 2001. Alan Holman was in a friend's basement watching a video game when boom! Inspiration for Banana Chan. Blorptastic! And now it's October 2026, the 25th anniversary of the idea. [gentle music] Thanks to artificial intelligence, the anime is finally being made. Banana emergency! [claps] [laughs] A wealthy American billionaire has announced a bold invitation to our town of Rain. 50 local volunteers of any age will tour the solar system aboard the luxury spaceship, the Eternal Oasis. Ko, did you hear that? 50 people from Rain, any age, a luxury space- I heard, Lacey. It sounds wonderful, and a little overwhelming. Ko, imagine a Blorptic space field trip with all my friends. If you're on that passenger list, I'm on it too. Otherwise, no. Relax. I pulled some future strings. You, Mom Ko, and me, all on the list. Buster, that clock says 10 minutes. Where exactly are we boarding? 10 minutes? Banana emergency. I haven't even packed my kazoo. Dummy ship launch confirmed. Three-day wait begins. Wait, the TV just changed. Why is it showing pictures instead of a countdown? Quiet, Banana. It says the clock is a decoy, and we have three days. A special welcoming gala begins on this private channel in 15 minutes, with information, songs, and celebrity guests. So use restrooms, get snacks. Snacks, restrooms, hydration. Banana emergency, but the delicious kind. Song. Banana and restrooms, hydration, but the delicious kind. By providing all the relevant information mixed with entertainment, songs, and celebrity guests. Please use restrooms and head from- Buster, why is that pablet hiding behind your back? Okay, so the name on it is my mom, Rokos. Sort of. Maybe. Buster, I would never blame you for wanting your mom on this trip. Good, because you're on it too, Mom Ko. Look, here's your file. You two watch that broadcast. I'm going to dig up everything online. Blorptastic, what did you do? Great news. I got an email. I've been targeted to help plan a surprise party aboard the ship. Targeted for a party? Buster, that is aggressively suspicious. Club business today, ladies. Let's pool everything we know about this trip. Banana, there are 50 passengers, plus 20 professional crew members. 70 souls aboard. I read last night that Reg Chan is the captain. I assumed you knew. All I knew is Dad runs a secret company building bases across the solar system. Blorptastic! I can't wait to meet him. Confirmed. Snorkel Pop, your seat is locked in. Banana, your father built secret bases. Why would a luxury cruise need one? Dad always said he'd reveal something important when I turn 18. Two years in space? That's not a coincidence. Banana, what if the secret isn't a gift, but the reason you were chosen? My family got put on the Eternal Oasis list. Nobody asked me. Two whole years without you. Miko, my family's on that list, too. Wait, seriously? Then this trip is going to be awesome. Banana, the mission end date is the day after your 18th birthday. That's not a coincidence. Buster, there's an arcade on the ship. Let's explore everything. Aria, there's an arboretum on a spaceship. Blorptastic. [dramatic music] [spaceship roaring] In the hours before the planned launch, every civilian member of the passenger list backed out for a variety of reasonable reasons. [gasps] Bye bye, Blorptastic spaceship. [dramatic music]