Winter Anime Season (Part 5)

Title: Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta (Love Song for a Certain Pilot)
Release Date: January 6, 2014
Studio: TMS Entertainment
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Action/Adventure
Synopsis: Sibling pilot trainees Kal-el (seriously) and Ariel Albus join the Aerial Division of Cadoques High, seeking love, friendship and the mythical End of the Sky. Based on the light novel series by Koroku Inumura.

Verdict: Holy shitballs, that was pretty. It's no secret that a lot of time, love and care has gone into crafting each detail of Inumura's world, and, in spite of some on-the-nose romance scenes later in the episode, a compelling story seems to be taking shape. Set in a fantasy world dominated by aviation, the story begins with "Kal" and Ariel's induction ceremony.

And you thought your first day of school was stressful.

After sharing a tearful goodbye with their sisters and father, the brother and sister jump in their plane and fly to their new home - Cadoques High, a pilot school built on the flying island of Isla. Once there, Kal sets about the arduous task of settling into his new life and getting to know his fellow trainees - including an odd but friendly girl named Claire Cruz.

Let the shipping begin.

There's plenty to like here. As anyone who knows me could tell you, I'm a huge sucker for flying islands in fiction, and this anime is no exception. The stunning visuals aren't exactly a surprise considering TMS Entertainment's storied history, but that doesn't make breathtaking realism of each scene any less awe-inspiring. The story also seems to be developing at a good clip, with plenty of interesting questions being raised by the time the credits roll. Is there class conflict between the trainees of Royal birth and the commoners? Who is Nina Viento, and why does Kal flip out at the sight of her? What is the End of the Sky and why did Kal promise his mother that he would find it? What happened to his mother anyway? Why is Ignacio Axis such a frigid asshole? Why is the main character named after Superman? All of this and more remains to be seen, and the next episode can't get here soon enough.