The setting is the Matsushima Base in Miyagi Prefecture, where trainees of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force undergo rigorous training to become Eagle Drivers, the elite pilots chosen to fly the F-15 Eagle. Among the recruits is Hishima Sanshirou, a notorious problem trainee who repeatedly ignores orders and engages in reckless, dangerous maneuvers during exercises. Despite his poor discipline record and the constant frustration of his instructor, Hasegawa, Hishima possesses extraordinary natural flying instincts and the ability to extricate himself from any crisis through bold, high-skill aerial techniques.

Hishima's world is turned upside down when a beautiful American lieutenant, Essie Monogram, arrives from the U.S. Pacific Air Forces to help train the Japanese recruits. Instantly smitten, Hishima bluntly asks her out, but she coldly refuses, telling him she will only consider a relationship if he becomes a top-tier pilot. Taking her words as a challenge, Hishima vows to transform himself into a world-class Eagle Driver worthy of her recognition. His efforts put him on a collision course with the elite trainee Akizuki Kazuaki, a cold, top-ranked student who looks down on Hishima as a hopeless screw-up. Meanwhile, Commander Imai, a high-ranking officer with the dream of sending a Japanese pilot to the U.S. Air Force's elite Nellis base, sees hidden potential in Hishima.

The first major narrative arc sees Hishima placed on probation and forced to prove himself in a sparring match against Essie, a test that showcases his raw talent. The story then escalates when a Soviet electronic warfare aircraft violates Japanese airspace, and Hishima, now a pilot at Komatsu Base under the strict Captain who resents his fame, becomes embroiled in a real aerial confrontation that leaves him injured. Later, the arrival of Henry Curtis, a Top Gun graduate who openly dismisses all Japanese pilots, leads to a high-stakes joint training exercise. Curtis has a personal grudge against Essie, having lost to her by a hair in a past engagement, and seeks to settle the score. Throughout these developments, multiple supporting characters surround Hishima: Hasegawa's daughter Fujimi, who becomes his enthusiastic fan; his level-headed friend who tries to rein him in; and a female maintenance officer at Komatsu who quietly holds her own expertise. The series weaves together Hishima's growth as a pilot, his rivalry with Akizuki, the lingering influence of Essie's father's death in combat, and the overarching pressure to rise from problem child to an Eagle Driver respected by both the Japanese and American air forces.