Movies / Animé and Toons

Sound of the Sky Complete Collection

By Chris Zimmerman
October 6, 2011 - 15:17

There have been many anime that offer their views of war and the individuals that fight them. While some opt to focus on the emotional drama and real world struggles experienced, other series use the focus of war as an excuse for the heavy use of action and gore. Sound of the Sky is among the quieter series to spring out of a war-wrought setting, serving as an example of the preciousness of life after war, found through the experiences of a group of female soldiers assigned to guard their army’s fort.

Kanata Sorami is a soldier stationed at the fort. While there she struggles to learn to play the bugle and trumpet as well as live an ordinary life among her fellow recruits. Along the way she comes to understand them and help them cope with the affects of living in a post war world.

The series follows the tried and true approach of showing the affects of war through the eyes of teenage characters. There are few adults inhabiting the show, while the majority of the cast are young and impressionable and easily influenced. Because of this, the tone is more lighthearted than grim. Its examination of the topic is unique in its choice of inspiring hope through cheer rather than bloody battles. While some might dismiss this as an untrue representation of the subject, Series such as Sound of the Sky are examples of the different interpretations of war between various cultures.

The use of moe designs is bizarre for the series considering the emotional weight of the topic. The designs are what one would expect to find in a series such as K-On! yet for their part, they integrate nicely into the melodramatic world depicted here and succeed in creating a lighthearted atmosphere.

The soundtrack compliments the settings with its orchestral melodies that add to the grandeur of the world. The music soars and dips according to the mood and works well in accentuating the tone.

RightStuf/ Nozmi continue their string of outstanding releases. The series comes bundled in a sturdy cardboard box with beautiful images of the cast printed on both sides. Also included is an art book that features character models, notes, and interviews with those who worked on the series. I wish more companies would follow this approach. It gives consumers more incentive to pay for the series and makes the release seem that much more significant.
    
Sound of the Sky is a different take on the war genre. Some viewers will no doubt struggle with the approach as it develops simply due to its lack of bloodshed and grim mood. It’s a series for those who think outside of the box and keep hope in their hearts even in the darkest of times. Despite its lack of subtlety, the series hits all the right marks and if nothing else, is soothing in its approach and values.

B

Last Updated: November 29, 2025 - 16:51