Yukari Morita starts her summer vacation, travels to a remote island, becomes an astronaut, and begins and ends the search for her long lost father all in 2 episodes. ..Am I sure I didn't just watch the whole series?


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Needless to say, I think this show probably shouldn't be taken too seriously... but seeing as it sort of treats itself that way, it gets pretty tough sometimes.

The story revolves around Yukari Morita, a second year highschool student who attends the Neriss School for girls in Japan. ...But we'll get to her later.
SSA (Solomon Space Association) is Japan's mini answer to NASA, is located in the tropical Solomon Islands, and has been planning to send a Japanese into space for some time. ..However, due to an umpteen number of failures, the budget is worn down to nearly nothing. They are left to work with a small, weak rocket that only has power to lift a pilot under 40 kg into orbit. Of course, SSA's trained pilot(s?) are nowhere near that size (nor are they entirely willing to be sent up into that death trap), so SSA's left in a bit of a pickle.

Thankfully, at this moment Yukari just happens to be on her own little expedition to the Solomon Islands (by herself..) -- her motive being to find her father who dissappeared on the remote Axio Island during his honeymoon some 17 years ago. After getting lost and nearly killed, she meets up with a Isao Nasuda, the head honcho over at SSA, who sees Yukari as a gift from God. He offers to help find Yukari's father for her... in exchange that she help them with a little part-time job. What kind of job? Oh it's simple -- so easy, in fact, "a monkey could do it".

..And that's more or less what we get to see in episode 1. Of course, Yukari is left clueless that the "part time job" she volunteered for is actually that of a space pilot until the second episode, but she doesn't take the news too badly (noisily, on the other hand...). After all, to find her father, she'll do anything. ..At least for the summer, anyway.



Luckily, with most of the plot and setting establishment out of the way, the second episode proves to be a lot more enjoyable... especially if you're a bit of a sadist. Scene after scene is Yukari being forced into one embarassing and confusing situation after another on her first day of training, all the while demanding a proper explanation of it all (one particularly embarassing scene worth noting is when Yukari is forced to get naked in cold room in order to get fitted for her space suit. Accentuated by... an incredibly creepy doctor there for the measurements). Of course, all of this torment is still more funny than it is pitiable. ..Or at least I think it is.

The story, however, takes a few unexpected leaps forward after Yukari is shoved out a plane (still training, of course) and lands in a nearby village. She's greeted by a young, happy-go-lucky girl named Matsuri who thankfully speaks Japanese. After Yukari introduces herself, Matsuri notes that the village chief has the same last name as her. What a coincidence!

Long story short, the eccentric village chief is most certainly Yukari's father (verified by Yukari herself) and Matsuri just happens to be his daughter (and therefore, Yukari's half-sister). After a funny/serious scene that included Yukari threatening to take her father home by gunpoint, to two decide on a compromise. Yukari's father (who's name is Hiroshi, by the way) will go home with her, after Yukari goes up into space. This way, Hiroshi has time to say goodbye to his village, and Yukari won't have to ditch the job she just signed up for. So everyone's happy.

That is, if Yukari's father actually believes she'll survive the trip..

Oh and for good measure, Isao hires Matsuri (who also happens to meet the weight requirement) to be Yukari's backup pilot. Two catches in one week! What a lucky man you are, Isao!



Impressions:
Okay, disregarding how realistic it must seem to become an astronaut over summer break, this is turning out to be a pretty good show. Mostly thanks to Yukari, who kind of reminds me of Haruhi (Eri Sendai and Aya Hirano's voices sound similar to me..). This makes the times when things don't exactly go her way all the more enjoyable. Matsuri is good for a token feral girl-character, and has been proven useful (in ep 3) to give way to some surprise yuri (incest..??) moments between her and Yukari. Also, the third astronaut, Akane Miura, hasn't been seen since the first few minutes of the first episode, and I have no idea how or when she'll come into the story. ...But I do hope it'll be soon. She's so cute I fear she may already be my favorite.

Unfortunately, despite all that's going for it, it looks as if this show probably won't get much attention. Seeing as unlike other two mid-season shows (Pretty Cure 5, and Ikkitousen Dragon Destiny) it's not a part of a huge, long-running series with established popularity (former), nor is it a 24-minute panty shot (latter).

Either way, if you're into watching raws, give this show a shot. But I hope it gets subbed sometime, however... granted, with some 40 new shows coming with the Spring season, subbers might become too busy, and this show might be doomed to be overlooked... TT^TT


...Well, at least there'll be more people to sub Idolmaster! （ * °∀°）b
(seriously, even I'm gonna be all over that show.)

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