Between the Sky and Sea
A media franchise about space fishermen and a smartphone game.
Between the Sky and Sea (Japanese: ソラとウミのアイダ, Hepburn: Sora to Umi no Aida; lit. "The Space Between the Sky and Sea") is a Japanese media franchise from Oji Hiroi, owned by ForwardWorks—at the time a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment. The franchise centers on a smartphone game that launched for Android and iOS on September 28, 2017. A Microsoft Windows version from DMM was planned for release in the second quarter of 2018 but never came out. The game shut down on May 7, 2019. An anime television series adaptation, produced by TMS Entertainment, ran from October 4 to December 20, 2018. Sentai Filmworks holds the license for the series.
The story follows several young women training to become space fishermen. Haru Soramachi, voiced by Karin Takahashi, is a 17-year-old from Tokyo who moves to Onomichi to chase that dream. She is close to her grandmother, who raised her after her parents separated, and loves cute things like cats. Namino Murakami, voiced by Rika Tachibana, is also 17 and from Onomichi; she is the most experienced of the group and initially resents Haru for botching her first mission. Namino enjoys pancakes and is a descendant of the Murakami Navy, a 16th-century pirate fleet active in the Seto Inland Sea. Ruby Azumi, voiced by Honoka Inoue, is a 16-year-old Japanese-American returnee from California who joins after rescuing the others during a failed training exercise. She calls herself a spy and came to Japan to investigate its space fishing technology. Maiko Sakura, voiced by Momoko Suzuki, is a shy 17-year-old from Akita Prefecture who became a space fisherman to learn about her older brother, who vanished on a fishing expedition years earlier. She initially fears water due to a childhood incident but later conquers that fear. Makiko Maki, voiced by Maori Komeno, is a 17-year-old from Kumamoto Prefecture who joined at the same time as Haru. She loves outdoor activities like cycling and used to date older men because her father, a Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries employee, was often away. It later emerges that her father covered up the disappearance of Maiko’s brother during the first space fishing expedition. Makoto Mitsurugi, voiced by Ai Kōsaka, is a 16-year-old from Kyoto from a family of swordsmiths. She became a space fisherman despite her fear of water to prove herself to her family.
Quick Facts
- Ja Romaji
- Sora to Umi no Aida
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The franchise centers on a group of young women who become space fishermen. The main characters include Haru Soramachi, a 17-year-old from Tokyo who moves to Onomichi to pursue her dream; Namino Murakami, a 17-year-old from Onomichi descended from 16th-century pirates; Ruby Azumi, a 16-year-old Japanese-American from California who calls herself a spy; Maiko Sakura, a 17-year-old from Akita Prefecture seeking her missing brother; Makiko Maki, a 17-year-old from Kumamoto Prefecture whose father covered up the disappearance of Maiko's brother; and Makoto Mitsurugi, a 16-year-old from Kyoto descended from swordsmiths.
The franchise's primary game was released for Android and iOS on September 28, 2017. A Microsoft Windows version by DMM was announced for Q2 2018 but never launched. The game's service ended on May 7, 2019. A manga adaptation serialized in Dengeki Daioh from September 2017 to November 2018 was compiled into two tankōbon volumes. An anime television series by TMS Entertainment aired from October 4 to December 20, 2018, and was streamed by Crunchyroll and licensed by Sentai Filmworks.
Reader's Guide
Between the Sky and Sea is notable as a Sony Interactive Entertainment subsidiary-owned franchise that attempted to blend fishing and science fiction themes. The smartphone game, released in 2017, was the franchise's primary product, but its service ended in May 2019, less than two years after launch. A planned Microsoft Windows version was announced but never released. The franchise expanded into a manga adaptation serialized in Dengeki Daioh and a 12-episode anime television series that aired in late 2018. The anime was streamed by Crunchyroll and licensed by Sentai Filmworks, giving it international distribution. The franchise's characters include detailed backstories involving family histories, personal motivations, and connections to Japanese regional culture, such as the Murakami Navy pirates and a Ministry of Agriculture cover-up. Despite the game's short lifespan, the anime adaptation and manga provided additional avenues for the franchise's reach.
Did You Know?
- The franchise was created by Oji Hiroi and owned by ForwardWorks, a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment.
- The smartphone game's service ended on May 7, 2019, less than two years after its release.
- The anime series aired 12 episodes from October 4 to December 20, 2018, and was licensed by Sentai Filmworks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Between the Sky and Sea?
It is a Japanese media franchise by Oji Hiroi that revolves around space fishermen, originally launched as a mobile game in 2017 and later adapted into a television anime. The property was published under ForwardWorks, a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment at the time.
Who created Between the Sky and Sea?
The franchise was created by Oji Hiroi and published by ForwardWorks, which operated as a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment during the project's run.
What platforms was the Between the Sky and Sea game available on?
The smartphone game launched for Android and iOS on September 28, 2017. A Microsoft Windows version through DMM was announced for the second quarter of 2018 but never actually shipped.
When did the Between the Sky and Sea mobile game shut down?
The game service ended on May 7, 2019, roughly eighteen months after its initial release.
Was there an anime adaptation of Between the Sky and Sea?
Yes, TMS Entertainment produced a television anime series that aired from October 4 to December 20, 2018.
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