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Japanese manga series and its adaptations From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Arpeggio of Blue Steel (蒼き鋼のアルペジオ, Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio) is a Japanese manga series produced by Ark Performance and serialized in Shōnen Gahosha's Young King Ours. 28 tankōbon volumes have been released and an anime series by Sanzigen aired from October to December 2013. The same studio also produced two films based on the series, released in January and October 2015.
| Arpeggio of Blue Steel | |
First tankōbon volume cover, featuring Iona and the I-401 | |
| 蒼き鋼のアルペジオ (Aoki Hagane no Arupejio) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Military science fiction[1] |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Ark Performance |
| Published by | Shōnen Gahōsha |
| English publisher | |
| Magazine | Young King OURs |
| Demographic | Seinen |
| Original run | September 30, 2009 – present |
| Volumes | 28 |
| Anime television series | |
| Arpeggio of Blue Steel -Ars Nova- | |
| Directed by | Seiji Kishi |
| Written by | Makoto Uezu |
| Music by | Masato Kōda |
| Studio | Sanzigen |
| Licensed by | |
| Original network | MBS, Tokyo MX, BS Nittele, AT-X |
| English network | |
| Original run | October 7, 2013 – December 23, 2013 |
| Episodes | 12 |
| Anime film | |
| Arpeggio of Blue Steel -Ars Nova DC- | |
| Directed by | Seiji Kishi |
| Written by | Makoto Uezu |
| Music by | Masato Kōda |
| Studio | Sanzigen |
| Released | January 31, 2015 |
| Runtime | 105 minutes |
| Anime film | |
| Arpeggio of Blue Steel -Ars Nova Cadenza- | |
| Directed by | Seiji Kishi |
| Written by | Makoto Uezu |
| Music by | Masato Kōda |
| Studio | Sanzigen |
| Released | October 3, 2015 |
| Runtime | 105 minutes |
| Manga | |
| Salty Road | |
| Written by | Ark Performance |
| Illustrated by | TALI |
| Published by | Shōnen Gahōsha |
| Magazine | Young King OURs |
| Demographic | Seinen |
| Original run | October 16, 2014 – March 16, 2016 |
| Volumes | 3 |
Due to global warming and rising sea levels in the early 21st century, much of Earth's landmass has been lost. In 2039, fleets of powerful sentient warships, armed with advanced technology and possibly 'alien' weaponry, mysteriously appear and devastate the world's naval forces. These ships, collectively known as 'The Fleet of Fog', impose a worldwide naval and aerial blockade, preventing humanity from both traveling the oceans and to other nations. During the blockade, the Fleet of Fog created Mental Models, humanoid avatars containing a ship's Union core, as a means to develop self cultivation and to overcome their lack of creative thinking of tactics that humans possessed, which at the same time made the Mental Models develop their own unique personality.
In 2056, 17 years after the blockade began, Gunzō Chihaya, a former student of the Japanese National Marine Academy, is the captain of a small group of privateers called the 'Blue Steel'. The Blue Steel are infamous for possessing a Fog submarine, the I-401, along with its Mental Model Iona, who defected to the human side. Due to I-401's technology and Gunzō's tactical skills, the Blue Steel have not only survived several encounters with the Fleet of Fog but managed to sink one of their most powerful warships.
Gunzō and his crew are hired by a faction of the Japanese government to deliver the prototype of the vibration warhead, a powerful weapon that may finally allow mankind to fight back against the Fog, to the United States. The United States is the only country with the resources and capability to mass-produce the weapon system. However, the Blue Steel will face obstacles on their journey not only from the Fleet of Fog and their human allies, but from other governments and factions with their own agendas. Along the way they will also gain allies of their own from both sides, increasing their chances against seemingly overwhelming odds.
In the Cadenza movie, it was revealed that the supreme flagship Yamato was defeated by her sister Musashi after she went on a rampage and had carried her last wish into Iona herself, therefore the reason for carrying dual cores inside her, which was to be Gunzō's vessel and negotiate with the Fleet of Fog to end the war, which was Gunzō's father's actions. After defeating Musashi by becoming one with Yamato, she disappears as she had served her purpose and bids Gunzō farewell, but eventually returns to him.
As a result of the blockade by the Fleet of Fog, both the Japanese government and Self-Defense Forces were reorganized. The government is led by the Prime Minister who deal with their own local affairs while making important decisions together for the entire nation. The JSDF became an actual military force with an Army, Navy and Air Force. The remnants of United States Forces Japan that were left stranded after the Fleet of Fog blockade were absorbed into the Japanese Military where many American servicemen ended up marrying Japanese nationals and starting families.
This is the Fleet of Fog stationed in the Japanese territorial waters. They formed a blockade around Japan to prevent any human vessels and aircraft from fleeing to the open sea. There are 2 patrol fleets maintaining the blockade, the First and the Second Oriental Fleet. But when they found out that I-401 sinks Hyūga, the flagship of the Second Oriental Fleet, they are forced to reorganize, leaving a hole in the blockade. After they reorganize, Kongō is the new flagship of the Second Fleet while Nagato is the new flagship of the First Fleet.
The manga began serialization on September 30, 2009, in Shōnen Gahōsha's Young King OURs magazine. The first tankōbon volume was released on April 30, 2010; twenty-eight volumes have been published as of October 30, 2024.[2][3] A guide book which contain a short story and Drama CD was also released. The series was licensed by Seven Seas Entertainment in July 2013, who released the first volume on July 1, 2014;[4] nineteen volumes have been released as of November 2021.[5][6]
A spin-off manga illustrated by TALI titled Salty Road which focuses on Takao, I-402, and Zuikaku during their infiltration of Yokosuka, began serialization on October 16, 2014, in Young King OURs magazine.[7]
A CG rendered anime produced by Sanzigen titled Arpeggio of Blue Steel -Ars Nova-, began airing on October 7, 2013.[43] The opening theme song is "Savior of Song" performed by Nano and MY FIRST STORY, and the two ending theme songs are performed by Trident which is composed of Mai Fuchigami, Manami Numakura, and Hibiku Yamamura: "Blue Field (ブルー・フィールド)" and "Innocent Blue". The television series features an anime original ending that differs from the plot of the manga. The rerun of the series on TV during 2014 was accompanied by a tie-in series of comedy shorts titled Kiri-Kuma's (Fog Bears) featuring the Fog characters in bear form. The anime television series has been licensed in North America by Crunchyroll,[44] with distribution by Discotek Media, and they've released a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack of the series on November 4, 2016.[45]
In September 2013, it was announced that there would be a collaborative project between the Arpeggio of Blue Steel anime and the online game Kantai Collection.[46] Illustrators for Kadokawa Games, including Shibafu and Konishi, are responsible for drawing some of the end cards, which feature crossovers with Kantai Collection characters.[47] An Arpeggio of Blue Steel in-game special event for Kantai Collection also took place from 24 December 2013 to 6 January 2014.[48]
In June 2014, two animated films based on the manga were announced. The first, titled Arpeggio of Blue Steel -Ars Nova DC-, is a compilation of the TV series with extra scenes in its first half, with a new story in its second half. Nano performs the theme song, titled "Rock on.".[49] The second film is an all new story. Both films were produced by the same staff of the anime series and released in 2015.[50]
In 2017, scholar Takayoshi Yamamura noted that anime was produced with the collaboration of JSDF Yokosuka District Headquarters and other parts of the JSDF.[51]
| No. | Title | Endcard | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | "Those with Shipping Routes" "Kōro o motsu mono" (Japanese: 航路を持つ者) | Shibafu | October 7, 2013 | |
|
In the near future, mankind has been driven away from the seas and landmasses are forcibly isolated from each other with the arrival of the "Fleet of Fog"; AI controlled ships possessing superior technology and firepower. Despite the combined efforts of the UN, the Fleet of Fog manage to destroy all opposition and throw the world into a state of turmoil. Years later, the Japanese Government is preparing to send an unmanned cargo shuttle into orbit. The Fleet of Fog ship Nagara appears and attempts to assault the launch site. The launch is a success when the human-crewed Fog submarine I-401 defeats the enemy at request of the government. After the battle, I-401's captain Gunzō Chihaya reminisces with the vessel's mental model, a human avatar called Iona, about their first meeting two years ago. It was during this time that I-401 was under human custody for years, unresponsive until Gunzō came in contact with it, awakening Iona. After Iona reveals that she had instructions to serve under him, Gunzō agrees to join forces with her and they flee together. In the present, Gunzō is approached by Ryūjirō Kamikage, the Assistant Secretary of Military Affairs, who reveals that the shuttle was destroyed before accomplishing its task; deliver the plans of a new weapon developed to fight the ships of the Fog to the United States as Japan now lacks the resources required to mass produce it. Accepting the task of crossing the Pacific Ocean to take the plans to the US by themselves, Gunzō and his crew depart to resupply at Yokosuka Base. Meanwhile, taking heed of I-401's approach, the Fog's heavy cruiser Takao prepares herself to engage it. | ||||
| 02 | "Into the Storm" "Arashi no naka e" (Japanese: 嵐の中へ) | Tomoko Fujinoki | October 14, 2013 | |
|
Takao blocks I-401's path to Yokosuka by positioning herself inside the eye of a typhoon and, after asserting that any attempts to avoid confrontation are too risky, Gunzō decides to take Takao head on. After Iona barely manages to evade an attack from Takao's Super Gravity Cannon, Gunzō analyzes the resultant combat data and points out that Takao's attacks have had pinpoint accuracy from a distance much greater than its sensor capabilities. He concludes that this can only be possible if there is a second vessel possessing superior sensor technologies nearby, hypothesizing that a submarine is being concealed under Takao's hull. Gunzō then orders the crew to ready their own Super Gravity Cannon which they salvaged from their previous battle with the Fog battleship Hyūga and uses it to destroy the submarine and force Takao to surrender. Having her systems locked down for 24 hours by Iona to prevent her from give chase to the I-401, Takao wonders why Gunzō spared her and takes an interest in him. | ||||
| 03 | "The Fortress Port of Yokosuka" "Yosai Kō Yokosuka" (Japanese: 要塞港 横須賀) | Konishi | October 21, 2013 | |
|
I-401 and her crew reach Yokosuka Base for repairs and resupply, and Gunzō takes Iona for a visit to a Navy memorial for those that died in the war against the Fleet of Fog. Soon after, they are taken against their will by the Japanese Army with the rest of the crew to meet Ryōkan Kita, a former member of the Navy and an influential politician who attempts to convince Gunzō to relinquish the I-401 to the Japanese Army with no success. Meanwhile, Takao is approached by the mental models of Fog surveillance submarines I-400 and I-402 and reveals her intentions to abandon the fleet and join Gunzō's side. However, she is informed by them that two Fog battleships have been dispatched to sink the I-401 and Takao leaves, claiming that she will wait for Gunzō at another location. When Yokosuka Port comes under attack by the battleships Haruna and Kirishima, Gunzō and his crew return to their submarine. Subduing all resistance from Kita and his men, they prepare themselves to confront the new enemies before them. | ||||
| 04 | "Assault on Yokosuka" "Yokosuka Kyūshū" (Japanese: 横須賀急襲) | Natsumoto Masato | October 28, 2013 | |
|
The battle against Haruna and Kirishima begins with I-401 drawing them into a trap they set in the ruins of the old Yokosuka city. Although it fails to cause any significant damage, I-401 is able to circle around the two battleships undetected and launch a surprise attack using the now sunk Japanese battleship Mikasa as a decoy. However, Kirishima manages to avoid being hit and launches a retaliatory barrage of warheads. I-401 manages to barely avoid the attack. In an attempt to destroy I-401, Haruna and Kirishima join together and generate a huge gap in the water, trapping I-401 in the line of fire of their combined Super Gravity Cannon. Just before firing, however, they leave themselves vulnerable to Iona's last Erosion Torpedo which had been concealed inside Mikasa's wreckage. This triggers a chain reaction, destroying both ships. Haruna's mental model manages to salvage Kirishima's core and escape the ensuing destruction. The next day, a child finds the unconscious Haruna inside an abandoned warehouse. | ||||
| 05 | "Not Human" "Hito Narazaru Mono" (Japanese: 人ならざる者) | Konishi | November 4, 2013 | |
|
The I-401 returns to Yokosuka to pick up the secret weapon developed by the Japanese Government, the "Vibration Warhead", before returning to their base at Iwo Jima to make the final preparations for its journey across the Pacific. Meanwhile, Haruna awakens and meets Makie Osakabe, the child who rescued her. Pretending to be a human, Haruna keeps Makie company while Kirishima's core uses some of her nanomachines to make a spare body for her out of a Teddy bear. Takao arrives at Iwo Jima ahead of I-401 but is stopped by a vicious attack from unknown origin. Realizing that Makie is related to the deceased Tōjūrō Osakabe, the creator of the Vibration Warhead, Haruna and Kirishima contact their flagship Kongō and are instructed to investigate further. In the occasion, the two mental models are introduced to Tōjūrō, who is revealed to be alive, but bedridden. Tōjūrō reveals that after several failed attempts to develop a weapon to counter the Fleet of Fog, he came with a plan to create an artificial being with superior intellect capable to succeed where he did not, and the only surviving offspring of said project is Makie, who was the true creator of the Vibration Warhead. To protect Makie from the government, Tōjūrō forged his death and kept watching over her from the shadows but knowing he has not much time left and seeing how attached she became to them, he asks Haruna and Kirishima to take care of her. However, the army is already aware that Makie had made contact with ships of the Fog, and sends a unit to dispose of her. | ||||
| 06 | "Friends" "Tomodachi" (Japanese: ともだち) | Ishiguro Masakazu | November 11, 2013 | |
|
As Tōjūrō passes away, Haruna decides to protect Makie and asks Kirishima's help for it. Despite facing some heavy opposition, Haruna refrains from killing the attackers and orders Kirishima to flee with Makie, while she creates a decoy with her nanomachines to draw the military's attention. However, the soldiers see through Haruna's trick and start searching for Makie who is distraught with learning that she created a weapon that can destroy Haruna. Once reunited, Haruna, Kirishima and Makie are driven to a corner when Haruna asks for anyone's help, and Iona answers her call. Gunzō is contacted by Kamikage and replies to him that the I-401 and its crew were hired just to deliver the vibration warhead to the US and beside it, they will do as they please. Once the army retreats, Iona takes the three of them to the submarine and Haruna asks Makie to become her and Kirishima's friends to which she agrees. As the I-401 departs for Iwo Jima, Takao awakens in a room, greeted by a mysterious voice who asks for her intentions. | ||||
| 07 | "Iwo Jima" "Iō-tō" (Japanese: 硫黄島) | Mikoto Akemi | November 18, 2013 | |
|
Taking Haruna, Kirishima and Makie with them, the I-401 and its crew arrive at their base in Iwo Jima, where they are greeted by the fast battleship Hyuga's mental model who was guarding the island for them, and much by their surprise, they meet Takao once again. As Hyuga makes repairs on I-401, Gunzō and his crew prepare to abandon the base as there are few supplies left and they know that delivering the vibration torpedo to the United States may ensure their objective, which is to put mankind and the Fog on equal terms, which may lead to the end of the blockade. By Hyuga's suggestion, Takao considers joining Gunzō and the others' side while Haruna and Kirishima are contacted by Kongō who asks for their intentions. While Haruna affirms that she will not return to the Fleet of Fog for Makie's sake, Kirishima claims that she will continue by their side for the sake of gathering info. Kongō then assembles her fleet and prepares an assault on Iwo Jima. | ||||
| 08 | "House of Dolls" "Ningyō no Ie" (Japanese: 人形の家) | Kotobuki Tsukasa | November 25, 2013 | |
|
With Iwo Jima surrounded by the enemy fleet, Hyuga makes contact with Kongō by Gunzō's request, asking for a parley with her mental model before they begin hostilities. Kongō answers her call and she rendezvous with them at the beach, accompanied by the Heavy Cruiser Maya. As the rest of the crew remain on standby aboard the I-401, Gunzō discuss with Kongō and the other mental models about the real intentions of the Fleet of Fog and learns from her that she and the other ships have only one purpose, which is to follow the "Admiralty Code" that instructed them to chase the humans away from the seas and prevent all contact overseas between them. Instead of discussing the matter further, Gunzō invites the guests for a barbecue at the beach where Kongō asks Iona about the reason why all ships who come in contact with her start displaying a behavior independent from the Admiralty Code, but when she refrains from responding, Kongō claims that she will not fall by their trap and it is revealed that both her and Maya's mental models are actually decoys, with their cores being safely guarded at their respective ships to prevent them from being influenced by human behavior, before they begin to attack. Hyuga has a hard time defending the island against the enemy barrage until Takao, Haruna and Kirishima step in to assist her. Disappointed that he and Kongō could not see eye to eye, Gunzō declares that it's up to him to find a way past her and deliver the vibration torpedo to the United States. | ||||
| 09 | "Desperate Escape" "Kesshi no dasshutsugyō" (Japanese: 決死の脱出行) | Parsley | December 2, 2013 | |
|
Hyuga stays behind deflecting the attacks of Kongō's fleet to buy time for Iona and the others to escape. Before leaving Iwo Jima, Gunzō asks for Takao's help and she agrees to join his side. Unwilling to listen to Hyuga's words, Kongō fires her Super Gravity Cannon at her but fails to destroy her and orders Maya to fire her own cannon at the exhausted Hyuga but Takao appears in the nick of time to block Maya's shot. Believing that Hyuga and Takao are just covering the I-401's escape, Kongō tracks her down and gives chase, refusing to slow down even after passing through a minefield. Iona tries to reason with Kongō with no success and when the battleship attempts to fire her Super Gravity Cannon underwater to sink her, Hyuga takes advantage of Kongō's distraction to hack into her systems and have her lose control to buy enough time for Iona and Gunzō to escape. Takao then reveals to Kongō that instead of Takao, the true decoy was Iona herself, while the vibration warhead, Makie, Haruna, Kirishima and the rest of the I-401's crew were safely hidden aboard her and she returns to pick up Hyuga to rendezvous with Iona and Gunzō, who despite escaping from Kongō's grasp, are later ambushed and sunk by I-400 and I-402. | ||||
| 10 | "Devotion of Self" "Sono Mi o Sasagu" (Japanese: その身を捧ぐ) | Mizukami Satoshi | December 9, 2013 | |
|
With her nanomaterials compromised by her sister ships attack, the I-401 sinks into the deep ocean while Iona tends to an injured Gunzō. Meanwhile, Takao and the others look for them but all communications and radar are jammed by spatial distortions from the last battle. Despite knowing that the only way for her to survive is to abandon her captain, Iona refuses to do so until Gunzō orders her to cut all life support systems, claiming that fulfilling their mission to deliver the vibration warhead is more important than saving him. However, when Gunzō stops responding, a distraught Iona breaks down her own mental model to create a survival pod for him and her core. When Takao locates the pod, she decides to sacrifice her own body and use its nanomaterials to restore Iona and the I-401, bringing them back to the surface and saving Gunzō's life. Once knowing that the I-401 has not perished, Kongō can't hide the urge to fight it again, but declaring that she is displaying the same erratic behavior seen in the other ships who deviated from the Admiralty Code, I-400 and I-402 relieve her from duty and lock down her systems. In the occasion, Kongō finds out that Maya's mental model lacks consciousness, being a fake artificial intelligence created just to watch over her. | ||||
| 11 | "Sisters" "Shimai" (Japanese: 姉妹) | Fujikawa | December 16, 2013 | |
|
On their way to Hawaii, their next stop of their journey to deliver the vibration warhead in San Diego, the restored and upgraded I-401, called the Ars Nova, is chased by several Nagara class ships that are surprised and sunk when Gunzō orders an unexpected maneuver to sweep them all at once. After the battle, it is revealed that despite losing her physical body, Takao's core is still intact and she is now part of the I-401's systems. However, knowing that they are still being followed by I-400 and I-402, Gunzō decides to confront them. Before the battle, Iona's sisters make contact with her asking for her true intentions but she claims it is too difficult to explain with words. Meanwhile, an imprisoned Kongō breaks free and absorbs Maya along all the other ships around her. To confound their enemies, the I-401 moves forward along two decoys with increased capabilities, thanks to Hyuga, Haruna and Kirishima's direct control over them. After exchanging some fire, Iona contacts her sisters asking them to stop pursuing them before it is too late but they refuse to comply. When I-400 is about to be stricken by surprise, I-402 sacrifices herself to protect her sister, who despite finding this decision illogical, becomes driven into anger, leading her to fall into a trap set by the decoys and her defeat as well. Despite grieving for her lost sisters, Iona maintains her resolve to follow Gunzō to the end. However, the I-401 is soon after approached by a dozen ships from the American Fleet of Fog at the front, and a massive flying object at the back, composed of several fused ships led by Kongō, who claims that she will be the one who will sink I-401. | ||||
| 12 | "The Power to Open a Path" "Kōro o Hiraku Chikara" (Japanese: 航路を拓く力) | Ark Performance | December 23, 2013 | |
|
Kongō obliterates the ships of the American Fleet of Fog and Iona, along the other mental models, make contact with Kongō in an attempt to bring her to her senses. However, Kongō claims that it's her duty to prevent further anomalies to the Fog by destroying Iona and all ships who come in contact with her, including herself, before locking down all communications. After barely deflecting an attack of Kongō's enhanced Super Gravity Cannon, the I-401 conceals itself, knowing that confronting her directly is useless, when Iona decides to reach Kongō and confront her face to face. Gunzō agrees with her plan and after evading a massive barrage of attacks, Iona boards a torpedo to reach Kongō's deck. Iona attempts to reason with Kongō who keeps attacking her until she finally traps Iona and prepares to self destruct herself to kill both, when the sequence is disrupted by I-401's Super Gravity Cannon. In the end, Iona succeeds to dissuade Kongō and prevents the destruction of both. The reformed Kongō befriends Iona while the superstructure created by her collapses. Days later, as the I-401's crew delivers the vibration warhead to the U.S. Navy as intended, Takao's body is restored and they return to the sea, hoping that their actions have helped change the world for the better. | ||||
The manga was nominated for the 22nd Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2018.[52] The film Arpeggio of Blue Steel -Ars Nova Cadenza- was seventh place on its opening weekend, with US$562,000.[53]
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