2001 Nights

• Ja Kanji — 2001夜物語 • Ja Romaji — Nisen'ichi Ya Monogatari • Genre — Science fiction

• Type — manga • Author — Yukinobu Hoshino • Publisher — Futabasha • Magazine — Monthly Super Action • First — June 1984 • Last — June 1986 • Volumes — 3

• Type — ova • Title — Space Fantasia 2001 Nights • Director — Yoshio Takeuchi • Producer — Junichi Iioka Tomoko Satō Takahisa Yokomizo • Writer — Chiho Katsura Ken Echigoya • Music — Satoshi Kadokura • Studio — Tokyo Movie Shinsha • Released — July 1987 • Runtime — 60 minutes

• Type — ova • Title — TO • Director — Fumihiko Sori • Producer — Yoshito Takaya Yumiko Yoshihara • Writer — Fumihiko Sori • Music — Tetsuya Takahashi • Studio — Oxybot • Released — November 2009 • Episodes — 2 Nisen'ichi Ya Monogatari is a science fiction manga series written and illustrated by Yukinobu Hoshino and originally serialized in Futabasha's Monthly Super Action starting from June 1984. It was then collected into three bound volumes by Futabasha, released between August 18, 1985 and October 24, 1986. The series was licensed for an English-language release by Viz Media and published in North America starting in 1990. 2001 Nights is largely inspired by classic hard science fiction, with many visual homages to previous science fiction novels and films.

Humanity's exploration of the cosmos, which began in the latter half of the 20th century, progressed through the milestones of human spaceflight and the launch of space stations, eventually leading to the discovery of traces of extraterrestrial life. Attempts at interstellar travel led to the "Human Seeding Project", a mission utilizing computer-controlled spacecraft loaded with frozen sperm and ova, designed to initiate fertilization and gestation the moment a planet suitable for life was identified. In the early 21st century, a new object dubbed "Lucifer" was discovered far beyond the orbit of Neptune, eventually found to be an antimatter star. This celestial body became a colossal energy source, enabling instantaneous interstellar travel through a form of hyperspace navigation powered by artificial black holes. The descendants of the Robinsons, who were the couple who had provided the genetic material for the "Human Seeding Project", continued to participate in space endeavors across generations. Concurrently, a "New Generation" of humans began to emerge—individuals born and raised in space, boasting IQs and lifespans far exceeding those of traditional Earth-born humans. By the 24th century, humanity had expanded its reach across a region of space spanning a 150-light-year radius, but still no extraterrestrial life had been found. Humanity decided to launch a final initiative to locate extraterrestrial life: the "Grand SETI Project." Around the time that Adam Robinson joined the project, the "children" of the Human Seeding Project finally arrived at a planet within the Tau Ceti star system. Around this same time, a group of the "New Generation", who called themselves "Tachyonians", were preparing to embark on a journey across the galaxy.

2001 Nights consists of several loosely connected short stories, all taking place in the same timeline, with the whole series spanning several hundred years. Many of the stories are related to each other (even across books), each building upon the achievements of the previous ones. The stories are often (but not always) scientifically plausible, recalling much of the early science fiction of the 1950s and 1960s.

2001 Nights was adapted into a one-episode original video animation (OVA) under the name Space Fantasia 2001 Nights by Tokyo Movie Shinsha and released on VHS on June 21, 1987.

Two stories from 2001 Nights, Night 12 ("Symbiotic Planet") and Night 14 ("Elliptical Orbit") respectively, were adapted into TO, a two-episode computer animation (CGI) original video animation (OVA). Fumihiko Sori directed. It was released on DVD and Blu-ray by Avex in December 2009, in Japan. TO was released on rental DVDs on October 2, 2009, and in December 2009 as regular DVD and Blu-ray release. It was scheduled to air on TBS and BS-TBS (Japanese satellite TV broadcaster) in November and December 2009, prior to the DVD and Blu-ray release. A 10-minute trailer was released on YouTube by Avex on November 11, 2009. Manga Entertainment a UK distributor acquired licensing in late 2010. Funimation licensed To for North American release in 2011.

The stories that make up the complete manga are placed in chronological order, with two exceptions. By the technology used, Night 14 ("Elliptical Orbit") seems to belong somewhere between Nights 6 and 7 (after the invention of suspended animation and interstellar travel, but before the discovery of Lucifer). The second, Night 6 ("Discovery") is referenced in Night 4 ("Posterity") which occurs 20 years after the launch of the probe Discovery.