Love and Friendship! Girls Be Ambitious from Sora no Woto (Review)

As a preface to this review, I have to admit a strong bias in favor of Haruka Tomatsu. Ever since I listened to her performance of “motto☆Hade ni ne!,” which functioned as Kannagi’s opening theme, I was hooked on Tomatsu’s vocals, especially because of the energy that she channels into the innuendo-laden song. Add some compelling animated choreography to the opening and you have an enthralling memorable experience on your hands. Her other anime-related works have not disappointed and overall, she’s a lot better than most seiyuu-singers out there.

Sometimes, that’s enough, especially when it fits in with the context of the anime. “Girls, Be Ambitious” is no different in that regard. For those who aren’t aware, this single serves as the ending theme (ED) for Sora no Woto aka Song of the Skies, an anime series about a squad of girls in the military and their joys, fears, and tribulations that they experience day in, day out. It’s one of the few shows that I kept up with from the winter 2010 season because of its promises of a plot and its setting. Though this ED is far from exemplary, it channels the enthusiasm and energy that the girls possess as they go about doing their duties.

More after the jump!

The first thing to catch your attention should be the “Girls, Be Ambitious” mood, which is upbeat through the opening lines that exuberantly shout out, “Aijou! Yuujou!” (“Love! Friendship!”) to start things off. As the song gets underway, it is hard to divorce the song’s atmosphere from Sora no Woto. In each episode, we see the girls trying their hardest to become good soldiers, while working together as a well-rounded unit when needed and relaxing when the occasion calls for it. Having this song as the ED reinforces not only the dedication they have to their training, but also their camaraderie.

That said, this song isn’t for everyone, especially those who dislike the overuse of Engrish phrases scattered here and there and the backup vocals, which can come across as being just a bit cheesy at times. You’d have to be able to tolerate its huge doses of happiness as each line brims with optimism, but if this joyful sound is to your liking, “Girls Be Ambitious” is hard to turn away from, and in the end, Sora no Woto just wouldn’t be the same without this song to close it out each week.

The B-side, titled “Mirai Dokei,” is far more calming as it focuses upon evoking a sense of nostalgia and introspection. Tomatsu’s voice is always hopeful and during the chorus segment, the way her voice rises feels uplifting, bringing forth images of a wonderful past, but a better future. The atmosphere is emphasized further through the acoustic guitar and the piano, both of which carry the soft melody all the way up to the end. Though this song feels much more generic than “Girls, Be Ambitious,” it’s still enjoyable to listen to.

Together, the two songs make for a good listening experience. The degree to which they’ll stick in your memory will depend how much of an impact Sora no Woto’s ED sequence has on you assuming you’ve seen the show. Looked at in terms of Tomatsu’s body of work though, it’s certainly on par with the music she’s put forth and if you like that, I’d definitely suggest giving this single a shot. It’s available at CD Japan.

If nothing else, talking about this album does give me an excuse to share a bit about Sora no Woto. Feel free to sound off about the anime or this particular single. Think Tomatsu manages to deliver once more here?