SegaFor those who were around to see it, the Dreamcast remains something of a legendary console, too beautiful for this world. Part of that is undoubtedly just a case of rooting for the underdog, but its reputation also comes from how packed the console was with bizarre experiments that immediately won players over. One of those titles hit North America 25 years ago this month, and while it may not be the best game on the Dreamcast, it’s one that deserved better than it got after the console’s end.Space Channel 5 was first released in Japan in December 1999 before making its way to North America on June 6, 2000. A strikingly original rhythm game, Space Channel 5 was like nothing else on the Dreamcast or any other console at the time, briefly becoming a Sega poster child. The game stars Ulala, a broadcast journalist turned dancer decked out in a ‘60s miniskirt and clutching a microphone. In a future where TV news stations are locked in a fierce battle for ratings, an alien invasion sees Ulala fighting against the invaders with the power of dance and laser guns while continuing to report on the alien threat — a true professional.Space Channel 5 starred a TV reporter battling an alien invasion by dancing. | SegaSpace Channel 5 began with Sega’s desire to reach beyond the typical male audience for video games at the time, recruiting Tetsuya Mizuguchi, an arcade developer who would later co-create Rez, to lead production."This was the first I'd heard of casual female gamers," Mizuguchi told Game Developer in 2005. "So I didn't really know what to do. I personally interviewed a lot of young girls, trying to find out what they like."The answer, according to Mizuguchi, was that women preferred puzzle games, which he combined with his own love of music to settle on developing a rhythm game. Mizuguchi also concluded that women and casual players sought “self-expression” through games, though he contends that the best way to make games attractive for women is “to hire more female designers.”Space Channel 5 was an attempt by Sega to reach beyond its usual audience. | SegaSpace Channel 5 also went with a female lead — even more of a rarity then than it is in blockbuster games now — in the form of Ulala. Given that Space Channel 5 was developed in the ‘90s, though, the game’s developers and fans had other things on their mind concerning Ulala than empowering women.In a January 2000 issue of The Official Sega Dreamcast Magazine, Mizuguchi is asked if Ulala was designed to be “sexy” on purpose.“Yes, we thought about it,” he told the magazine. “You can definitely see Ulala’s panties when her skirt flies up. But it’s not so obvious; her sex appeal is very subtle.”Despite its star receiving the same kind of predictable but still disappointing sexualization as Tomb Raider’s Lara Croft, Space Channel 5’s appeal to new audiences did seem to work. On release, Space Channel 5 was well received, and while it was far from the best selling Dreamcast game, Sega considered it a mixed success. In many ways, it can be considered a middling game, but its sheer originality makes it one of the Dreamcat’s most memorable games, aided in no small part by its instantly recognizable heroine.Space Channel 5’s VR revival didn’t quite capture the magic of the original. | SegaSpace Channel 5 went on to receive just one sequel on the Dreamcast, which only made it to North America in 2005 as part of a special edition of the original game. A VR sequel called Space Channel 5 VR: Kinda Funky News Flash arrived in 2020. But while the series languished, Ulala still became a star. She appeared as a presenter at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards, and is playable in the Sonic Riders and Sega All-Stars racing games. A film adaptation of Space Channel 5 was even announced in 2022, though no one’s spoken a word of it since.In some ways, that all makes Space Channel 5 the perfect encapsulation of the Dreamcast era. A bold idea that had its fans but never really hit it big. A one-of-a-kind heroine who appeals to female players while being reduced to a sex object by men. And most of all, a weird, big swing so unique that players still talk about it fondly well after everyone else has moved on.