Heartwarming / Blue Archive

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They're all waiting for you, Sensei!

While it'd be a lie to say Blue Archive is 100% a game with no darkness and negativity to it, friendship and optimism are the real name of the game here, things any responsible Sensei will swear to protect.

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In General

General

• Broadly speaking, every student has a charm point or two that shows them as good-natured. Even the more questionable ones such as the terrorist-like Gourmet Research Society, robotic Toki, paranoid Rio, needlessly aggressive Makoto and the now-criminal FOX Squad all have redeeming qualities in the right situation.
• No matter the situation, Sensei always puts their students first. You will consistently see this adult uphold their duty to their students in every incident they get involved in. Even the students who are out to possibly kill or not show much care about Sensei, they still view themselves as their teacher and students to watch over.
• By comparison to other games:
  • The very concept of a teacher and their students being the core part of relationships in this game. Other protagonists and their followers in other games have come in the form of a Master and their Servants, a Doctor and their Operators, a Navigator and his Aurorians, and more stories of a central figure being surrounded by heroes they meet and going into battle. Blue Archive by contrast sets you as a teacher, a role down-to-earth in comparison, though it is not just important but understandable to anyone who has ever had a teacher; sure, you're leading girls immune to bullets into battle, but you are first and foremost a teacher, someone who has the qualifications—and responsibility—to guide all students no matter their identity, motivations, or mistakes. If there's a role model you could become in real life, a teacher might be your best bet.
  • There are several famous hero-collecting mobile games in recent times set in a Crapsack World, promising action and despair in equal quantities where victories are grasped via great suffering and nigh impossible odds, and even then it doesn't guarantee the future a brighter look; Path to Nowhere, Punishing: Gray Raven, Counter Side, and Limbus Company are some examples, while 'lighter' games like Dragalia Lost and Eversoul still incorporate dark moments—Girls' Frontline and Goddess of Victory: NIKKE deserve special mention as games set in a dystopian world where you command an all-girl gunfighting cast. Blue Archive is actually similar once you see the underlying issues, and Volume F proves it's not completely above death and destruction. Even with all that, it sets itself apart through its simple motto: it is a game where "you find miracles in everyday life." Where the other games often make the fate of the world a recursive issue and its future afterwards uncertain, you and your students already know there is such a thing as a peaceful, silly, everyday life that is their world and they will fight to take it back; bonds between people can be created in the battle known as life but shouldn't take a backseat to those found in peace, and optimism leading to a better future is fact rather than fantasy because it did happen. As Gandalf puts it, "it is the small everyday deed of ordinary folks that keep the darkness at bay."

Character-specific

• Yuuka is the very first student whose Relationship Story you interact with, where she comes over to Schale and help you organize your budget, even with all her complaints about your terrible spending habits. Plus, it's implied throughout the story she is the one who takes care of your finances.
• Fuuka is always ready to cook for you in her stories, making it a particular promise in her Recollection Lobby like an ideal Housewife.
• Nonomi is the Team Mom of the Foreclosure Task Force, being considerate of everyone in her club, and pampers Sensei too. She also has some kind of credit card that might have easily cleared Abydos of debt were it not for the others refusing since it's a problem for the school rather than herself.
• Hoshino's story and her personality shows why she is one of the most favorite girls in the cast, showing behind her Oji-san persona, that she is still a young highschool girl.
  • The reason for her sleepy nature is revealed not because she enjoys sleeping late but because she patrols at night for delinquents that cause trouble in Abydos. One person thanks her because they wouldn't be able to pay their rent if the delinquents she didn't take care of wouldn't stop harassing them.
  • Plus, she and Sensei managed to get into an aquarium later was because Hoshino saw a raffle on a magazine she wanted to buy and when she didn't get the ticket, Sensei proceeds to buy 50 more magazines so they can win the ticket for her, they won a ticket on the 38th try.
  • Not to mention, her overall growing trust of Sensei. Considering she doesn't trust adults understandably by her own experience, Sensei proves to be the first adult that she likes and trust throughout the story. It borderline shows that she possibly has feelings for Sensei in the story later on.
• The Arius Squad show that despite being a group of hardened killers created by Beatrice, they are tight-knit group since their childhood. The only reason Saori was so determined to take over Trinity was not because she wanted power for herself or Arius, but to save her Hime—Atsuko—from being sacrificed by Beatrice. When the group finally sees a good adult, Sensei, help them despite what they've done to them, their gratefulness can't be expressed in words as they become free to live on the surface though as criminals on the run.
  • It's easy to see how the squad adores and are protective of Atsuko. While Saori and the others are doing their best to get money and find a living space for them on the run, Atsuko is usually sent somewhere in a safe place which leads her to be lonely. This is one of the reasons why she messages to Sensei so someone can hang out with her. With Sensei, Atsuko tries to play a role of a student in which she has never had the experience thanks to how Beatrice controlled the school and she is surprisingly shown to be a tease underneath her quiet side.

Main Story

Prologue

• The train scene of the girl talking to you, in a sort of inspiring awe of what is expected of you, as Sensei. Despite the girl's bloody injury, despite you not knowing her, despite the mysterious grim images of a shot-out tablet and a woman aiming a handgun directly at the player, she talks calmly and asks you for help. Images of the smiling students you will meet and come to protect flash by, and the girl is certain you will help them all, setting up what kind of character the Sensei in-game will be.

Volume 1

As a whole

• Shibaseki Ramen is one of the few stores still operating even with Abydos on the verge of ruin. Just this fact alone inspires hope that not all is lost for the FTF, doubling also as a hangout spot they can count on staying around for the episodes it features in.
  • The restaurant's first appearance happens when the FTF and Sensei gather to eat at Shibaseki. Even after the whole thing with their debt being revealed, the girls can still smile and sit down for ramen like any other student.
  • Problem Solver 68 comes over, broke and only capable of affording the cheapest item on the menu; Master Shiba gives them a bowl with way bigger serving than normal. Though 68 questions this, Master Shiba doesn't bat an eye and says it's normal when anyone can see it'll be more than enough for the four. This is then followed by the FTF, their unaware targets, striking up conversation with them and getting along.
  • Although the restaurant gets blown up by Aru's guilt leading to Haruka's overzealousness, by the end of Chapter 2, 68 apologizes by anonymously donating Master Shiba money to rebuild his business as a ramen stand.

Chapter 1

• Sensei coming to help Abydos, more specifically its last students in the Foreclosure Task Force—after a long time of being ignored by the General Student Council and other academies, and on their last legs, they finally get help from a reliable adult.
• When coming to Abydos, Sensei gets lost in a huge district, eventually becoming dehydrated and collapsed on the ground. In comes Shiroko, who stops by to help a total stranger, going so far as giving them her water bottle and piggybacks them all the way to school!
• The Task Force don't waste any time to rescue Serika from the Helmet Gang. Sensei also gets a lot of credit for making use of their Schale privileges to locate her, even though it's illegal. All in all, Serika is touched by everyone's actions even as she denies having cried over getting separated and then reunited.

Chapter 2

• When the Foreclosure Task Force stands frozen, unsure of what to do against the invading forces of Kaiser after Hoshino signed off her rights to them, Problem Solver 68 breaks through the forces and Aru uses a Borrowed Catch Phrase of theirs to focus on what’s important: getting Hoshino back. This shakes them out of their stupor and rouse them to fight off Kaiser with the help of Problem Solver.
• While there have been a few moments in the Main Story where multiple factions work together, like the representatives forming your first tutorial team during the prologue, they're small-scale compared to Sensei getting the help of the Gehenna Prefect Team, Trinity's Tea Party, and Problem Solver 68 to help get back Hoshino from Kaiser. Abydos had been on their own until now, and it's amazing to now see all these outsiders working towards that goal.
• The Foreclosure Task Force struggle to get to their club president, and Hoshino’s importance is shown through gameplay of going through a battle without a Striker tank to deal with a Crusader Tank, an Apache Helicopter, and a Goliath Mech alongside a multitude of Kaiser Heavy- and Light-armored units. Even so, they manage to do it.
• After Hoshino gets rescued, Serika is the first to welcomes her back (Serika, who thought it was too cliché and cringy). As Hoshino regains the Foreclosure Task Force affiliation next to her name, to she smiles as she says this (voice acted) line:
  "I’m home."

Volume 2

Chapter 1

• In Episode 5, when Aris plays "Tales Chronicle Saga", which won the Worst Game Award, she deems it fun to play. This warmed the hearts of its creators who probably never got a kind comment for it: Momoi, Midori—and Yuzu, who was touched enough to come out of her locker and give her thanks.
• Tales Saga Chronicle 2... didn't win the Millennium Prize in the last episode. It got something else: Special Honors. It's unprecedented for this contest, but the judges had to make it up because TSC2 turned out to be an engaging definition of the RPG genre that it got 10,000 downloads within seconds after the Special Honors announcement. Even Yuuka apologizes for her insults before and admits playing the game had given her nostalgia as a kid. Going from Worst Game Award to this? Now that's a feather to put into the Department's cap.

Chapter 2

• In Episodes 3 to 5, Sensei and Aris go out on an adventure. It shows how well Aris has acclimated to life in Millennium, her bubbly personality becoming popular amongst the student body that Sumire, Asuna and Karin casually accommodate her RPG game-speak.
• In Episode 5, Aris and Sensei run into Neru, and it turns out that the maid has been coming over to the game devs' room to play games, enough that Aris has gotten over her fear of maids.
• In Episode 11, when everyone is despairing over what to do after Rio had kidnapped Aris to be killed, Momoi (Who was comatose) shows up. After learning what happened when she was in the hospital, she refuses to accept what happened and declares they should go rescue Aris. This shakes everyone out of their despair and makes them determined to rescue Aris.
• In Episode 12, the many friends Aris has built over her time at Millennium become determined to rescue her. Each contributing in reaching where she’s held:
  • Yuuka and Noa, even though they’re both from Seminar and working for Rio, are appalled of what Rio has done and searches their database to find out where Rio took Aris. Upon informing the rescue party of where Aris is being held (The Fortress City of Eridu), they ask them to stop Rio and safely return Aris home.
  • The Engineering Department gives the party a way into the city with the unmanned transport trains Rio. Their reason why? Because Rio stole the Sword of Light, their magnum opus! Well, it's really because they care deeply about Aris that they even accompany the party to Eridu as on-site support.
  • Veritas all decide to help the rescue party with hacking into Eridu's systems like the transport train and giving mission support.
  • C&C, despite working for Seminar and Rio, all are determined to rescue their cherished Friend, especially Neru (with a side bonus of getting revenge on Toki).
• Neru's determination in Episode 21; despite the mounting wounds from fighting Toki, falling from a tower, and being shot by laser cannons, Neru still powers through them, all to rescue Aris. She isn’t called "promised victory" for nothing.
• Episode 24, "What You Want To Be"—its title sums up the entire message of what the Game Development Department and Sensei tell Aris, who thought she's just a evil lord to be slain by heroes. While there's plenty of classic games and stories of the hero defeating the villain, there are no set rules about these things to begin with—the evil lord being the hero is just one of many ways what anyone could be, and Aris will always have that choice to be whatever she wants.

Volume 3

As a whole:

• The entire process of the Make-Up Work Club going from being a Ragtag Bunch of Misfits to True Companions:
  • At the very start of Volume 3, Nagisa throws together the club where it's members only share bad grades as a common trait. It's not helped that their personalities are all wildly different from each other, and even Azusa says they don't have to waste time knowing each other when they can just pass the first exam... which they don't pass, getting them sent to boot camp.
  • It's at the boot camp where the club members start bonding with each other: working together to clean up the building and restore the swimming pool, gradually opening up and talking about their backgrounds, Hifumi and Azusa discovering a shared love for Peroro Friends, and huddling up in the gym when the power goes out while (in swimsuits, to Hanako's delight).
  • Although the second test site is bombed and got them failed, everyone did not give up and work closer together, and as the time flies, they're ready for the third test—only for Azusa to reveal her past and true objective: she was an Arius student who plans to stop Arius's assassination of Nagisa. Despite this, the others continue to trust Azusa and work together, setting into motion various plans that Azusa couldn't have accomplished alone and manage to stop Arius's forces. And to put the cherry on top, they pass the third exam.

Chapter 1

• In Episode 13, To motivate the rest of the Make-Up Work club to do well on their first mock-exam, Hifumi promises them a reward of a Momo-friends plushies. While Koharu and Hanako aren't so interested in them, the normally withdrawn Azusa absolutely gushes in delight over them with a smile and their unorthodox cuteness. Hifumi answers the many questions Azusa has about them, developing a friendship between the girls over them.

Chapter 2

• Hasumi congratulating Koharu about her recent improvements in taking tests during her and Sensei's visit to the main campus.
• The reveal that when Koharu went back to drop off a contraband book, Hasumi encouraged her to do well with her studies rather enthusiastically. She knows that Koharu has potential to become an excellent member of the JTF. This shows how much she cares about Koharu.
• At the Make-Up Work Club's third and final exam, the game shows every mock-exam and exam they previously had, hammering in everything they went through together. It gives a wonderful feeling seeing the Make-Up Work Club finally passing the exams at the end.

Chapter 3

• Sensei requesting to meet with Mika even after she was outed as The Mole shows how much every student matters to them, even problem students. Mika declines every time and Sensei accepts, never forcibly entering when Mika isn't ready to see them yet.
• After Atsuko shielded Saori from the Halo Shattering bomb’s explosion, Saori frantically checks if she’s still alive. Seia during her narration notes that Atsuko, or "Hime" (Princess) as she is called, is precious to Saori. After finding out Atsuko is safe due to the precautions placed onto her, Saori is relieved, and gets furious at Azusa nearly killing Hime more so than nearly dying herself. This shows early on that Saori truly values the wellbeing of Squad, above her own.
• When Mika refused to declare war on Gehenna when asked by her Pater Faction members and was consequently beaten by them, Koharu stood up against them. Even though she knew Mika's crimes and had fought against her with the Make-Up Work Club, she still felt the officers ganging up on her was unfair and cruel. That's our Elite Justice Task Force Member!
• Hifumi telling Azusa that she isn't alone through revealing she's Faust of the Masked Swimsuit Gang by donning her paper bag. This was to show that she and Azusa aren't from different worlds (hiding secrets and doing bad things). When Azusa tries to disprove this, the Foreclosure Task Force— ahem, the Masked Swimsuit Gang came in to back up their leader in a grand show of friendship.
• Sensei visiting Hina back in her dorm room after she ran away from the hospital after saving Sensei. Hina is utterly exhausted after everything that happened before and after the Eden Treaty. She’s tired of working so hard for so long for the good of Gehenna without thanks, even considering retiring after the Treaty has been ratified. Sensei, rather than requesting help, simply thanks Hina for saving them, thanks for all the good work she had done, and says she doesn’t have to help and they’ll manage. After letting all the emotions welled up inside her out, Hina agrees to help with the final fight and reconsiders her retirement.
• Hifumi rejecting Saori’s Straw Nihilist philosophy with a speech about liking stories of hope and happy endings, the kind that anyone with a bit of cynicism would find naïve, cheesy, cliché, embarrassing to say, and could only dream about—it embodies everything that youngsters in dark times should hope for, and represents what Blue Archive is about: The stories (Archive) of their youth (Blue).
• The final fight against Saori:
  • As if to echo Hifumi's words, EX Skills from every school's Specialist involved in the battle against Arius come to assist Azusa without your prompting.
  • This can be seen as a case of Bookends. At the start of Chapter 3, or rather, from the very beginning when Arius started plotting the assassination of Seia, Azusa was on her own, betraying Arius's goals for the sake of avoiding murder; she had only herself at that point. At the last episode of this chapter, she's on her own once more as the only student on-field against Saori, but this time, it's because she got there with help from other students, and a reliable adult is at her side.
• In Episode 24, after Azusa wins the fight against Saori, Atsuko accepts that they lost and asks Saori to stand down, even if it'll result in her being sacrificed back into Beatrice's clutches. She comes to a realization that their hatred of Trinity and Gehenna was instilled into them rather than being their own, which Azusa had realized first. She then asks Saori to run away with her from the cathedral, from Arius, and away from the hatred. For the first time, the Squad is free to think for themselves, however short-lived it is.
• After Arius Squad exits from the underground, Atsuko prays for Azusa’s future happiness. Her kindness is the reason that Arius Squad is so loyal to her.

Chapter 4

• The trust that the Tea Party hosts have with Sensei and the care they have for each other: Nagisa requesting Sensei to ask Mika to attend her hearing, Mika asking if Sensei could go along with her to her hearing as well as a request to talk to Seia due to her guilt, and Seia acknowledging Mika's need for her forgiveness and confiding in Sensei about the prophetic dream she had. It's a far cry from the walls they maintained when they first met.
• The reason why the Make-Up Work Club aren't the focus club of this chapter is because Nagisa, Sakurako and Mine all agree that they've already done more than enough and deserve a rest after the fiascos of the make-up tests and the Eden Treaty.
• Before Mika's breakdown and breakout, a Tea Party Officer was accusing Mika of putting Seia into a coma during their meeting (in actuality this was due to Beatrice imprisoning Seia's consciousness), but a Trinity Student tries to calm the Officer down and tells her to rationally think about the situation. Even as the Officer began pounding on Mika's cell door, the Student held her back and called for the Justice Task Force. Mika does have many detractors, but some are still willing to give her benefit of the doubt when Mika hasn't done anything wrong.
• Saori expressing shock at Sensei's willingness to help her even after all the harm they done and even shooting them, instilling in her an idea of a good adult. This is punctuated by them telling her to stand up from her prostrating because they want to speak as equals, and then destroying the detonator of the halo-destroying bomb that could have been used to collar Saori.
• Arius Squad shows they're a tight-knit group who will do anything for each other:
  • Saori, despite misunderstanding, accepts Hiyori telling Arius where Saori is in order to return to Arius, valuing her well-being and safety. In reality, Hiyori actually declined the offer and jokes about Saori's apparent acceptance of her betrayal.
  • Despite how dark the topic is, it is fact that when Misaki made numerous suicide attempts—Saori had never let her die from them, no matter how many times it's happened.
  • The reason why Arius Squad is working together again: to save Atsuko. Every member of Squad, even the normally negative Misaki, all have positive things to speak about her and are willing to betray their school to save her from being sacrificed.
• In Episode 18, after Mika and Saori’s fight:
  • Saori flashes back to her rough younger years at Arius, giving a glimpse of Saori’s past: taking care of Hiyori and Misaki in the streets, saving a girl implied to be Azusa from continued punishment by an Arius officer before taking her under her tutelage, and angrily slapping Misaki, who is implied to have tried to end her life again, then chides her to not do it again. It shows that beneath the anger and nihilism instilled into her by Arius, there is a girl who cares for others.
  • Another flashback to Saori and Mika’s first meeting, where Mika didn’t propose a plan to become the Tea Party Host to start a war with Gehenna like she made herself thought. She actually proposed a plan to reconcile Trinity and Arius by planting an Arius student—Azusa—into Trinity to show they aren’t so different. Mika’s optimism seems to have rubbed off onto Saori as she wanted to try the plan as well. Who knows what could’ve happened had Beatrice not manipulated the both of them…
  • Saori and Mika’s confessions of desiring happiness, if they deserve it after the bad things they’ve done, and wishing they met Sensei earlier. Mika relating to Saori is likened as twin flames inexplicably linked to each other.
• In Episode 19, Sensei arrives after Mika and Saori's fight and talk to the two guilt-ridden girls:
  • They refused to go save Atsuko without Saori after being separated earlier. Hiyori and Misaki followed them when they went to get Saori despite needing to rescue their Hime, showing they do care about Saori as well. They assure Saori they’ll save Atsuko.
  • They then apologize to Mika for not explaining their situation properly and promises to return to trinity with her. When Mika then tries to tell Sensei that she's a witch, they in turn tell Mika is their self-destructive yet caring student. They in fact came to them just to tell Mika this.
  • Sensei proclaims that they will give the both of them infinite chances and opportunities to learn and grow, refusing to let them fail.
• In Episodes 20 and 21, Mika holds off the Saint Justina Mimeses and Saint Barbara for Sensei and Squad urges them to go save Atsuko. Mika reminds Saori that they're "Twin Flames" and thanks Sensei for the chances they given her. Saori tells Mika to not die; Saori grew from Mika's target of hatred to a kindred spirit.
• In Episode 23, Mika enters an Arius chapel choir room and thinks how similar she and Saori are. Mika then prays for salvation for Saori and Arius Squad, and for them to have infinite chances. She then forgives them, noting she liked that than a 'fair ending' (getting her revenge). She believes that despite the struggles, they will find the happiness and answers they seek, with Sensei helping them along the way. The once broken gramophone then begins playing Kyrie Eleison, the Song of Mercy, the same song Mika was listening earlier in the chapter. She then goes to take a Last Stand to hold off the Saints so that Squad and Sensei can save Atsuko.
• When Mika was at the very limits of what her body could handle, Sensei came running in to save her. Despite her pleas of fleeing from a foe even she couldn't beat, Sensei willingly uses their Credit Card all while declaring that Mika is their Precious Student/Princess. Mika's gobsmacked blush hearing it is a sight to see.
• Right after Sensei's rescue, their Credit Card's power run out, and just as the rest of the Mimesises threaten to overrun them, Trinity's forces crash into the Arius district in the nick of time. Moreover, Episode 26 being titled "Our Future" is for good reason:
  • Mine, though infamous for her temper, declares that the Arius students are people in need of saving rather than simply enemies. She even mentions that Seia told her they needed "aid, not repudiation".
  • Even though they didn't have to be here, Nagisa and Seia are there in person because they're just that worried for Mika.
  • How all of Trinity's clubs are united as one for this moment:
    • The moment Seia woke up, she immediately called on the powers of Trinity because she wanted to save Mika and Sensei.
    • When Nagisa and Seia asked—no, begged the others for help, they swore to give up all their authority for it. Everyone was astounded by this, followed by Mine telling them to raise their heads.
    • Azusa volunteers information on the Arius district to Sakurako, though she also requests for the Arius Squad to be taken care of. They may have been enemies, but they were still her family.
    • Hanako presses Ui into helping her find a way through the catacombs, still helping behind the scenes once more.
    • Koharu gives Ichika some of Mika’s accessories she saved from some protestors' to be returned to their owner.
    • It should be underlined how miraculous this moment is. At the start of the volume, it's made clear that this academy's organizations don't get along well, and even after the Eden Treaty, club heads Nagisa, Mine and Sakurako still keep each other at arm's length. Unlike last time though, they didn't have to be united by Sensei this time—they did all this because two girls sincerely asked them to help their friend and a certain beloved adult they all know.
  • Mika reconciling with her friends, such that she is in tears apologizing for her actions.
• At the end of this chapter, Saori finally feels like she deserves to live after so long.

Volume 4

Chapter 1

• Sensei could have easily not involved themselves with RABBIT Squad, who clearly hate their guts, but since they are Sensei, they have duty to all students and thus ensure that they're allowed freedom from Valkyrie.
• During Episode 11, the squad's camp is assaulted by heavy rain, ruining most of their camp. Miyako is the only one left trying making any attempt to save their camp, while everyone else has been battered by the constant hardship without their school and funds up to this point that they consider giving up for places in Valkyrie. Then Sensei steps in to help, much to Miyako's disbelief (and relief), and inspiring her teammates to chip in and continue their protest.
• During Operation Clover, the squad accidentally get themselves locked inside Valkyrie HQ's vault, putting Miyako under immense mental pressure trying to work a way out of the situation. When Sensei calls, she immediately pleads for them to take the lead—itself a sign of the trust she now has for the once hated adult—though the teacher instead encourages her not to give up, while her squadmates voice their respect for her despite the lack of it they showed at the start. This gets Miyako's act together and put together a plan to get out of the vault that works. Even at the end, she says that the operation would have done better had Sensei done the leading.

Chapter 2

• In a way, FOX Squad's first mission. The casual and carefree ease they show having completed a mission, the clear relationship between their ideals and actions matching—it's always good to see people's dreams coming true. It just makes it all the more heartbreaking when the episode cuts to their present as terrorists in all but name.
• Sensei and the RABBIT Squad happily eating premium ribs together, showing how close they've got after Chapter 1.
• Miyako has her squad join FOX even though it compromises her ideals because she deems her squadmates' livelihoods greater than her own desires.
• Episode 14:
  • When Sensei gets a surprise visit from FOX EATS— ahem, Niko, Kurumi, and Otogi, the three give them a box of inarizushi to eat, as compensation for Kaya cutting off the Angel 24 store at Schale HQ from supplies and starving Sensei. As much as FOX Squad is on the dictator's side, they aren't impressed by this petty act.
  • On Sensei's side, they show no hesitation eating the food the foxes brought them. The girls point out that it could've been sabotaged and how unwise it was to accept something from an enemy, but Sensei stands by the statement they gave Mika back in Volume 3: they are their students, and it's their job as teacher to be on their students' side no matter what.
    Niko: Even if we say we'll walk out of here today and forget all of this happened, you'll hang your hat on tomorrow's potential?
    Sensei: "Of course. [My job is to teach you how to get to tomorrow, in whatever way you want.] / [That's the whole point. For my students to become tomorrow's adults.]"
  • Sensei tells the three that they have great trust in Yukino, to which instead of an unhesitant agreement, they admit to it in a begrudging way. When Sensei wonders what is wrong about it, they immediately get defensive and swear their bonds will not break; it's at least nice that despite their doubts in their leader at this point, they will still stick by her, even to the very end.
  • When asked about RABBIT Squad's condition, Niko gives Sensei the directions to their secret base to see them in person. It's clear that the measure she took of the adult is as one who is trustworthy.
• When Miyako left Sensei only a note about them joining FOX, it's because she didn't want to be shaken out of her decision by their words. Sure enough, when Sensei comes over the secret base and has that talk Miyako feared, she's shaken, but clearly appreciates their presence and advice, such that it informs her decision to disobey Yukino and stand up once more for her ideals when ordered to commit terrorism.
  Sensei: "Duty and responsibilities are a gift, not a punishment."
• Yukino has been made out to be a complete believer in herself and her squadmates as unthinking tools, but the fact that in Episode 20 she tells them to withdraw to the surface when defeated and wait there makes Niko suspect something's up, and sure enough in the episode after, she threatens to blow up the warhead—alone. This becomes the crux for several moments in Episode 22:
  • The rest of FOX Squad come back to Yukino, upsetting the leader who wanted to take responsibility for being the one who pushed her squad into being terrorists. In the end though, they're a squad—they've gone too far to stop, they refuse to abandon anyone, and they'll take responsibility together.
  • Despite the threat of detonation, Miyako called Yukino's bluff, knowing that someone who wishes for SRT's future wouldn't kill that future-to-be in its juniors.
  • Yukino laments SRT keeping too much power without oversight from the now-missing GSC President, and how badly things went when she tried to make her own decisions. Sensei has a thing or two to say about that:
    Yukino: You've always balanced power with responsibility so well. But if you were in our shoes... What would you do?
    Sensei: "...I'd go to sleep. Then, tomorrow would come."
    Yukino: ...Tomorrow? How would that make a difference? History would just repeat itself. Obsolete weapons should be scrapped, not saved for the next day.
    Sensei: "But you're not a tool. You've never been a tool. The great thing about people is, they can always do better next time. [...] If you don't know something, you learn about it... If you feel stuck, you ask for help getting out... If you're struggling, you lean on those around you... Until you become an adult and can take full responsibility... The people around you will help shoulder it."

Volume Final

Chapter 1

• The first couple of chapters are all a montage of the various groups you've helped in the main and event stories. It's gladdening to see these students getting on in daily life, despite all the troubles and disasters they've been through.
• To gather the leaders of various factions for the Emergency Response Committee, both Rin and Kaya had the same idea to call in Sensei as a mediator. It shows how much trust Sensei has gathered with every school at this point that no one involved doubts their reliability anymore.
• Kanna takes on ranks of Kaiser soldiers to rescue Sensei from their clutches, then telling them to abandon her because her injuries are slowing them down is as awesome as it feels warming yet saddening to see. It shows the change of heart she's had from the Dirty Cop she was aware of to a true lawbringer.
  • And in return, Sensei does not hesitate for a moment to deny Kanna from making this sacrifice, especially now that Sensei has the Shittim Chest back by their side, thanks to Kanna.
• RABBIT Squad wastes no time answering Sensei's SOS by taking down Kaiser's forces surrounding them and the policegirls in the nick of time. Unlike the last time they rescued them in V4C1 where they did it for supplies, they're doing so for Sensei's safety, even with Saki claiming they were only passing through.
• The students really do care about and trust Sensei going by the amount of texts they sent to them, with Arona noting 250 missed calls when communications became unjammed that range from concerns about their current whereabouts to worries about impending issues.

Chapter 2

• The trust that Sensei's time in Kivotos had earned with the students really shines through when they're called upon the various schools to formulate a plan on tackling the False Sanctums and their Guardians. From the Big Three Academies to smaller ones like Abydos, had responded to the call, EVERYONE.
• The camaraderie students from different academies shown both before and during their joint Total Assault operations:
  • The Foreclosure Task Force and Problem Solver 68 (plus Maki) are once again working together in Abydos desert, covering their backs as they handle Binah. When the FTF gets hit by one of Binah's lasers, Aru knows they would be fine—sure enough, they come out unscathed. Maki is astonished by their resilience, causing Ayane to humbly downplay it.
  • While C&C and the Justice Task Force's presidents had a rough start deciding who should air drop into Chesed's factory in the ruins, they come to bond over their shared Blood Knight tendencies. This is topped by Cherino coming in with Red Winter's much needed support, with Asuna openly pointing out her mustache (Neru inwardly thinks it's awesome, so at least that makes two of them who likes weird accessories).
  • Trinity's Sisterhood and Remedial Knights are assigned to Hieronymus in the catacombs, with Arius Squad providing backup. Saori acknowledges what she and Squad had done to harm Trinity and understands if they're uneasy about working together with them, but she is immediately accepted by the operation head Hanako. She states if Sensei trusted them to call them to help, it means Hanako can trust them as well, and besides, they both have a mutual friend they care about in Azusa.
  • During the Game Development Department, RABBIT Squad, and Hina's preparations for the attack on Shiro & Kuro in Slumpia Park, Hina complimented Miyu's impressive sniping skills despite the harsh winds. Aris meanwhile assures the rest of the GDD that if Sensei trusts Hina the most, that means they should trust her as well, which also endears her in turn to the aloof president.
• The defense operations of the various schools' clubs, even ones that are normally rivals with each other, to defend their homes.
  • In Shanhaijing, the Black Tortoise Promenade provides shelter and supplies to civilians, while Genryumon helps dealing with the invading forces.
  • The Prefect Team and the Pandemonium Society in Gehenna. Despite Pandemonium doing it for the votes, they did manage to evacuate civilians, which the Prefect Team begrudgingly thanks them for.
  • While the Tea Party and Justice Task Force works together to defend Trinity residents from the invading forces, Koharu gets pinned down in a cathedral. Hasumi quickly sends EVERYONE to go save her, once more showing how much she cares for every member of the JTF. Misono Mika however gets there first to repay Koharu for the time she stopped officers ganging up on her in her cell. When the JTF arrives and the fighting is done, even as some students still revile Mika, Hasumi thanks her for her good deed.
  • Rio sending AMAS drones to help with the defense of Millennium. Despite knowing Rio's misguided actions in Volume 2, everyone agrees that they needed the backup.
  • Valkyrie Police Academy and various delinquent factions including regular Sukebans, swimsuit Sukebans, the Helmet Gangsters with Rabu, and Wakamo in the D.U. Area. What's especially important to note is that they are defending the SCHALE Building itself with Sensei inside, even though Sensei has most definitely fought every one of these groups before.
• When the Ninjutsu Research Club gets ambushed in the Snowfields, who comes to their rescue? Ibuki (with Makoto dragging along Iroha) dropping out of a blimp, from the sky, in Iroha's tank! Why are they doing this? Because Ibuki wants to help her Ninja Sisters (and Makoto wants to regain Ibuki's trust after accidentally eating her pudding).

Chapter 3

• In Episode 9, The day before the departure of Utnapishtim's Ship, the crew say their heartfelt goodbyes, and some students express their thoughts:
  • The FTF deciding to go together with Ayane to rescue Shiroko after Problem Solver 68's encouragement. Mutsuki also said Aru was crying about Kayako's departure with the Ship.
  • Aris resolves to join Utnapishtim's crew to help protect it with her railgun while also noting that Kay still remains inside her. The rest of the GDD resolve to help protect the Ark and Aris from anything that threatens her.
  • Hanako says goodbye to the Make-Up Work Club, being thankful that so many things like them being together was due to Sensei. The rest of the club assures Hanako that they'll defend Kivotos while she goes to the Ark.
  • The Tea Party, RABBIT Squad, and Arius Squad all wonder what the future of Kivotos will be like and of Sensei's safety, before assuring themselves that Sensei will be back.
• Episode 11, Sensei flashes back to the beginning of the story, to the train and GSC President, who talks about the choices and responsibility an adult have, it then flashes various scenes from the 4th PV, tragic scenes of students from Volumes followed by a quote from Sensei and a scene of Students in everyday life. Sensei and their actions have steered Kivotos from tragedy.
• In Episode 12, Aris embraces her past and present.
  • Rio through an AMAS Drone proposes a risky plan to counteract the Ark's new defenses using Aris' Atra-Hasis Protocol, which Aris agrees to. GDD is worried for Aris using it, but Aris echoes Sensei's speech from Volume 2 saying she's an evil lord, a hero, The princess of the nameless Gods, Game Development Department member, Millenium Student, a member of Schale, and that's she's all of them. If becoming the Princess of the Nameless Gods is what's needed to save the world, then she will use the Ark Of Atra-Hasis to save it.
  • Key warns Aris against using the Ark protocol on the ship, because it will destroy her. Aris, meets Key in her Mental World to apologize to her, saying that she was wrong to reject Key and though how it would be to be in Key's place of leading to the end of Kivotos, understanding the pain and loneliness it entails, so Aris doesn't want Key to suffer anymore. She then says that Key doesn't need permission to exist and be whatever she wants to be. Aris deciding to give Key the name Kay, because like her name: it came from a mispronunciation and it has no meaning or reason behind it, so they can put their own meaning to it.
  • Aris talks with Rio face to face, in which she obliges with a hologram. Rio tries to find words to apologize for what did, but Aris assures her she doesn't need to apologize or need for forgiveness, because Rio is already friends with her through her sincerity of helping the Ship crew and with trying to protect the world. She states that it's common for bosses from previous games becoming allies in the next, a Call-Back to Volume 2 Chapter 2 when she said this about Neru.
  • The CG of Aris' face when she's building the Ark has Key being control with her Pink eyes, but then it flashes to Aris' eyes with a pink glow around them, showing that they're both working together to build Aris' vison of the Ark of Atra-Hasis.
  • A text box appears showing the ominous words first shown in Volume 2 Chapter 1's epilogue, before it flashes to a new version.
  ???: <<<My Precious...>>>
  Kay: <<<My Precious... Aris.>>>
• In Episode 13, Sensei and Himari thanks Rio for the plan and for helping save the world. Rio then turns off the drone's hologram to cry.
• When Aris is fading in her Mental World from using the Ark protocol on the ship, Kay instead sacrifices herself to prevent Aris from fading away.

Chapter 4

• The absolute trust that Sensei has in their students that they will disable Utnapishtim's Ship's self-destruction sequence while they and Shiroko are in the Central Control room. Though it was a close call, they deliver.
• Despite Rio's paranoia, precautions against C&C, and willingness to save the world at the cost of a few people; Rio didn't install a self destruction feature into the Abi-Eshuh exoskeleton, showing that Rio truly cares and trusts Toki as her right-hand maid.
• Shiroko Terror's and her world's Sensei (Phrenapates) relationship:
  • She apologized to Phrenapates!Sensei after shooting them, breaking down in tears afterwards.
  • Phrenapates!Sensei willingly becoming the Guide of Chroma to alleviate Shiroko Terror of a burden that was never hers.
  • Shiroko crying out, begging Phrenapates!Sensei not to become the Guide, still caring for them despite shooting them moments ago.
  • A moment of Gameplay and Story Integration of Phrenapates's care for their Shiroko: After the fight with Shiroko, Phrenapates goes to defend her and prepares a massive attack. Even when that was stopped, they still stand in the way, taking shots for her during the escape sequence. They only go down once Shiroko is safely teleported away.
• Phrenapates and A.R.O.N.A.'s relationship should be acknowledged as well:
  • In their original timeline, after being turned on and seeing Sensei's injured state, she acted as their eyes and legs as they got out of the hospital.
  • Even after becoming The Guide of Chroma, A.R.O.N.A. still helped Phrenapates with the operation of the Ark of Atrahasis and the use of the Shittem Chest even in it's damaged state.
• Haruna shows her care for Fuuka by catching her as she passes out from a hectic drive. Later at the final showdown with Phrenapates, she requests Fuuka be sent off first with the Escape Sequence teleportation.
• There is a moment of Fridge Heartwarming when seeing Phrenapates's health after being shot by Utnapishtim's Main Armament: they only have two hitpoints left and still remain standing. One isn't just for the Shiroko behind them—the other is for A.R.O.N.A..
• Phrenapates's speech to the downtrodden Terror!Shiroko as they accept becoming the Guide of Chroma:
  Terror!Shiroko: Sensei, I'm sorry. It's my fault. It's because I lived—because I couldn't die... It's because of my mistake.
  Phrenapates: It's not your fault, Shiroko.
  Terror!Shiroko: ...Sensei?
  Phrenapates: Your life matters. Don't regret living. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be happy. Thinking the only way to end your suffering is through death is terrible. You weren't born to suffer. And you shouldn't. No child should ever feel that way. If your world is filled with more pain than happiness... If you're wishing your life was over just to end the despair... If you're wandering the world feeling like you don't belong in it... That's not your fault. It's the fault of the world you live in and the people responsible for it. No one person should ever carry the entire weight of the world on their shoulders...especially not a child. No matter how many horrible things you've done, no matter how many unforgivable offenses you've committed... It should NEVER be that way. It's not your responsibility. The duty should fall to the adults in your life.
  Phrenapates: ...I'll be the one to take responsibility.
• Sensei deciding to use the last Escape Sequence meant for them on Terror!Shiroko in a Heroic Sacrifice, to fulfill the last request of Phrenapates of saving their students. This is made more impactful with a moment of Gameplay And Story Integration of us, the player, physically using the last Escape as an EX Skill on Terror!Shiroko.
• Heartwarming tearjerker in Episode 7: a scene of Phrenapates's remains shows a blue paper crane amongst the debris, just like the one given to Sensei in the the First Anniversary's 3rd PV. The exact same picture is shown in the next episode, making it clear that what was most precious to them, as Sensei, was their students.
• After clearing Episode 7, the BGM of the Volume F's story menu permanently changes from the grim beats of Encroached Sky to a more upbeat band rearrangement of Aoharu. Yes, after everything, despite the darkness, the music is shouting you made it.
• Shiroko giving her Terror counterpart her bank robber mask after the Terror version lost her cherished scarf as a welcoming gift. Their discussion of bank robberies being done to a piano version of Unwelcome School called Welcome School is guarantee to give you a smile.

Event Stories

New Year's Aperitif: One-and-Done Match

• The entire premise of this story is the Gourmet Research Society being stubborn over food and roping Fuuka in (plus Juri now) without consent as usual, only this time, they're doing it to keep a nice restaurant from going under. This marks the first time they're upholding an unquestionably good cause.
• The moment between Haruna and Fuuka has some points:
  • Haruna expresses concern over Fuuka's well-being, showing she doesn't simply see her as a convenient cooking machine but as a friend in all but name. (Fuuka might not admit it, but she is at least grudgingly fine with Haruna.)
  • Though Haruna wants Sensei to hear out Fuuka, they reply that it'd mean more for Haruna to be the one to do it. The gourmet tries to say that shouldn't matter, but Sensei insists her to anyway.
  • Fuuka, bless her heart, expresses her concern that if Sparrow wins, the students in Nyao Foods will lose their jobs.

Other Content

Official content outside the game

• Anniversary PVs:
  • The First Anniversary's 3rd PV starts with a montage of your students celebrating at the Schale building, followed by sneak previews of future events to come, and then scenes of students happily going about their daily lives. The PV finishes with a shot of a blue paper crane on a note saying "Thank you for everything, Sensei", and a whiteboard filled with messages from various students congratulating you for reaching the game's very first anniversary.
  • As heartbreaking it is to see the inexplicable scenes of students being harmed or worse in the 4th PV, they are replaced by a quote Sensei speaks in the Main story, followed by a brighter scene of them living happily. The implication here is that Sensei's intervention prevented their Bad Futures from happening.
• The [X] Moment of Your Time video series are all shorts involving a student interacting with Sensei. Every single episode in every series has plenty of cute moments speak of.