So Ra No Wo To

Sound resounds. And three years later it resounded its way to me.

My experience in anime is limited, but some previous engagements made me acquire some resistance to moe types, not as in repulsion, but as in "I can take degrees of moe without worrying much about it".
But anyway, when I had found out about this anime a few weeks ago (simply by noticing a *chan reaction image which featured the characters laughing in the ED), I expected something like: "The little cheery bugler brings hope and cheer to her fellow fighting soldiers on the bitter battlefield". That's kind of what I was looking for when ... I noticed it, some sort of feely sweet story about hope and just to remain cheery even when the world is at war. And that's relatively close to what I got. Relatively.

A humorous text has been written to describe this anime, and it brings attention to the mash of cultures and nationalities there are in a single space which I have read many people call "moeblob". And that is kind of true, but as with other fiction works, what is not explained does not necessarily mean there is controversy or that there is a plot hole, and I personally find extremely fun and amusing to, after each episode, sit and start imagining ways to explain what was not explained in the episode. The many questions brought up by So Ra No Wo To can have some sort of underground connection and coherency between them, if you have the imagination to look for it. Even if you do not find it fun to do so, the approach of "the characters themselves do not know exactly how things went, and to have this notion of unknown if part of the experience" is also valid. And world parallelism is also valid, but not as fun.

When I started watching my first impression was that the facial animation was kind of crude, might even call it "weird". But it quickly gets better.
As said by many other reviews, the background and scenarios are astounding, and that they are indeed, although personally I didn't pay much attention to them. But I'm not really the kind of guy who likes to go sightseeing anyway...
Many things about this anime I found out by reading reviews and archived discussions about it, such as Spanish/Chinese traditions, geographical and historical speculations, and other stuff, so I recommend looking for them straight away. During the OP, there are many scenes clearly mimicking some paintings, even if you don't know them. There is also a short scene in which all the girls are seen from the back, laying on fours; and unaware viewers (such as myself) would immediately assume that's some sort of fan service, but upon some research, even that scene was mimicking a famous (?) painting.

As with the characters, they all appear some sort of stereotype first, the motherly figure, the tsundere "serious business" kid, the sleepy mr. fixit genius, the tough sergeant, and the air-headed overly cheery and naive Kanata. As the series progresses and hints are slowly (very slowly) dropped, you get to know better how did each character has grown to become the figure they are. I'll give this one, almost all of them have some sort of PTSD (war veteran survivor, war orphan, etc.). Except for Kanata, she remains like that for the whole series.

The songs are indeed amazing, and while everyone will highlight "amazing grace", which regardless of its beauty alone plays a MAJOR role on the story, I myself have been charmed by "Servante du Feu" and by that other instrumental song which plays on the final credits. The OP shows the air of mysticism behind the legend that sorrounds the story, and the ED reinforces the "be cheery, because why would you not be?".

In overall? a very very good piece of work. Outstanding if you can get the message and the world-building right.
It presents itself in many contrasts, the grim bitter world in the army on a post apocalyptic setting, with a cheery girl that goes through it all only with her hope, her bugle, and her friends. It is sweet and cute without being forced, it is emotional without trying to milk your eyes, it is exciting without explosions everywhere, a must see that will resound in your memory.

Now for the part with spoilers:
Many people say it's ridiculous that Kanata suddenly learns to play the bugle after one single advice from a single guy. Sometimes all you need is a single "eureka" realization, a single advice about something, something that shows you what you were doing wrong to achieve something. Happened to me more than once.

One thing that I've noticed people failed to see, is that the "episodic" appeal for the first half of the series which they say has only the appeal of "being episodic", has in fact great importance in the overall plot. It was Kanata being together with the 1121st platoon that brought many changes to them. Kanata made Rio change her overall attitude, which culminates on her taking her position as princess or something; Kanata helps Nöel fix the Takemikazuchi targeting system, which is used to save Kureha and Klaus, which is also used to save-the-day-from-war in the end; Kanata strengthened the relations between the populace and the fort, which resulted in the people standing against the 9th mobile; and most importantly, she tightened the relations of her fellow members even more, and because of this they are able to accomplish all they do.

Everybody has that one show that really REALLY gets them interested in the wider world of whatever medium that show is linked to. Before this one in particular, anime was something that just existed to me, all anime was just edgier cartoons when I was growing up. I watched series like Dragon Ball and Yu Yu Hakusho thinking they were everything anime was. I was a dumb kid and all that mattered to me was the spectacle, but on whim, the series in question brought me to understand a lot more about myself then I thought I did.

As a young man at the time, I ... was pretty hard to impress and mostly went into anything not expecting much of value. I was not one for subtlety and quietness or even anything requiring much thought. However, almost immediately, the atmosphere of it all grabbed me by the balls. I like war stories, always have, that was the main draw to it.

Everything about it I couldn't help but love, even if the cute girls doin shit aspect was a concern of mine. Ultimately, it led me to appreciate the quietness in storytelling, as well as change my views completely on how I feel about art in the grand scheme of things. As cliche as it sounds, it literally did change my life. I definitely would not have the same mindset and values without it. Sound of the Sky was the groundwork on how I would grow as an individual, and the things I would come to appreciate about life in general.

But all this praise comes from a feeling of respect for it. I'm not afraid to view it at face value, it is a cute girls do things series, and to be honest, it's probably not for most people who are looking for something with more.... to find I suppose. Not that there isn't anything of substance, its just not the most fast paced show, and it probably won't have anything of substance for most people like it did for me.

The point is that if this is the kind of thing your looking for, I would recommend it. If not however, there might be something else for you in it, and if not that? Then you could skip it if you want.

Sora No Woto was one of those series where pairing up against a full length anime would be unfair.

Let's start with the plot:
It all begins when teenage soldier Sorami Kanata joins her latest company to learn to play the trumpet and ends up with a small group of teenage girls on the outskirts of some mythical country after WWIII and on the brink of another major war (at least that's what I presume). From there, there's no other plot development besides this myth about these "fire maidens" and how this group of five girls protect the city just like these maidens did in legend.

Now the ... actual review:
In my opinion, for the series's genre, it was a well composed anime with no details left out. Kanata's interactions with her fellow soldiers and superiors display the thin set emotions of those on the brink of war. It a sense it's almost like a rendition of a Vietnam vet's recollection of the war. Everyone has some war related history that dramatically effects the way they think and operate, plus they really tug at your heart strings. The way plot twists were set up were also timely and didn't leave that "really did that just happen" taste.
However there are always things to pick on and I can certainly dissect this one. For starters (this really isn't a serious point but w.e.) this plot description could haveve totally been an ecchi. Second, all the war action only appeared at the end of the series, which would have been nice to see through out the whole thing. Lastly, this series seemed like it could have easily been a legitimate full length series, but hey, beggars can't be choosers.

Overall 8/10, it fit neatly into its genre description, but wasn't ground breaking (mostly because it was a slice of life). Personally I would recommend this to those out there who are bored and just want to kill time while waiting for a different anime to add a new episode or something.

I've heard this series takes a lot of criticism because the plot shows up in only for the last two episodes, and also because it builds this beautiful, post-apocalyptic world that it never explores. So many people write it off as "bad" because the show doesn't go down the same well-worn path you would expect a futuristic military story to follow.

But I think that the creators of this anime specifically tried to avoid that Star Wars-esque story arch because they wanted to tell a more realistic tale. Not everyone is going to be Shinji or Luke Skywalker and save the universe with his inner strength.

How ... do people (young women, in this case) cope in a land torn apart by war? How does it affect their everyday lives? What do they think of what happened in the past (very well done in Sora no Woto with the angel myths/flame guardian legend)? Do they find solace in the church, in music like Rio, or in each other, like Felicia? The situation of humanity in this world is so messed up; how have people adjusted? How can someone who's seen such terrible things, like Felicia has, find happiness? How do you deal with the devastation that follows after every giant mecha/war anime series ends?

Well it turns out that even when the hero's out saving the world, the rest of us still have to do laundry and find a way to smile. And that's what the series is about.

Well, that and subtle fanservice. I love me some implied lesbian rape.

Look, this show looks pretty ridiculous from the outside. I promise it makes total sense in the universe of the show, even though said universe is quite dark. For reasons I can't get into without spoiling the show, this little platoon is basically a little charity home for misfits run by the military. Someone owes someone a favor, so why not let them maintain a little garrison of people who have no business on the front lines? It's not like anything is going to happen in this peaceful town anyway.

If you're looking for a show about war, then Sora no Woto is not for you. ... This show is about peace. It's here to make you value peace and fear war (as well you should). Maybe a few of the episodes will make you wish more was happening, but in the end, the show does a masterful job of making you earnestly hope for a return to cheerful filler episodes.

At first I thought this anime is another cute girls doing cute things, happy-go-lucky anime, with no direction. But I'm wrong, it was even worst!

It was so boring and you really couldn't tell where the story heading up to. As the result I've dropped it several times before I finally finished it.

You know what?
I'm glad I finished it, because the final half of the story is really meaningful and moving.
I encourage anyone of you who read this review to watch this anime.

The thing is, you really need to bear the first half before reaching the final arc.

If Sora No Woto does anything right (and it does a few) it manages to establish a compelling fragility in the balance between life and death, comedy and tragedy, order and chaos. Teenaged girls are a rare prism through which to view the experience of war, but when the doe-eyed characters are pressed into stark relief with the ugly reality of war-torn future-past Japan-Europe, the results are pretty devastating. In this respect, the ambling, episodic nature of the show is absolutely necessary as one begins to dread the times the balance teeters into tragedy. It always feels like there's a lot at ... stake. Ultimately, however, the show is too languidly paced for sustained interest—a dozen episodes is plenty—but the lovely score, exquisite art design and careful plotting of certain episodes more than worthwhile.

I'll start off by saying I am not a fan of CGDCT anime. I didn't like K-ON, I hated GochiUsa. I had all but given up on the genre. Then I watched Sora no Woto, and it blew my ass away. This anime just does so many things right.

Setting - A girl decides to join the army in order to learn the trumpet and is sent to a garrison in a small town on the outskirts of their country. There's more to their world than meets the eye, but you should see it for yourself. It's full of subtle world building which I never expected ... from this kind of show.

Scenery - Absolutely beautiful. Another thing that I love about this show is that a lot of its scenes take place at unusual times or in unusual weather. That is, rather than 99% of the show taking place during sunny afternoons, a lot of the scenes happen during the evening, night, or rainy days. I'd say it rained for about half of the show's episodes actually. It's very refreshing.

Atmosphere - There's a slightly melancholic tone that carries throughout the whole show. I was in love with it right from the start of episode 1.

Characters - Good characters for a CGDCT show. When I first saw them I went "Here's the kuudere. There's the tsundere." However, thankfully, those traits are subdued and you quickly see that there's more to them than that. The characters actually somewhat feel like real people. What I loved the most about them, is that every single one in the main cast has real flaws. Not those typical CGDCT flaws like 'oh, she often sleeps past important events' or 'oh she's a little airheaded' that are only there to make the characters more cute. Proper flaws.

Music - Straight up fantastic. It does its job as well as it possibly could. It, at times, has an air of mystery, and at times an air of hopefulness, and it's always a joy to listen to.

The Specials - Make sure you watch them. They're on par with the rest of the series and should definitely not be skipped. The first one is episode 7.5 and should be watched after episode 7, while the second should be watched after finishing the series.

Flaws - 1. Kind of a nitpick here, but while the animation is generally good, it can get wonky at times. Especially when the focus is on zoomed out characters. When the animation needs to be good though, it is. 2. I found the conversations and the way the characters speak in one specific episode a tad over-dramatic. Could be just me though, as I haven't really ever heard anyone else mention this. 3. While I found the characters to be decent, and definitely above average as far as CGDCT shows go, they're still not *great* and could have been better.

Conclusion - I loved this show. I think this is the epitome of the CGDCT genre. Even if, like me, you don't usually like these kinds of shows, you should definitely give this one a try. And if you are a fan of CGDCT, you could find this show a nice breath of fresh air. This is, of course, a slice of life, so if you're looking for constant action, you obviously won't find it here. But if you're looking for a laid back show with a great setting and atmosphere, you'd be doing yourself an injustice skipping this.

Sora no Wato is a series which attempts to merge two distinct story telling styles into one coherent story, but does it work? With the setting of a post-apocalyptic Earth that is still enduring a multitude of wars between the remaining nations, the focus is on a young teen girl, Sorami Kanata, who has enlisted in the army to pursue her goal of learning to play the bugle. It's through Kanata's eyes and her experiences as a new army recruit that we learn the stories of the women in the 1121st platoon and the greater story of a world that seems to be drawing to ... a close in its twilight.

It's when we meet Kanata and her new battalion sisters that we quickly realize that these characters evoke a sense of deja vu. We've seen each of these girls before: Kanata, the young, naive, clumsy and endlessly optimistic heroine, Rio the tough beautiful big sister, Felicia the caring and somewhat lax captain. Rounding out the battalion are Kureha, physically the smallest girl of the group who strives eagerly to fulfill her role as a soldier, and Noël, the emotionally-reserved and technical genius of the group.

If it feels as if you've seen these characters before, it's because you have, and you've probably seen them in many previous shows. From their visual design to their personality traits, there's little to separate them from the common character archetypes that seem to be so prevalent in modern series. It feels a bit jarring throughout the series to see characters that wouldn't be out of place in a high school classroom interact in war torn world set in the distant future. The fact that they're soldiers modelled after late 19th and 20th century military makes it feel even more out-of-place.

The core story does make up, to a large extent, the hurdle of buying into these seemingly misplaced characters. Through 12 episodes, the efforts at world building largely succeed. The setting of this new Earth feels believable with some really great touches of detail in the design of the environments and supporting characters. As the story advances, we're given small glimpses of the catastrophic events which shaped the world, and it definitely motivates you to want to learn more.

Visually, the quality of the show is top notch, along with its animation. The background art is a standout with its sweeping vistas of the countryside and battlefields. The architectural designs of the buildings and the main town are particularly well done, capturing a period feel that is convincing in its details. Although we don't get to see as much of it as we'd want, the design of the military hardware was obviously done with a lot of thought and consideration.

Touching on that last point, the military aspect of the story is something I would've loved to have seen more in this series, but it disappointingly takes a back seat. As the episodes build up and teases towards the climax, when it finally plays out, it concludes all too soon. The focus is clearly on the girls and how these characters, who seem to have been transplanted from another dimension, manage to survive and find their way in a world that is crumbling around them.

It mostly works because we want to buy into these characters who are undeniably appealing and easy to connect with. We do learn more about their stories, although there's nothing particularly surprising or unexpected as their curtains are drawn back bit by bit. In that sense, Sora no Wato does feel very much like two different shows that have been forcibly merged together. I would've liked the characters to have been designed with less of a focus on accessibility. There were too many times where they felt alien against a backdrop that was full of potential.

Despite the sometimes immersion-breaking aspects of the characters, Sora no Wato is still a very entertaining series. Although the viewer's hand is held often throughout the story, the characters are still quite appealing and with the effort and care put into the world building, the show succeeds as a whole.

So Ra No Wo To is not your run-of-the-mill Slice of Life themed anime, inspiring more than just a "cute girls doing cute things" feel. However, like many SOL anime with such an adorable cast of characters, it is tempting to watch in one sitting...

It took me a while to get around to watching this anime because I didn't know what to anticipate. The art style excited me, but over time the title collected dust on my Plan to Watch list, and it wasn't until I started watching more military themed anime that I gathered the motivation to watch it. Nearly 6 years after it ... aired, I watched what I consider to be one of the most sentimental anime I've seen, all thanks to the more brilliant parts of the story.

What makes this anime stand out is its epic soundtrack. It doesn't just sound good, it makes you feel something. It will lift your spirits one moment, and cause you to get misty-eyed the next. Music is easily So Ra No Wo To's most applaudable element.

My initial and final reactions to the art were the same: Moe! This is an undeniably positive point for many watchers out there, including myself. The landscapes and nature were beautiful in such a way that, at times, you may feel like you've set foot in So Ra No Wo To's world of music and strife. The style isn't unique, but it is again and again likable and heartwarming.

Significant character growth occurs in So Ra No Wo To, though several more episodes would have given the anime more depth. Even after you've watched it all, it still feels as though some things were missing. That being said, some of the best scenes in the anime happened because of the way that the characters grew not only individually, but together as members of the same platoon.

One word that continues to come to mind when I reflect on So Ra No Wo To is 'unexpected'. I did not expect it to be something I would enjoy as much as I ultimately had. My favorite moment came as a complete surprise, and was one of the best scenes I've ever seen in anime.

I find So Ra No Wo To to be a timeless anime. It can be compared to other anime for its looks, but few anime succeed to kindle such powerful feelings in their viewers.

So Ra No Wo To is such an anime, that, I believe, it surpasses the 10-point system.

People compare it to K-On!, but I feel that is unfair. Don't get me wrong, I gave K-On! series a 10/10, but Sora No Woto is more, it at least 12.

First, it has the perfect blend of plot, character, SoL, and moe. For me, this blend made it really enjoyable to watch. There is a bit of plot pushing the whole thing on, and the arc works across the whole series. The pacing, I found, was really quite good, and so was the character development. You really got to ... see each character in the great detail here (or as much you could with just one season).

The sound, the art, all very good. The story: even though it may be a slice of life, even people who normally don't like SoL will take a liking to this one.

Overall score: 10/10 in all departments.

So what can i say about one of the more original and peacefull anime there is. Eventhough this anime is about a platoon during a time of near war it never goes into that overly dramatic hectic story like many does. It keeps it peacefull apporoach through alot of it while telling the story of each main character after time and never rushes them. Also the art for me was very pleasent to look at while the music is beautifully used to created this what i would call peacefull place. The story is as original i feel as it can be though the main character ... keeps the typical naive airhead as many anime has these days it still manage to overcome that in a great way. I have rewatched this anime more than once so i mean it very much when i say that its fun and interesting.

If your one who hates slowgoing anime with little action in the way of explosions and fights this is not one for you. But if your one who likes a nice relaxing feel to it while the story goes forth then its deffinetly worth watching.

Since it seems impossible to address So Ra No Wo To without mentioning this, let me begin by talking about the elephant in the room: no, this anime is not just K-On! but in the military. Yes, it has central cast of five cute girls; yes, it has virtually the same artstyle; and, yes, it has music and slice of life elements. But beyond this superficial level, the shows are entirely different. I love K-On! to death, but if you come into this show expecting cute, low-stakes misadventures and happy tales of adolescence, you will be in for a surprise.

Okay, glad we got that one ... cleared up.

Enough about what So Ra No Wo To isn't. Let's talk about what it is. As the plot synopsis suggests, this anime follows Kanata Sorami, an rather naïve 15-year-old bugler who joins a group of four military officers (read: cute girls) at an outskirts outpost in a war torn country. Throughout the series we see these five living out their lives as best they can in this comfortless world, and we slowly begin to understand the nature of the conflict that has occurred, and in some ways, continues to occur around them.

From the way I have described it, this anime probably sounds like a very bleak and serious affair, but this is a bit deceptive. Sure, it may take place in a barren, hopeless setting, but if there is one feeling that underlies all of So Ra No Wo To, it is not hopelessness but optimism. Kanata, our main character, is filled with an unrelenting (and perhaps even immature) optimism, and spends much of the series spreading this optimism to the other four girls. In this sense, despite its dark premise, So Ra No Wo To is not an especially heavy show. There are certainly somber moments, but thanks to the spark that Kanata brings to it, there is a substantial serving of comedy and general lightheartedness to offset the potential solemnity.

In terms of actual episode-to-episode content, So Ra No Wo To is a slice of life anime through and through. Principally, it alternates between more serious, character drama-focused episodes and lighter, comedy-focused episodes. Uncharitable viewers might be inclined to refer to some of the lighter episodes of this series as "moe shit," and while I object to the idea that any moe is shit, I would advise you to be wary if you tend to dislike moe slice of life anime. None of it ever reaches the cutesy heights of, say, K-On!, but it is certainly quite, um... fluffy... at times. If you're like me though, and you enjoy a good show about doing cute girls doing cute things, then you will enjoy these lighter episodes as much as you enjoy the more serious ones. Certainly, So Ra No Wo To is as much an anime about sadness as it is about hope, so I don't think it would be complete without its lighter episodes (or its darker ones, for that matter).

While we're on the topic of its moe elements, let's discuss this show's aesthetic. As mentioned earlier, its artstyle bears a striking resemblance to that of K-On!. The animation never quite reaches the peaks of that show, but it does do an excellent job of rendering both the cute moments and the more dramatic events that make up this anime without either side feeling awkward or out of place. In terms of sound design, So Ra No Wo To also does quite well; both voice acting and background music are on-point. More interestingly, the opening and ending songs reflect the serious vs. lighthearted dichotomy of the show itself, with the opening being a weighty, traditional sounding piece while the ending is of a more upbeat, cutesy sort (as you might expect of a cute girls doing cute things anime).

Now, this has been a very positive review thus far, but unfortunately I do have some minor criticisms to make of So Ra No Wo To as well. As much as I like Kanata's bundle-of-joy personality, she, along with many of the show's other major characters, suffers from being rather archetypal. All the characters do develop over the course of the series but not, I think, far enough to sufficiently differentiate them from the well-established anime cliches that they are clearly based on. This is not a particularly damning issue during the cute girls doing cute things segments, but when the show turns to drama, it is certainly limited from achieving its full aspirations. The weakness of its characters does not ruin the show by any means, but it does prevent it from becoming something truly great.

As it stands, So Ra No Wo To is a good and much underrated slice of life anime whose issues are few and far between in comparison to its many successes. Combining cute girls doing cute things with war drama is a bizarre and ambitious choice if there ever was one, but this anime does a remarkably good job of making it work.

Anyone looking for a slice of life show with a little more thematic depth than the norm would do well to check this one out!

What is the Earth like three centuries after an attempted alien invasion? One answer is Soro no Woto.

Background: About three centuries before the show opens Earth had a high technological civilization, including partial negation of gravity. Earth was attacked by giant winged aliens. Either the aliens were driven off at great cost to the planet, or the war so devastated the planet that the aliens decided it was no longer worth conquering. In any event they are no longer around, save for a skeleton beneath a river, and much of the Earth is now a wasteland.

Present Day: Humans have reformed civilization but mostly ... at an early 20th century level. These new nations which rose from the ruins of the world tend to fight over what remnants of arable land and resources that still exist. Kanata, our main character, comes from a poor rural family. She joins the army and is assigned to the Unit which is comprised of our characters for the story, the 1121st Tank Platoon. Their assignment is to watch for any enemy activity from their remote post overlooking a wasteland at their far-flung end of the border. Its a good place to go to hide, to forget or to just get away from everything. All the Unit members Kanata meets have different issues/demons they are avoiding from their past (one of the more severe is PTSD from watching her friends burn to death in a tank). Kanata’s arrival is like a catalyst dropped into a beaker of solution: her bright, accepting personality touch each comrade in turn, and each in turn is then able to take a new view of their past and be uniquely redeemed from the largest regret in their own life.

I find quite a lot happening in this anime, much of it growing in the background and then suddenly popping into the foreground of the story. One of my favorite aspects is that the girls are operating an illegal still and selling brandy on the black market because their Army pay is never on time! There are hints at this through several episodes and then it is brought to the forefront and becomes the focus for the plot of one episode.

What do I like about this show? There's the characters, growing tensions with the neighboring kingdom, depictions of daily soldier life and training, issues with the mafia, challenges with getting an ancient high technology tank back into operating condition, and all backed up by good music and displayed on gorgeous scenery. This is also one of the rare anime that gets a soldier's life right.

I initially thought the script writer was talking about forgiveness for his chief theme, but he wasn't: he is talking about redemption, something more precious than forgiveness; and so Amazing Grace is the perfect recurring theme.

There is quite a lot to this show, and I encourage everyone to give it a try.

This is my first review, and I have something to say first. First no anime is bad, it is just whether you enjoy it or not and second sometimes you have to look at things in other's perspective. Also excuse my bad English.

In my opinion, a great anime doesn't necessarily mean an anime is beautiful. Here, So Ra No Wo To (Sound of the Sky) really presented itself as a beautiful piece of work, despite the fact the story is kind of rushed and the series should be longer and all the other stuff people criticize this piece about. ... To judge an anime, you should not judge it in your perspective, but rather look at the anime's perspective. I'll explain what this means later.

At first it is the name of this Anime which caught me in the eye, and all I have to say that all the aspects of So Ra No Wo To supported the name.

The setting of the story gives you a feeling of a place of loneliness, it is set in place bordering No Man's Land which involves around the daily lives of those 5 girls in the army. The phrase "the world is ending" is a recurring motif in the story, but despite the fact No Man's Land is expanding and possible ending of the world, the 5 girls proved it wrong. The world can be ending, but the happiness they shared and their friendship will last forever. Before I said you have to look at the anime's perspective, here's what i meant: it is true the story is kind of rushed and should've make it longer. But if you look at the anime's perspective, it is 12 episodes, you can't fit everything in. You have to rush somethings. Even though it is not perfect, but it still done a good job from the limitations.

There's nothing much I want to talk about art, it is good and it fits the story and setting well.

Well the sound is amazing after all the story is evolve around sound. And in my opinion, the sound really made this piece of work lively. After the series, I truly changed my opinion of sound. Even though war is dark and cruel, with sound, music it can bring peace. The idea seems naive, but sometimes we have to be naive to understand each other. This piece of work had created another world in me filled with beautiful sound.

Character designs are moe, too cute to be in military and war, unrealistic. This is anime after all, though its unrealistic, the designs changed the mood of anime. Despite the fact they are in place where pay cannot be reached on time, their laugh, actions and encounter made the story seems to set in a totally different place.

As I said, different people have different field of interest. Even if you dont enjoy this anime, doesn't necessarily mean the anime is bad. You shouldn't ruin other people's expectations and let them to decide whether it is good or not. This anime brought me great enjoyment, because not often there are anime with a peaceful, slice of life background that have great music and artwork. When watching, I enjoyed the comedy and their peace which deeply planted within my heart.

Overall, this anime is great, it brings hope, and peace to people watching it. Possibly it can also change your world perspective and understand the joy brought by sound.

Sora no Woto tells a charming and unique tale of five girls in the military. It takes slice-of-life and sets it in the middle of a post-apocalyptic war and the result is a truly well written and touching story.

A first impression of this anime would be “K-On + Military”. It’s not hard to assume this; the art style is very similar to K-On, and the cast is composed of five girls with traits that seem very similar to the five girls from K-On.

Story: 9

As a slice of life, most of the episodes have rather slow and simple plots. Some of them are light-hearted and ... enjoyable, but still develop the characters brilliant and are relaxing to watch. Others, especially the ones that develop the characters’ back story, have a much darker tone. Each episode also takes care into establishing the world that the story is set, as well as the town’s culture. Near the end things take a far more serious tone, focusing on the war between Helvetia and Rome.

Art: 10

The beautiful background art illustrates the charming town of Seize perfectly. The scenes are extremely detailed, and help to capture the calming mood of the series. Other times, the background shifts tone and instead portrays the horrors of war. The art style of the characters is similar to K-On, which I don’t really have a problem with.

Sound: 10

The hymn, Amazing Grace, plays an important part in the story of Sora no Woto. Also important are the various bugle tunes played throughout the story. The background music is equally good, mostly composed of calming pieces to illustrate the mood of the series. A standout is "Servente du Feu" a sojng sung in French that is absolutely brilliant. The opening, Hikari no Senritsu by Kalafina, is beautiful as well. However, the ending is rather generic J-Pop, and doesn’t fit the series very well.

Character: 10

The characters seem to be cookie cutter moe stereotypes at first, but they actually have great, developed personalities. While the characters still “fit” into their stereotypes, they also have many other aspects to their personalities that are explored very well. The side characters are also well developed, and every character has their own unique charm.

Enjoyment: 10

This show is mostly very calming and has a very relaxing effect with the simple but enjoyable plots and great art and music. The times when it becomes more serious are also enjoyable as well.

Overall: 10

Charming plot, well developed characters, beautiful music, and a unique and detailed setting. What’s not to like?

This anime (Sora No Woto) was really... well, amazing. It was full of friendship, overcoming hardships, and a sense of duty towards the ones you care about. And peace. And how music can be understood in all languages, and make even those who are your enemies become your friends.

On a side note, I just have to say, I never, NEVER cry during anime or shows or TV or books or anything... but when Kanata played Amazing Grace in the last episode during the battle scene... I almost did.

This anime is definitely worth watching. It really makes you think about war, and the meaning ... behind it, and other ways to communicate with others. I hope you can all enjoy it as much as I did. =)

One anime which was recommended by a friend who kept pestering me to watch it. So after watching it, here's my review.

First of, the story. The story is about the protagonist entering the military to learn how to play the trumpet and her interactions with her platoon-mates and the townspeople. I didn't really find the story overly interesting, it was ok with a few cry-able moments, but pretty average for me. So a 7/10.

The art was good. I felt that the animation was nicely done with quite a lot of details being put into the art. Hence, I'm rating it as a 9/10

Now for the ... best thing about the anime: The sound, more specifically, the music. The opening was great, kinda sounded like an folks-tale type of song. But my favorite was Amazing Grace. Wonderfully and beautifully played by the protagonists on the trumpet, a music which I will remember for years to come. A perfect 10/10 for sound(music)

Character wise, they are pretty well done. Favorite character is Kanata due to her non-stop enthusiasm. So an 8/10

I did enjoy the anime especially for some parts. An 8/10 for enjoyment.

Overall, average story, great art, exceptional music, good characters and enjoyment. Final rating is an 8/10

SPOILER WARNING

So Ra No Wo To surpassed my expectations. I’ve forgotten how I came across this anime or why I began to watch it, but I was not disappointed. (This is quite rambly and all over the place, I apologize!)

Of course, as many before me have stated, this anime isn’t perfect. There are many situations that I wish were handled differently, characters that I wish had gotten treated differently, etc. However, going into this having heard many folks call this “K-ON! But in the military”, it blew me away.

I was worried that the characters would just be shells of archetypes and common tropes ... many of us see in anime. I was pleasantly surprised with the depth many of these characters have. The main five girls not only support, teach and listen to one another, but they are each navigating their way through this period in time where literally everyone and everywhere around them has been affected by war. Many of the characters have post-traumatic stress disorder, different situations and words setting them off. No matter who it is, the girls will always take the time to offer a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear, an offer of help. There was never really any judgement when someone was obviously struggling through something, and if someone was being judgemental, it was most likely because a character wasn’t communicating their feelings. (Example, when Rio confronted Felicia in the evening of the festival of lights).

I also found the worldbuilding to be very smart. From the folklore, culture, and history of craft in Helvetia, I was always amazed and excited as a viewer to find out more things about this small village the girls lived in. I was always looking forward to seeing what adventure Kanata would go on, if Rio was going to go and visit Naomi in the glassware shop, etc. It was a treat for the eyes - even when Kanata had to stay in the fortress, I enjoyed seeing her surroundings and the domestic details of where they all lived. I lived in Lanciano, Abruzzo for awhile, so maybe I am biased, since it just makes me feel warm and fuzzy seeing surroundings that look so much like my old home. It brings back nostalgic memories watching the girls navigate this village.

I would definitely recommend this to many folks, but if you’re not enjoying yourself by episode 3, then I would suggest to drop it. I personally adored it, but I know that it may not be everyone’s cup of tea. I would also give a warning to those sensitive to gore, blood, guns, war, explosions, etc. this anime, especially in the later episodes, revolve and show these, which may be upsetting to you.

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These are more bullet points than anything, but I feel like they are worth mentioning! :

-I found that Kobayashi Yuu and Aya Endou’s voice acting fit very well with Rio and Felicia.
- The opening is lovely! I was surprised to see Gustav Klimt’s work being used in an anime opening again after having seen it done in Elfen Lied. It works surprisingly well and the adaptation they did fits well into Helvetia’s folklore.

If somebody ask me Why i watched this anime then i will say because of the slice of life genre. Slice of life is one of my favorite genre so whenever i found one i watch it. I was searching for a good anime to watch and i found one. So Ra No Wo To or Sound of the sky is really a beautiful name and the same can be said for the anime. It was really good. It exceeded my expectations.

Story and Art: 8
When i watched the trailer of this anime i was quite disappointed with the art but after completing the ... series i can say that art was really good. It was quite different from other anime which i have already completed. It was really good. Story of the anime was also good. One of the genre of anime is military but it was not same anime as others like Youjo senki or Gate. This anime made me smile and in some scenes i laughed too. So i was not disappointed with the story. The story was well paced. Well it is a slice of anime so it was deemed to be good in its story.

Music: 9
I gave the highest rating to music of this anime. Music was also one of the genre of So Ra No Wo To and it was really good. They main focus was on the musical instrument was trumpet. Even in war trumpet was used to give signals to the army. I was really surprised when i saw that they use trumpet in war. It was really a good idea of using trumpet in war. There was a song which Kanata played in the 12th episode to stop the armies of the both side. well that was not the first time when that song was played but that song played an important role in 12th episode to stop the war. The main character Sorami Kanata wanted to learn to play trumpet and that's why she joined the army because she can learn to play trumpet in army for free. I can say that music was the best thing about this anime.

Character: 8
About characters they were all really good. All the characters were equally focused and that's the thing i liked about this anime. In first few episodes they showed the growing relation of Sorami Kanata with the other members of the 1121 platoon. Each character had their own tragic past except Sorami Kanata. Her past was not really shown. Only thing they shown about her past is that she had met the princess Iliya and because of her she started playing trumpet. I was really blown away when i got to know about the past of Kannagi Noel. I was really surprised. Even i never thought that she was the ........... . Sorry but i cannot tell you about her past. You need to watch it yourself. And i hope you watch this anime. Only thing i can say about the characters that they were well introduced and each of the character got sufficient time in the anime.

Enjoyment: 8
If somebody were to ask me that i enjoyed this anime or not then i will say without any doubt that i enjoyed this anime. The most funny thing i like about this anime is the main character Sorami Kanata. Well i after watching the trailer of the anime i kind of got the hint of that how funny she will be in the anime and i was right. She was most funny.
This is my second review and i am really sorry for my bad English. I hope this review will be useful to you all. I highly recommend this anime to you all. Please watch it if you want some anime with slice of life, music and some great comedy. I hope you enjoy it.