It's way too oversensitive.
Is this thing defective or what?
A Flock of Hazy Moons
What's wrong?
There's still time left.
It's just too hard to use.
That Japanese doll is a nuisance.
Oh, Lt. Takamura?
There was a old Japanese doll in my house when I was little.
It looked real, but it had the face of a corpse.
I was scared of it.
Don't laugh!
Even if they're both TSFs,
the US and Japan have completely different design philosophies and battle techniques,
so it's no wonder it's foreign to you.
I know that.
In that sense, the Lt.'s order that you pilot a Japanese practice unit
until the Type 94 Shiranui is ready was a good one.
I know that too.
A practice unit?
Correct.
You will pilot the Type 97 practice TSF, the Fubuki,
until your test unit, the Shiranui is ready.
Did this woman look at my record?
You look dissatisfied, Ensign Bridges.
I haven't been given enough information to be dissatisfied.
Let me ask you something.
Is your attitude in some way related to your feelings about this operation?
No, Liutenant.
Then is it a problem with me?
Not at all.
Then let me say this:
your unpleasant attitude is disruptive.
If you've no reason for it, fix it.
Understood?
Is that an order given as part of the XFJ project?
Or are you merely forcing your personal interests on me?
Whichever you prefer.
But fix it.
I'll try. But I can't promise.
Scary. Look at those two.
I kind of understand how he feels.
But Top Gun sure likes picking fights with her.
Yeah.
Even though they're both Japanese.
And that's the problem.
By the way, both Yuuya and I are Americans.
Also, according to your personal data,
you are a second-generation Japanese-American, Yuuya Bridges.
Yes, Lieutenant.
As someone of the same race, I find that haughty attitude unpleasant and upsetting.
You are, yes...
An embarrassment to the Japanese.
What did she say?
Make sure to familiarize yourself with the manual for the Fubuki by the next briefing.
Understood?
I...
I'm an American.
I was worried you were about to hit the Lt. back there.
No way. I wouldn't hit a woman.
Is that Japanese bushido?
Sorry, sorry.
But let me say this.
And this goes for everything, not just TSFs.
Any machine will reflect the mind of its creator.
If you want to master a Japanese TSF,
knowing the Japanese mind isn't a bad place to start.
Anyway, we've got a joint exercise with the Soviets tomorrow.
Take 'er out for another round.
Command Post to Argos Flight.
Maintain present altitude and cruising speed.
Course 538.
600 seconds until operation start point.
How's the practice unit looking, Top Gun?
Yeah, it's fine.
That's right.
I'll master any TSF, no matter what it is.
Show us what you got!
It'll be fine.
The goddess of victory is with you.
Y-Yeah.
Hey, look.
The Scarlet Twins are here.
What?
I'll show those girls who's boss!
Calm down, Tarisa.
It's not a mock duel.
We're just doing a joint anti-BETA exercise.
Stop puffing up your chest and learn something from them.
'Cause my boobs are so tiny I gotta puff 'em up, right? Whatever!
The Scarlet Twins.
What kind of Eishi are they?
I couldn't even find anything about them in the library of registered Eishi.
Command Post to Argos Flight.
Stand by at start point.
Wide-area datalink network online.
Condition Red issued.
JIVES online.
There's so many!
Is the system working right?
What's wrong, Top Gun?
This is pretty normal for Asia.
Europe too.
I guess they're used to it.
Okay, mission start!
Let's do this then.
Yeah!
Now then, what formation do we start with?
Argos 1 to all units.
Approach the enemy in Arrowhead-1 formation.
It's just like yesterday!
Why is it so oversensitive?
No alerts.
Are you telling me it's working properly?
Argos 1 is surrounded.
Hey, what's happened to him?
Mechanical trouble?
Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!
Present kill count is 122.
You're going a little slow.
Boost your kill speed by .7% percent.
Roger.
I think they're in trouble!
Who?
Yuuya Bridges.
Is he that green?
Inia, don't worry about the other squads.
We just need to focus on the enemies in front of us, for the motherland.
Yeah, I know.
What are you playing around for?
You take the grapplers!
Right!
More coming in from the southeast!
We're gonna be busy!
I was just slowing everyone down.
Don't say that.
You've barely had a chance to practice with it.
That's not the issue.
Then what is?
You weren't able to keep your Fubuki under control.
Given that you're not used to flying it, a certain degree of that is forgivable.
But if you'd understood your TSF better, you would have, for example,
chosen to make a gradual circling descent instead of plunging straight in.
I'm sorry, Lt., but from my perspective this TSF is a piece of junk.
Hey!
No, let him continue.
The main engine lacks power.
It's only effective at certain speeds which the engine has difficulty maintaining.
And more than anything, it puts too much emphasis on maneuverability, making it unbalanced.
But the Fubuki's no more difficult to control than any other Imperial Japanese TSF.
I find that hard to believe.
It's true.
And even in the harshness of the battlefield,
the Imperial Japanese soldiers are in complete control of their TSFs.
Even students who've not been fully trained.
In other words, your piloting skills are less than those of even an Imperial trainee.
What?
I'll make this clear: you lack talent.
I'll admit the TSF was working properly.
You lack talent.
But I refuse to admit that she's right.
Are you cold?
Are you okay?
Yeah, I'm not that cold.
No, that you got scolded.
I didn't get scolded.
I know, I'll introduce you to Misha.
Misha?
That's right.
Cryska and Misha.
We're always together.
Are they your family?
Yup, my family!
I'm sure if you meet Misha you'll feel a lot better!
Let's go, Yuuya!
Hey, wait!
What happened to him, anyway?
Japanese TSFs don't handle like other ones.
We'll have to help him out until he gets used to it.
Well, let's go drag him out for a drink and give him a hard time about it.
That's nice of you.
You want to make him feel better?
Are you stupid?
No, I just want to make fun of him.
I think it's a good idea. It'd take his mind off things?
What are you doing here?
Oh, don't mind me.
This way!
Hey.
Well, if a girl like her can go in it's probably okay.
Yuuya, hurry!
Right.
Um... Misha might be here.
It opened!
What is this place?
There he is! Misha!
See?
I see.
So that's Misha.
Come on, Misha. Say hello to Yuuya.
Hi there, Misha.
Did she just say Yuuya?
Did I introduce myself?
Don't move!
Wait.
Move and I'll shoot.
You're...
Yuuya Bridges?
No! Cryska!
I told you not to trust those Japs!
You're wrong, dad.
It's not his fault.
And I don't regret anything.
How am I wrong?
The Japs are sly and cowardly!
He used you and then threw you aside when you got in the way!
That's not true.
And you don't know the good parts of the Japanese!
They're humble and polite.
And diligent...
Wake up already!
He's half Japanese, right?
I heard from my grandpa
that the Japanese are cowards who can't do anything but sneak attacks.
Let's go play somewhere else.
Yeah.
Hey, Mom.
What?
Why does everybody avoid me?
Did I do something wrong?
Why does everybody avoid you?
Because you're an embarrassment to the Japanese.
A dream?
What a horrible day.
And an awful dream to top it all off, huh?
Anyway, who are they?
Inia and Cryska?
Well, it'll work out.
I'm sure they won't just execute me.
I've made it this far on my own.
I'm sure it'll work out.
Yes, this Takamura.
Prototype Type-99 EM Radiation Cannon
What?
That idiot.
Interrogations at this hour?
It won't take long.
The Soviet Union excels in a variety of technologies.
But interrogations are a speciality of ours.
Get off me!
We're going to find out what a lowly Japanese was doing in our top-secret facility.
I gave you my profile.
I'm not Japanese.
Yes, you're with the American army.
But you're Japanese nonetheless.
Damn it.
Even here I'm Japanese?
You're just a small island country in a corner of Asia.
You should just stay curled up there.
D-Don't.
Don't!
Excuse me.
I'm in the middle of an interrogation.
But...
The "Why? Why?" look you had on your face after they let you go...
You looked like a pidgeon hit with a cannon!
The phrase is "A pidgeon hit with a peashooter."
That's the one!
Shut up, Chobi.
Who are you calling Chobi?
And you smell like alcohol.
Well, I'm glad you made it out okay.
I never asked for...
Oh, right. It was Lt. Takamura who told us you were locked up.
She did?
She pulled some strings at the UN to get you out.
It was probably only because I'd slow down the plan schedule otherwise, right?
But it was Tarisa who went nuts at Polestar saying she'd go rescue you.
I-I told you I just wanted to laugh at him while we went drinking.
I won't thank that Japanese doll.
But well...
I know I caused trouble for you guys this afternoon and tonight.
What was that?
I couldn't hear you!
Say it louder!
Shut up, Chobi!
He's blushing!
I'm not blushing.
If you want to master a Japanese TSF,
knowing the Japanese mind isn't a bad place to start.
You're telling me of all people to understand the Japanese mind?
Looks like you made it back okay.
I'm not going to thank you.
You just don't want to lose a slave who can pilot your crappy TSF, right?
I don't care what you think about it.
But you won't be able to get away with that game in a real fight.
Game?
That mock battle.
You had them protect you. You had them cover for you.
That little game where you were all friends in the same Flight.
That's fine for training, however...
Whether you can tell or not, I'm embarrassed by what happened today!
And you're calling it a game?
A situation where you know not only the enemy's abilities and numbers,
but their actions in advance.
How is that not a game?
The BETA are beyond mankind's ability to predict.
They don't fear death at all.
They are tenacious and come in almost infinite numbers.
And even in a game, you blamed your machine.
The ones who came before us managed to stop the BETA in even worse TSFs.
And it's thanks to them that we can go and play in training exercises!
So these training exercises are games too?
Then the Japanese trying to develop a TSF entirely on your own,
then having to rely on tricks and gimmicks to improve it...
That's wasn't just playing around either?
Hey, what happened to him?
You don't need to worry about him, Inia.
More importantly, never hang out with a man like that again.
Yes.
We two are the only family we have.
No, there's three of us.
Misha is here, too!
Yeah.
It's so warm.
But... he really looked cold...
Damn it.
Why can't I do this?
Nothing I tell you now will make a difference.
Come on, Lieutenant.
I'll fight you.
The Right Stuff
Next time on Total Eclipse:
The Right Stuff.