I was first introduced to the series in thishttps://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/7x64u9/whatsyourfavoriteanimetropethatyoullnever/du5sagf/ thread where /u/ShimmeringSky mentioned loving battle couples. It was one of those tropes that I hadnt really realized I was fond of but after finishing Alderamin Im certain that its something I want to see more of. The main characters Ikta and Yatori work very well together in the ways that they play off of one another. One has brains the other brawn and their communication verbal or otherwise is impressive and endearing in a lot of ways. The story involves the main character Ikta Solork ending up in the military after saving the Empires princess despite never having wanted to be a soldier due to his distaste for war. Alderamin is a military drama for the most part with underlying themes that cover ideas such as the senselessness of war and the importance of individuals rather than a nation. The animation is nothing special and the fights are short. It doesnt look impressive but it doesnt look bad either. The main focus of the action and by extension the story is Iktas notable skill as a strategist. For anyone who likes smart competent characters Id definitely say that Alderamin is a good choice. Ikta is lazy a product of circumstance moreso than upbringing. However this doesnt prevent him from acting when he needs to and hes a character who places priority on the victory with the least amount of casualties rather than the most sound or crushing wins. Theres definitely a sense of fascination and curiosity that kicks in whenever the characters find themselves in a pinch. Watching as Ikta plans out his strategies is fun and the series also likes to tell you that he has one without detailing it so that you can then watch it play out. The unwavering trust that Yatori has in Ikta and his methods of thinking is definitely one of the strong points of the series with their interactions being definite highlights. If I had to point out one thing in particular that I found bothersome its that in order to allow Ikta to shine we have to suffer through numerous more rash or incompetent people who outrank him. While there may be characters who seem to be smarter and disagree with those incompetents they too are outranked but orders are orders and they must respect them. A lot of the drama specifically towards the end of the series is a result of this. On one hand its great to see Ikta and his squad in action but on the other you cant really help the feeling of if these people were a bit smarter in the first place this situation never would have happened. One thing that I enjoyed outside of the premise is the way they portray some of Iktas other traits. Hes a womanizer and hes seen often flirting with women even having one encounter where he meets someone whose mom hed slept with. However hes not perverted in that sense the anime doesnt resort to any of the standard pervert tropes. Ikta is never seen groping a woman and his conversations are more flirtatious and suggestive in nature rather than just plain outrageous. While not necessarily unheard of it is refreshing especially considering that this is a light novel adaptation and that in a lot of ways its one of the more guilty mediums of doing so. Id definitely recommend Alderamin on the Sky to people who like military dramas battle couples or main characters who outwit rather than overpower their foes. While I cant say that theres anything exceptional or outstanding about the series I can definitely say that theres something worth enjoying here.