Review of "Blue Fleet": An anime where you can enjoy the beauty of battleships and the drama of battle

"Blue Fleet": A grand war story anime where history and fiction intersect

■Overview of the work

"Gunpeki no Kantai" is an original video animation (OVA) based on the novel of the same name by Yoshio Aramaki, released in 1993. It is a feature-length series of 32 episodes, each 45 minutes long, and has been highly praised as a war story anime. It was directed by Takeyuki Kanda and Hiromichi Matano, written by Ryosuke Takahashi and Yuichiro Takeda, and features a stellar lineup of staff, including Mitsuharu Kajitani and Takashi Tanazawa, in charge of mechanical design.

■ Story

On April 18, 1943, Yamamoto Isoroku was killed in battle over Bougainville Island and is reborn as Takano Isoroku in a different future world where the era name is "Teruwa." Using his memories from his past life, Takano Isoroku forms the "Konpeki-kai" group and launches a coup d'état with Otaka Yasaburo. They organize the "Konpeki Fleet" and the "Asahi Fleet" and fight to lead future Japan to a "better defeat."

■Explanation

"Gun no Kantai" is based on a fictional war novel written by Aramaki Yoshio, which created a boom in the early 90s. Director Kanda Takeyuki was skilled at depicting human drama amid the flames of war, as seen in "Galaxy Drifter Vifam: The Missing 12" and "Mobile Suit Gundam: M08th MS Team." However, following his sudden passing, Hiromichi Matano, who is renowned for his depictions of war, took over. The screenplay has been consistently written by Takahashi Ryosuke, who has worked on "Armored Trooper Votoms" and other works, creating a solid work that wows fans.

The distinctive feature of this work is that it is as faithful to the real thing as possible, from the coating of the tanks to the rank insignia on the military uniforms. The detailed depiction of the mechanics is the result of the staff's policy and commitment to pursuing realism in the context of animation, producing high-quality images that will not bore even adult fans.

■Cast

• Yasaburo Otaka: Joe Fujimoto
• Takano Isoroku: Yara Yusaku
• Kazuyuki Maehara: Hideyuki Tanaka
• Narrator: Mugihito

■ Main staff

• Original work: Yoshio Aramaki "The Deep Blue Fleet" (Tokuma Shoten)
• Director: Takeyuki Kanda, Hiromichi Matano
• Screenplay: Ryosuke Takahashi, Yuichiro Takeda
• Mechanic design: Mitsuharu Kajitani, Takashi Tanazawa, Noriyasu Yamauchi, Yoshiro Harada, Hisashi Ezura, Hideo Okamoto

■ Main Characters

• Takano Isoroku: Chief of the Navy Command. Isoroku Yamamoto, commander-in-chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy Combined Fleet, is reincarnated in the "future" world and forms the "Konpeki-kai" (Blue Pearl Fleet) and launches a coup with Yasaburo Otaka. Using his memories from his past life, he organizes the "Konpeki Fleet" and the "Asahi Fleet" and tries to lead Japan to a "better defeat" in the future.
• Yasaburo Otaka: Minister of the Imperial Japanese Army. He is also a reincarnated person. He staged a coup with Takano Isoroku and others, established a new government, and became Prime Minister himself. A rare strategist, he developed precise and bold strategies based on his memories from his previous life, and won many battles. In order to achieve lasting peace in the world by having a "better defeat"...
• Maehara Kazuyuki: Rear Admiral. He is believed to have been killed in action during the surprise attack on Hawaii in December of the 16th year of Teruwa, but in fact he leads the secret submarine fleet, the Blue Fleet, and is active as a commander. His very existence is a military secret, and only a select few know about it.

■Subtitle

• Episode 1: The Fateful Battle Begins
• Episode 2: Bombing the Panama Canal
• Episode 3: The First Air Raid on the Imperial Capital
• Episode 4: Operation Tengen is announced
• Episode 5: Operation Torres Strait Blockade
• Episode 6: The Battle of the Tasman
• Episode 7: Conquering Christmas Island
• Episode 8: The Atomic Bomb Prevention Mission
• Episode 9: Operation Tenkyoku begins
• Episode 10: Megaboat Soars Through Europe
• Episode 11: The New Blue Fleet Takes Off
• Episode 12: Stormy Madagascar
• Episode 13: German super-heavy bomber interception operation
• Episode 14: Red Sea Torpedo Attack
• Episode 15: The Underwater Fortress Naruto Launches
• Episode 16: Major General Maehara in a pinch!
• Episode 17: Dark clouds and high Indian waves!
• Episode 18: Annihilation of the German Underwater Assault Fleet
• Episode 19: Hot Wind, Indian Subcontinent!
• Episode 20: Rommel's army launches a shock attack!
• Episode 21: Super-dreadnought carrier-built torpedoes set out!
• Episode 22: Kamaitachi: Land and Sea Three-Dimensional Operation!
• Episode 23: Battle of the Deccan Plateau
• Episode 24: Decisive battle! indian southern fortress
• Episode 25: The Establishment of the Holy European Empire
• Episode 26: Secret inspection tour of Manchuria
• Episode 27: The super-secret battleship Kameten advances north!
• Episode 28: Alas, the Battle of Iceland
• Episode 29: The prelude builds towards the final battle!
• Episode 30: The Great Equatorial Battle
• Episode 31: The Iron Cross Sickle
• Episode 32: The Dawn of Asia

■Detailed explanation and evaluation

"Gunbuster" is known as a spectacular war story anime where history and fiction intersect. The original novel's detailed strategies and realistic depictions are faithfully reproduced in the anime, drawing viewers in. In particular, the intricacy of the mechanical design is noteworthy, and the detailed depictions of tanks and ships are an element that war story anime fans cannot miss.

The story development is also excellent, with each episode depicting a different battlefield, drawing the viewer's interest. The growth and conflicts of the main characters, such as Takano Isoroku and Otaka Yasaburo, are also carefully depicted, making the series a deep human drama. In particular, Takano Isoroku's philosophy of "losing better" leaves a deep impression on viewers.

The cast is also impressive, with talented voice actors such as Jo Fujimoto, Yusaku Yara, and Hideyuki Tanaka playing the characters. Their acting skills bring out the charm of the characters and add depth to the story. The narrator, Mugihito, also plays an important role in adding to the atmosphere of the work.

The staff members are also not to be overlooked. The team of Kanda Takeyuki and Matano Hiromichi showed new possibilities for war anime. Takahashi Ryosuke's script created a solid story that impressed fans, and Takeda Yuichiro's script complemented it to raise the quality of the work. The attention to detail of staff members such as Kajitani Mitsuharu and Tanazawa Takashi, who were in charge of mechanical design, supports the quality of the work.

■ Recommendation points

"Blue Fleet" is recommended not only for fans of war anime, but also for those who are interested in history and mechanics. In particular, the following points are recommended.

• Detailed mechanical design: The detailed depiction of tanks and ships is a must-see for war anime fans.
• Solid story: The story revolves around Takano Isoroku's philosophy of "losing better than others," and leaves a deep impression on viewers.
• Awesome cast: Characters are played by talented voice actors such as Jo Fujimoto, Yusaku Yara, and Hideyuki Tanaka.
• Staff Attention to Detail: The quality of the work is supported by the attention to detail of the staff, including the team of Kanda Takeyuki and Matano Hiromichi, the script by Takahashi Ryosuke, and the mechanical designs by Kajitani Mitsuharu and Tanazawa Takashi.

■ Related works

If you enjoyed "Blue Fleet," we also recommend the following related works:

• Galaxy Drifter Vifam: The Missing Twelve: A war anime directed by Kanda Takeyuki, focusing on human drama.
• Mobile Suit Gundam: M08th MS Team: One of the Gundam series directed by Kanda Takeyuki, it is characterized by its realistic depiction of the battlefield.
• "Armored Trooper Votoms": Written by Takahashi Ryosuke, this work is appealing for its solid storyline and mechanical design.

■ Summary

"Gunbuster" has captivated many fans as a grand war story anime where history and fiction intersect. It is a work full of highlights, such as intricate mechanical design, a solid story, a luxurious cast, and the attention to detail of the staff. It is a work recommended not only for war story anime fans, but also for those who are interested in history and mechanics. Please give it a watch.