is a Japanese
anime
is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
television series by
Studio Fantasia
was a Japanese animation studio. It was founded on October 12, 1983, by Tomohisa Iizuka, then an employee of Tsuchida Production, as its CEO.
On November 16, 2016, the company filed for bankruptcy.
Productions
TV series
*''Najica Blitz Tacti ...
and
Bandai Visual
was a Japanese anime, film production, and distribution enterprise, established by Bandai and a subsidiary of Bandai Namco Holdings. They focused mainly in international distribution of anime properties in North America.
Most of the anime and ...
, and directed by
Takeshi Mori.
Story
Fifty years before the series begins, scientists learn that a group of
comet
A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that, when passing close to the Sun, warms and begins to release gases, a process that is called outgassing. This produces a visible atmosphere or coma, and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena ar ...
s will enter the
Solar System
The Solar SystemCapitalization of the name varies. The International Astronomical Union, the authoritative body regarding astronomical nomenclature, specifies capitalizing the names of all individual astronomical objects but uses mixed "Solar S ...
on a collision course with Earth. The
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
set up a two-tiered global defense system against the threat: the primary one being a space-based Comet Blaster group and the secondary being a ground-based Meteor Sweeper group. Most of the series takes place on an
airbase
An air base (sometimes referred to as a military air base, military airfield, military airport, air station, naval air station, air force station, or air force base) is an aerodrome used as a military base by a military force for the operation ...
on
Shimoji Island
, ( Miyako: ''Sïmuzï'') is one of the Miyako Islands, a part of the Ryukyu Islands. The island is administered by Miyakojima, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The island is connected to Irabu Island via .
Shimoji-shima is included within the Ira ...
in 2024, where Mikaze and her friends are tasked with defending the
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...
from large fragments left over after a failed attempt by the Comet Blasters, who are based on one of seven
space stations
A space station is a spacecraft capable of supporting a human crew in orbit for an extended period of time, and is therefore a type of space habitat. It lacks major propulsion or landing systems. An orbital station or an orbital space station i ...
, to annihilate a comet. All is going well until a large meteorite crashes into a lightly populated island leading the girls on a run to find out the truth about the comets.
Release
Originally spanning a 13-episode anime TV series, which premiered across Japan between January 5, 2003 to March 30, 2003, the series was continued onto three OVA-series sequels, the first of which was released on 28 May 2004 and spanned 2-episodes. The series was then followed by ''Stratos 4: Advance'', which spanned 6 episodes and was released on 25 March 2005, and ''Stratos 4: Advance Final'', which was released on 22 September 2006 and spanned 2-episodes, respectively.
The series has been broadcast by the anime satellite television network, Animax, across its respective networks worldwide, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Latin America, and other regions. The original 13-episode television series and its first subsequent two-episode OVA series were licensed for North American distribution by
Bandai Entertainment USA. However, when Bandai Entertainment USA shut down, the series became unlicensed.
The series is one of the "main JSDF collaborative anime works", as noted by scholar Takayoshi Yamamura. The show's producer, Sugiyama Kiyoshi, is said to have conducted "extensive research about JSDF" with Yamamura saying that Kiyoshi is considered an "industry expert regarding collaboration between anime and JSDF."
Episode listing
Stratos 4 (2003-2004)
Stratos 4 Advance (2005-2006)
Stratos 4 Advance Final (2006)
Music
The music for ''Stratos 4'' was composed by
Masamichi Amano
is a Japanese music composer, arranger and conductor. He studied at the Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo and completed master's degree in 1982.
Biography
He graduated from Akita Minami High School and went on to study at Kunitachi College of ...
.
Further reading
*
*
References
External links
Official Stratos 4 websiteBandai Channel's official homepage for ''Stratos 4''Bandai Entertaiment page*
{{Studio Fantasia
2003 anime television series debuts
2004 anime OVAs
2005 anime OVAs
2006 anime OVAs
Action anime and manga
Anime with original screenplays
Aviation television series
Bandai Entertainment anime titles
Bandai Visual
Comedy anime and manga
Science fiction anime and manga
Studio Fantasia