If you can't beat them...blow yourself up with them.
WEEE! The last post for 2013 and it is only January 12th. GO ME!!!! I kid I kid. Maybe. But yes here is the last episode for Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio: Ars Nova. If you were looking for answers about why this show is happening...well.....you might be disappointed for now. But this show does end in tons of missiles and blasts and snowflake swords. That should make up for answers not being given yes? Hopefully?
Launching hope towards Kongou.
Episode Summary: Everyone looks in awe that Kongou has become...that. They can sense Maya in there but it is not a merge, just a takeover..of many ships. Gunzou's crew is like so huge Kongou is behind us and the a huge fleet of Flog Ships in front of them. Clearly they are screwed. Before they can think of a plan Kongou starts powering up her version of the super gravity machine and everyone...well panics. Instead of firing at Iona though Kongou fires...at every single American Fog Ship and destroys them all. Everyone is upset that Kongou would destroy her own allies and Iona wants to talk to Kongou. The tea room is...slightly different to reflect Kongou's state of mind. All the other ships show up and want to know what Kongou was thinking. Kongou and her chair sitting self says it was stop for other ships from being infected by coming into contact with Iona. When the other ships point out Kongou looking and acting like this doesn't really follow the Code. Kongou is like I am going to kill you all now goodbye. Once kicked out of the tea room everyone talks about the situation and realize that Kongou won't be able to keep up this appearance/action and will eventually die herself. Iona is distressed about this as they dive in the water, trying to avoid Kongou's attacks. It is another shocking moment when Kongou is able to fire the super weapon again. Iona is forced to fire hers in an effort to combat it/keep everyone alive. The combination of both attacks messes with the air and Iona is able to hide for a little while. Someone has to point out that this is all pointless as they are outmatched in every single way possible. But then everyone takes a turn talking about how they are team Gunzou and that they are going to change the world, not wait for someone else to do it for them even if the odds are really, really bad. Iona is like this is great guys but I need to save Kongou. Everyone tries to point out the link tea room is out but Iona wants to go there personally. She is compelled and the others think that this might be free will. Gunzou agrees to this plan of foolishness.
My tiny little bear arms will help out too.
Kongou and her many lazers and missiles and ultimate weapon start to fire at 401 while everyone tries to dodge and use their own weapons while firing a single tube up into the air. 401 and crew keep fighting as it turns out that Iona was in the tube. She is eventually hit and has to hop around on the missiles to make it to Kongou. She makes it to Kongou, slightly injured and Kongou pulls out her sword. Iona says she is here to save Kongou and Kongou starts attacking Iona with the sword and snowflakes. Iona gets slightly hurt again but manages to grab Kongou's hand. Kongou freaks out and WHOOSHES out her attack circle. In real life Kongou and Iona are fighting it out. Well Kongou is fighting and Iona is avoiding the blows. In their minds Iona is trying to break through to Kongou who has locked herself up in some hedge maze thing. Iona slowly makes it through the hedge maze but in real life Kongou kicks the crap out of Iona and gains the upperhand in both worlds. She really was not appreciating all the talking about free will and that Iona ruined everything. She kicks her around for a while and then powers up the weapon again, hoping to take out Iona and herself at the same time as she is infected with Iona cooties. Team Gunzou fires on Kongou, pretty much ruining her plan. How dare Iona be that powerful. Kongou loses her cool and starts ranting that things don't need to change and she doesn't want to be aware of the outside world. This opens her up for Iona to touch her in the real world and tea time world. Iona hugs Kongou and tells her it is going to be okay. The tea world changes into one of flowers and light. The Gunozu crew picks up that Iona is still alive and they celebrate. In the real world Iona asks Kongou to come with them but Kongou needs time to think about this insanity. But she says that they will always be together in their hearts. So everyone on Team Gunzou heads to the Unite States where they deliver the weapon and everyone rejoices Takao is given her body back, Kirishima stays a bear, and Haruna becomes Makie's caregiver. Iona and Gunzou float around in the water, wondering if they really changed the world. Who knows but everything seems happy now. THE END!
That is Super Kongou to you.
Hugs and rainbow kisses for all. It all worked out in the end. Nothing to fear, Gunzou is here. Well I guess more like Iona but still. Only happiness.
Well when you reach this level of crazy taking out your enemy with yourself isn't that insane.
When we last saw our heroes they had just blown up 400 and 402. Iona had about 3 seconds to not cry about it before half the forces guarding the United States appeared from the front and Kongou the Super For appeared from the back. Now this seems like the perfect time to panic. I would. Surely we should die. No instead we are going to focus on how Kongou looks like that robot planet from Transformers in the 80's. Granted if everyone was doomed anyway I could see focusing on something else since running away wasn't going to help. Nope lets look at Kongou with her...array of ships attacked to her. Maya who?
Piece out American Fog Ships. Super Kongou is going to be the one to sink Iona guaranteed.
I like how crazy Kongou was like Super Gravity Blast the second she could. Let's right! Start off with your most powerful attack. None of this working your way up to awesome. Show Iona whose boss right out the gate. Oh wait you used the cannon to take out all the American Fog ships? Oh...I see. No one kills Iona but you indeed.
Because she got bored with killing humans? Like seriously cry over that crazies.
This was all very shocking to Gunzou and crew. So shocking that they didn't flee fast or contact...anyone for help. Just stood in awe that Kongou would take out her own. I mean...this is a bit silly and understandable at the same time. I think it was a bit much because everyone else has tried to sink Iona and she is Fog too. So it's not like this hasn't happened before. Kongou has tried to kill them too. So all this X) how could she was a bit special. But maybe it was because Kongou took out “real” Fog ships. Ones that were following the Code. Those are Kongou's people and she took them out. We shall be shocked.
Kongou we think you have a problem....
Despite tea time never working out Iona wants to talk to Kongou. Because really what else can go wrong at this point? There is not enough nanomaterial to make the other avatars a ship. You know, for one to run away with the weapon while Gunzou and Iona die for the cause. So really what harm could come from talking face to crazy face? I am kinda disappointed Kongou never mentioned Maya. Obviously she was super hurt by Maya not being real but she never told the others. That this “friendship” concept is nothing but pain and lies. So Iona and company could say oh no Kongou. We are real. Come, be friends with us. But Maya was never mentioned.
Or or...you wanted to be the one to kill Iona so you took out the competition crazy Fog ship. Crazy is a human trait you know.
As per usual the tea that wasn't didn't work. All the girls showed up but Kongou wasn't having any of it. Everyone take a turn to explain how you feel. Takao was probably the most vocal. Kongou's reasoning for blowing up all those Fog ships...might make sense if she was telling the truth and not looking so creepy. I mean.....she might really be looking out for Fog. Trying to get rid of what she thinks is an infection. Protecting what is left of the fleet. They were too close to Iona and she might have invited them over for tea and cake. No no, everyone must be shown down 28 weeks later style. Of course Kongou also snapped and wanted to be the one to kill Iona so...you know. Kongou was trying to be the best Fog ship ever which means she was the worst by trying to actively be the best. Everyone, no group hug for Kongou.
Behold the magic!
The fact that Kongou did not blow Iona into tiny pieces is nothing short of anime magic. 400 and 402 sunk Iona and they are just 2 little subs, no whatever Kongou is. Yes I know Iona had no shields on and it was a sneak attack but still. You would have thought maybe Kongou would have done a bit more damage. More than she actually did. It was superficial really. 800 bombs and missiles is a lot. All those other ships firing at Iona. I wanted it to look a little more dangerous than it was. Also it wasn't the more epic battle ever. Just...normal I guess. No one got thrown around or broken.
The we can do it speech was highly successful and contagious.
Despite being seriously boned Gunzou never really gave up. Had to give a we can do it speech to the crew. Now the way things were going I thought a shark was going to come by and eat Gunzou and L.L. Cool J was going to have to lead the troops. No shark. Just everyone agreeing that they can do it. No worries guys. Everyone work your hardest and we will change the world. Man your stations, we can beat Kongou!
Only Iona didn't want to kill Kongou. She wanted to save her. Why....I don't know. I mean she seemed more upset about Kongou than her sisters. I mean not that Iona went out of her way to talk about her sisters. You would just think that Iona would be more upset about them. I don't think her passion on the subject was out of grief. Just that Kongou needed to be saved. Why? She had just said to Gunzou not all avatars were able to understand. Shoot her and end the war. Well battle. Because you have enough “redeemed” people on board.
Will? The freedom to do dumb things? Sign me up!
No no, Iona wanted to take a ride on a missile to visit Kongou face to face. Since Kongou was done with tea time. And Gunzou was almost okay with it. I think he knew this was very....unique way of solving their problems but again what else were they going to do? Gunzou wants everyone to get along anyway so have at it. Fly Iona fly. We will just make sure one of the other shipless Fog people can take over for you. So you can go to talk to Kongou. Alone. In a missile. Did I mention that Iona have a little pep talk of her own about free will that touched all? Especially the mental models. Like XO is that the feeling that's inside? We have to mend Kongou's heart? Okay. We can do this. Iona won't blow up and neither will the ship. We can do this guys. Why isn't Makie scarred for life yet?
Hold on I am coming to save you from yourself. Thank me later.
So while team Gunzou is trying really hard not to get blown up Iona.....flew towards the bullets. And turned into super Iona when her missile got squished. Look at Iona go. I am surprised she made it to the boat in one piece. I think it would have been more believable if Iona was missing an arm. But she doesn't got time to bleed. She only has time to save Kongou. Who is more important than saving her sisters. She just feels as if this is something she needs to do. That Kongou is hurting so much and has a chance to change whereas her sisters weren't really feeling much? I don't know Kongou wasn't really up for being saved. She is way too busy feeling hatred and rage and consuming rage.
Late to kick your butt?
Even though Kongou was kicking butt in real life Iona went in for the mental kill. I mean save. It took a while but Iona broke through the “wall” that Kongou put up around herself. Well sorta...Iona was doing a lot of talking, I just want us to be friends Kongou take my hand. It might have something to do with the fact that Gunzou and company fired at Kongou, stopping her suicide/murder plot. Yeah the fact that Iona was saved helped her to save Kongou. Truth be told this was a feel good anime and sorta lacks in sense making at the end. I mean...Iona should have said look I am this powerful because I have friends and we trust each other (sorta). Then Kongou would have seen/felt the truth, that she is really lonely. Instead Iona just kept repeating herself over and over again. I want to save you. Why? What has Kongou done besides try to destroy multiple people that makes Iona want to save her? Cynically I think that Iona just broke Kongou down. Like okay I give you can save me. However if Maya and her lying piano had still been around and “real” I think Kongou would have kept on keeping on.
I give up. Just stop talking. Stop making me feel!
But that is now what this show is about. It is about alien ships with no origin to speak of yet learning how to be human when they exposed to said humans. They were set in their ways until one of their own went out (probably not of her own free will...) and found out what was really important. To be yourself. Now I guess there is nothing wrong if Kongou took a look at herself and decided she liked being Fog. But that was not the point. The point was this world can be lonely and girls like Iona just want to bridge the gap and make everyone feel apart. Connecting. With or without tea. I am glad that Kongou declined to join Gunzou, at least right away. She does need some me time to figure this all out. She is not ready for smores and long nights by the bonfire. Let her heal. And you know...feel guilt since ya'll did kill a bunch of people.
She done stole your man Iona!
Our series (I am not sure if there will be a second season despite none of this being explained) ends with everything....happy and on a positive note. Gunzou delivered the weapon which seems pointless now since Kongou basically replicated it. But that means that Gunzou and Kamikage get to live to see another day. Haruna gets to have a little family with Makie and teddy Kirishima. Takao got her body back so all those sad faces meant nothing. And Gunzou gets to look happy and spend more time with Iona. You looked pathetic. Ah yes, the words that someone who basically turned the tide in this war. Gunzou deserves a rest. I am bit disappointed that we never found out who was behind this attack and why. Clearly it was not Fog. They might have been created by another race/entity or captured and reprogrammed. They were not making the orders. Unless there will be a second season and they needed to leave some material for that. I wish though that there was some hint of that. That everyone is off, having a great life and breathing a sigh of relief but deep in the ocean someone looks upset. A something. Glaring. Revenge. Muttering Gunzou's name under his breath. As it is this series seems...incomplete. It was good for what it was, great visuals. But it feels a bit hollow without some main answers. If there is a second season that answers these questions then I will rank it higher. But for now the message of learning to become human, that being human might not be just based on your beginnings...that came through loud and clear. Two thumbs up in that aspect. Sail on Gunzou. You have indeed changed the world.
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