Ask John: Why is Maetel Such an Iconic Anime Character?

Question:
Maetel from Galaxy Express 999 seems to have recognition that transcends the Leijiverse. Not only is she the prominent focus of most GE999 media cover art, but I’ve also seen homages to her in other anime like Sexy Commando and Lucky Star, on numerous occassions seen othewise “normal” Japanese businessmen bellow out the GE999 movie ending theme song (accompanied by video footage of Maetel) at karaoke booths and karaoke hostess bars, and I’ve even seen posters for non-anime/manga related events use her image for advertising. What gives Maetel the staying power of nearly three decades?

Answer:
Why is Maetel so iconic? I think I’ve sort of answered this question before in the very old “Ask John” article about which anime girl I’d most like to date.

Maetel is the ultimate, ideal anime woman because she’s matronly but also sensual. She’s mysterious enough to be fascinating, and melancholy enough to engage a chivalrous man’s sense of sympathy. She’s old enough to be beyond the childishness of youth, but still young enough to be attractive as a companion. She appears frail and demure, which compliments a man’s masculinity, but she’s adequately capable of defending herself and even being determined and violent if necessary. She has the wisdom of experience, but never seems overbearing. I suspect that especially for Japanese men, Maetel is an ideal woman because she’s a yamato nadesico for the 22nd century. She is literally unique in anime because I don’t know of any other female anime character that combines all of the characteristics that Maetel exemplifies.