Banner of the Stars Special Edition: In-Depth Review and Recommended Points

Starry Sky Special Edition - The Tale of Space Warriors

■ Public Media

TV Special

■ Original Media

Light novel

■ Broadcast period

April 6, 2001 - January 1, 2000

■Broadcasting station

WOWOW

■Frequencies

120 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Original author: Hiroyuki Morioka

■ Director

・Director: Yasushi Nagaoka

■ Production

Produced by Sunrise, WOWOW, Bandai Visual

■Works

©Hiroyuki Morioka/Hayakawa Publishing ©Sunrise

■ Story

In the distant future, humanity has formed thousands of interstellar nations in space, and many different races live there. The "Arves", a race that has acquired bodies best suited to space through genetic manipulation, have built a powerful nation called the "Arves' Human Empire" that dominates half of the universe. In response to this, other interstellar nations, centered around the "Human Integration," have formed an alliance and started a war to try to recover from their disadvantage. Jinto Lin, a boy who is an Earthling but has become an Arve nobleman, graduates from the Starry Sky Army's training school and becomes a fighter pilot, assigned to the assault ship "Basroil." The captain of the ship is the granddaughter of the Arve Emperor, Rafiel Tenth Flight Captain, with whom he formed a deep bond three years ago when they escaped during the war with the Human Integration. The two of them, with Atosria, the sister of Baron Febdash, whom they were forced to kill during the escape, as their direct superior, take on their first battle at the enemy's throat, the "Aptic Gate." In the midst of repeated fierce battles, the Starry Sky Army loses many comrades, but finally forces the enemy fleet to retreat. However, just before that happens, the Versloyle is destroyed. Lafiel evacuates his subordinates, and jumps into the ship alone to rescue Jinto, who is left behind just before the ship explodes. The two overcome the crisis together and make their first battle. But before that, the universe is filled with even more battles.

■Explanation

The second installment of the "Seikai" series. This is a compilation of "Seikai no Senki" with new scenes added, which was aired unscrambled prior to the broadcast of "Seikai no Senki II".

■Cast

・Raphiel/Ayako Kawasumi・Jinto/Yuka Imai・Eclya/Kaori Shimizu・Sobash/Mitsuki Saiga・Samson/Akio Otsuka・Atslya/Miho Yamada・Spohr/Rika Fukami・Kufadys/Susumu Chiba・Doussagne/Kaneto Shiozawa・Kennesh/Chiharu Suzuka・The Bibous Brothers/Kazuhiko Inoue

■ Main staff

Original author: Hiroyuki Morioka
・Director: Yasushi Nagaoka
・Screenplay: Aya Yoshinaga
・Character design: Takami Akai, Keiichi Eda (Nine Lives)
・Character design: Keisuke Watanabe
Mechanical design: Yasuyasu Moriki, Kunihiko Inoue, Mitsuru Owa
・Music: Katsuhisa Hattori

■ Related works

・[TVA] 99.01.02-99.03.27 Crest of the Stars (13 episodes in total)
・[TVA] 00.04.14-01.07.14 Starry Sky Battle Flag (all 13 episodes)
・[TVA] 01.07.11-01.09.26 Star Flag II (10 episodes)

■Detailed evaluation and recommendation

"Battle Flag of the Stars Special Edition" was broadcast on WOWOW on April 6, 2001 as a special edition of the "Seikai" series, based on the light novel by Morioka Hiroyuki. This 120-minute TV special was produced as a joint production by Sunrise, WOWOW, and Bandai Visual, and was directed by Nagaoka Yasushi. It succeeded in drawing out the best of the original while depicting the story from a new perspective, making it a must-see for fans.

The story is set in the distant future in space, depicting a world where humans have formed an interstellar nation and various races coexist. Of particular note is the battle between the "Arv Human Empire," established by the "Arv," a race that has adapted to space through genetic manipulation, and the "Human Integration Society" that opposes it. Against the backdrop of this epic space war, the story of Jinto Lin, a former Earthling who became an Arv aristocrat, and Rafiel, the Tenth Commander, the granddaughter of the Arv Emperor, unfolds.

Jinto and Lafiel escaped together during the war three years ago and have since formed a deep bond. This special edition depicts them being assigned to the assault ship "Bersroil" and facing their first battle. Particularly impressive is the battle scene set at the "Aptic Gate," the throat of the enemy army. Despite losing comrades in the fierce battle, Jinto and Lafiel trust each other and overcome difficulties. Among them, the scene in which Jinto is rescued by Lafiel is a touching scene that symbolizes the bond between the two.

This special edition is a compilation of "Battle Flag of the Stars" with new scenes added, broadcast without scrambling prior to the broadcast of "Battle Flag of the Stars II." For existing fans, it is an opportunity to revisit important episodes of the series, and for new viewers, it is a great opportunity to experience the charm of the series all at once. It has been particularly praised for its insight into the relationship between Gint and Rafiel, and for the sense of the scale of the space war.

The cast is also impressive, with voice actors including Kawasumi Ayako as Lafiel and Imai Yuka as Jinto bringing out the best in their characters. Kawasumi Ayako's Lafiel, in particular, is a character who combines strength and kindness, and she captures the hearts of viewers. Hattori Katsuhisa's background music is also an important element in enhancing the tension and emotion of the story.

The main staff is also impressive, with professionals from various fields gathering together, including the original author Hiroyuki Morioka, director Yasushi Nagaoka, screenwriter Aya Yoshinaga, character designer Keisuke Watanabe, and mecha designers Yasuyasu Moriki, Kunihiko Inoue, and Mitsuru Owa. Thanks to their efforts, "Banner of the Stars Special Edition" has faithfully reproduced the worldview of the original while adding new appeal.

Related works include "Crest of the Stars" (1999), "Banner of the Stars" (2000), and "Banner of the Stars II" (2001). By watching these series, you can gain a deeper understanding of the background and character growth of "Banner of the Stars Special Edition". In particular, "Crest of the Stars" depicts the story that begins with the meeting of Jinto and Lafiel, while "Banner of the Stars" depicts their growth and battles. "Banner of the Stars II" features further battles and episodes that deepen the bond between the two characters, so enjoying the entire series will further increase the value of "Banner of the Stars Special Edition".

"Battle Flag of the Stars Special Edition" is a work that exquisitely combines the scale of space warfare with the human drama of the characters, and is highly recommended not only for fans of the series, but also for those who are experiencing the "Seikai" series for the first time. If you want to experience the bond between Jinto and Rafiel and the grandeur of space warfare, be sure to watch this special edition.