The Pilot's Love Song

dragoon1104 Feb 5, 2017

10

The story for this anime was incredibly satisfying. It wasn't just a stereotypical love story that followed the same predictable patterns. There were plot twists and each character really makes huge personal improvements. From episode 8 and onwards I was nearly in tears during every episode and the ending was amongst the most satisfying endings to any romance anime I've watched in awhile. I will say though that the first two episodes are a bit dense to get through and it'll lose many people's intrest. However, it really does get better after those episodes.

SEGHE Sep 21, 2023

7

"The Pilot's Love Song" (Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta): A Tale of Adventure and Romance in the Skies Story (7/10): "The Pilot's Love Song" takes viewers on an adventurous journey through a world filled with floating islands, mysterious creatures, and political intrigue. The story follows Kal-el Albus and his friends as they train to become pilots in a world where the sky is the ultimate frontier. While the series explores themes of friendship, love, and the pursuit of dreams, it also delves into the darker aspects of war and the consequences of one's choices. The plot is engaging, offering a mix of aerial action, character development, and hints of romance. Animation (8/10): The animation in "The Pilot's Love Song" is a standout feature. The aerial battles and flight sequences are beautifully animated, showcasing the breathtaking landscapes of the sky islands. Character designs are distinct and well-drawn, allowing the audience to connect with the characters on an emotional level. The attention to detail in both the aircraft and world-building adds depth to the overall visual experience. Sound (7/10): The soundtrack of the series complements the adventurous tone, with soaring melodies during flight scenes and more subdued tracks for dramatic moments. The voice acting performances effectively convey the emotions of the characters, particularly Kal-el and Claire Cruz, the female lead. While not groundbreaking, the sound design does its job in enhancing the overall atmosphere. Characters (7/10): The characters in "The Pilot's Love Song" undergo significant development throughout the series. Kal-el's journey from a reserved and mysterious young man to a determined pilot is at the core of the narrative. Claire's complex personality and her own past add depth to the romantic subplot. Supporting characters like Ariel and Ignacio also receive moments to shine and contribute to the overarching story. Overall (7/10): "The Pilot's Love Song" offers a unique blend of adventure, romance, and aerial combat set in an intriguing world. While the story occasionally feels rushed due to its adaptation from a light novel, it manages to captivate viewers with its themes of self-discovery and the pursuit of dreams. The animation quality and character development make it an enjoyable watch for those interested in aviation-themed anime. My overall score of 7/10 reflects my appreciation for the series' ambitious storytelling and compelling characters. If you're a fan of high-flying adventures with a touch of romance, this anime is worth checking out.

SnapTite Jul 6, 2023

3

Okay, a key component of successful fiction is the suspension of disbelief and even assuming the presence of magic (which was never confirmed or denied in this series but they did have flying islands), this series stretches that suspension so far beyond the breaking point, even the Hindenburg didn't burn this badly.  First off, their aircrew communicated through the use of speaking tubes, not intercoms. Okay, maybe their level of technology is only equivalent to World War I. That is actually borne out by the use of bolt action rifles fired from an observer position which was actually tried in World War I and discarded as uselessly ineffective. However, then you look at their aircraft which takeoff vertically by rotating their wings and engines. We hadn't perfected that technology until the V-22 Osprey series which still maintains the worst mechanical reliability of all combat aircraft. The V-22 is also not stupid enough to rotate the wings as it needs the added lift which would be absent on a wing pointed vertically! Next, the only difference between their primary combat aircraft and the trainers is the trainers have fixed landing gear, open cockpits and an observer firing a bolt action rifle while their REAL combat aircraft have a 2-person enclosed canopy, retractable landing gear and fixed armament. Their fleet has a battleship which is a joke of inefficiency. After the original Dreadnought battleships of WWI, it was discovered to be woefully inefficient to have main guns which couldn't fire because they were blocked by their other guns or superstructure. This horrid monstrosity has 2 rows of three triple main guns forward with another pair behind the superstructiure, none of which can rotate beyond about 100 degrees leaving a deep weak point below the horizontal with most guns unable to support the rear. None of the aft guns can support the front and none of the forward guns can support the rear. The Battle bridge seems better designed for theater than combat operations and so very much glass prevents any notable armor. They appear to have put a lot of work into some of the enemy aircraft but in a nonsensical manner. The Sky Clan fighters look like they are modeled on the Messerschmitt Bf109G-6 but appears to have the wing and main landing gear of a Heinkel He100. They also appear to have the gondola cannon common to Ruestatz VI configured Messerschmitts but has them mounted ABOVE the wing AND within the propeller arc requiring synchronization gear to prevent shells hitting the propeller. Finally, the engine looks as though it MIGHT be an X configuration like the failed Rolls Royce Vulture but it may simply be a standard inverted V-12 like the Daimler Benz 601 with an odd open cooling intake in front of each row of cylinders rather than standard liquid-cooling. Okay, so they put all this work into creating this hybrid fighter but, when it comes to the bombers, they are pure duplicates of the Junkers Ju87B Stuka. If you're going to copy the Stuka, why not just copy the Messerschmitt? Then comes the Holy Levamme Empire and their fighters look like a hybrid of the Hawker Tempest V with a Napier Sabre engine without the bulbous undernose radiator. In the end, the new fighters of the Protagonist's nation look like a hybridization of the Mitsubishi J2M4 Raiden. It is actually a credit to the animators that they were able to reproduce aircraft in such detail that these obvious criticisms can be seen clearly. In the end, they are again battling the Sky Clan. Why? Didn't they negotiate a truce with their hostage exchange? Was that a one-time right of passage and now they are back to ops normal? Too much is left unexplained. What about the love story at the core of this? You know what? Not half bad. But everything up to the climax, the climax itself and even the epilogue leave much to be desired. Why couldn't Nina's wind magic turn the battle for her love or had she gone native and now supported the Sky Clan?  This story had a lot of potential but, like the Douglas A2D-1, the details caused the whole program to fall apart.