Sora no Woto 01 – LISTEN TO MY TRUMPET!
January 8th, 2010
Well it looks like we have a post war situation here…
So while Sora no Woto has earned the ire of many as being K-On, other than the character design it seems different enough. Besides unlike your average scum sucking self serving self righteous Jihad-kun type protagonist Kanata has one thing that makes her so much more likable. No it’s not her hair which is rather stylish despite not being within regs, but because she is one of the rare select few that volunteer for military service in an age where Singaporean males have to be dragged to the barracks for national service. In any case as a show about Soldaten I see that it already has some potential though in my case it serves nicely as a study of what a more whimsical garrison post would be like. Say what you will about Kanata, but she might well be the heir of Noe given that hair cut, and besides she’s probably more physically fit than the lot of you and no doubt kids these days don’t travel in boxcars and sleep on hard wood. Despite the lack of small arms Kanata is part of the poor infantry and that alone makes her worthy, plus she’s not bitching and moaning with every other step she takes. While not much was mentioned about the principle cast they did manage to do a good job of giving the setting some character. It may be a pastiche of things but at least they have drinking in public which in itself is pretty damn awesome. I like how they mentioned the local customs and myths it’s nice to see the town have a bit of culture, even if some of the customs seem rather quaint, though it basically is a wet t-shirt festival if you think about it…
I am curious as to the war that took place before the events of the series since the idea of children being soldiers either indicates different cultural attitudes, lack of man power, or desperation. Given how there is a cessation of hostilities I think it is likely to be a lack of man power and given the end of the draft perhaps the Army was willing to take just about anyone. While the setting is rather laid back I like how they hinted that there were still problems like a shortage of civilian goods as the caremel showed. Given how the last total war ended back in 1945 I was pleasantly surprised that they brought in shortage as a problem with the onset of peace, even the town of Sieze itself seemed to echo the damaged paradise feel of the show. Life is certainly more peaceful but the town’s old charm also belies the fact that even with shiny modern heavy weapons the people are happy but enjoy a rather rugged standard of living. Were things all nice and rosy the bridge would have probably been restored to it’s original construction instead of that half steel half stone one they got going. The rather lax rank structure isn’t too surprising seeing as how isolated units away from the eyes of senior officers tend to relax most of the restrictions and regulations, hell I have seen plenty of units that don’t vigorously enforce meeting times and grooming standards. While Kanata’s reasons for enlisting are pretty straight forward I wonder what the deal is with the rest of the squad. Rio must have been in for a while in order to make Sergeant Major, either that or the mass exodus at the end of the end of the draft left the promotion lists wide open. Still in a smaller army I’d expect ranking up to be harder since those who stay might have to accept lower ranks unless they make the mistake of over staffing their smaller army with more senior officers and senior enlisted than privates. So Kanata wants to be bugler but is pretty bad at playing reveille, certainly Rio has her work cut out for her since I doubt Kanata’s retreat is going to be much better. I know it wasn’t supposed to be viewed this way but when Rio grabbed Kanata in an embrace I could not help but go FUCK YEAH YURI! I doubt many people are going to give this show much of a chance but I quite like the idea of having a Military Slice of Life show, it’s first one I have heard of and for now it doesn’t seem to be combat oriented. If nothing else it was a rather relaxing watch which is just the thing I need since I am in high stress mode for the duration.
She looks more like Ritsu me thinks…
Don’t believe everything you hear…
Fuck Yeah looting!
Well for me they only come in certain MREs…not all of them good.
Wow look at that there is at least one studio that knows that civilian goods get real scarce in a total war.
Thank you for your service, you are more courageous than most of the male population, those damn tossers.
You’re new name will be Snowball…
Looks like they still got C-Rations…makes one appreciate that FRH.
Ain’t no maids to serve you here boy.
Rio is the winner.
Wait you have a German M35 Helmet, read and write in French, but got a Japanese name?
Needs an MG34.
Kanata forgot where her military right was…
Poor Kanata did not get a TONO to claim allowances, like meals and incidentals oh and lodging.
Well it sounds pretty boring, but that does have it’s benefits…
I wonder if her first song will be first call…
Here’s some advice Private you’re not nit Paris anymore…
Here they drink beer and IN PUBLIC!
Might it be that Kanata is Yuri-sensitive…?
I like how they build up events with seemingly pointless background animation.
I think i have seen that haughty girl some where before, but where…
Well she looks suspicious enough…
I see that Mugi made Hauptmann…
Must be a veteran of the 504th Maintenence Company.
…
I will interpret this as and admission of yuri…
Thus she better bring coffee amirite?
Well maybe we will have a little mecha this year…
The Lady of the Ladle.
Whatever it was it I hope it was advanced.
Looks like Kanata was also part of a Mountain Division…
Join the Marines Army, slay the monster…
That’s some Navy SEAL shit right there, swimming with a full pack.
You’re Military Right…
Join the Army see the world, meet interesting people…and if need be kill them.
Well it is a token of yuri love…
Well it looks like reconstruction was done on the cheap…
Hey that’s Chirico’s rank.
This is the Army Mrs. Jones,
No private rooms or telephones,
You had your breakfast in bed before,
But you wont have it there any more.
This is the Army Mrs. Green,
We like the barracks nice and clean,
you had a housemaid to clean your floor,
but she wont help you out any more.
Do what the buglers command,
They’re in the army and not in a band.
This is the Army Mrs. Brown,
You and your baby went to town.
He had you worried but this is war,
and he wont worry you any more…
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