(Read the full review on my review blog, Re(mAAArk)able Reviews! [Link in my profile!])
...It's so cute. It's so normal. It's exactly what I was not expecting in a drama about a self defense force.
Sorai is learning about what it means to project an image to the people. He's so used to just being in the cockpit that he never realized that some people might see fighter planes as just for that: fighting. Inaba is a big kick in the pants to his ego there, and the two are so cute in their initial bickering and then total geeking out over different airplanes. I love the way they teach each other throughout the show.
Not only is the cast brilliant, but the writing is really effective in conveying things you might never have thought about in terms of the Japanese military. There's a reference, I won't mention how or why, to the March 11th disaster that is really effectively done. Similarly PR videos and people's reactions to them for the JASDF, and "even" and "uneven" reporting, are discussed at length in complex, intellectual ways. Everything is supporting by a thin layer of witty, happy humor that just ties this show together so well.
The music is a great addition too, with Amuro Namie's "Contrail" as the insert/ending song. Plus everything is shot so beautifully, all the airplanes and training exercises.
For people looking for an interesting subject drama, this is definitely one. And there's a fantastic romance subplot that is ever-present throughout, so even if you're not used to checking out this kind of drama, I still think it will work for you.
I'm a huge fan of ensemble drama, and SK did not disappoint in the slightest. There are episodes that focus on each of the PR department's members, but the main characters Inaba and Sorai are never lost in those shifts of focus. The balance is perfect. SK is a winner, and definitely my favorite of the season.
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