This series really does have it all. It does a great job of portraying the big stuff:
- Plausible, near-future science fiction
- Exploration of the solar system
- Dangers of working in space
Development of the Hydrogen Economy
- Study of the fallout caused by moving away from oil as an energy source
Real science and great attention to detail: Phil Plait would be proud!
and also the small stuff:
Interesting characters with real motivations, that actually undergo character development!
- Slice-of-life view of what it would be like working in Space Debris Recovery
- Sentimentality
- Runs the gamut of human emotion
The extras are also very interesting; beside the usual interviews, there is also a short movie from NASA demonstrating the damage that can be done by space debris; some amusing four-panel comics starring various characters; and something I have not seen before: broken-down footage of the various elements of the intro sequence, perfect for remixing!
This is actually the Region 1 DVD. Planetes has been released on Region 2, but I didn't want to risk it. 
Universal Product Code: 669198263064
Picture quality
Superb. The source material is interlaced, but a decent reverse-telecine filter (such as mplayer -vf filmdint) restores the original material, and it looks great.
