Despite the six years, I knew it was you right away.
S-Stop staring!
I challenge you to a duel!
Mabushii kaze no naka de egakuyo kimi no egao
Amidst a bright wind, I think of your smile.
Sunao ni nareru shunkan
It's time I can be honest with myself.
Chiisana koto de yureru yowai jibun ga kuyashii
I hate how I'm excited over the smallest things.
Nakitai toki datte ue wo muite
Even when you want to cry, look up!
Watashi dake ni dekiru koto ga aruno
There are things only I can do.
Akiramenaiyo kimi wo mamori tsudukeru
I won't give up. I'll continue protecting you.
Tomaranai supiido de omoi ga afureteiku
Feelings keep welling up at an unstoppable speed.
Maketaku wa nai dareyori mo kagayaite itai
I don't want to lose. I want to shine brighter than anyone.
Hoshi ga mienai hi mo hikari wa aru kitto
Even on nights you can't see stars, light is sure to be there.
Shinjiru koto negai mirai e
I head to the future believing and dreaming.
Ano sora de aeru kara
We're sure to meet in the sky.
Class Representative Cup!
Orimura, regarding your IS.
It will require time to make it operational.
There are no unassigned units,
so the school will order one exclusively for your use.
A personal IS?
For a freshman?
In other words, his government is already pitching in?
Lucky! I want one, too!
Is having a personal IS that big a deal?
I'm glad to hear the news.
This Class Representative Cup!
Who will win is obvious,
but it would be unfair for me to be in my personal unit and you in a training unit.
You have a personal unit, too?
Were you unaware?
Then allow me to teach a commoner like yourself.
I, Cecilia Alcott, am the English national representative candidate.
Therefore, I already have a personal unit.
There are only 467 IS units in the world.
And only the elite of elites have personal IS units!
467 units? Only?
The "CORE" technology, key to IS units, has not been disclosed at all.
Currently, there are 467 IS units in the world.
All the COREs inside them were made by Dr. Shinonono Tabane.
That's Houki's older sister...
The technology behind CORE is a complete black box.
Nobody besides Dr. Shinonono can make COREs.
But the Doctor refuses to make more than a set number of COREs.
Nations, companies, and organizations have COREs allocated to them...
...and are having to make do with what's provided for research and development.
Fundamentally speaking,
personal IS are given only to those who work for nations or belong to companies.
But given your unique status, a personal IS will be prepared in the interest of data collection.
Do you understand your position?
K-Kind of...
Um, Sensei. Is Shinonono-san related to Dr. Shinonono?
Yes. Shinonono is her younger sister.
Really? She's your older sister?!
Isn't Dr. Shinonono missing, and aren't nations and companies around the world searching for her?
You don't know where she is?
I have nothing to do with that person!
I am not that person.
There is nothing I can tell you.
Yamada-sensei, the class, please.
Y-Yes!
We'll now start class.
Were Houki and Tabane-san on bad terms?
Everyone, please open your textbooks.
We'll start where we left off yesterday.
IS, Infinite Stratos, covers the pilot's body with a special energy barrier.
Each IS has something similar to a conscious of its own.
Communication occurs between the IS and pilot; the more time one spends in one, the more the IS learns how one thinks.
I don't understand at all.
Please consider IS not as a tool, but as a partner.
Any questions so far?
Question!
When you say "partner", do you mean like boyfriend-girlfriend?
Um! I'm not sure...
I don't have the experience to answer that...
I wonder myself.
You're so cute, Sensei!
So this is what an all-girl's school is like.
Houki.
Shinonono-san.
Let's go get lunch.
Anybody want to come with us?
Yes! Yes! Yes!
We're coming! Give us a sec!
I brought lunch with me, but I'll go!
It's nice to get along as classmates, right?
Right? Don't you agree?
Count me out.
Don't be like that.
Come on, get up.
Hey! I said I won't go.
What? You don't want to walk?
Do you need a piggyback ride?
Let go!
Ow...
You've gotten better.
Maybe you've become weak.
That was just an extra trick one learns from practicing with swords.
Um...
On second thought, I think we'll pass.
What? You have something to say?
Houki.
I told you not to call me by my first name.
We're going to get lunch.
Hey. Leave me alone already.
Just come with me.
You didn't have to get so worked up; I was just thinking of you.
Who asked you to?
People usually don't even when asked.
I'm doing it because it's you.
Wh-What's that supposed to mean?
Your parents took care of me,
and we're childhood friends who practiced the same art.
You have to let me meddle like that.
Well...
Thank-
Here's two lunch specials.
Thank you.
Houki, are there any open tables?
There's one there.
Did I do something?
Hey, Houki.
What?
Could you teach me about IS?
At this rate, I feel like I'll lose to Cecilia without being able to put up a fight at all.
It's your own fault for being provoked like that.
But please. I beg you.
Hey. You're the boy everyone's talking about, right?
I heard you're going to have a match with a national representative candidate,
but you're a total beginner, right?
Would you like me to teach you about IS?
That's not necessary. I am teaching him.
You're a freshman, too, right?
I'm a senior.
I'm sure I'll be a better teacher than you.
I am Shinonono Tabane's younger sister.
So we will be fine, thank you.
O-Okay. Then fine.
So you'll teach me?
What is the meaning of this?
What do you mean?
Why have you become so weak?!
In what club did you participate during middle school?!
"Going straight home" club!
Never missed a day in three years!
I'm going to retrain you.
This is beyond worrying about IS.
Every day after school for three hours, I'll train you!
Wait. I need to learn about IS.
I said your problem is beyond IS!
Is Orimura-kun actually pretty weak?
Can he really move an IS?
Was I too hard on him?
N-No, that was just right.
He clearly hasn't held a sword in over a year.
Otherwise, he wouldn't lose to me like that.
Six years...
He's changed so much in the six years we've been apart...
So much...
I-In any case, starting tomorrow, he'll be training after school's out.
Then I'll be able to spend those hours with him.
No. Nothing like that is on my mind.
I'm honestly upset regarding the lack of effort from my fellow pupil in the art.
Hence, this is needed!
Hey, Houki.
What?
You were supposed to teach me about IS, right?
Don't look away.
We did nothing but practice kendo this week.
Wh-What could we have done? Your IS is not here yet.
Even without the unit, isn't there theory or other basics we could have covered?
I said stop looking away!
So that's her personal unit.
Orimura-kun! Orimura-kun!
Orimura-kun!
Your personal IS has arrived!
Get ready immediately, Orimura.
We have limited time in this arena.
Learn how to maneuver during the fight.
This is your personal IS.
Byakushiki!
Suit up now.
We're short on time, so format and fit it during the fight.
What?
What is it?
It feels different from when I first touched an IS.
Is everything all right, Orimura-kun?
Yes.
It's fine.
I can feel it.
I can understand it.
I can tell what this is and why it exists.
I can feel it.
Lean back into it.
That's right. As if you're sitting.
The system will optimize itself for you.
Access.
System start.
Byakushiki...
So this is what it's made of...
Cecilia-san's unit is Blue Tears.
It's an IS outfitted for long-range shooting.
Blue Tears...
IS come with a function called Absolute Defense.
It's designed to at the very least save the pilot's life...
...no matter what attack lands.
However, when it activates, shield energy will be drained.
You understand, right?
Orimura, are you feeling sick at all?
I can do this.
Okay.
Houki.
Wh-What?
I'm off.
Y-Yeah.
Go win this.
Here's your last chance.
Chance for what?
It's obvious I'm going to win this handily.
If you apologize now, I may forgive you.
-CAUTION-
OPPOSING IS PILOT LEFT EYE SHIFTING TO SNIPER MODE
SAFETY MODE OFF
-CAUTION-
OPPOSING IS PILOT LEFT EYE SHIFTING TO SNIPER MODE
SAFETY MODE OFF
-CAUTION-
OPPOSING IS PILOT LEFT EYE SHIFTING TO SNIPER MODE
SAFETY MODE OFF
-CAUTION-
OPPOSING IS PILOT LEFT EYE SHIFTING TO SNIPER MODE
SAFETY MODE OFF
-CAUTION-
OPPOSING IS PILOT LEFT EYE SHIFTING TO SNIPER MODE
SAFETY MODE OFF
-CAUTION-
OPPOSING IS PILOT LEFT EYE SHIFTING TO SNIPER MODE
SAFETY MODE OFF
-CAUTION-
OPPOSING IS PILOT LEFT EYE SHIFTING TO SNIPER MODE
SAFETY MODE OFF
-CAUTION-
OPPOSING IS PILOT LEFT EYE SHIFTING TO SNIPER MODE
SAFETY MODE OFF
-CAUTION-
OPPOSING IS PILOT LEFT EYE SHIFTING TO SNIPER MODE
SAFETY MODE OFF
That's not a chance at all.
It isn't? That's a shame.
In that case...
-WARNING-
OPPOSING IS SHIFTING TO SHOOTING MODE
I bid you farewell!
Damn it. I can't keep up with Byakushiki's response speed.
Yes. Dance.
Dance to the waltz played by Cecilia Alcott and Blue Tears!
Crap. She's chipping away at my shield.
Equipment... What equipment do I have?
USABLE EQUIPMENT LIST
「CLOSE RANGE BLADE」
That's it?
I guess it's better than bare hands!
Challenging me with close-range equipment when I'm a long-range gunner?
How foolish!
Go!
You're the first to last this long in your first battle against Blue Tears.
You have my compliments.
Thanks so much.
But let's end this now!
Your left leg is mine!
Let's give this a shot!
Orimura-kun!
Ichika!
You're absurd!
But it's all for naught!
I get it.
These weapons only move with your commands each time.
And while they're in use, you can't use any other attacks.
Because you're focused on controlling them.
Isn't that right?!
Orimura-kun's amazing.
I can't believe this is his second time activating an IS.
That idiot's being overconfident.
How can you tell?
He's been clenching and unclenching his left hand, right?
When that habit of his comes out, he tends to make simple mistakes.
Familial observation, huh?
Just two more to take down!
She's going to come from the angle I'm slowest to react to.
But it's my game if I take it to close range!
You fell for it.
I have more than those four!
Crap!
Ichika!
The unit saved your life, you fool.
Ichika?
What? What's going on?
Orimura-kun's unit's changed!
FORMATTING
FITTNG
COMPLETE
Connected.
Wh-What?
Was that... First Shift?
D-Don't tell me you were fighting with the default settings.
I don't get it exactly,
but looks like this unit's truly mine exclusively now.
USABLE EQUIPMENT LIST
CLOSE RANGE BLADE
「YUKIHIRA 2」
CLOSE RANGE BLADE
「YUKIHIRA 2」
CLOSE RANGE BLADE
「YUKIHIRA 2」
READY
Yukihira 2?
CLOSE RANGE BLADE
「YUKIHIRA 2」
READY
Yukihira's the weapon Chifuyu-nee used, right?
I have the best sister in the world.
But I have to stop being protected by her all the time.
From now on, I'll protect my family, too.
What are you saying?
To begin with, I'll protect Chifuyu-nee's name.
She won't look as cool if her brother's a loser.
You annoy me!
I can see them!
I can do this!
End of match.
Winner: Cecilia Alcott.
Why did I lose?
Because you used a Barrier Invalidation attack.
It's the consequence of fighting without thinking of your weapon's ability.
Barrier Invalidation?
It goes through the opponent's barrier and inflicts damage directly to the pilot.
It's Yukihira's special ability.
It even directs your shield energy into the attack.
This played a big part in my victory in the first Mondo Grosso.
I see. So that's why Byakushiki's remaining shield energy level plummeted.
IS battles end when a party's shield energy goes to zero.
The Barrier Invalidation ability inflicts damage on the opponent by sacrificing your own shield energy.
It's a double-edged sword.
In other words, your unit is defective.
Defective?
I should have worded that differently.
IS were never perfected, so they're always defective.
Your unit is specialized for attacking moreso than others.
Your IS is in standby mode right now,
but it'll activate any time you call it.
There are regulations, so please read them thoroughly.
I guess that makes her the class rep.
Why are you staring at me?
Um...
Is it frustrating that you lost?
Well, yeah.
Starting tomorrow... we'll have to train using IS, too.
Yeah.
So um...
Do you want me to instruct you?
Yeah.
It makes me feel more at ease than asking other girls.
And being Tabane-san's sister, I'm sure you know a lot about IS.
I-I see. Okay.
I get it.
You leave me no choice.
Very well. Then I shall teach you.
Starting tomorrow, keep your afternoons free.
Okay?
Y-Yeah.
Hey.
Why do I feel like this?
I'm the one who won...
Orimura... Ichika...
BrushUP!! yuuki kyou mo watashi no haato kirameku
BrushUP!! Courage, today again my heart will glitter.
Next Future hajimatteru ne!
My next future has already begun.
dare ni mo yuzurenai yo sorezore no puraido
We can't surrender our pride to anyone.
mitome atteru tte iwanakute mo
We don't have to say that we acknowledge each other.
massugu maemuki na no... wakaru
You're always positive. I can tell.
ganbatteru notte ureshii shinpashii
Seeing you work so hard is a nice kind of sympathy.
tsuyoi kaze ga mikata ka douka nante
Tell me, is the strong wind our ally?
kankei nai jibun shidai da wa ikanakucha!
It's all up to you. We've got to get moving!
tomaranai karadajuu ni nagaredasu enajii
Unstoppable energy flows from our bodies.
saikou no watashi de tondeike!
Fly because of my success!
Super Super Stream kanjiteru yo
I feel the super super stream.
ima mo mirai mo oikoshi sou na tsubasa ni naru
It'll turn into wings that may even fly me past both present and future.
BrushUP!! yuuki kyou mo makenai haato migaku yo
BrushUP!! Courage, today again my unyielding heart will shine.
Next Future minogasanai de!
Next Future. Don't miss it.
Hey! Who is that girl?
Why is she so close to Orimura-kun?
She's a Chinese girl with a personal unit.
Apparently she's Orimura-kun's friend from middle school.
And she's the class rep of Class 2.
Which means...
She'll be fighting Orimura-kun in the class league match!
Next time: Transfer Student is a Second Childhood Friend.
「Transfer Student is a Second Childhood Friend」
Next Time
Are we going to see an IS with a Chinese dress design?
In your dreams.