A schoolgirl named Mikako Nagamine (Mika Shinohara (original Japanese),[REF] Sumi Mutoh (Japanese)[REF] Cynthia Martinez (English)[REF]) is recruited into the UN Space Army to fight in a war against a group of aliens called the Tarsiansnamed after the Tharsis region of Mars where they were first encountered.
In the manga, at 16 years old, Mikako sends a message to 25 years old Noboru, telling him that she loves him.