Voices of a Distant Star

In 2047, Mikako Nagamine is alone in a hauntingly empty city, trying to reach others with her mobile phone. She desperately seeks contact, feeling the weight of isolation in a world that looks advanced but feels empty. This opening establishes Mikako's resolve to connect, even as she faces an overwhelming barrier of distance.

Mikako wakes up aboard her Tracer, orbiting an extrasolar planet. She realizes she is part of a war against the Tarsians and must assume frontline duties. The moment marks her transition from a trainee to a space-born fighter.

Mikako travels to Agartha, the fourth planet in the Sirius Solar System. The journey emphasizes the vast distances between her and Earth as the war unfolds. Her mission becomes clearer as she enters a new theater of conflict.

Mikako sends an email to Noboru dated 2047-09-16 with the subject 'I am here'. The message reveals that it will take eight years to reach him, underscoring the enormous distances involved. The delay foreshadows the emotional cost of their long separation.

Mikako becomes a Special Agent and pilots a giant mecha called the Tracer. She serves in a fighting squadron attached to the Lysithea, a spacecraft carrier. The scene establishes her as a key participant in the war against the Tarsians.

The Lysithea leaves Earth in search of the Tarsians, while Noboru remains on Earth. Communication across space relies on the ship's systems and delayed emails on mobile phones. The distance marks a turning point in their relationship.

As Lysithea travels deeper into space, the time-lag of messages grows into years. Mikako and Noboru's correspondence becomes a distant echo of their earlier closeness. The narrative uses this lag to explore memory, hope, and endurance.

Mikako's Tracer engages in a climactic battle as Tarsians close in. In the ensuing fight, three of the four warp-engine carriers are destroyed, leaving Lysithea battered but still afloat. Mikako's piloting helps stave off the catastrophe and preserves the ship.

After the battle, Mikako ensures the destruction of Lysithea is averted and lets her damaged Tracer drift into space. Her action embodies the cost and courage of her mission, even as she becomes adrift herself. The victory comes with a quiet, solitary ending to the immediate conflict.

Almost nine years after Mikako's initial contact, Noboru on Earth finally receives her email. The delayed message reaffirms the lasting distance between them and the possibility of a future reunion. It leaves their fate open to the imagination.

The film opens with memory flashes, including a haunting image of Mikako pleading with her doppelganger to see Noboru. These visions hint at love, longing, and the weight of separation. They set the emotional tone for Mikako's journey through space.

Distance and time stretch the gap between Mikako and Noboru, leaving their reunion unresolved for now. The narrative maintains a sense of hopeful ambiguity about a future meeting across the cosmos. Love and memory endure despite the vast distances.