As the 73rd batch of cadets prepares to graduate from the Defense University on the tiny planet Kibi, they embark on a shakedown cruise aboard the newly commissioned starship "Amaterasu". However, their return trip is marred by alarming news of an imminent attack by the Kingdom, a belligerent adversary. Disheartened by their own government's swift surrender, the cadets decide to take matters into their own hands and wage a war from the "Amaterasu". In order to secure the necessary funding, they strike a deal with a galaxy-wide news network and unwittingly become the center of a perilous reality show - one that could lead to their demise.