It's funny but while I'm at least as big a fan of anime as I am of traveller. I've never really linked them. To me, It's like drizzling chocolate sauce on your 24 ounce prime rib.
For me Traveller had an 'Old School' Sci Fi feel. H B Piper, Jerry Pournelle, Spaceships as Steam age Freighters and naval vessels and the Imperium not unlike a romantised victorian british empire.
Anime, on the other hand, Conquers totally different territory. The tech is sometimes hard to believe but the ship designs and robots are so cool and downright pretty. While Traveller tends to be filled (The way I've always envisioned/played it) With pragmatic, rational (mostly) heroes and villians that wouldn't have been out of place in a 50's mainstream film with film noire pretensions. Anime Characters are nothing if not colourful. They're extremist of every sort and of every philosphical persuasion. They are fascinating but, to me, not traveller.
Having Said that:
Cowboy Bebop definately get's my vote as being rather travelleresque. The settings not quite right but the crew of the bebop COULD be your typical Traveller party of adventurers.
Gundam Wing left me cold, The Gundam boys push the 'I am the mission' warrior envelope to the point where they cease to be entertaining (for me) to watch. I have to admit that the 5th business characters (mostly ladies) were worth a second look though.Lt. Lucrezia Noin, Major Sally Po, And the Ruthless Lady Une (before she proved to have some odd bi-polar multiple personality thing going on, triggered aparantly by her choice in eyewhere, but I digress) were all well... interesting. And possibly good templates for some Traveller NPC's of military bent.
And while I can think of a number of Anime which have tangential contact with MTU or the OTU, (ones mentioned in fact: Sol Bianca was VERY cool and come to think of it. Kinda travellerish depending on the episode, and the planet being visited. I Love/collect the Alita Manga licensed by Viz but don't get a traveller feel from it most of the time. )
I can't say Anime and Traveller (to me anyway) really mix.
And that's not to knock either.
I'm here so that indicates my feelings for traveller and as for anime. My list of favourites is long, ongoing, and constantly shifting with what I've watched new or what I've rediscovered old.
Among the New, Check out 'Full Metal Panic' sheer fun.
Among the old(er) Noire. Modern day but perhaps more travelleresque for all that because there Aren't any giant Longbow weilding spaceships.
(to self)
