@Triple_R Mikono is Iceman while Zessica is Maverick
Your response was great so I'm gonna piggyback on some points.
I agree that it seems that Zessica is there to make Mikono's flaws stand out. That's really screwing over Mikono. I don't get why the writers would do that? To make them contrast even more? I would it get that if that's what they were going for but they could have done it better.
Like you said Amata is a good guy, he's just too vanilla. We need a reason to get behind him.
They could have definitely played up the hero aspect of the vector pilots. The fate of the world is at stake, some Power Ranger style "You're not getting away with this!" or "Leave our planet alone" lines would really have helped. However Izumo and Jin did have moments like that.
Your Mikono and Zessica comparison was spot on.
I know I'm sounding like a broken record but we just needed more depth to the characters.
And your post was definitely not a rant.