Space Cobra has built a real following in the US on Philo among viewers who want their sci-fi to think as hard as it looks. The 1-season run is exactly the right length for what it is doing. 225 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Nachi Nozawa leads a cast that never lets the concept overwhelm the characters. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Philo.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Space Cobra earns its spot. Space Cobra uses its genre premise as cover for asking bigger questions. Cobra lived an adventurous life until his enemies began to hunt him down. He surgically altered his face and erased his own memory in order to hide from his foes and lead a normal life. Eventually, he regains his memories and re-unites with his old partner Lady Armaroid and his ship Tortuga. Nachi Nozawa and Yoshiko Sakakibara lead a cast that never lets the concept overwhelm the characters. Space Cobra premiered in 1982–1983. Space Cobra resists the temptation to explain everything, trusting the audience to sit with ambiguity. It rarely drops the ball, and when it does, it recovers fast.

For late-night viewing or a proper weekend binge, Space Cobra fits the bill. Fans of Space Pirate Captain Harlock will recognise the sensibility here immediately. The complete run is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Nachi Nozawa grounds the bigger ideas in something human. Once you are in, you will want to talk about it.

Space Cobra wrapped up in 1983, created by Buichi Terasawa — and 1 season is available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro's free voice app makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just say the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.