In Mac+ Isamu and Guld were test pilots that were directly competeing with each other. No real combat was ever expected to take place in project super nova. None did, other than the training "accident", until Isamu stole the YF19 and took it to earth, and that was a rather short show in terms of episodes. I think this show will be a bit longer than Plus, and will have a broader scope than a competition between two rivals. Also to address the "Top Gun" comment, that movie while not well done, was about already trained pilots who were going through advanced air combat training not rank beginers starting on their initial training program. I did not mean that no combat at all would take place at an academy, but it would be against drones or against other trainees or instructors useing painballs. How long would it take for that being the only combat to lose it's appeal? I think eventually the characters would have to graduate so we could see what these new mecha can really do in a serious fight.