Stratos 4

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Stratos 4
ストラトス・フォー (Stratos4)
Genre	Science fiction, Moé
TV anime
Directed by	Takeshi Mori
Studio	Studio Fantasia, Bandai Visual
Network	Animax, Bandai Channel
Original run	January 5, 2003 – March 30, 2003
No. of episodes	13
OVA
Directed by	Takeshi Mori
Studio	Studio Fantasia, Bandai Visual
No. of episodes	2
Released	28 May 2004
OVA: Stratos 4: Advance
Directed by	Takeshi Mori
Studio	Studio Fantasia, Bandai Visual
No. of episodes	6
Released	25 March 2005
OVA: Stratos 4: Advance Kanketsu Hen
Directed by	Takeshi Mori
Studio	Studio Fantasia, Bandai Visual
No. of episodes	2
Released	22 September 2006

Stratos 4 (ストラトス・フォー, Stratos 4^?) is an anime series by Studio Fantasia and Bandai Visual, and directed by Takeshi Mori. 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, followed by Stratos 4: Advance, which spanned 6 episodes and was released on 25 March 2005, and Stratos 4: Advance Kanketsu Hen, 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's distributive unit across the region, Bandai Entertainment.

Contents 1 Story 2 Characters 2.1 Main characters 2.2 Secondary characters 3 Background 3.1 Locations 3.2 Technology 4 Vehicles and weapons 4.1 Stratos 4 (TV) - 2003 4.2 Aircraft 4.3 Land vehicles 4.4 Stratos 4: Return to Base (OAV) - 2004 4.5 Stratos 4: Advance (OAV) - 2005 4.6 Aircraft 4.7 Spacecraft 4.8 Aircraft 4.9 Spacecraft 4.10 Missiles 4.11 Flight profile 5 Episodes 5.1 Stratos 4 (TV, 2003) 5.2 Stratos 4 OVA (2004) 5.3 Stratos 4 Advance OVA (2005-2006) 5.4 Stratos 4 Advance Kanketsu Hen OVA (2006) 6 Music 6.1 Theme music 6.2 Original soundtrack 6.3 Character song album 7 Trivia 8 External links

[edit] Story

Fifty years before the series begins, scientists learn that a group of comets will enter the Solar System on a collision course with Earth. The United Nations 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 on Shimoji Island some time in the 21st century, where Mikaze and her friends are tasked to defend the Earth from large fragments left over after a failed attempt by the Comet Blasters, who are based on one of seven space stations, 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.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Main characters

• Shimoji airbase:
  • Mikaze Honjou¹ (本庄美風, Honjou Mikaze^?), (Seiyū - Yumi Kakazu), (English - Rachel Kempel), candidate pilot
  • Shizuha Doi (土井静羽, Doi Shizuha^?), (Seiyū - Kaori Shimizu) (English - Lisa Enochs), candidate pilot
  • Ayamo² Nakamura (中村彩雲, Nakamura Ayamo^?), (Seiyū - Shiho Kikuchi/Mie Sonozaki in Stratos 4 Advance Kanketsuhen) (English - Elisa Fiorillo), candidate pilot
  • Karin Kikuhara (菊原香鈴, Kikuhara Karin^?), (Seiyū - Fumiko Orikasa) (English - Stacey Q), candidate pilot
  • Sayaka Kisaragi (如月沙弥華, Kisaragi Sayaka^?), (Seiyū - Sayaka Ohara) (English - Michael-Ann Rowe), sub-commander and instructor
  • Kazuma Iwasaki (岩崎和馬, Iwasaki Kazuma^?), (Seiyū - Kouji Tsujitani) (English - Greg Lastrapes), official pilot and instructor
  • Kouichiro Sako (佐古浩一郎, Sako Kouichiro^?), (Seiyū - Mitsuo Iwata) (English - Milton Lawrence), chief mechanic
  • Robert Reynolds (ロバート・レイノルズ, Robert Reynolds^?), (Seiyū - Yousuke Akimoto) (English - Lou Savage), Shimoji base commander

Note 1 - Alternate spellings: Honjo, Honjyou

Note 2 - Alternate spelling: Ayamu

[edit] Secondary characters

• Shimoji airbase:
  • Kei Fujitani (藤谷圭, Fujitani Kei^?), (Seiyū - Tomokazu Seki), (English - Thomas Scofield), official pilot
  • Tsubasa Miyazaki (宮沢翼, Miyazaki Tsubasa^?), (Seiyū - Hideki Tasaka), (English voice - Devin Kamin), candidate pilot
  • Sora Ikeda (池田空, Ikeda Sora^?), (Seiyū - Hiroyuki Yoshino), (English - Chris Ogden), candidate pilot
  • Touko Mukai (向日塔子, Mukai Touko^?), (Seiyū - Misa Kimura), (English - Alla Kardot), air traffic controller
• Kouchin Restaurant:
  • Rin Mikuriya (御厨リン, Mikuriya Rin^?), (Seiyū - Hisako Kyouda), (English - Debbie Grattan), Kouchin restaurant chef
  • Ran Mikuriya (御厨ラン, Mikuriya Ran^?), (Seiyū - Michiko Neya), (English - Carrie Gordon), Kouchin restaurant waitress
  • Alice "Admiral" Mikuriya (御厨アリス（テイトク）, Mikuriya Arisu (Teitoku)^?), (Seiyū - Mayumi Asano), old female cat
• Orbital Station #7:
  • Miharu Ohzora³ (宙美春, Ohzora Miharu^?), (Seiyū - Yoko Soumi), (English - Leisa Jo Waller), Orbital Station #7 commander
  • Chizuru Kubo (久保千鶴, Kubo Chizuru^?), (Seiyū - Akiko Hiramatsu), (English - Sara Sido), member of Comet Blasters
  • Annette Kerry (アネット・ケイリー, Annette Kerry^?), (Seiyū - Megumi Toyoguchi), (English - Laurel Hatfield), member of Comet Blasters
  • Betty Boozeman (ベティ・ブーゼマン, Betty Boozeman^?), (Seiyū - Satsuki Yukino), (English - Alla Kardot), member of Comet Blasters
  • Chris Calman (クリス・カルマン, Chris Calman^?), (Seiyū - Yuu Asakawa), (English - Melissa Saltzman), member of Comet Blasters

Note 3 - Alternate spelling: Oozora

[edit] Background

[edit] Locations

• Shimoji Island
  • Shimoji airbase
    • Control tower
    • Hangars
    • Runway
    • Classrooms
    • Simulator rooms
    • Gym
  • Kouchin Restaurant
    • Boarding house
• Okinawa Island
  • Agency building
• Guam Island
  • Andersen AFB
• Tanegashima Island
• Outer space
  • Orbital Station #7
  • Orbital Station #8

[edit] Technology

Some of the technological devices and systems used in Stratos 4:

• Zero-Length Launch (ZELL) system, a TELAR truck-based method for runway-less takeoff of interceptor aircraft, similar to surface-to-air missile launcher trucks
• Rocket-Assisted Takeoff (RATO), booster rockets fixed under the wings of the interceptors
• Reaction Control System (RCS), a system of puffers used to turn air- and spacecraft in very thin air and outer space
• Lightweight Pressure Suits, special suits worn by crews for high-atmosphere and space flights

[edit] Vehicles and weapons

The aircraft used in the anime span from the 1950s to the present day. All spacecraft are fictional.

[edit] Stratos 4 (TV) - 2003

[edit] Aircraft

Name	Image	Type	Number	Description
BAC TSR-2MS		Very-high altitude interceptor	8	Shimoji Island's main interceptor aircraft.
Yakovlev Yak-28MST		Trainer aircraft	4+	Shimoji Island's main trainer aircraft.
Raytheon Hawker 800		Business jet	1	Shimoji Island's main shuttle aircraft between the island and mainland Japan.
CH-47 Chinook		Large transport helicopter	1	Shuttles the airbase staff between Shimoji Island and "some hot springs".
C-17 Globemaster III		Four-engined jet transport	1	Makes an unannounced landing at Shimoji airbase, carrying armed government troops as well as CEMA agents.
SAC-0 "Stratos 0/4" (B-58 Hustler)		Prototype interceptor spaceplane	1	A proposed spaceplane

[edit] Land vehicles

Name	Image	Type	Number	Description
TELAR		Mobile launch platform for interceptor aircraft	8+	8×8 mobile launch platform truck, for Zero-Length Launch (ZLL) takeoffs. They carry the interceptors from the hangars to the launch area.
Small motorbike		Motorcycle	4	Kouchin Restaurant's delivery bikes, used by the 4 protagonists to deliver takeout orders. Also used to travel from the boarding house to the Shimoji Airbase when they wake up late.

[edit] Stratos 4: Return to Base (OAV) - 2004

Same as Stratos 4 (TV) - 2003.

[edit] Stratos 4: Advance (OAV) - 2005

[edit] Aircraft

Name	Image	Type	Number	Description
Mikoyan MiG-31MS		Very-high altitude interceptor	2	Shimoji Island's new interceptor aircraft. Has increased payload and max speed over the TSR-2MS. Launched from the same TELARs.
C-130 Hercules		Four-engined turboprop transport	1	Carries support equipmentand spare parts for the two MiG-31MSes, as well as the simulators for those planes. Is also Lud's transport.
Vickers-Supermarine Type-559MS		Experimental interceptor aircraft	1	An experimental interceptor aircraft air-dropped from the YB-60 at medium altitude. Equipped with an ultra-long-range radar, a very advanced flight computer and a simulation missile ("dummy missile") without warhead. Has two rocket engines. Has poor maneuverability.
Convair YB-60		Carrier aircraft	1	Carries the Type-559MS experimental aircraft on the starboard wing between the fuselage and inboard starboard engine pod.

[edit] Spacecraft

Name	Image	Type	Number	Description
Orbital Station #8		Space station	1	The new home of the Comet Blasters
Ilyushin Il-SX1		Unmanned interceptor spacecraft	2+	Remote-controlled

[edit] Aircraft

Most aircraft are from the Cold War era, retrofitted with modern powerplants, avionics and flight control systems. The anime demonstrates well a hypothetical joint-use of American, European, Soviet and Japanese technologies for the common goal of shooting down meteor debris and protecting the Earth.

• Main
  • BAC TSR-2MS Very-high Altitude Interceptor
  • Yakovlev Yak-28MST Trainer Aircraft
  • Raytheon Hawker 800 Business Jet
• Other
  • Sud Aviation Caravelle Airliner
  • Boeing CH-47 Chinook Transport Helicopter
  • Boeing C-17A Globemaster III Transport Plane
  • Convair B-58 Hustler Prototype Interceptor Spaceplane

[edit] Spacecraft

• SAC-1B Anti-comet Space Interceptor
• Orbital Station
  • Station #7

[edit] Missiles

• Trident Missile (Air)
• Trident Missile (Space)

[edit] Flight profile

In the event a comet approaches the Earth with a high collision probability, all Meteor Sweeper (MS) bases are put on Standby. In the case where the Comet Blasters fail to shatter completely the comet, allowing one or more fragments to fall into the Earth's atmosphere, the Meteor Sweepers in the expected impact zones are dispatched to intercept those fragments.

Stratos 4 focuses on one such MS team, located on the island of Shimoji in Japan. The Shimoji MS squadron operates a fleet of TSR-2MS interceptors, each equipped with one "Trident" anti-meteor hi-explosive missile, an internal booster (named "Third Engine") and two booster packs (RATOs).

The aircraft take off in a rocket-like manner where it is launched from a truck-mounted railed launchpad rather than taking off conventionally by runway. For redundancy reasons, always two aircraft are launched together per dispatch. The pilots fly the aircraft in a prone position. This is never explained; it is assumed to be used to counteract G-force. At mid altitude (30,000-40,000 ft), the boosters burn out and are dropped.

The TSR-2MSs rise swiftly into the stratosphere, where they fly in an inverted position like the space shuttle before delivering their payload. The "Third Engine" is ignited while inverted. At high altitude (80,000-100,000 ft), jet throttle is reduced, then, at very high altitude (120,000-150,000 ft), "Third Engine" throttle is also reduced. Both aircraft return to an upright attitude, lock onto the target and fire the "Trident" missile one after another (within approximately 5 seconds apart).

The TSR-2MS is depicted in episode CODE 103: Decision Height as being able to fly high enough to reach low Earth orbit before it runs out of fuel and stalls. The TSR-2MS has no braking chute, but has an arresting hook for emergency landings. The aircraft that "gets the kill" is later painted with a red comet icon on the fuselage side.

With the meteor destroyed, the base returns to Standby.

[edit] Episodes

[edit] Stratos 4 (TV, 2003)

• CODE 101: Initial Point
• CODE 102: Fox One
• CODE 103: Decision Height
• CODE 104: Tally Ho!
• CODE 105: Go Around
• CODE 106: Checking Six
• CODE 107: High Speed
• CODE 108: Go Gate
• CODE 109: Vapor Trail
• CODE 110: Mission Abort
• CODE 111: Target Merge
• CODE 112: Engage!
• CODE 113: Final Approach

[edit] Stratos 4 OVA (2004)

• CODE X-1: Return To Base (28/05/2004)
• CODE X-2: Dispersión (27/08/2004)

[edit] Stratos 4 Advance OVA (2005-2006)

• CODE 201: Wave Off (25/03/2005)
• CODE 202: Roll Out (27/05/2005)
• CODE 203: Angle of Attack (22/07/2005)
• CODE 204: Clear Air Turbulence (23/09/2005)
• CODE 205: Dash One (25/11/2005)
• CODE 206: Lost Position (27/01/2006)

[edit] Stratos 4 Advance Kanketsu Hen OVA (2006)

• CODE 207: Cross-Wind Take Off (22/09/2006)
• CODE 208: Piper on the Target (27/10/2006)

[edit] Music

The music for Stratos 4 was composed by Masamichi Amano.

[edit] Theme music

Opening theme

1st Priority by Melocure (Ritsuko Okazaki & Megumi Hinata)

Ending themes

Himawari by Melocure (eps. 01-12)

So Far, So Near by Melocure (ep. 13)

Rainbow Kind of Feeling by Melocure (first OVA series)

Chiisana Uta by Melocure (second OVA series: Stratos 4: Advance)

[edit] Original soundtrack

• 01 - S.S. Keikaku
• 02 - 1st Priority (TV size)
• 03 - Mikaze no Theme
• 04 - Uturo
• 05 - Suisei Sekkin
• 06 - Hijyou Keikai Taisei
• 07 - Kunren
• 08 - Kunrensei no Nichijyou
• 09 - Ashita wo Yume Mite
• 10 - Nigiyaka na Nakama-Tachi
• 11 - Akogare
• 12 - So Far, So Near (TV size)
• 13 - Kinkyuu Hasshin
• 14 - Geigeki Kaishi!!
• 15 - Kyodai Suisei no Kyoui
• 16 - Semarikuru Kiki
• 17 - Hisho! Stratos4
• 18 - Yujyo
• 19 - Madoromi
• 20 - Heiwa Heno Inori
• 21 - Himawari

[edit] Character song album

• 01 - 1st Priority
• 02 - Tojei Jikake no Tsubasa
• 03 - Mabushii Kara
• 04 - Doko ni Ite mo
• 05 - Sabishii Mama de
• 06 - So Far, So Near (Acoustic version)
• 07 - Himawari (TV size)
• 08 - Unnamed BGM 1
• 09 - Unnamed BGM 2
• 10 - Unnamed BGM 3
• 11 - Unnamed BGM 4
• 12 - Unnamed BGM 5
• 13 - Unnamed BGM 6
• 14 - Unnamed BGM 7
• 15 - Himawari (Original karaoke)

[edit] Trivia

• In episode CODE 108: Go Gate, Dita Liebely and Maia Gisborn appear as cameos.
• Most of the seiyū who provide the voices for the characters in the series also provide the voices for the characters in Vandread. This anime was also directed by Takeshi Mori.

[edit] External links

• Official Stratos 4 website (Japanese)
• Bandai Channel's official homepage for Stratos 4 (Japanese)
• Bandai Entertainment's homepage for Stratos 4 (English)
• Stratos 4 at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia (English)