Stratos 4
Synopsis
In the early 21st century, Earth has come under threat from giant comets. In response, the United Nations institutes the Cosmic Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) and establishes a two-part defense program. Taking off from orbital stations, spacecraft launch specialized missiles to intercept and break up the threatening celestial objects, while fighter jets back on Earth deal with the remaining fragments. Competition among the pilots is fierce, as everyone wants to be one of the highly regarded Comet Blasters in space instead of the Meteor Sweepers on airbases. Although from an esteemed lineage of pilots, recruit Mikaze Honjou finds the path to become a Comet Blaster arduous, which only results in her neglecting her studies. However, after a successful mission with her friends—Karin Kikuhara, Shizuha Doi, and Ayamo Nakamura—Mikaze rediscovers her motivation and sets out to make it through the training with the others. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Audience Consensus
Audience reception is mixed. Some appreciate the technical details and retro designs, along with the conspiracy subplot. Others find the pacing slow, the fan service unnecessary, and the plot shallow. There's also disappointment from viewers who expected yuri elements.
Strengths
- Attention to technical details is top-notch; aircraft and spacecraft are retrofitted cold-war era designs, mirroring a realistic scenario.
- Good art direction and animation.
- The government conspiracy plot adds complication to the main story.
Weaknesses
- Pacing is slow, and episodes feel like they go nowhere.
- Unnecessary fan service with panty shots.
- The plot is not deep or hard to understand; it's more for fun.