The highly anticipated CG anime short, Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express, has unveiled its second trailer, offering a deeper look into the interstellar adventure, revealing additional cast members, and confirming its theme song ahead of its July 3 debut. A sequel to Yōhei Kameyama’s viral 2022 short, Milky☆Highway, the new installment promises an expanded narrative and an even more chaotic cosmic ride.
The Story: Chaos on the Interplanetary Rails
Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express continues the escapades of superhuman Chiharu and cyborg Makina, who find themselves in hot water after violating space traffic laws. As a form of community service, they are assigned to clean the “Milky☆Subway,” an interplanetary train. What begins as a seemingly simple task spirals into unforeseen pandemonium when the train unexpectedly blasts off into deep space, leaving the crew scrambling amidst unfolding chaos. The official English website describes the story as a “never-before-seen space-train spectacle, powered by nothing but pure momentum,” emphasizing its unprincipled, unpurposeful, and pointless journey.
A Talented Ensemble Expands
The second trailer for Milky☆Subway introduced several new voice actors who will be joining the ensemble. Hisako Kanemoto (known for Zenith Greyrat in Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation) steps into the role of Akane, while Mikako Komatsu (Fels in Is It Wrong to Try to Pick up Girls in a Dungeon?) voices Ryōko, the police officer. Kōki Uchiyama (Rin Itoshi in BLUE LOCK) is cast as Kurt, Makoto Koichi (Lloyd in I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince) as Kanata, and Yoshitaka Yamaya (Itsuki Kawasumi in The Rising of the Shield Hero) as Max.
These new additions join the previously announced main cast members, Momoka Terasawa as Chiharu and Anna Nagase as Makina. Terasawa takes over the role of Chiharu from Mizuki Fumisuki, who voiced the character in the original Milky☆Highway short, while Nagase replaces Kana Kobayashi as Makina. The dynamic chemistry between Chiharu and Makina is expected to be a central draw of the sequel.
Nostalgic Rhythms: The Theme Song Revealed
Adding a touch of retro charm to the futuristic setting, the second trailer also revealed the anime’s theme song: “Gingakei Made Tonde Ike!” (Fly to the Galaxy!). This spirited track is a 1977 song by the iconic Japanese girl group Candies. The inclusion of such a classic piece is poised to add a unique auditory dimension to the anime’s quirky world.
The Visionary Behind the Express
Yōhei Kameyama, the animator behind the original Milky☆Highway, returns to helm the sequel, taking on an impressive array of roles. Kameyama is credited as the director, writer, character designer, modeler, animator, and editor, showcasing a remarkable one-man production approach that has garnered global attention. His original Milky☆Highway short, which served as his graduation project from Kadokawa’s Vantan Game Academy CG Animator major, amassed over 6.75 million views across its English-subtitled and original versions on YouTube.
Global Premiere and Accessibility
Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express is set to premiere on July 3, 2025, broadcasting on the Tokyo MX channel at 9:54 p.m. JST. For international audiences, the short will be simultaneously streamed globally on YouTube. In a move to maximize accessibility, the anime will be available with dubbed versions in ten languages, including English, Portuguese, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Thai, Indonesian, French, Hindi, and Russian. This wide distribution strategy underscores the project’s ambition to reach a broad international audience, building on the viral success of its predecessor.
