# Arpeggio of Blue Steel: Ars Nova (2013)

> In a 2039 world crippled by rising seas, a cadet teams up with a mysterious warship girl from the Fleet of Mist to turn the tide against an enemy that has beaten humanity.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/51384

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 12
- Episode runtime: 24 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: animation, science fiction, war
- Network: MBS
- Cast: Kazuyuki Okitsu, Mai Fuchigami, Minami Tsuda, Shinobu Matsumoto, Eiji Miyashita, Nao Toyama, Saki Fujita, Manami Numakura
- TMDB rating: 7.0/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3104246/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: melancholic, grave, tense, somber, atmospheric

## What critics say

Audiences praise the series' naval action, submarine battles and the bond between the cadet and the Mist submarine, while its compressed story and light character development draw mixed reactions.

## Synopsis

Arpeggio of Blue Steel: Ars Nova (2013) is a Japanese anime series produced by Sanzigen and broadcast on MBS, a single-season limited run of twelve 24-minute episodes. Cadet Gunzou Chihaya (voiced by Kazuyuki Okitsu) encounters Iona (voiced by Mai Fuchigami), a humanoid life form who pilots the submarine I-401 for the mysterious Fleet of Mist, and the two are drawn into a fight that mankind has been losing for years. The engine of the show is simple and urgent: humanity is starved by blockades after rising seas have swallowed territory, and a small crew must decide whether an enemy that once wiped out their navies can be trusted. Episodes are built around naval engagements, submarine maneuvers and the tactical sparring of officers such as Iori Watanuki (voiced by Minami Tsuda) and Shizuka Hazumi (voiced by Nao Toyama). The atmosphere is grave and melancholic, with fog-bound seas, desperate ship-to-ship combat and a steady undercurrent of dread about a civilization on the edge of collapse. Set in a near future Earth, it suits viewers who enjoy military anime, naval strategy and the tensions of a hopeless war. Fans of Kantai Collection, Battlestar Galactica and Terra Formars will find resonance in its blend of sea combat, sentient warships and survival stakes.

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