Stratos 4

Publisher
Beez
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Series
Running time
13 at 25 minutes each.
Year
2003

Stratos 4 Volume 1

By Joseph (Joe) Wood
19th May 05

Stratos 4 is from the same company that produced the fan service heavy Najica. Set in the near future where the Earth is in constant danger form a barrage of comets and meteors.

Fifty years ago the U.N. predicted that the Earth was in peril of being hit from outer space by a swarm of comets/meteors/falling rocks etc. To prevent these from hitting the Earth and the possibility of causing radical climate changes and the potential destruction of mankind, the Cosmic Emergency Management Agency is set up. Now a lot closer to the time of the predicted date, the C.E.M.A has a space station where it sends fighters or blasters to initially break up the giant rocks, and several ground bases using pilots called sweepers to destroy any pieces that are still dangerously too big. In order to get into space you must perform well as a sweeper, and to even become a sweeper is a difficult and sought after title. Many of the ground bases also act as training centers; one such training center is on Shimoji Island, and has several young and enthusiastic students. It also has one unenthusiastic student Mikaze Honjyo, from a family of elite pilots Mikaze finds life on and around the base incredibly boring. She behind in her classes, always late, and constantly forced to run round the airfield as a punishment. Her friends and workers on the base are constantly telling her that if she doesn’t pick up she’ll be thrown off. This all changes when Mikaze goes on her first mission as a Sweeper, she begins to concentrate more and put more work into her studies. This impresses her friends and the instructors; however she begins to get over confident, trying to break a height record set by one of her instructors almost lands her and her friend in the co-pilot seat in great danger, and this cockiness also begins to annoy her rivals.

The plot early on reminds me a little of Macross Plus, and the concept does not feel very original. Nothing in this first volume stands out from anything else available in the UK, although episode four does end on a rather mysterious note, hopefully paving the way for something a little fresher and more exciting in the next two volumes.

The animation and artwork is nothing spectacular, in fact it’s fairly average. When in space the action turns to CGI, which looks good but it feels cheap, as if it’s being done for the sake of doing it, and in a few years will certainly appear very poor. The music is ok, nothing stands out abruptly, but the music which is heard matches nicely to the animation showing at the time.

Unlike Najica fan service is fairly low, yes there are a few panty shots, and some unwarranted shots of the girls’ behinds when climbing into the cockpit. However taking that into account the show seems best suited, at this early stage for a young female audience as it seems to be focused around the girls’ relations with each other something males and older females might not be interested in due to the lack of anything else (and this is coming from a male Sailor Moon fan!).

R2 DVD Notes

Features: English Dub, Japanese with English/French Sub, Beez Trailers, "Making of"

Release information: Publisher: Beez Realeased: May 16, 2005 Run Time: 100 minutes

Notes: The DVD's "Making of" feature is a rather intresting "tounge in cheek" documantary fearuring the creators, it is in Japanese with english subtitles though.

-- Joseph (Joe) Wood 19th May 05