The BEST episodes directed by Koudai Kakimoto
#1 - The Power to Open a Path
Arpeggio of Blue Steel - Season 1 - Episode 12
Kongou obliterates the ships of the American Fleet of Fog and Iona, along the other mental models, make contact with Kongou in an attempt to bring her to her senses. However, Kongou 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 Kongou's enhanced Super Gravity Cannon, the I-401 conceals itself, knowing that confronting her directly is useless, when Iona decides to reach Kongou 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 Kongou's deck. Iona attempts to reason with Kongou 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 suceeds to dissuade Kongou and prevents the destruction of both. The reformed Kongou 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.
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#2 - Iwoto
Arpeggio of Blue Steel - Season 1 - Episode 7
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 make repairs on I-401, Gunzō and his crew prepare to abandon the base as there are not much 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 Kongou 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. Kongou then assembles her fleet and prepares an assault on Iwo Jima.
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#3 - Those with Shipping Routes
Arpeggio of Blue Steel - Season 1 - Episode 1
In the near future, mankind was driven away from the seas and landmasses were isolated from each other with the advent of the "Fleet of Fog", All controlled ships which destroyed all opposition turning the world into turmoil. Years later, the Japanese Government is about to launch an unmanned cargo shuttle into orbit when the Fleet of Fog ship Nagara appears to prevent it. The launch is a success when the human-crewed Fog submarine I-401 defeats the enemy by request of the government. After the battle, the I-401's captain Gunzō Chihaya reminisce with its mental model, a human-shaped avatar called Iona about their first meeting two years ago. It was during this time that I-401 was under human custody for years, but unresponsive until Gunzō comes 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. Back to the present, Gunzō is approached by Ryūjirō Kamikage, the Assistant Secretary of Military Affairs, who reveal that the shuttle was destroyed before accomplishing its task, which is to 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 needed 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 the Yokosuka Base, but the Fog's Heavy Cruiser Takao takes heed of the I-401's approach and prepares itself to engage it.
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#4 - Balut
Hanasaku Iroha: Blossoms for Tomorrow - Season 1 - Episode 3
Minko and Nako discover Ohana has gone missing, as she has been confined by Tarō, who admits he was trying to come up with a sex novel to pay his hotel bill. When he discovered by Nako and the others, he attempts to make a run for it by stealing one of the inn's vans, so the staff give chase. They eventually find him at a seaside cliff where he jumps into the sea, but Nako manages to save him from drowning. As Tarō laments his lack of talent, Ohana tells him that, even though his novels were perverted, they showed a side of Ohana she never knew before. Afterwards, they arrange for Tarō to work at the inn to pay off his bill, and Minko eats the revenge meal Ohana prepared for her. Later that night, Ohana finds notes Minko wrote on devising an alternative insult to 'die', and also receives a text from Kōichi.
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