OVA
Description
Mio Sakamoto stands as a veteran warrior against the Neuroi, hailing from Fuso with a combat career spanning numerous conflicts. Her early service included pivotal engagements like the 1937 Fuso Sea Incident, where she flew under Kitagou Fumika's command and forged a rivalry with Wakamoto Tetsuko. During this time, she became a pioneering test pilot for Striker Units using the Miyafuji theory and endured intense training in Romagna under Anna Ferrara, an experience leaving her with lingering reservations.
Deployed to Britannia before the Neuroi's full-scale invasion, she aided in developing the Type 0 Striker Unit and formed a close bond with Dr. Miyafuji. Remaining in Europe post-invasion, she defended Libau with the Fuso Imperial Navy European Dispatch Fleet Libau Flying Corps until the evacuation concluded. This forged strong ties with comrades like Pilot Officer Takei and Nishizawa Yoshiko, collectively known as the "Libau Triumvirate." A critical injury during Libau's defense necessitated her temporary return to Fuso, advancing her rank from Flight Lieutenant to Squadron Leader.
Assigned as sub-commander to the 501st Joint Fighter Wing, she trained recruits and maintained frontline command. Her leadership prioritized protecting wingmen, a point of personal pride, blending broad-minded cheerfulness with strict discipline. She felt profound responsibility mentoring orphaned Yoshika Miyafuji, Dr. Miyafuji's daughter. Despite a generally mannish and unfussy demeanor, she hid a sentimental side, easily moved to tears but refusing public displays—except during moments of extreme frustration, like her despair over waning magic power before a decisive battle.
Her inherent Magic Eye (魔眼, Magan) grants extraordinary visual perception in her right eye, enabling long-distance sight and Neuroi core detection. This power requires an eyepatch for control and wanes in low-magic environments or obstacles like darkness or dense clouds. As her magic diminished with age, eventually preventing effective shield generation, she shifted focus to mastering swordsmanship. She forged and enchanted the blade Reppumaru, developing the Reppuzan technique to slice Neuroi beams and unleash magical energy waves, though mastering this telekinetic-type skill proved challenging due to her perception-based magic.
During the final battle against the Neuroi Super-Hive in Venezia, her depleted magic caused Reppumaru's loss and her absorption by the Neuroi. Yoshika Miyafuji's sacrificial Shin Reppuzan rescued her. After eight years of combat, she retired as a witch but stayed in military service. In *Operation Victory Arrow*, she piloted conventional aircraft like the A6M3 Reisen, reflecting her transition to conventional combat roles.
Post-retirement, she gained renown as a dedicated instructor, though her rigorous training methods occasionally overwhelmed students. She maintained relationships with former comrades like Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke and continued supporting allies despite losing her magic. Personal traits include a fondness for hot springs prompting a Fuso-style bathhouse at the 501st base, an aversion to snakes, indifference to food preferences, and poor cooking skills—notably struggling to shape onigiri, though she mastered the "Higi-Tamagogiri" sword technique to slice eggs horizontally.
Her historical inspiration stems from Japanese flying aces Tetsuzō Iwamoto and Saburō Sakai, reflected in her callsign "Samurai," visual acuity, and eyepatch. Her Striker Units evolved from the Miyabishi Type 0 and Yamanishi Shiden models to the advanced Yamanishi Shiden Model 53, tailored to her combat style. Equipment typically included a Type 99-2 Model 2 Kai heavy machine gun and her swords, with the original blade from Kitagou Fumika later replaced by Reppumaru.
Deployed to Britannia before the Neuroi's full-scale invasion, she aided in developing the Type 0 Striker Unit and formed a close bond with Dr. Miyafuji. Remaining in Europe post-invasion, she defended Libau with the Fuso Imperial Navy European Dispatch Fleet Libau Flying Corps until the evacuation concluded. This forged strong ties with comrades like Pilot Officer Takei and Nishizawa Yoshiko, collectively known as the "Libau Triumvirate." A critical injury during Libau's defense necessitated her temporary return to Fuso, advancing her rank from Flight Lieutenant to Squadron Leader.
Assigned as sub-commander to the 501st Joint Fighter Wing, she trained recruits and maintained frontline command. Her leadership prioritized protecting wingmen, a point of personal pride, blending broad-minded cheerfulness with strict discipline. She felt profound responsibility mentoring orphaned Yoshika Miyafuji, Dr. Miyafuji's daughter. Despite a generally mannish and unfussy demeanor, she hid a sentimental side, easily moved to tears but refusing public displays—except during moments of extreme frustration, like her despair over waning magic power before a decisive battle.
Her inherent Magic Eye (魔眼, Magan) grants extraordinary visual perception in her right eye, enabling long-distance sight and Neuroi core detection. This power requires an eyepatch for control and wanes in low-magic environments or obstacles like darkness or dense clouds. As her magic diminished with age, eventually preventing effective shield generation, she shifted focus to mastering swordsmanship. She forged and enchanted the blade Reppumaru, developing the Reppuzan technique to slice Neuroi beams and unleash magical energy waves, though mastering this telekinetic-type skill proved challenging due to her perception-based magic.
During the final battle against the Neuroi Super-Hive in Venezia, her depleted magic caused Reppumaru's loss and her absorption by the Neuroi. Yoshika Miyafuji's sacrificial Shin Reppuzan rescued her. After eight years of combat, she retired as a witch but stayed in military service. In *Operation Victory Arrow*, she piloted conventional aircraft like the A6M3 Reisen, reflecting her transition to conventional combat roles.
Post-retirement, she gained renown as a dedicated instructor, though her rigorous training methods occasionally overwhelmed students. She maintained relationships with former comrades like Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke and continued supporting allies despite losing her magic. Personal traits include a fondness for hot springs prompting a Fuso-style bathhouse at the 501st base, an aversion to snakes, indifference to food preferences, and poor cooking skills—notably struggling to shape onigiri, though she mastered the "Higi-Tamagogiri" sword technique to slice eggs horizontally.
Her historical inspiration stems from Japanese flying aces Tetsuzō Iwamoto and Saburō Sakai, reflected in her callsign "Samurai," visual acuity, and eyepatch. Her Striker Units evolved from the Miyabishi Type 0 and Yamanishi Shiden models to the advanced Yamanishi Shiden Model 53, tailored to her combat style. Equipment typically included a Type 99-2 Model 2 Kai heavy machine gun and her swords, with the original blade from Kitagou Fumika later replaced by Reppumaru.