Tactical Roar

Premise

In the near future, a hypercane has appeared in the Pacific Ocean, causing a series of worldwide climate changes.[7] This storm, dubbed the "Grand Roar," has been stable for over 50 years. Climate changes make air travel and transport less reliable, and thus the world has begun reverting to a second naval age, particularly in the Asian region.[8] However, the world's condition also heralds the return of piracy and the growth of maritime terrorism, causing many large international companies to arm themselves and setting up their own private naval security forces.

At the outset of the series, Systems Engineer Hyōsuke Nagimiya runs into the crew of the Pascal Magi, one such maritime security ship. He gets into a few typical compromising situations before finally being introduced as a software engineer assigned to update the systems on board the ship. He meets his stepsister, the captain of the war vessel, Captain Nanaha Misaki, who treats him as a stranger. Although he refers to her as 'sister,' he still thinks of her as a woman nonetheless. During the duration of his duties, the ship is called into combat, where Hyosuke begins to understand the nature of the Pascal Magi and its crew's battle potential as the vessel flings itself into the fight.

Cast

Episodes

Technology, locations, and terminology

There are many weapons shown in the show apart from the Pascal Magi.[11] For instance, the Haru-Nico has frigates designed for commercial escort like the Rajdae class destroyer, Oliver, and Coleman. For the Western Army, there is a flagship, a support fleet flagship, and a destroyer. For the escort hunters, they have large ship which hunts escort ships, a stealth system, a missile boat, a supersonic missile named alfal, a camouflaged container carrier, and a Wecken attack helicopter. Additionally, there is the Wacken system which controls attack helicopters, an attack submarine called the Methusela, an electronic jamming device called an ECM buoy, anti-air mines, and a work research vessel that has the functions of sunken ship and floating dock called Friedkin, and many more.

The show has a number of different locations.[12] One of the key one is Namba Island, a huge man-made island in the Western Pacific Ocean, as it is a small natural island in the center, with a donut-shaped artificial island surrounding it. Additionally, a large train operates on the artificial island, is connected to an airfield with a 4000m-class runway that floats far west of the island. The city is roughly composed of a resort area in the north, a residential area in the northeast, a commercial area in the southeast, an industrial area and a harbor in the south, and a Western Guard base in the southwest. In addition, a hydrogen plant group floats in a semicircular shape concentric with the artificial island on the eastern offshore. The haru-nico security guarantee Nanbajima branch office and the company's wharf are located at a corner of the port on the south side of the island, and the company's ships, including Pascal Mage, are moored. The show's other locations were also affected by the Grand Roar, a huge cyclone that suddenly appeared in the Western Pacific 50 years before the story premiered, the catastrophe caused when the cyclone occurred, and a spiral cloud that extends from the cyclone called the Spiral Band. These locations included the Column Ally, an infamous strait, with general shipping routes compressed due to the influence of the Grand Roar, the small country of East Luz in the Southwest Pacific, which suffers from corruption, poverty, and other issues, the plant nation known as the Republic of Nachroma which started when the refugees who had been generated in large numbers after the Grand Roar and who were discharged from economically vulnerable states living on floating regions. Finally, there is the Sea Realm Movement, a megafloat (artificial island) constructed on the sea should be recognized as a territory, and a movement to claim territorial waters and an exclusive economic zone based on it.

There are a number of terms used in the show.[12] On the Pascal Magi, enemy ships of unknown affiliation which engaged in piracy were defined as "illegal," while condition zebra meant that all ships are now in full control of their combat regime, damage control refers to a department that provides first-aid measures when a ship is damaged by battle. There were also terms to refer to each side of the helm, specific call signs like "Current Alpha" and "Drop One" which both are used by the Pascal Magi. Additionally, the crew used the phrase "Aye, Shorty!" which is a synonym for "Aye, Sir!" (used on the Coleman), meaning that something will be immediately executed. Although the female form should be "Aye, ma'am!", shorty refer to a slang term for attractive women, girlfriends and girls. Also, the phrase "Aye, Fellow!" is uttered by a crew member understands when a crew member reports or makes a statement with "fellow" referring to "colleagues." Finally, Nanaha uses the term "Right over" meaning that she understands the matter, and it seems to be a response word used by the highest commander on the spot.

Related products

On the DVD for the show were seven short episodes, which were not depicted in the main story, directed by Yoshitaka Fujimoto, and storyboarded by Takeshi Ito.[13][14] These accompanied each episode, along with images noting JSDF coverage, specific images, mechanical drawings of characters, and settings. Two singles of music from the song were introduced, as was the "Tactical Roar" Original Soundtrack.[15] There were also models of the Pascal Magi (manufactured by Pit Road), and two other models of ships from the show. Also on October 6, 2006, Hobby Japan published the Complete Tactical Roar book,[16] the characters were reportedly featured in a comic[17] and an event was held relating to the show in some manner.[18] The anime had a Blu-Ray release on December 24, 2015, with a retail price of 15,000 Yen.[19]

Mai Nakahara, who plays Nanami, and Kana Ueda, who plays Sango, humorously talked on a radio show as their characters.[20][5][21] A few years later, in a post announcing a DVD of these records said that Nakahara and Ueda's "logbooks," which aired from November 4, 2005, to June 30, 2006, before the show began airing, were "extremely popular."[22]

Reception

Reception to the show has been generally positive. Some pointed out that this "futuristic science-fiction anime" has comedic moments apart from the "military drama, action, and adventure," with nudity present but "nothing sexual about it," while claiming Nanaha is openly lesbian, pointing out the "strong plot," 3D visuals, and drama.[23] The same reviewer said that the anime run of 13 episodes is "normal for many Japanese anime titles," praising the show's premise, the focus on weather and climate change, focus on science, and the comedic elements. Another reviewer pointed out that Nanaha has been kissed by two characters, her stepbrother, Hyousuke, and Estrela, a vice-president, noting the show's yuri themes and its fan service.[24] Others said that the anime resembled the Girls und Panzer anime due to its realistic military portrayal and "beautiful girl[s]" when reviewing an event with the show's staff.[25] They also praised the "realistic contemporary naval warfare," while noting the anime's romantic and comedic elements. Other critics praised the marine/naval battle action of the show, with most of the characters as women, and the commitment to the show's production, as part of an article which interviewed some from the show's staff and crew.[26]

References

External links

• Tactical Roar (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Official Tactical Roar site (in Japanese)
• Tactical Roa Staff Room / Web blog (archived in October 2006) (in Japanese)
• Tactical Roar Complete Book, sold by Hobby Japan
• Tactical Roar page on AT-X site (in Japanese)
• Page on Tactical Roar on the Anime Information Survey Office website (in Japanese)
• Tactical Roar characters list (in Japanese) on Rakuten, Inc.'s Showtime website, using official information from Bandai Visual