Initially my sympathies were with Sugimoto, but she has a sense of entitlement and ruthlessness that makes her pretty darn scary. (A bit reminiscent of Brianna in C. J. Cherryh's Rider at the Gate, if you've read that.) All three of the characters have major character flaws, which is one of the things that intrigues me about the series.

I'll take your destined schoolgirls and raise you reluctant teenage pilots of giant robots.