So here it is… Arpeggio of Blue Steel’s prerequisite swimsuit episode(s). Oh come on, I am sure we all saw it coming…
The I-401 and its crew (with Haruna, Kirishima and Makie tagging along) finally return to their home port in Iwo Jima. On entering, Iona immediately detects an unexpected visitor in the port — Takao.
The I-401 arrives in Iwo Jima.
Takao having a nap with her new dakimakura (body pillow)…
The crew disembarks, where they are welcomed by the port’s operator, Hyuga. Hyuga’s mental model gives a… more enthusiastic welcome to a certain submarine.
Amazingly, this is actually one of the more “safe for work” screenshots of this particular scene…
Hyuga also gets to “meet and greet” Haruna, Kirishima and Makie. Before they start getting too sidetracked though, Gunzou decides to deal with the elephant in the room, Takao. Despite Hyuga’s plan for Takao to take Gunzou away so that she can monopolise Iona, Takao goes into “tsun” mode and demands the plans for the vibration torpedo instead.
Later, Hyuga shares with Takao about Gunzou’s plan to abandon the base and suggests that Takao join Blue Steel to form “Blue Fleet”.
Takao fantasises about “stealing” Gunzou away from Iona…
When Takao wonders why Iona joined up with Gunzou, Hyuga (in private) says that Iona is “special” but does not know if her “mutation” would benefit the Fog or not. Hyuga does express interest in seeing what will happen to Iona in the long run.
During a strategy meeting with his crew (while the mental models are enjoying the sun and sand), Gunzou reaffirms his desire to deliver the vibration torpedo to the US and abandon their base in Iwo Jima. Haruna and Kirishima, meanwhile, tell Kongou about their desire to leave the fleet and stay with Makie instead. Kongou decides to mobolise her fleet and attack Iwo Jima.
When Kongou, Maya and the Pacific patrol fleet surrounds Iwo Jima, Gunzou proposes that both sides meet for talks on the island, which Kongou agrees to.
Walking on water…
Both Iona and Takao act as the welcoming party, Kongou takes the opportunity to attack Iona, before the fight is stopped by Gunzou.
Fog fight!
It is revealed that this is part of Gunzou’s intention to “shoot the breeze” with Gunzou and Maya, and try to turn them (or at least convince them to not attack Blue Steel).
Gunzou sets up a real “tea time” for the Fog ships…
It is during the conversation that Hyuga explains what the mysterious “Admiralty Code” is — a set of rules or guidelines that define the existence of the Fog Fleet. Kongou questions why the I-401 and Iona are able to subvert these “rules” abe blames Gunzou for the change that the Fleet of Fog is experiencing.
Instead of answering Kongou, Gunzou invites them to dinner — BBQ style.
Takao and Hyuga fight it out over a piece of meat.
Makie and Maya play “grab the coat” with Haruna.
During dinner, Kongou theorises to Iona that the Fog’s Admiralty Code does not apply to the I-401 and blames Gunzou for the recent defections. Kongou announces her intention to eliminate Gunzou Chihaya and all his allies. She and Maya leave the island by literally “dissolving and reconstituting” on to their ships (both Kongou and Maya’s mental models on Iwo Jima were just nanomaterial clones).
Kongou, Maya and the Pacific Fleet attacks Iwo Jima as Blue Steel and their Fog allies team up to defend against the threat.
The attack on Iwo Jima begins…
Looks like the manga canon has been thrown out of the window (at least for episode 8). I actually preferred how the manga presented Takao and Gunzou’s encounter on Iwo Jima, and it probably would have been so much funnier too. The “Admiralty Code” in the manga also doesn’t seem to be just a “set of rules” either, especially with most of the Fleet of Fog still actively searching for it.
The anime’s plot though still seems to holding up well and it’ll be fun to see how Blue Steel wriggles their way out of this situation. It is also one of the more fanservice-y episodes, with lots of swimsuits and exposed skin — much to the delight of mental model fans around the world. Myself? I am actually pro-Takao (Tsundere characters are adorable!).