Blue Submarine No. 6

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Blue Submarine No. 6 (青の6号 Ao no rokugo) is the name of a four episode Japanese OVA anime series; it was released in the U.S. on April 4, 2000. The OVA was created through a hybrid approach that combining computer-generated 3D animation with hand drawn animation- much like Ghost in the Shell; like Ghost in the Shell, it was one of the first anime to pioneer a combined approach to animation. It was aired in the United States on Cartoon Network's Toonami block on November 6th of 2000. The OVA series is based on a manga by Satoru Ozawa. The jazzy and atmospheric background music was provided by the Japanese jazz band THE THRILL.

[edit] Summary

Blue Submarine #6's sail is visible as she departs from a flooded city under attack from Zorndyke's forces.

In the near future, the Earth's oceans have risen and flooded most of the sea-lying land on Earth, thanks to the efforts of the rogue scientist Zorndyke - the flooding killed billions; most of humanity's remaining cities have been destroyed or attacked by Zorndyke's and his Army of Hybrids. Now, the remaining humans wage war against Zorndyke's sea-going creations for simple survival. Humanity's best hope for a resolution to the conflict lies with its elite Blue-class submarine forces, headed by Blue Submarine #6.

Unfortunately, Zorndyke is attempting to decisively end the conflict in the favor of his fish-people by artificially inducing a polar switch using geothermal energy at the South Pole.

[edit] Blues

The OVA starts out with patrol planes dropping sonar buoys into the ocean, searching for an enemy vessel, the Ghost Ship, commanded by Zorndyke's "son". A nearby patrolling submarine named the Shang 9 (an SSGN type submarine) received messages citing that a potential threat has been spotted, and goes to battlestations.

In a near-by city, decimated by the rising tides, a young female officer name Mayami Kino and a fellow sailor Mouse are on a mission to re-recruit Tetsu Hayami, An elite cadet at the Naval Academy; he was involved in the development of the Grampus (smaller, two person crew submarine capable of short and long range combat. The shape of its dorsal-like fins can be manipulated to strike at its target) during his years at the academy. He refused to rejoin Blue Fleet, and Mayami radioed in their non-success. Meanwhile, the creature that was spotted earlier in the episode (later identified as a Musuca) shielded in a large white tube-like shield, prowls the sunken city streets and launched several Umigumo, large crab-like robots that attack with large pincer-claws that holster cannons and many hundred anti-aircraft rounds. While they conduct their attack- starting with the destruction of two destroyers- they broadcast a message from Zorndyke stating that "resistance is futile", similar to Star Trek's Borg. Kino attempted to get aboard a cutter to return to Blue 6's port, but unfortunately they were blown out of the water. She and her fellow sailor spot an elderly woman who was stranded. Mouse shoulders her, and they become surrounded by Umigumo. Hayami reappears with his own speed boat, and guns down the two Umigumo, rescuing Kino and the other two.

Blue 6 departs her berth, and sets out to sea. Kino, Hayami, Mouse, and the old woman all board the sub, and the fight begins. The Musuca's bubbling white shield is shattered, and the creature is revealed to be a large sapient deformed whale. It released more Umigumo, and Kino and Hayami depart in a Grandpus, an underwater robot that converts into a submarine speeder, to fight the Umigumo.

A daring undersea battle commences, with the Blue 6 destroying the Musuca with the help of the Shang, whose CO is revealed to be a personal friend of Blue 6's captain.

Hayami destroyed all of the Umigumo, with the final emerging from the water and landing on a beach. Hayami pursued it with a small detachable robot, and sprayed it with bullets. He dismounts, and approached the device which opened up to reveal a woman-like creature who emerges, and Hayami returns the creature to the water after arguing with Kino over what to do with it.

The episode concludes with Kino and Hayami discussing what they have witnessed in the past day. Out at sea, Verg, a shark-like young man in command of the Ghost or Phantom Ship- a submersible battleship mounted on a massive whale-like entity- shells the city from afar. Cool bluesy jazz music and credits ensue.

[edit] Pilots

The Phantom Ship succeeded in destroying the port city, but the Shang and the Blue 6 escaped. The Shang pursues and engages the Phantom with its cruise missile, but is destroyed by the Phantoms retaliation. During the battle a part of Blue 6 comes in contact with a strange, bubbly, greenish substance that slowly comes off the sub, but no one notices. The Six escaped to the depths of the ocean, a sets sail for the submarine headquarters.

Verg delivers a message to Zorndyke about his military success. Verg then confronts the girl from inside the Umigumo and punishes her for touching a human. We only see him putting his arms around her neck, but the camera angles upward and they are out of the picture before we can witness what he does. We hear the girl struggle and scream.

The Six is headed towards the Blue Dome, an underwater shell-shaped superfortress that serves as Blue Fleet's main bearthing facility. Character development ensues during the trip. Hayami, who had seen the plans for Blue Dome, smiles as he sees the entire Blue Fleet for the first time. The Blue Fleet consists of many state-of-the-art submarines, each built by its respective country (We can assume #1 is the United States, #6 is Japan, #7 is France, and #8 is China; the sub Shinha might possibly be India's, but the number is unknown. [Assumed after observation of dialogue and appearances]).

A conference is called, hosted by a scientist responsible for Blue Fleet's operations. All of the members of the Blue Fleet are in attendance. Atlantic Fleet's commander is giving a speech, when Zorndyke hijacks the teleconference and makes a speech of his own. He appears not as a murderous monster as described, but a calm, collected, even philosophical old man (this side of Zorndyke is shown as he spends some time teaching one of his animal-like followers poems of the Manyoshu; she recites the ironically-appropriate poem during his funeral). Hayami leaves, and is waylaid in a corridor by a military escort that is wheeling along a casket filled with water. Hayami learns that a former friend and comrade is inside, suffering a mutation into a hideous monster. Originally Hayami and he attempted to infiltrate Zorndyke's base in Antarctica, to try to conduct a peace meeting. Their Grampus was shot down, and Hayami's friend was captured. He is the only one ever to escape from Zorndyke's stronghold.

Meanwhile the Phantom Ship, following the trail of green bubbles that have fallen off of Six during her return to Fleet HQ, managed to locate Blue Dome, and proceeded to shell the facility. With the majority of Blue Fleet's submarine corps still inside a desperate effort is undertaken to get as many of these subs out as is possible. Hayami takes a training Grandpus out to attack the Phantom ship in an effort to buy some time, but fails when a human hand hits his windshield, distracting him long enough for a turret to target him. Hayami was shot down, but managed to eject to the surface. In the end, all Blues manage to escape the Dome except for the Shinha, which is knocked out of its berth, but two are heavily damaged and one is moderately damaged; since only three subs are seen in the last episode (#6, 7, and 8), it is assumed these subs are left behind.

[edit] Hearts

Hayami has a dream about his friend's misfortune, and awakens with Mutio, the girl he rescued in episode one, appearing to him with a fish for him to eat. A quick check of the surroundings show the audience that he is now camping out on what had been part of the Blue Dome facility that rose to the surface at the end of Episode 2.

Hundreds of her sisters arrive, and surround the two on the flotsam from Blue Base. They leave as a large Musuca arrives, and Hayami and Mutio leave while being borne upon him.

Meanwhile, an impatient Verg brings his phantom ship into the Artic to reload its weapon cache. Verg has somehow acquired nuclear weapons, which he intends to use against the Blue Fleet to eliminate the entire fleet with one searing blast. The army of Chimera is stationed in and around the Artic ice in preparation for the arrival of the Pacific Blue Fleet, while another group prepares for contact with the diversionary Atlantic Blue Fleet.

Blue Six and the Atlantic Fleet rendez-vous, and a large Soviet Typhoon class submarine is readied with an AI program that will enable the humans to use its twenty nuclear missiles. It is to deliver the death-knell to Zorndyke. The fleet travels to Antarctica, arriving just in time to meet the Army of Chiron. They encounter the Musuca bearing Hayami and Mutio, which alerts them to the Army's presence Blue Fleet goes to red alert. They rescue Hayami, but Mutio goes with the Musuca, who is dying before Hayami ever encountered it. Hayami and Kino ready a Grandpus for the coming battle.

[edit] Minasoko

A massive undersea battle ensues, with many twists and turns. Six’s captain (apparently the man responsible for the other subs) orders all ships to "...fight to the death" to protect the Typhoon. Several volleys of torpedeo and anti-torpedeo weaponry are exchanged as each side seeks to gain the upper hand in the battle. Hayami and Kino take the Six's Grampus out to confront Zorndyke, with Hayami busting his friend out of the tube that was stored on the Six (They used his knowledge to penetrate the Antarctic's passages, and in exchange he keeps Zorndykes creatures away from the Granpus), and he is freed into the ocean. Hayami sees him off one last time as they speed underwater.

Meanwhile, the Atlantic Fleet engages Zorndyke’s forces on the other side of the Antarctic in an effort to draw as many enemy forces away from the Pacific Fleet as is possible. This results in the probable annihilation of the Atlantic Fleet, as the overwhelming number of submarines- including the Altantic Fleet’s admiral’s flagship- are destroyed.

The Six manages to destroy the Phantom Ship, with the remainder of the fleet being wiped out; except Seven, who acted as a decoy. The Typhoon, named Blue Submarine no. 0, surfaces, and the Six's captain and 1st officer prepare to fire the nuclear barrage into Zorndyke's territory.

Hayami and Kino meet Zorndyke face to face, who reveals his plans for a pole shift- a flipping of the world upside down, which would eliminate humanity. We learn that he can no longer power the machines to conduct the pole shift, and that if Blue Fleet launches her nuclear weapons, the machines with be super-powered and the pole shift will begin. The machines, interestingly enough, use Zorndyke's own heart as a passcode.

Kino leaves to radio the Six not to launch, and Hayami, offscreen, executes Zorndyke, whose last wishes were co-existence between his 'children' and the humans.

Verg- who survived the sinking of his Phantom Ship- managed to swim to shore, and attacked Kino and Hayami, but broke down emotionally at the site of Zorndyke's funeral procession, for he loved Zorndyke as a father. He and Mutio, as well as an animal-like band of processioners, carry Zorndyke to rest at the bottom of the ocean.

Six picks up Kino and Hayami, and the series ends as the war ends.

[edit] External links

• Blue Submarine No. 6 (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
• Mutio Fansite