Actually, when one thinks about it, some of the issues make some sense on further reflection... provided that you are 1) Asian, 2) live in Asia and thus understand the Asian mindset.
Why give the TSFs to the girls? Because, as has been said in the beginning of the episode, all the boys are already on the frontlines. Note also that this is
Imperial Japan - the Shogunate apparently never fell, or at least if World War 2
did happen in this timeline, postwar the Chrysanthemum Throne has regained its power.
Note also that the TSFs they're using are the Gekishin, which is the licensed Japanese production model of the F-4 Phantom, and the frontline fighter is the Type-82 Zuikaku, aka F-15 Eagle. They're not using the newest, best mecha - they're using old, practically useless, obselete units. Which actually makes sense, since there's no point in giving a high performance fighter to a trainee pilot.
At the same time though, it also explains why there are still tanks and self-propelled artillery: It's easier to train tank and artillery crews than pilots, who are notoriously expensive (a US Navy figure bandied about a decade ago claimed that one Naval Aviator would cost
2 million US Dollars for training alone).
The setting of Muv Luv is one of a crapsack world. Even more so than Gundam, people are born to die in this world. The whole point of the series, arguably, is not the skin tight practically transparent bodysuits with nothing worn underneath (which both teases the viewer with vapor wear, in addition to the human eye's habit of finding long, sleek shapes naturally pleasing) or the mecha, but about an entire race deciding that they will not go quietly into the night.
Sometimes, you have to make a last stand because it's your only option. There's nothing really inherently wrong with that. The vast majority of Medal of Honor citations have been for last stands.
While I don't like cute girls dying, and frankly I have low hopes for Yui's squad (a bunch of newbie pilots in obsolete TSFs with
zero combat time and practically zero training - not even reaching the 200th hour*) - it'd be like sending a flight of nuggets up against two squadrons of F-22s - what does catch my interest in this story is humanity's last stand. And so I watch, because there's something visceral about the last stand that calls out to others.
Also, one problem with this prologue, set in 1998, is that the promo releases say that Yui will be transferred to Alaska in 2001. So no matter what, she's surviving this. That kinda removes some tension, IMO.
...if promo releases and summaries which state that the main meat of the story takes place in 2001 and feature the main character are considered spoilers, I'll find a hat and eat it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by grevierr
In the Grim Darkness of Muv Luv, there is only NOM.
|
Huh. That's actually pretty catchy... and accurate. Wish I'd thought of that.
Edit: On an aside, who's voicing Yui's uncle? He sounds a
lot like Taxi Nakata, but I can't be totally sure... also, the Admiral commanding the 6th fleet is wearing navy shades at night.
Oh well, that's
one way to show he's a hardass man with a will of iron, I suppose.