IS <Infinite Stratos> is a 2011 TV anime series based on the light novels by author Izuru Yumizuru and illustrator Okiura published by Media Factory. The anime is produced by 8-Bit, directed by Yasuhito Kikuchi, series composition by Fumihiko Shimo, character design by Tomoyasu Kurashima, art directed by Shunichiro Yoshihara and sound directed by Masafumi Mima and Toshihiko Nakajima.[1] Set in the near future, a powered exoskeleton called "Infinite Stratos" (IS), which possesses advanced technology and combat capabilities, changes the world including a major effect on society, as only women can pilot IS. The story focuses on Ichika Orimura, the younger brother of famed Japanese IS pilot Chifuyu Orimura who is discovered to be the first male to be able to pilot an IS. He is then sent to the prestigious Infinite Stratos Academy—an international academy where IS pilots from all over the world are trained—where he meets Houki Shinonono, his childhood friend and younger sister of the creator of the IS. Along with other IS students from different nations, Ichika and Houki's busy school life begins. The anime follows the first three volumes of the light novels, with minor changes in the plotline.
The anime aired in Japan from January 6 to March 31, 2011 on TBS, with subsequent runs on Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting, Sun Television, Kyoto Broadcasting System and BS-i. The series in licensed in North America by Sentai Filmworks,[2] with Anime Network simulcasting the series on their video website.[3] Six DVD and Blu-ray volumes will be released by Media Factory between March 30 and September 21, 2011.[4] An OVA sequel, entitled IS <Infinite Stratos> Encore: A Sextet Yearning for Love (IS＜インフィニット・ストラトス＞アンコール 『恋に焦がれる六重奏』 IS <Infinitto Sutoratosu> Ankōru: Koi ni Kogareru Rokujūsō), was released in Japan on DVD and Blu-ray on December 7, 2011.[5]
The opening theme for the anime is "Straight Jet", performed by Minami Kuribayashi.[6] The ending theme song is "Super∞Stream", with the first episode version sung by Yōko Hikasa, the second and third episode version sung by Hikasa and Yukana, the fourth and fifth episode version sung by Hikasa, Yukana and Asami Shimoda, the sixth and seventh episode version sung by Hikasa, Yukana, Shimoda and Kana Hanazawa and the final version for the rest of episodes sung by Hikasa, Yukana, Shimoda, Hanazawa and Marina Inoue.[6] Each version of the song reflects the voice actresses' character who is running with Ichika in the episode's ending credits.
Contents |
| No. | Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | "My class is full of female students" "Kurasumeito wa Zenin Onna" (クラスメイトは全員女) |
January 6, 2011 |
| Ichika Orimura is attending the Infinite Stratos Academy as he is the first male in the world to ever pilot an IS where he becomes a sensation among the all female students of the academy. With his homeroom teacher being his older sister Chifuyu, an ex-IS pilot, Ichika is in unease and unprepared and trying to get use to the academy. Later he learns his dorm roommate is his childhood friend, kendo champion Houki Shinonono, who he has not seen in six years. When his class decides to elect him as their class representative, the British cadet representative and noble, Cecilia Alcott is against it and challenges him to an IS duel for the position. | ||
| 02 | "Class Representative Runoff!" "Kurasu Daihyō Ketteisen!" (クラス代表決定戦!) |
January 13, 2011[7] |
| Ichika is told by Chifuyu that he will be provided with his own personal IS for his match against Cecilia, a rarity since there are only 467 IS Cores that were created by Tabane Shinonono, Houki's older sister before she disappeared. To prepare himself, Houki agrees to train Ichika by practicing Kendo. On the day of the match, Ichika is given the IS Byakushiki against Cecilia's IS, Blue Tears. Cecilia has the advantage at the beginning as her IS is a Sniper while Ichika IS is a Close-range fighter but Ichika manages to transform his IS into First Shift, the IS second form and pulls out an energy sword, Yukihira Type 2. Just as Ichika is about to strike Cecilia, the match is declared over and Cecilia the winner because Ichika's energy sword completely depleted his IS shields. Despite losing, Ichika agrees to train more with Houki while Cecilia is unsure of herself despite winning the match. | ||
| 03 | "The Transfer Student is the Second Childhood Friend" "Tenkōsei wa Sekando Osananajimi" (転校生はセカンド幼なじみ) |
January 20, 2011[7] |
| Cecilia takes a liking with Ichika and gives the position of class representative to him, instead much to Houki's chagrin. The next day, Ichika meets Lingyin, the new transfer student from China who also happens to be his childhood friend and also the class representative of her class. After Ichika and Lingyin get reacquainted with each other, Houki and Cecilia get jealous. Upon learning Houki is Ichika's roommate, Lingyin tries to get Houki to let her become his roommate instead, which Houki refuses. Lingyin later leaves in anger after Ichika doesn't figure out the childhood promise they made and wants to settle it in the Inter-Class IS Tournament. With his match against Lingyin and her Shenlong IS next, Ichika prepares himself. | ||
| 04 | "Showdown! The Class League Match" "Kessen! Kurasu Rīgu Macchi" (決戦!クラス対抗戦(リーグマッチ)) |
January 27, 2011[7] |
| Ichika and Lingyin battle in the Inter-Class IS Tournament but their match is interrupted when a mysterious IS attacks the arena. As Ichika and Lingyin hold off the IS so the audience can escape, they soon realize the IS is an unmanned drone due to its machine-like behavior. Together with Cecilia, the three of them manage to defeat the IS but not before it injures Ichika. As Ichika recovers while Lingyin watches over him, Ichika wonders the promise he made with Lingyin had a different meaning which the latter quickly denies. Meanwhile, Chifuyu and Maya examines the defeated IS and confirms it is an unmanned IS drone with a unique IS Core that didn't come from the 467 confirmed Cores the world has which makes them question who made it. | ||
| 05 | "Boy Meets Boy" "Bōi Mītsu Bōi" (ボーイ・ミーツ・ボーイ) |
February 3, 2011[7] |
| Houki has been given her own room by Maya and leaves in anger when Ichika is being dense about it but makes him promise to go out with her should she win the inter-class tournament, which spreads into a rumor that the winner of the tournament gets a date with Ichika. At the same time, a transfer student, another "male" IS pilot from France named Charles Dunois, arrives much to the joy of the girls of the Academy due to Charles' Bishōnen looks and "interest" with Ichika, who also becomes Ichika's new roommate. While Ichika's class has IS practice with Lingyin's class, Chifuyu has Cecilia and Lingyin battle against Maya in a Rafale Revive IS, a 2nd generation IS made by Charles' father's corporation, which Maya easily defeats Cecilia and Lingyin's more advanced ISs. While Ichika is having lunch with Houki, Lingyin, Cecilia and Charles, the girls try to give Ichika their lunches, of which he enjoys Houki's best and feeds some of it to her, much to the other girls' anger. The next day, another transfer student from Germany named Laura Bodewig, an acquaintance of Chifuyu's, arrives much to the surprise of the class. Laura immediately walks to Ichika and slaps him, declaring she will not recognize him as Chifuyu's brother. | ||
| 06 | "My Roommate is a Blond Gentleman" "Rūmumeito wa Burondo Jentoru" (ルームメイトはブロンド貴公子（ジェントル）) |
February 10, 2011[8] |
| After losing against him in a practice bout, Ichika has a training session with Charles, which is interrupted by Laura who wants to fight him, but refuses. On his way back, he spots Laura talking with Chifuyu, begging her to return to Germany and that the IS Academy doesn't deserve her, but the latter doesn't listen. It is revealed when Ichika was kidnapped during the 2nd Mondo Grosso IS championship, Chifuyu forfeit the finals in order to rescue him. Upon returning to his dorm, Ichika walks in on Charles in the shower to discover he is actually a girl. Charles reveals she is her father's illegitimate daughter who was taken in after her mother passed away and made an IS test pilot. But when the Dunoa corporation entered a financial crisis due to the demand for third generation ISs, Charles was ordered to act as a boy to give the company publicity and steal data from Ichika. Ichika empathizes with her as his parents abandoned him and Chifuyu, thus deciding to keep Charles' secret as she'll be safe at the IS Academy due to diplomatic immunity. Meanwhile, Laura, who blames Ichika for blemishing Chifuyu's record removes her eyepatch, revealing a golden left eye and swears revenge on him. | ||
| 07 | "Blue Days ~ Red Switch" "Burū Deizu/Reddo Suitchi" (ブルー・デイズ/レッド・スイッチ) |
February 17, 2011[8] |
| Houki becomes pressured to win the upcoming inter-class tournament after her attempt to ask Ichika out escalated into a rumor that whoever wins the tournament gets to date him. As Cecilia and Lingyin prepare to spar, Laura appears and goads them into a two-on-one battle, effortlessly countering all their attacks. When she continues to beat them at the risk of their lives, Ichika and Charles step in to rescue them before Chifuyu puts a stop to the battle, declaring it will be settled in the inter-class tournament. It is soon announced that the tournament will be conducted in pairs, with Ichika choosing Charles as his partner. On the day of the inter-class tournament, it is decided via lottery that Houki is to be paired with Laura against Ichika and Charles. | ||
| 08 | "Find Out My Mind" "Faindo Auto Mai Maindo" (ファインド・アウト・マイ・マインド) |
February 24, 2011[8] |
| The match between Ichika and Charles against Laura and Houki begins where Laura focuses on fighting Ichika and pays no heed to her partner Houki, who is soon knocked out by Charles. Ichika and Charles uses their teamwork to take advantage of Laura's AIC shield to defeat her despite Ichika's shields running low after using Yukihira. With her defeat imminent, Laura reminisce her past of being a failed genetically engineered soldier unable to adapt an IS until meeting her teacher and role model Chifuyu but hates Ichika upon learning Chifuyu shows her softer side because of him. Not wanting to give up, Laura goes berserk which transforms her IS into a large, dark IS. Wanting to stop her, Charles gives her remaining IS power to Ichika to manifest Yukihira and uses it to strike the dark IS and free Laura. As Laura recovers and learns who Ichika fights for, Chifuyu explains what cause her IS to go berserk and consoles Laura to not follow in her footsteps but to choose her own path and be who she really wants to be. Despite the inter-class tournament being cancelled, Ichika decides to go out with Houki. Later at the newly-opened boys' public bath, Charles tells Ichika that she will stay at the Academy under her real gender and name, Charlotte. When the class learns the truth about Charlotte, Lingyin, in anger, arrives to punish Ichika but is saved by Laura. However, Laura suddenly kisses Ichika in front of the girls and tells him he is going to be her "Wife", much to the shock of everyone. | ||
| 09 | "Ocean's Eleven!" "Ōshanzu Irebun!" (海に着いたら十一時(オーシャンズ・イレブン)!) |
March 3, 2011[8] |
| Houki calls her sister, Tabane, who reveals she has completed an IS called Akatsubaki just for her. After being hassled in the morning by Laura, Ichika goes with Charlotte to the mall to buy swimsuits for their beach study session while Lingyin, Cecelia and Laura stalks them. When Charlotte notices them following her, she hides with Ichika in the dressing room to show off her swimsuit, but they are both discovered by Chifuyu and Maya. During the beach study session, the girls try to get close with Ichika with various results. As sunset arrives, Chifuyu talks with Houki about Tabane and believes her sister will come with the Akatsubaki on July 7. | ||
| 10 | "Thin Red Line" "Shin Reddo Rain" (その境界線の上に立ち(シン・レッド・ライン)) |
March 10, 2011[9] |
| After catching the girls snooping at her room while Ichika is massaging her, Chifuyu has a talk with the girls about their feelings for her brother and gives them some advice. The next day, Houki's eccentric sister Tabane arrives to deliver Houki's personal IS, the Akatsubaki, a 4th generation IS with abilities far more advanced than the others. However, Chifuyu soon receives news that an an unmanned US/Israeli IS called the Silver Gospel has gone out of control. After assessing the situation, Chifuyu orders Ichika and the girls to stop it while Ichika and Houki will pursue it as only their IS are fast enough to catch up with the Silver Gospel. | ||
| 11 | "Get Ready" "Getto Redi" (ゲット・レディ) |
March 24, 2011[n 1][10] |
| As Ichika and Houki begin their operation, the others notice how happy Houki looks, which prompts Chifuyu to tell Ichika to watch over her carefully. As Ichika and Houki engages in battle with the Silver Gospel and is about to corner it, Ichika notices an illegal fishing boat in the area and breaks off formation to protect it. Houki is angry at Ichika for ruining the plan but he scolds her for disregarding the boat's safety, which is something she never does. However, the Silver Gospel launches a surprise attack on them, which forces Ichika to shield himself to protect Houki. As the critically injured Ichika is admitted, Houki blames herself on what happened and wants to quit being an IS pilot but Cecilia, Lingyin, Charlotte, and Laura manages to convince her otherwise. Together, they decide to defy Chifuyu's orders to stand by and go after the Silver Gospel themselves. | ||
| 12 | "Your Name Is" "Yua Nēmu Izu" (君の名は(ユア・ネーム・イズ)) |
March 31, 2011 |
| While the girls fight the Silver Gospel, Ichika has a dream where he meets a young girl and a warrior woman who asks him if he wants strength, which he agrees as he wants to protect his comrades. As the battle continues to rage, Houki manages to cut one of the Silver Gospel's wings and sees it fall into the ocean, only for it to re-emerge in its Second Shift form with "angel wings" and proceeds to to take down Houki and the rest. Houki is soon awakened by Ichika, who is now in Byakushiki's Second Shift form, Byakushiki Setsura, and gives Houki a hair ribbon as a gift as he still remembers July 7th as her birthday. With their combined strengths, Ichika and the girls finally defeat the Silver Gospel, with Ichika giving it the finishing blow. As they return back to their hotel, Chifuyu scolds them for defying orders but allows them some R&R as a reward for stopping the Silver Gospel. At a seaside cliff, Chifuyu has a talk with Tabane and believes she was the one who made Ichika the only male to pilot an IS and was behind the incident that discovered it, but Tabane reveals what happened with Ichika was a coincidence but admits she was the one responsible for hacking the Silver Gospel to go berserk in order to debut Houki's IS to the world before Tabane vanishes. At the beach, Houki apologizes to Ichika for his injuries and admits her feelings for him. As Ichika was about to kiss Houki, the other girls arrive, angry in what they are seeing, which forces Ichika to run away with Houki in his arms from the other girls. | ||
| OVA | "A Sextet Yearning for Love" "Koi ni Kogareru Rokujūsō" (恋に焦がれる六重奏) |
December 7, 2011 |
| On a hot sunny day, Charlotte's plan to spend some time alone with Ichika at his house is somewhat ruined when Cecilia gets the same idea, later followed by Houki, Lingyin and Laura. They spend the afternoon playing games and making meals together. The next day, Houki helps out at a summer festival being held at her family's shrine and is surprised when Ichika shows up. Her time alone with Ichika, though, is ruined by the appearance of Ran. Later, Houki attempts to confess to Ichika but is drowned out by the fireworks. | ||