The appeal and evaluation of "Stratos IV": A masterpiece anime seen from a modern perspective

Stratos Four: The epic tale of beautiful girls racing through the blue sky

■Overview of the work

"Stratos IV" is a TV anime series that aired in 2003 and is an original work produced by Studio Fantasia. This work, consisting of 13 episodes, is a sci-fi action aviation series that depicts the youth and friendship of beautiful pilots who struggle to protect the Earth. It is directed by Mori Takeshi, the series composition is by Takayama Katsuhiko, and the character and mechanical designs are by Yamauchi Noriyasu.

■Broadcast information

The series aired on TVS from January 5 to March 30, 2003, every Saturday from 24:30 to 25:00. Each episode lasted 30 minutes.

■ Story

In the year 2XXX, countless comets passed through the solar system, threatening to fall to Earth. In order to counter this unprecedented crisis, humanity established the Celestial Crisis Management Organization and constructed a two-stage interception system consisting of Comet Blasters launched from comet interception bases in satellite orbit, and Meteor Sweepers launched from super-high altitude interception bases on Earth.

The protagonist, Mikaze Honjo, was training to be a meteor sweeper at Shimojishima Base in Okinawa. Born into a family of pilots, Mikaze initially trained without question, but gradually lost motivation due to anxiety about being left behind by those around her. However, after successfully completing her first meteorite interception mission and encountering a Comet Blaster aircraft at high altitude just before space, Mikaze was able to see the path she should take. From then on, Mikaze trained hard to become a Comet Blaster, but the comet was hiding a dangerous secret that the girls were unaware of.

■Explanation

"Stratos Four" is a story of youth and friendship about four beautiful girls set in the sky. Their goal is space, and they are depicted blasting off towards tomorrow. Directed by Takeshi Mori, with character design by Noriyasu Yamauchi, and produced by Studio Fantasia, it has been highly praised as a sci-fi beautiful girl aviation action film.

■Cast

Honjou Mikaze is played by Kakazu Yumi, Kikuhara Karin is played by Orikasa Fumiko, Nakamura Saiun is played by Kikuchi Shiho, Doi Shizuha is played by Shimizu Kaori, and other voice actors include Ohara Sayaka as Kisaragi Sayaka, Tsujitani Kouji as Iwasaki Kazuma, Seki Tomokazu as Fujitani Kei, Iwata Mitsuo as Sako Koichiro, Tasaka Hideki as Miyazawa Tsubasa, Yoshino Hiroyuki as Ikeda Sora, Kyoda Naoko as Mikuriya Rin, Neya Michiko as Mikuriya Ran, and Asano Mayumi as Mikuriya Alice (Tetoku).

■ Main staff

The series was written by Takayama Katsuhiko, and the script was written by Mori Takeshi, Takayama Katsuhiko, and Kawasaki Hiroyuki. Character design, mechanical design, and general animation director Yamauchi Noriyasu, character design assistance from Sato Ryo, 3D mechanical design and 3D supervision by Kawahara Tomohiro, color design by Mikasa Osamu, art direction by Himegumi, photography director Fukushi Toru, editing by Shigemura Kengo, 3DCG director Matsuura Hiroaki, sound director Tsuruoka Yota, music by Amano Masamichi, and music production by Columbia Music Entertainment.

■ Main Characters

Honjo Mikaze is a meteor sweeper at Shimojishima base, and was born into a family where her parents and older sister are also pilots. At first, she couldn't find a purpose or goal, but after she found her goal of "going into space," she began working hard to become a Comet Blaster. Although she failed the exam, she is now aiming for another chance as a regular pilot at Shimojishima.

Karin Kikuhara is also a meteor sweeper at Shimojishima Base. She was infected with the Space Seed in an accident when she was a child, but now lives a normal life as a pilot. She is small but has a big appetite, and at first she seemed to reject others, but she became more mellow after interacting with Mikaze and the others. However, she doesn't like cats.

Saiun Nakamura is a meteor sweeper at Shimojishima Base and has a passionate personality. She tries to act the way she wants to, and sometimes does reckless things. She is in charge of scolding the sloppy Mikaze.

Shizuha Doi is also a meteor sweeper at Shimojishima Base, and has various qualifications, including piloting trucks and ships, handling fireworks, and more. Although she seems laid-back at first glance, she is reliable and useful in times of emergency.

■Subtitle

The subtitles for each episode are as follows:

• Episode 1: CODE:101 "INITIAL POINT"
• Episode 2: CODE:102 "FOX ONE"
• Episode 3: CODE:103 "DECISION HEIGHT"
• Episode 4: CODE:104 "TALLY HO!"
• Episode 5: CODE:105 "GO AROUND"
• Episode 6: CODE:106 "CHECKING SIX"
• Episode 7: CODE:107 "MACH SPEED"
• Episode 8: CODE:108 "GO GATE"
• Episode 9: CODE:109 "VAPOR TRAIL"
• Episode 10: CODE:110 "MISSION ABORT"
• Episode 11: CODE:111 "TARGET MERGE"
• Episode 12: CODE:112 "ENGAGE!"
• Episode 13: CODE:113 "FINAL APPROACH"

■ Related works

Stratos Four is related to the following titles:

• Stratos IV CODE:X-1/X-2
• Stratos IV Advance
• Stratos 4 Advance Final Chapter

■ Theme songs and music

The opening theme, "1st Priority," was written by Hinata Megumi, arranged by Seki Junjiro, and sung by Melocure. The ending themes, "Sunflowers" (episodes 1 to 12) and "So far, so near" (episode 13), were both written by Hinata Megumi ("So far, so near" by Okazaki Ritsuko), arranged by Seki Junjiro ("So far, so near" by Nishiwaki Tatsuya), and sung by Melocure.

■ Appeal and evaluation of the work

"Stratos 4" is a work that depicts beautiful girls soaring through the sky, and is fascinating in the way they foster youth and friendship in the process. In particular, the main character, Mikaze Honjo, finds her goal and works hard to achieve it, which moved many viewers. In addition, the story combines science fiction elements with aerial action, making it a visually appealing experience.

The beautiful visuals of character and mechanic designer Noriyasu Yamauchi also add to the appeal of the work. In addition, the performances of the gorgeous voice actors have also been praised, and the performance of Yumi Kakazu, who plays Mikaze Honjo, was especially loved by many fans.

The music is also an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work, and Masamichi Amano's music and Melocure's singing add depth to the story. The opening theme "1st Priority" and the ending themes "Himawari" and "So far, so near" are songs that leave a strong impression on viewers.

■ Background and production secrets of the work

"Stratos IV" is an original work produced by Studio Fantasia, and director Takeshi Mori poured his experience and passion into the production. Moritakeshi created this work out of his interest in aircraft and space, and wanted to give viewers dreams and hope by depicting the youth and friendship of beautiful girls.

During the production process, advice was received from many experts in order to reproduce realistic aircraft movements and operations. In addition, the technology of Tomohiro Kawahara, who was in charge of 3D mechanic design and 3D supervision, made the battle scenes realistic. Furthermore, the beautiful colors and backgrounds by Osamu Mikasa, color designer, and Himegumi, art director, also enhance the appeal of the work.

■The influence of the work and the fan community

"Stratos IV" has gained many fans since it was first broadcast, and has continued to be loved for a long time, with related works being produced afterwards. In particular, the story depicting the youth and friendship of beautiful girls resonated with many viewers. In addition, the fusion of aerial action and science fiction elements has also been highly praised for its visual appeal.

In the fan community, there are lively discussions about the characters and story, and a lot of fan art and fan fiction is produced. In addition, related events are held and merchandise is sold, and it also functions as a place for fans to interact with each other.

■Recommendations and viewing methods

"Stratos IV" is a work that depicts the youth and friendship of beautiful girls, and is recommended for those who want to enjoy a story that combines aviation action and science fiction elements. In addition, the beautiful character design and mechanical design, the performances of the luxurious voice actors, and the impressive music are also attractive elements.

You can watch it on DVD or Blu-ray, or on streaming services. In particular, watching related works will help you get a deeper understanding of the whole story.

Conclusion

"Stratos IV" is a work that depicts beautiful girls soaring through the sky, and the way they develop youth and friendship is fascinating. It is packed with many attractive elements, such as a story that combines science fiction elements and aerial action, beautiful character and mechanic designs, performances by a luxurious cast of voice actors, and impressive music. Please watch this work and enjoy the epic story of beautiful girls.