"We Don't Have Wings" review: What emotion was found under the innocent sky?

We Don't Have Wings - Under the Innocent Sky. - A comprehensive review and recommendation

■Overview of the work

"We Don't Have Wings -- Under the Innocent Sky" is a TV anime series that aired in 2011, based on an 18+ game created by Navel. It aired from April 3rd to June 19th, 2011, and consisted of 12 episodes. It was broadcast on Chiba TV, AT-X, TOKYO MX, Teletama, Sun TV, Gifu Chan, Mie TV, Bandai Channel, and Niconico Channel, and each episode was 30 minutes long. Animation was produced by NOMAD, and the production committee was the Oretuba Promotion Association. It was directed by Ushio Shinji, series composition by Kono Takamitsu, and character design and general animation director was Ishii Kumi.

■ Story

The story is set in the big city of Yanagihara. This huge downtown area is crowded with countless people and buildings. It is winter, and the sky is covered in an expressionless white. The protagonist, Haneda Takashi, has a secret that he cannot tell anyone, and he plans to escape his dull school life and eventually disappear into the other world of Gretagard. However, he has some regrets in his heart. These include the awkward conversations with his younger sister Haneda Kobato, and the existence of his temporary lover, Torai Asuka, who is hailed as the school's princess.

Meanwhile, Chitose Shunsuke is a poor, humble part-time worker. He spends his days doing various part-time jobs and having fun. One day, by chance, he meets student writer Tamaizumi Hiyoko. His first impression of her was terrible, but they soon meet again at his favorite restaurant, "Alexander," and the manager invites him to join him, becoming work colleagues in a delicate relationship.

Narita Hayato is unemployed and keeps his star sign and blood type a secret. He calls himself a hard-boiled guy, and while working part-time jobs doing physical labor to make ends meet, he also works as a handyman. Although he avoids socializing with other people, he is surrounded by eccentric people and delinquent boys who live in the nightlife. One night, a girl who calls herself "Houmei" visits the handyman Hayato.

Young people with both ordinary and unusual worries encounter love and various events. This is an ordinary story that could be found anywhere, but it depicts a fairy tale world.

■Cast

・Asuka Torai: Mayumi Yoshida ・Hiyoko Tamaizumi: Ryoko Ono ・Houmei: Yuuko Goto ・Kobato Haneda: Ai Matayoshi ・Eriko Hino: Kiyomi Asai ・Kinako Mochizuki: Chiaki Takahashi ・Takashi Haneda: Hiro Shimono ・Shusuke Chitose: Yoshiro Miura ・Hayato Narita: Junichi Suwabe ・Hosho: Satoshi Hino ・Kazuma Morisato: Hideki Ogihara ・Karui Karube: Hideo Ishikawa ・DJ Condor: Tomokazu Sugita

■ Main staff

・Original work: Navel ("We Don't Have Wings")
・Character design: Aoi Nishimata ・Director: Shinji Ushiro ・Series composition: Takamitsu Kono ・Character design and chief animation director: Kumi Ishii ・Animation production: NOMAD
Produced by: Oretsuba Promotion Association

■Main Characters

・Torai Asuka: Misora ​​Academy, 3rd year, Class A, 158cm / 84, 57, 83. She is the princess of Misora ​​Academy, reigning above all the male students with her beauty and friendliness, which is said to be the best in the school. She is cheerful and sociable, and sometimes exudes an adorable innocence, but she is never afraid of any situation. However, she actually dislikes socializing.
・Hiyoko Tamaizumi: 2nd year, Class B, Misora ​​Academy, 161cm / 88-60-89. She has a serious, methodical and smart personality. She works part-time at the restaurant "Alexander", which is known for its cute uniforms. She is generally cheerful and polite, but can be stubborn and inflexible. She is a student writer who won a junior girls' novel contest and had her work published in book form.
・Houmei: Sokyuu Girls' Academy, 1st year, Class C, 148cm / 78-54-78. Her laid-back personality and nonchalant behavior make her hard to pin down. She's shy, so she's usually quiet in front of others, but she's actually a restless person. Once she's warmed to someone, she clings to them and talks a lot. She's small, with a baby face and a childlike figure, but she believes she'll grow big (especially her breasts).
・Haneda Kobato: Sokyuu Girls' Academy, 1st year, class 4, 145cm / 72, 57, 78cm. She likes to study, is obedient, and takes the initiative to help with housework. She's a good girl who doesn't require much effort. However, she makes a lot of mistakes. She's an innocent, pure, and carefree girl, but she's extremely shy and stops talking when she's around people she's not familiar with. At times like these, Kobato appears silent and unfriendly, but deep down she's extremely nervous and thinks she has to start a fun conversation (so when someone starts a conversation, she responds with silent responses with incredible vigor).
・Hino Eriko: First year student in the Department of Economics at Tenjin University, 164cm / 83-56-82. A female university student working part-time as a waitress at the restaurant "Alexander". She doesn't get along well with her coworker, Tamaizumi Hiyoko, and they often clash over something. She's the type to say what she wants to say, and she has a harsh and rude tone. But at the same time, she's a mood maker. Although she can be rough and materialistic, she's also surprisingly earnest and hardworking.
・Mochizuki Kinako: A private liberal arts class at Yadori Seminar Yanagihara Campus, 165cm/91-62-90. A prep school student who has failed the entrance exam twice. While studying for the entrance exams, she works part-time at the restaurant "Alexander" to save up for the exam fees. She has a cheerful, easy-going personality. Although she is generally earnest and calm, she is also playful and not to be outdone by the eccentric people around her at Alexander. By the way, although she has a baby face, her body from the neck down is dynamite.
・Kasuga Harue: 169cm / 89, 63, 91. A kindhearted and good-natured young woman who runs a mobile crepe shop called "Pal Crepe" by herself. She has a manly personality, an old-lady tone of voice, and a gyaru-style big sister-type hobby. Due to her caring nature, she is loved by younger people and those her own age and is called "Pal Big Sister".
・Haneda Takashi: A third-year student with his entrance exams coming up. To put it in a positive way, he is sensitive and calm. To put it in a negative way, he is timid and self-deprecating. He doesn't avoid interacting with others, but he doesn't have the initiative to join in with friends.
・Chitose Shusuke: A freelancer who lives a carefree life with registered part-time jobs. To put it in a positive way, he is cheerful and sociable. To put it in a negative way, he is noisy and always checking other people's moods. He ends up working part-time at the restaurant "Alexander".
・ Narita Hayato: A rootless young man who earns his living through daily labor. To put it in a positive way, he is uninhibited and unwavering. To put it in a negative way, he is unreserved and uncooperative. He aspires to be a hard-boiled man, but is somehow uncool and handsome.
・Houshou: A regular customer at the restaurant Alexander. He is also Homei's older brother. He is on bad terms with Hariu Kurando. He is unsociable and indifferent to everything. His words and actions are lacking in spirit, and he always looks listless. He is insensitive to Japanese virtues such as modesty and humility, so he often brags and slanders (or is perceived as doing so).
・Kazuma Morizato: He has a clown-like personality and takes the initiative to liven up the atmosphere, but he often tries too hard and ends up spinning his wheels. He is one of the few friends at school for Takashi Haneda, even though they are in different classes, and he is a friend who often runs into Narita Hayato at night in the downtown area and has arguments with him.
・Karube Kario: Branch manager of the Hanamizukidori branch of the Western restaurant "Alexander." Nicknamed "Master." Eccentric. Clown. Lecherous. Aloof and unfazed by anything. Has a deep, calm voice, but is constantly blurting out vulgar jokes that don't suit his voice. However, his eccentric behavior is mostly calculated, and he is not a natural idiot. Rather, he is a nice person.
DJ Condor: Unknown. Whereabouts unknown. Identity unknown. He is trying to make the show's original greeting "Kondoruwa" popular, but it's not catching on and he's feeling frustrated.

■Subtitle

・Episode 1: For example, a fairy tale like that ・Episode 2: My favorite animal is Pegasus ・Episode 3: Kobato is so cute ・Episode 4: Dora-san... I think I might be pregnant now...
Episode 5: How virtuous of Lord Hawke!
Episode 6: Ahh! No, I'm going to scream!
Episode 7: The glorious King's triumphant return!
- Episode 8: Is the big-breasted cream sister here yet?
Episode 9: My heart is pounding!!
・Episode 10: Please stay my fan forever ・Episode 11: Do you know the concept of little sister moe?
Episode 12: We Have Wings...

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1: Spread Wings
Lyrics: Nishimata Aoi Composition: Acciorike Arrangement: Tanabe Toshino Vocals: Misato Aki ED1: NEVERLAND
Lyrics: Nishimata Aoi Composition: Acciorike Arrangement: Saito Hiroya Singer: Hashimoto Miyuki

■Review

"We Don't Have Wings -- Under the Innocent Sky" is a work that depicts the hustle and bustle of the city and the troubles of young people, but it also skillfully combines a fairy tale-like worldview. Because the original is an 18+ game, the character settings and story development have adult perspectives throughout, but in the anime adaptation, these elements have been skillfully adjusted to make it appealing to a wide range of viewers.

The story is set in Yanagihara, a realistic depiction of a real city, depicting the real worries and conflicts of the young people who live there. Each character's personality stands out, such as Haneda Takashi's desire to escape to another world, Chitose Shusuke's life as a part-time worker, and Narita Hayato's hard-boiled lifestyle. Additionally, the human relationships that unfold around the restaurant Alexander are also fascinating, drawing viewers in.

The character designs were created by Nishimata Aoi, and each character's unique characteristics are well expressed. In particular, the beauty of Torai Asuka, the punctuality of Tamaizumi Hiyoko, and the laid-back attitude of Houmei are all visually conveyed. Additionally, the technical skills of character designer and chief animation director Ishii Kumi have also been highly praised, with the characters' movements and expressions depicted realistically.

Musically, the opening theme "Spread Wings" and the ending theme "NEVERLAND" really liven up the atmosphere of the show. Aki Misato's powerful voice and Miyuki Hashimoto's gentle voice match each scene perfectly, stirring the emotions of the viewer. The opening theme "Spread Wings" in particular has impressive lyrics and melody that seem to symbolize the inner conflict of Takashi Haneda, leaving a strong impression of the theme of the show.

Director Ushio Shinji respects the worldview of the original work, but adds his own interpretation to bring out new appeal. Series composer Kono Takamitsu also skillfully constructs the story of each episode, creating a plot that will hold the viewer's interest. In addition, NOMAD, the animation production company, has high technical skills, and the cityscapes and character movements are depicted realistically.

■Recommendation

"We Don't Have Wings -- Under the Innocent Sky" is a work that combines real urban life with a fairy-tale worldview, and the story depicts the worries and conflicts of young people, making it an appealing work. It is especially recommended for those who are interested in the personalities and relationships of the characters. Also, since the original is an 18+ game, it is also suitable for those who want to enjoy a youth story from an adult perspective.

In addition, it is also recommended for those who like the singing voices of Aki Misato and Miyuki Hashimoto, and those who like the works of Shinji Ushiro and Takamitsu Kono. The technical skills of NOMAD, the animation production company, are also highly regarded, so those who are particular about animation quality will also be satisfied.

This work has the power to evoke a wide range of emotions in the viewer, and no matter how many times you watch it, you will surely discover something new.