A story out of Great Britain tells of the Japanese working on developing a space elevator. I know that the Japanese did not come up with the idea of a space elevator. I first became aware of the concept though Arthur C. Clarke’s books (I don’t remember which one I read first with the concept) but I really didn’t envision what a space elevator would be like. That changed when I saw the anime Bubblegum Crisis 2040, where a space elevator was being constructed (if I remember correctly). Then I remember seeing one in the Dirty Pair: Project Eden movie. I also seem to remember a space elevator being used in Kiddy Grade. So the Japanese have really run with the concept.

I really hope the Japanese succeed here. Often, Japanese anime and manga have concepts which spark the imagination. To see the Japanese then turn that spark into reality is something that I think is a great thing. I see it in the Japanese push of robotics and A.I. Somehow, I can see the Japanese coming up with Persocoms as seen in Chobits. If anyone can get the concept of mecha to work, it will be the Japanese.

So good luck to the people who will try to make a space elevator a reality!