Rarely is the world of Search Rescue looked at and the last place I expected to see it done with some accuracy was in an anime. However Yomigaeru Sora: Rescue Wings is if nothing else an authentic depiction of the hardships faced by military and/or SAR personnel. Something Genuine You get the sense that someone took the time to research the culture or was a part of it. The writers either did their homework or received consultation. While not perfect it gets it mostly right about the military. Importantly though it treats its characters as people and professionals rather then archetypes. Individuals who simply understand when there is a job to be done and just like the rest of us go home at the end of the day. The Realities of SAR And thats where Rescue Wings reveals the the more difficult parts of the work: Those moments where your loved ones wait in anxious silence for you to come home. The time when you blame yourself for an inevitable outcome. Only to lash out on the people you care about the most. Or when you get a simple thank you and realize the gravity of what you did. And the guilt of coming home to your own family your own children after knowing someone wasnt able to do the same. With such a grasp on what it actually means to serve in this capacity its a shame that the setting and its themes are in large part squandered. Paths Left Untravled Apparently Rescue Wings experienced some division with Its lead staff in the type of story that should be told light hearted vs authenticity/drama something that you can see referenced by its proof of concept Yomigaeru Sora Pilot. It shows up in these critical moments. Its because of that division I think that Rescue Wings never really reaches its potential. What remains is a scratch of the surface. Still the project continues on to be an interesting peek into this seldom seen world. If only it had a much more unified vision to examine the cost of the motto. That Others May Live