Comments on: Why so military, Sora no Woto?

By: Hellstorm901

Hellstorm901 — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 22:12:34 +0000

It’s easy to see that this show shows signs of our own history as in WWII many young british teenagers were encouraged or conscripted into the armed forces however in this show they comment that the supply corps are always forgetting shipments and the main characters equipment primarily their tank is none functioning.

The fortress overseeing no mans land seems to have no purpose and as it is manned by young female kind hearted soldiers you could believe that the purpose of the fort is to provide a nice public image for the military rather than housing battle ready soldiers.

By: Pontifus

Pontifus — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 23:22:14 +0000

Cool; thanks for providing the military context that I often lack. It’s especially interesting to me that, as someone who has trained soldiers, you’re saying that you could make young teenagers into soldiers, if need be. It never seemed too strange to me that a nation low on manpower might enlist young teens, given the historical precedent, but I didn’t think of the bigger picture of national survival.

Now I’m wondering, what’s Gundam’s excuse for teenage soldiers? Other than that the Federation is usually a wet noodle of a government, anyway. In 0079, for example, I get why Zeon might’ve hired them young, but the Federation has an overwhelming advantage in terms of available population.

By: Animewriter

Animewriter — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:38:22 +0000

If you look at the war in Sora no Woto in an historical light enlisting kids as young as Kureha and Kanata makes perfect sense; It’s quite obvious that Helvetia has just entered the armistice phase of a war of national survival.

Historically when a country fights a war of national survival (WWII GB vs Germany, Russia vs Germany, and so forth) a country will put almost 100% of it’s GDP towards survival, and that includes enlisting kids as young as 14 for tasks such as rear defense, supply, support, and even combat if it gets that bad.

So, in the context of Sora no Woto’s reality I could easily see how the age of adulthood could be 14-14. If you noticed in the first episode those soldiers that Kanata shared the train car with were hardened combat veterans that were thankful to have survived, and they didn’t seem to be the least bit shocked seeing someone as young as Kanata in the military.

Having spent 23 years in the US Army I’ve trained and lead many 17-18 year olds (you can join at 17 if the parents approve), and I can tell you that you could easily properly train kids as young as maybe 15-16 to be good soldiers (hell, girls mature faster than boys, so I think they’d make better soldiers at that age).

By: Pontifus

Pontifus — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 20:40:00 +0000

But, given war, things like no-man’s-land are tenuous, and maps change at the drop of a hat. I’m not saying I really think these girls will end up in a proper battle, mind you.

By: Pontifus

Pontifus — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 20:36:19 +0000

Yeah, I get you. What I’m saying is, they may not literally be conscripts, but perhaps society cuts off other avenues and nudges them toward military service — not conscripts, but as good as, more or less. Why it would do so during a period of relative peace I’m not sure.

You know, I thought I might get Haibane Renmei vibes from this, but I’m not. Not really. Not yet, anyway. But I do have…if not remarkably high hopes for it, then at least confidence that it’ll be pretty good.

By: Son Gohan

Son Gohan — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 10:45:35 +0000

From the map you can see that Seize confines with “Nomansland”. This seems the name of a desert or an unpopulated area. Kureha is boasting that their platoon is tasked to defend Helvetia’s border but in actuality there is no danger coming from Nomansland.
Also the thing about the old school being bigger than every school in the capital suggests that this world is very underpopulated. This could be another reason why they enlist young girls in the military.

By: Kairu

Kairu — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 08:57:56 +0000

“Why so K-ON S2, Sora no Woto?”
Fix’d

By: Maserbeam

Maserbeam — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 03:16:33 +0000

On point of (2), they’re not conscripts. The war is either over, or the show takes place during an armistice. Maybe. But if this series actually focuses on the “quiet decline” part, I’m assuming the war is done. It’s also implied that Kanata joined because of the trumpeter she meets in one of the flashbacks.

I’m getting Haibane Renmei vibes, so I’m liking it. :)