Review Statistics

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764

Comments

3

Reviews

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Plot Synopsis

No plot synopsis or other information available for Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu

Story & Characters

At first glance, the story of Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu seems to be much in line with that of Saikano, or Voices of a Distant Star - in that the heroine of the story is charged with defending the world. The similarities begin to dissipate after more of the plot develops, however. Although these differences become large, they still cannot stop the viewer from guessing how the show ends, and what general path the show will take.

Iriya no Sora is a very character-driven show - very little military action happens on-screen. For their part, the characters are believable and likable, from a pragmatic intelligence officer to an obsessive UFO-watcher. Several characters are dynamic as well, undergoing radical growth and shifts in their perceptions of life. Because of the short length of this series, however, some minor characters were left to be flat and static.

Considering the length of the series, Iriya no Sora does a good job of developing characters. It also breaks the mold which shows such as Saikano and Hoshi no Koe have set for this genre, although the nature of the genre leaves the plot predictable at times. Generally speaking, a job well done.

Rating

8 (good)

Art

The art in Iriya no Sora, for the most part, does its job very well. The background shots, especially, are vibrant and alive. Character animations are well-done, although sometimes they can look slightly awkward in transition.

The characters themselves are designed very well. The style is more realistic than most, and because most everyone's hair color is black, sometimes it can be difficult to determine which characters are which. Two of the male secondary characters, in particular, look rather similar. Despite this, however, characters look excellent - several characters undergo permanent physical changes throughout this series as well, and these changes are done realistically and consistently.

There is some CG featured as well, which is well-done. The CG effects are appropriate and beautiful, and aren't overused.

Rating

9 (very good)

Sound

The voice-acting is very well-done, and there is little to complain about. Little details like sniffling after a bout of crying are included, which add greatly to the impact value of this anime. The seiyuu for the main character, Iriya, was especially good in portraying her various moods and emotional states. Nothing especially good or bad stood out amongst the rest of the voice-work, and there were a different variety of voices to be heard, enabling the viewer to distinguish between characters by voice alone.

The introduction and ending music are simple and fitting - both are serene and optimistic, as opposed to the sorrowful tunes which accompanied Saikano. Because of this, both songs may seem misplaced at the beginning. By the end, however, it seems as if both fit perfectly.

The best part, however, is the soundtrack. The musical score is done with real musicians, with an especially excellent string section that figures prominently in the main love theme. The moving melodies complement the emotions of the characters perfectly, with the melodies swelling in the background at just the right times to coincide with the action on-screen. Without a doubt, Iriya no Sora's background music is amongst the finest ever composed for anime.

Rating

10 (excellent)

Presentation

After watching this anime, I was heartbroken, and there were tears in my eyes. The ray of hope presented at the very end, however, limited this sad feeling. Perhaps, for viewers such as myself, a good five minutes of the last episode were spent detailing what some characters did after the show, providing a small sense of closure. The main love theme makes a faint echo in the dying seconds of the episode, leaving the viewer with hope, and a sense of optimism. Although this series did induce tears, they were tears brought about by witnessing the beauty of human emotions, not tears brought about by witnessing death and brutality.

If one thing marred the presentation slightly, it was the fact that a good episode and a half was spent on comedic elements. While these provided comic relief in retrospect, they occurred too early in the series to relieve any of the real drama.

In finishing this review, I would like to reiterate that this series, through masterful use of music, visuals, and plot unity, provides a watching experience which is like no other. This series is an emotional roller-coaster in every sense of the word - there are ups, there are downs, and the show will take you up and down along with it. At the end, after the ride, the series leaves on a high note, more beautiful than depressing, not drawing cheap tears through killing people, but inducing tears from beauty. Indeed, few other series' can achieve this sort of lasting emotional impact.

Rating

10 (excellent)

Final Verdict

9.17 (very good)

Reviewed by ArcticFlame, 1y 33wk ago