The appeal and evaluation of "Egao no Daika": A moving story and the depth of its characters

"Egao no Daika": A story of the power of smiles and fighting

"Egao no Daika" is a TV anime series produced by Tatsunoko Productions that aired in 2019. Set in a kingdom full of smiles on a planet far from Earth, the series depicts the growth and struggles of two girls, Princess Yuki and soldier Stella. The theme of this anime is the power of smiles, their cost, and the bonds between people. Below, we will introduce detailed information and reviews of the series, as well as recommended points.

Overview

"Egao no Daika" was broadcast on WOWOW from January 4th to March 22nd, 2019. It consists of 12 episodes, each 30 minutes long, and is directed by Toshimasa Suzuki, with series composition by Shinichi Inotsume and character design by Naoto Nakamura. The original work is by Tatsunoko Productions, and the story is original to the anime.

story

The Kingdom of Soleil, located on a planet far away from Earth, is a kingdom full of smiles. Princess Yuuki is 12 years old and at an impressionable age. She lives happily in the royal palace, crying, laughing, and sometimes getting excited every day. She is surrounded by loyal vassals: Leila, who is her tutor; Izana, who assists her in politics; Harold, the Grand Master of the Knights; and Joshua, her childhood friend and aide. Joshua encourages Yuuki, saying, "If you have the determination and guts, you can do anything!", to which Yuuki replies, "Come on. Again?! Joshua, act more like an aristocrat!". The humorous exchanges are a delight to watch.

On the other hand, 17-year-old Stella is a capable and cool soldier, but she also has a constant smile on her face. Smiling is essential to her life, and even though she is a member of the Imperial Army's Burger Squad, she fights with a smile on her face. Through the story of two girls, Yuuki and Stella, this work depicts the power of a smile, its price, and the bonds between people.

character

Yuki Soleil

Voice actor: Yumiri Hanamori

She is the princess of the Soleil Kingdom, a cheerful and innocent girl. She is very expressive, laughing, crying, and getting angry, and believes that it is her duty as king to make everyone smile, not just the people. She is a lively girl who is loved by those around her.

Stellar Shining

Voice actor: Saori Hayami

A soldier in the Imperial Army's Burger Squad, he has high combat abilities and is an excellent pilot, but he is poor at expressing his emotions. When interacting with people, he smiles and tries not to show his true feelings. He joined the military to survive, and didn't have any particular purpose in life, but he feels comfortable in his current platoon.

Joshua Ingram

Voice actor: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka

He is a childhood friend of Yuuki and comes from a family of knights who protect the kingdom. He is as close as brother and sister to Yuuki, and is his best playmate and best understanding friend in the kingdom. He is a bright and passionate man who believes that if you have the determination and guts, you can do anything. He believes that his mission is to protect courage.

Leila Etoile

Voice actor: Rina Sato

He is Yuuki's mentor and the only person he fears. He is knowledgeable, strict about etiquette, and usually quiet, but he is one of the few people in the kingdom who can seriously scold Yuuki. His strictness comes from his love for Yuuki, and he supports him with all his might.

Harold Miller

Voice actor: Nobutoshi Kanna

He is the current commander of the Knights, and thinks of Yuuki as a daughter, and smiles kindly at her. He is an excellent commander who can make accurate decisions on the battlefield, and has known Izana since they were in the military academy.

Izana Langford

Voice actor: Ryutaro Okiayu

He is a calm and collected government official with a clear head and excellent situational awareness. He dislikes conflict, but believes that fighting is unavoidable in order to protect the peaceful daily life he lives with his beloved wife and daughter. He has a low tolerance for alcohol, and has known Harold since their days at the military academy.

Uni Vanquish

Voice actor: Makoto Koichi

A pilot from the frontier, she is Rene's twin sister. She is a cheerful, caring, big sister type who loves cute things. However, she is reckless and has a tendency to be opinionated, so she feels reassured by Rene who supports her. Although she is an excellent pilot, she is not good at grasping the situation around her and giving instructions.

Rene Vanquish

Voice actor: Junya Enoki

He is a pilot from the frontier and Yuni's twin brother. Unlike his sister Yuni, he is a serious and calm young man. He always supports Yuni, who tends to rush ahead on her own. He is an excellent pilot, but he is also good at cooperating with those around him, as he always supports his sister.

Gail Owens

Voice actor: Takashi Matsuyama

He is the newly appointed captain of the Bürger squad, and having survived the battlefield, he is an excellent soldier both as a pilot and a commander.

Lily Earhart

Voice actor: Yuki Nagaku

A member of the Bürger squad who adores Stella, she is always cheerful and a mood maker in the unit. In battle, she often supports the other members.

Huey Malthus

Voice actor: Toshiki Masuda

A member of the Bürger squad who has fought alongside Stella, he is a sarcastic and cynical person. He is an excellent pilot, and is particularly skilled in marksmanship.

Pierce Thorne

Voice actor: Haruki Ishiya

He is a serious member of the Bürger squad with a strong sense of justice, and as a soldier he prioritizes completing his duties. Due to his serious personality, he can be inflexible.

Blake Boyer

Voice actor: Minoru Shiraishi

He is a pilot and mechanic in the Bürger squad, but he is nonchalant and doesn't seem very motivated as a soldier. Because of this, he is often reprimanded by the earnest Pierce, but he doesn't seem to mind at all.

Main Robot Items

Gard

The Soleil Kingdom's main Theurgia, equipped with a gunlance and a shield. Highly mobile, it runs around the battlefield at the forefront.

Squire

A close-combat type Theurgia from the Kingdom of Soleil, it supports Guard on the front lines and is effective in close to medium range combat.

Klibanov

A support-type Theurgia from the Kingdom of Soleil, it excels at providing support from the rear with long-range artillery fire.

Creer I (Creer Ins)

A mass-produced Theurgia from the Grandiga Empire, it can be used for close-range or long-range combat by changing weapons. By forming a platoon, it can respond to various situations.

Krehe II (Krehe Zwei)

A mass-produced Theurgia of the Grandiga Empire, this machine is a Krehe I equipped with heavy armor parts.

subtitle

• Episode 1: Soleil Girl
• Episode 2: The truth about war
• Episode 3: The Smiling Soldier
• Episode 4: The Choice of Hope
• Episode 5: A Night for the Squad
• Episode 6: Crossroads
• Episode 7: Sunflowers at the Royal Palace
• Episode 8: The Last Message
• Episode 9: Elegy of the Dawn
• Episode 10: Ignition of the Soul
• Episode 11: The Two's Decision
• Episode 12: The Price of a Smile

Theme songs and music

Opening Theme

"Chiho feat. majiko"

Ending Theme

"Kimi no Orpheus"

Evaluation and Impressions

"Egao no Daika" is a work that depicts the power of a smile and its price, and through the growth and struggles of two girls, Yuuki and Stella, it depicts the importance of a smile and the suffering behind it. Below, I will give my evaluation and impressions of the work.

story

The story is told from the perspective of two girls, Yuuki and Stella, and depicts the power of a smile and its cost through their growth and struggles. Despite the contrast between Yuuki's innocent cheerfulness and Stella's coolness, the series depicts their bond and growth. In particular, the impact that Yuuki's smile has on those around her and the anguish behind Stella's smile are depicted realistically, deeply moving viewers. There are also many episodes that depict the horrors of war and the bonds between people, providing viewers with thought-provoking content.

character

The characters are centered around Yuuki and Stella, and their relationships with the people around them are deeply depicted. Despite the contrast between Yuuki's innocent cheerfulness and Stella's coolness, the story depicts their bond and growth. Additionally, supporting characters such as Joshua, Leila, Harold, and Izana are also unique and play important roles in supporting the growth of Yuuki and Stella. In particular, Joshua's hot-bloodedness, Leila's strictness, Harold's kindness, and Izana's calmness are memorable and leave a deep impression on the viewer.

animation

The animation is characterized by beautiful visuals that make full use of Tatsunoko Productions' technical capabilities. In particular, the battle scenes with Theurgia, such as Gard, Squire, and Klibanov, are powerful and captivate the viewer. The expressions and movements of Yuuki and Stella are also drawn in detail, realistically expressing their emotions. Furthermore, the backgrounds are also beautifully drawn, such as the beautiful scenery of the Soleil Kingdom and the harsh battlefields of the Grandiga Empire, deeply moving the viewer.

music

The music is characterized by beautiful melodies by Tsubasa Ito. In particular, the opening theme "Chiho feat. majiko" and the ending theme "Kimi no Orphe" are beautiful songs that symbolize the theme of the work and deeply move the viewer. In addition, the background music in battle scenes and moving scenes is also impressive, enhancing the viewer's emotions.

Recommended points

"Egao no Daika" is a work that depicts the power of a smile and its price, and through the growth and struggles of two girls, Yuuki and Stella, it depicts the importance of a smile and the suffering behind it. Below, we will introduce the recommended points of the work.

The power and cost of smiling

"Egao no Daika" is a work that depicts the power of a smile and its price, and through the growth and struggles of two girls, Yuuki and Stella, it depicts the importance of a smile and the suffering behind it. In particular, the impact that Yuuki's smile has on those around her and the suffering behind Stella's smile are depicted realistically, deeply moving viewers. There are also many episodes that depict the horrors of war and the bonds between people, making the viewer think.

Character Development

"Egao no Daika" is a work that depicts the growth of two girls, Yuuki and Stella, and the bond and growth between them. In particular, the bond and growth between them is depicted, despite the contrast between Yuuki's innocent cheerfulness and Stella's coolness. In addition, the supporting characters such as Joshua, Leila, Harold, and Izana are also unique and play an important role in supporting the growth of Yuuki and Stella. In particular, Joshua's hot-bloodedness, Leila's strictness, Harold's kindness, and Izana's calmness are memorable and leave a deep impression on the viewer.

Beautiful animation

"Egao no Daika" features beautiful visuals that make full use of Tatsunoko Productions' technical capabilities. In particular, the battle scenes of Theurgia, such as Gard, Squire, and Klibanov, are powerful and captivate the viewer. In addition, the expressions and movements of Yuuki and Stella are drawn in detail, expressing their emotions realistically. Furthermore, the backgrounds are also beautifully drawn, such as the beautiful scenery of the Soleil Kingdom and the harsh battlefields of the Grandiga Empire, deeply moving the viewer.

Beautiful music

"Egao no Daika" is characterized by beautiful melodies by Tsubasa Ito. In particular, the opening theme "Chiho feat. majiko" and the ending theme "Kimi no Orphe" are beautiful songs that symbolize the theme of the work and deeply move the viewers. In addition, the background music during battle scenes and moving scenes is also impressive, enhancing the emotions of the viewers.

Conclusion

"Egao no Daika" is a work that depicts the power of a smile and its cost, and through the growth and struggles of two girls, Yuuki and Stella, it depicts the importance of a smile and the suffering behind it. It has been highly praised in all aspects, including the story, characters, animation, and music, and is a work that deeply moves viewers. In particular, the power of a smile and its cost, the growth of the characters, the beautiful animation, and the beautiful music are some of the recommended points, and it is a work that you should definitely watch.