Following up on director Yohei Kameyama's 2022 3D animated short "Milky☆Highway," the 12-episode short anime series "Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express" hit screens and streaming platforms in July 2025. With its satisfying sync of sound and movement, retro-futuristic worldbuilding, and startlingly realistic dialogue, this show has captured hearts across the anime community.
The hype train didn't stop there—a manga adaptation followed, and the theatrical film "Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express: Local Train to the Theater" rolled into cinemas in 2026. The "Milky" universe just keeps expanding.
In this article, we'll dive deep into Kurt and Max, two cyborg agents working for Dawes & Smith Defense Services. We'll break down their relationship dynamics, explore what makes them fan favorites, and unpack the buddy chemistry that's got everyone talking.
※This article contains spoilers for the "Milky" series, including the theatrical film.
Synopsis
Our story kicks off with three unlikely pairs caught red-handed violating galactic traffic laws: super human Chiharu and cyborg Makina, super humans Akane and Kanata, and cyborgs Kurt and Max.
Police officer Ryoko sentences all six to community service—cleaning the galactic train known as the "Milky☆Subway."
What starts as a straightforward janitorial gig goes completely off the rails (literally) when the train suddenly goes rogue. The crew scrambles to figure out what's happening, only to find themselves caught up in a conspiracy far bigger than dirty train cars.
Kurt & Max Are Cyborgs
The "Milky" series is set in the Barnardia Planetary Federation—a star system located 5.98 light-years from Earth. Since humanity successfully pulled off space colonization back in the '60s, select groups have secretly been settling here. The population consists of three types: "Humans," "Super Humans," and "Cyborgs."
Super Humans (Chiharu, Akane, and Kanata) are genetically modified folks with distinctive pink skin, engineered to survive the harsh conditions of space.
Cyborgs (Makina, Kurt, and Max) are individuals who've had parts of their bodies mechanized. Regular humans who aren't genetically augmented often undergo cyborg conversion to adapt to space environments.
Going cyborg ain't cheap. The initial procedure and ongoing maintenance costs are astronomical, which means lower-income folks either risk sketchy back-alley surgery or enlist in the stellar military, where procedures are free and replacement parts are provided. Kurt and Max both went the military route.
Kurt (CV: Koki Uchiyama)
Full name: Kurt Fitzgerald Cramer. Former army cyborg now working for Dawes & Smith Defense Services.
He's been detained multiple times due to work-related incidents, but the company's crack legal team always gets him off scot-free. This time, he and Max got busted for illegally possessing sugar—a controlled substance in this universe.
Kurt's mechanical arms pack serious firepower and excel at precision tasks. Thanks to his army background, he's battle-hardened—he doesn't flinch when enemies attack and handles threats with ice-cold composure. His defensive capabilities are equally impressive. Generally indifferent to others, he's usually glued to his gaming device, projecting cool detachment with occasional flashes of intimidation.
His bright red down vest features the neon green phrase: "NOW I HAVE MACHINE ARMS."
Max (CV: Yoshitaka Yamaya)
Full name: Max O'Donald Maccallister. Former space force cyborg, now working alongside Kurt at Dawes & Smith Defense Services.
Like Kurt, Max has been detained numerous times for work-related reasons, but their company's elite lawyers always spring him. This time? Illegal sugar possession.
Max specializes in memory and data processing, primarily handling gadget operations. He can instantly identify enemy model types and hack systems in seconds. While his skills are top-tier, he shares Kurt's philosophy: only act when personally threatened or properly compensated.
Max comes across as frank and somewhat cocky, but like Kurt, he's fundamentally disinterested in other people and is constantly gaming. He occasionally shows emotion during gameplay—usually anger directed at Kurt. He's currently saving up to upgrade his face to more expressive animatronics.
Dawes & Smith Defense Services
Kurt and Max work for this defense contractor, commonly called DS Security. Rumor has it they're involved in all sorts of shady business, including illegal sugar trafficking, but there's never been concrete evidence to prove it.
They take on legally gray jobs across the board—what Kurt calls being a "handyman service." According to Ryoko's assessment, they have no ties to drug cartels, pay their corporate taxes properly, and seem to operate strictly within legal boundaries (or at least close enough).
Company president Jane Dawes remains shrouded in mystery—aside from being female, details about her age, background, and rise to power are unknown. Based on Kurt and Max's behavior, though, she's clearly terrifying. Apparently, forgetting to get a work order signed means facing the boss's wrath.
Other DS Security employees include explosives specialist Alice Santorini and muscle-for-brains Jason Kruger.
Kurt and Max's Relationship Dynamic
After getting arrested for illegal sugar possession, Kurt and Max are assigned to clean cars 3 and 4 of the galactic train. When work's supposed to start, they immediately head to the restroom to fix their hair. By the time they finally board, the train accidentally launches.
The duo barely reacts to the runaway train situation. After determining the security robot "Haijo-kun" (Elimination-kun) poses no immediate threat, they ignore it and chill out playing games—right up until the other chaotic crew members come crashing in.
Their Competent Buddy Dynamic
Kurt and Max usually radiate slacker energy, but they can flip the switch to work mode instantly. Their appeal lies in how casually they showcase their competence and experience. The trust they have in each other runs deep, and their buddy chemistry shines through effortlessly.
They figure out early that the train malfunction isn't random and identify the mastermind behind it—but just how skilled are these two?
When Makina hires them to stop Haijo-kun, they analyze the situation, coordinate strategy, and prep in literal seconds. Kurt gracefully engages the enemy while Max hacks the system in record time, securing mission success with surgical precision.
That said, they're not infallible. During interrogation, Kurt and Max follow their lawyer's advice to stay silent—say nothing unnecessary and you'll walk free soon. But when Ryoko offers them inhalation caramels, they accept without question. Big mistake: the caramels contain an investigative device that makes lying impossible. Though they fall for Ryoko's trap, Max hacks the system to force-end the interrogation, and they escape unscathed.
Their Banter and Closeness
Kurt and Max's indifference to others sometimes results in them getting people's names slightly wrong. But their own relationship? That's a different story. They're work partners, sure, but there's also a sense they're simply comfortable together—maybe even each other's safe space.
Watching Kurt and Max interact—whether gaming together or chatting in the bathroom—is peak entertainment. That restroom mirror scene, where they groom themselves while talking, feels incredibly grounded and real, perfectly capturing their dynamic and comfort level with each other. The timing, vocal delivery, and natural gestures keep viewers absolutely glued to the screen.
Both take hair styling seriously. Kurt meticulously adjusts his bangs and sides, while Max focuses on overall shape and how his ends move.
They gossip about Makina's specs and emotional simulation program (stuff they'd never say to her face), and Kanata comes to them with personal problems—the trio's male bonding conversations are fascinating in their own right.
Kurt and Max speculate about Makina's system specifications, noting that while her body frame is an older Titan model, her internals are high-performance tech unavailable to the general public, and her emotional simulation program is something they've never encountered before.
Though intrigued by Makina's internal specs, Kurt and Max recognize this as sensitive territory. When Kanata suggests asking her directly, they recoil in horror and call him a pervert.
The Weight of "Thank You"
Through Autumn-chan and the police brass's treatment of "social misfits," the series gradually reveals this world's cruelty. Kurt and Max reveal they've been treated like machines their whole lives, never receiving gratitude—which led them to become indifferent to others. This admission hints at a society steeped in discriminatory attitudes.
When Haijo-kun's attack leaves Chiharu and the others frozen, Makina asks Kurt and Max for help. The duo demands payment. They're not doing this out of kindness—pay a fair rate and they'll work; don't pay and they won't lift a finger.
They take the job strictly as business. But when it's over, Chiharu sincerely tells them, "Thank you."
When you've only received heartless words instead of gratitude, when your heart's locked in darkness, a single kind phrase can be a beacon of light. Watching Kurt and Max receive the recognition they deserve is woven beautifully into this narrative—and it reflects real-world truths, too.
Despite their cynical exterior, Kurt and Max are fundamentally kind and sincere. While acting disinterested, they're thinking about so much beneath the surface. Their hardened hearts begin to thaw, and by the finale, all six crew members coordinate to face off against Autumn's robot police army.
This train carries people who naturally say "thank you," and outside the train are folks fighting against society's injustices to help them. It reminds you the world isn't entirely hopeless. I genuinely hope Kurt and Max's futures are filled with people like these.
Kurt & Max's Past
Even after the "Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express" short anime finale aired, unrevealed character details and settings continued dropping—dragging fans deeper into the rabbit hole. Kurt and Max's backstories were also unveiled.
Kurt
Kurt grew up in a rough neighborhood where he felt responsible for protecting his younger sister. Combined with pressure from his conservative father pushing outdated masculine ideals, Kurt developed a complex about his own physical weakness. To boost his self-esteem, he decided to enlist in the military and undergo mechanization.
Max
Max was a narcissist with absolute confidence in his appearance, but harbored intense fear and disgust toward aging. A recruiter's pitch—"If you become a cyborg, you'll never age"—convinced him to enlist and mechanize himself.
Manga: "Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express"
Volume 1 of the manga "Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express," released January 23, 2026, also depicts Kurt and Max's pasts.
They were assigned to the army and space force respectively. From becoming cyborg soldiers to reaching their current jobs, the pain of being treated like machines was unbearable. This context makes Chiharu's pure "thank you" hit even harder for Kurt and Max. Seeing what they looked like before cyborg conversion is absolutely worth checking out!
"Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express Vol. 1"
Manga: Don Kono
Original Story & Supervision: Yohei Kameyama
Kurt's Voice Actor: Koki Uchiyama
Koki Uchiyama-san, born August 16, 1990, in Saitama Prefecture, is the voice actor for Kurt. He has voiced numerous beloved characters in popular series, including Banagher Links in "Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn" and Kei Tsukishima in "Haikyu!"
Max's Voice Actor: Yoshitaka Yamaya
Max is voiced by Yoshitaka Yamaya, a voice actor born on February 15th in Miyagi Prefecture. He is recognized for his roles as Yuki Hase in "One Week Friends," Junpei Yoshino in "Jujutsu Kaisen," and other notable performances in popular anime series.
"Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express"
STORY
Chiharu, an enhanced human, and Makina, a cyborg, are arrested for violating Galactic Traffic Laws.
Along with other quirky duos arrested at the same time—enhanced humans Akane and Kanata, and cyborgs Cart and Max—they're all assigned a task by police officer Ryoko: community service cleaning the interplanetary train known as the "Milky☆Subway."
What should have been a simple assignment takes a turn when the Milky☆Subway suddenly goes out of control!
Chaos ensues inside the train. Ryoko, together with her colleague Asami, attempts various solutions, but eventually the group finds themselves caught up in a major incident...!
CAST
Chiharu: Momoka Terasawa
Makina: Anna Nagase
Ryoko: Mikako Komatsu
Akane: Hisako Kanemoto
Kanata: Makoto Koichi
Kurt: Koki Uchiyama
Max: Yoshitaka Yamaya
Official Site
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©Yohei Kameyama/Titan Industries
© Animate Times
*Some parts of this text have been translated using machine translation
