Alderamin on the Sky

Episode 6

So the big surprise about this episode is that it does not continue the flashback of the previous episode, which ended on a mild cliffhanger. Presumably, the series will return to it once its content becomes more directly relevant. Even if that is the plan though, it makes for an awkward transition between these two episodes.

Instead, we get a foundation episode for the next story arc. We hear a little more explanation about the situation surrounding Anarai, the scientist that Ikta studied under who sought asylum in the Kioka Republic. We also learn about other elements – a pretty private who's interested in one of Anarai's books, revisiting an area populated by a people that Ikta visited before with Anarai – to suggest that Anarai will be a prominent background figure throughout the arc. The main plot focuses on the Imperial Knights (and Chamille) getting assigned to a base in the Northern Region for the continuation of their training. The region is marked by an impassible mountain range, but it's also populated by an indigenous people that sometimes cause the Empire trouble. As we can infer from the end of the episode, that trouble is sometimes provoked by the Empire, and they've done something recently to raise the locals' ire to an explosive level. The camera plays coy with exactly what the Imperial forces stole from the Sinack people, but my guess is that “kidnapping” is probably a better word for it, and their transgression has something to do with Sinack spiritualism.

The path here seems like a predictable one, especially with Ikta discovering whatever (or whoever) the fortress has sequestered away in its dungeon. The locals are going to cause trouble, which the Imperial forces will have to oppose, until Ikta can figure out a way to resolve things peacefully. In other words, Ikta will have to clean up a mess created by the base's seemingly incompetent commander, a process that he already starts this episode by calling out some corruption involving book-selling. This will also likely dovetail into further lessons to Chamille about how to run an empire, which already includes Ikta's caution to her to remember that the support of people like Yatori (who engages in a standard duel to prove her family lineage's mettle) is what really keeps the Empire strong, and she shouldn't ever lose sight of that. This is a totally fine direction to go in, as it presents numerous possibilities for both military and diplomatic tactics, though it hardly rouses enthusiasm. Hopefully it will delve more into some comments tossed off about contrasts between local and Imperial religions and how that might be at the core of the impending problem.

As the characters go, I am beginning to wonder if at least some of Ikta's flirting isn't an act to lower people's expectations for him, as at least some of it is starting to sound forced. Still, the bigger issue is Haroma. Although she actually has a few lines this time, she never really does anything important, and we never get any deeper insight into her. She displays no internal conflict and little will or personality, which Matthew and Torway at least have to some degree. She seems to exist in the group only to be the requisite healer and provide a target for Ikta's flirting that isn't (inappropriately) Chamille or (bestie rather than lover) Yatori. The lack of any real development for the little companion spirits is the other gaping hole right now. Still, at least the technical merits are holding firm at a high level.

Overall, there are no glaring trouble spots with this episode, but there are a couple of lingering issues.

Rating: B-

Alderamin on the Sky is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.