Sound of the Sky
Sound of the Sky (ソ・ラ・ノ・ヲ・ト, 'Sora no Woto', literally "Sound of the Sky" or "Faraway in the Sky" or "Beyond the Sky") is an original anime work produced by A-1 Pictures and broadcast from January to March 2010 on TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi and AT-X.
Directed by Mamoru Kambe. Total of 12 episodes.
It was the first series of the "Anime no Chikara" program, a joint project by TV Tokyo and Aniplex.
In addition, two extra episodes were produced to be included with the video products.
In the far future, a long-running war has devastated the land, fish have vanished from the sea, and several countries and languages have disappeared. The modern world has become a half-fairy tale, where the world, its aspects, countries and races are completely different from those of today.
Kanata Sorami (空深彼方) meets a woman soldier with a trumpet in her hand in the ruins. Kanata is intrigued by the trumpeter and decides to join the army, mistakenly believing that she can play the trumpet if she joins the army.
Eventually, Kanata is assigned to the 1121st Platoon of the Army of the Republic of Helvetia, a garrison unit in the town of Seize, Province of Trois.
The story begins when Kanata gets involved in a commotion in Seize on the day of the Water Festival.
The 1121st Platoon
| Kanata Sorami 空深彼方 | Rio Kazumiya 和宮 梨旺 | Kureha Suminoya 墨埜 谷暮羽 |
|---|---|---|
| CV: Hisako Kanemoto | CV: Yū Kobayashi | CV: Eri Kitamura |
| Protagonist. Bugler, signaller (apprentice) and loader. Rank: Private. Came to the city of Seize as a substitute soldier in the 1121st Platoon. Possesses absolute pitch. | Bugler and signaller. Rank: Sergeant Major. As vice-captain of the platoon, he instructs Kanata and the others. Not fond of ghosts. | Gunner. Rank: Private. Struggles alone to straighten out the loose atmosphere in the squad. Admires Rio. |
| Noël Kannagi寒凪 乃絵留 | Filicia Heidemanフィリシア | |
| CV: Aoi Yūki | CV: Aya Endō | |
| Operator and mechanic. Rank: Corporal. Usually taciturn, but answers questions when asked. She is so busy working on the restoration of Takemikazuchi that she is always short of sleep and sometimes falls asleep suddenly. | Platoon commander of the 1121st Platoon. Rank: Second Lieutenant. She has a calm personality and often behaves in a less military-like manner, such as treating her subordinates, the Kanatas, kindly. She is not good at lightning. |
Takemikazuchi
A relic from the past, the Takemikazuchi is a high-performance multi-legged tank of which there are less than 10 remaining in the Republic of Helvetia. At the time Kanata was assigned to the 1121st Platoon, it was in the process of being restored.
Kübelwagen
A light military vehicle deployed in two vehicles in the 1121st Platoon. They were originally small military vehicles produced and operated in Germany during World War II.
- Opening theme "Hikari no Senritsu " (光の旋律, Melody of Light)
Lyrics, composition, arrangement - Yuki Kajiura / Song - Kalafina
- Ending theme "Girls, Be Ambitious."
Lyrics - Yoshie Isogai / Composition and arrangement - Kazuhiro Higure / Song - Haruka Tomatsu
| No. | Episode Title | Original Episode Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Resounding Sound: The City at Dawn | 響ク音・払暁ノ街 |
| 2 | First Battle: The Story of a Chair | 初陣・椅子ノ話 |
| 3 | The Squad's Day: Rio Runs | 隊ノ一日・梨旺走ル |
| 4 | Rainy Season Sky: Quartz Rainbow | 梅雨ノ空・玻璃ノ虹 |
| 5 | Mountain Hiking: The Ends of the World | 山踏ミ・世界ノ果テ |
| 6 | Kanata's Day Off: Hairdressing | 彼方ノ休日・髪結イ |
| 7 | Crickets Chirping: Spirits Down the River | 蝉時雨・精霊流シ |
| 7.5 (Extra) | Feast: The Fortress at War | 饗宴・砦ノ戦争 |
| 8 | Phone Duty: I Declare an Emergency | 電話番・緊急事態ヲ宣言ス |
| 9 | Passing of the Typhoon: False and Real Images | 台風一過・虚像ト実像 |
| 10 | Departure: Time of First Snow | 旅立チ・初雪ノ頃 |
| 11 | A Visitor: Burning Snowfield | 来訪者・燃ユル雪原 |
| 12 | Resound Into the Azure Sky | 蒼穹ニ響ケ |
| 13 (Extra) | Sounds of the Skies: Beyond the Dream | 空の音・夢ノ彼方 |
The original title of the work, "Soranowoto" (ソ・ラ・ノ・ヲ・ト), can be divided into "Sora" (sky), "No" (of) and "Woto" (sound, or far away).
"Woto" in old Japanese is a variant of the word "Woti" (meaning 'a place that is far away' or 'distant' or 'beyond '. In modern Japanese, 'kanata' is used), and is a pun on the word "Oto", which means sound.
