The series protagonist Layfon Alseif, arrives at the academy city of Zuellni with the intent to leave his past behind him and start over as a general studies student. However, he demonstrates his true abilities saving a girl who got caught up in the destruction of a fight between two military arts students. Despite not wanting to fight he is forced into the military arts department which is used for defense of the city as well as competing in intercity matches for valuable resources.
Chrome Shelled Regios is a series of Light Novels written by Shusuke Amagi and illustrated by Miyu, which was published from 2006 to 2013 and compiled into 25 volumes. It has 4 (Yes, 4!) manga adaptations, 2 novel spin-offs (a prequel and a sidestory) and an anime adaptation which aired in 2009 for 24 episodes. Of these, the anime has been dubbed by Funimation.
This work provides examples of:
- Absurdly Powerful Student Council: The Student Council President is effectively in charge of the entire city, including its defense against the Horde of Alien Locusts. An example of just how absurdly powerful he is, is when he makes a phone call, and has his assistant hold the phone up to his head, for no reason other than he can.
- After the End: Earth. Ironically, it became the way it is after the UN tired to solve Earth's Energy Crisis due to World War III.
- All There in the Manual: Reading the novels and manga can help you understand the series setting and its Techno Babble.
- Applied Phlebotinum: Selenium powers all the cities and their technology. Also, each Regios is run by an electronic fairy.
- Badass Longcoat: In the Legend of Regios sequences, the gunman certainly has this.
- Battle Aura: Every character's Kei comes Color-Coded for Your Convenience, though the actual hues have little to do with the personality or alignment of the characters.
- Beach Episode: Even though they're actually at a pool it's a Watermelon Smashing away from it not making a difference.
- Bilingual Bonus: Attempted, unfortunately it didn't quite work. It's not in the sense that the writing itself is terrible but the pronunciation is an issue. Fortunately, some of the acting gets slightly better over time.
- Cosplay Café: One of these is popular in Zuellni, particularly with the male students. Felli gets a job there.
- Elopement: Happens to Layfon and Felli at the end of the series, with Layfon asking Felli to Walking the Earth with him. Hilariously, Layfon had no idea what he was asking her to do until she tells him.
- Exposition Break: Scenes occurring in Grendan (Layfon's hometown) largely amount to this. The Legend of Regios sequences (See "Blind Idiot" Translation and Gratuitous English).
- Gratuitous English: Most episodes of the anime have a scene (An Exposition Break entitled "Legend of Regios", which establishes how The End of the World as We Know It came about) entirely in English. The grammar is actually correct... it's just the pronunciation is horrible.
- Green Aesop: Air so polluted you need protective gear to go outside, "Contamination" Monsters/Contaminoids... one does not need to wonder what the series is trying to say.
- Healing Factor: Some species of Contamination Monsters are capable of regenerating body parts that have been sliced off—oftentimes in explosive manners as an extra defense mechanism.
- Horde of Alien Locusts: The Contamination monsters can consume pollutants but humans are the preferred option.
- Humans Are Psychic in the Future: Many characters have developed a form of it called "psychokinesis", which can be applied in combat against Contamination monsters.
- Hunter of Monsters: The Military Artists and Heaven's Blade users are all Monster Hunters. Even with whole cities dedicated to the job of teaching future hunters and more cities hunting the Monsters/Contaminoids/Filth there is still no end to them.
- Invocation: "Restoration!" is used to transform a DITE from its portable version for use in combat. It is also used as an On The Next Episode Of Catchphrase.
- Kaiju: The Contamination Monsters/Contaminoids can be the size of small buildings.
- Katanas Are Just Better: Played straight and subverted. Almost every single character used a weapon other than a katana, and they aren't really being shown as inferior to those (few) that do use katanas. However, the protagonist, Layfon Alseif, who has been using a standard sword the entirety of the series, gets a big scene after fusing two different kinds of Infinity Plus One Swords together. Partially justified in that all of his training focused on katana-using, and it was just a personal vow of repentance that kept him from using it the whole time.
- Ki Manipulation, like ability of the Regios world called Kei. Without Kei Vein no one can use Kei. Compared to Ki, Kei is more energy like and part of the Military Artist's body as much as the air they inhale or the blood flowing in their veins. Because it's a natural part of a Military Artist's body, the Kei can be restored faster than other energy sources such as Ki, making it more efficient. There are two variations of Kei techniques: External and Internal Kei. Internal Kei used to reinforce the body and enhance the physical abilities. External Kei is released outside and takes form as various energy blasts or other techniques. If the Military Artist sustains serious injury or otherwise in unhealthy condition; that impacts his/her performance with Kei.
- Mobile City: Humanity lives on mobile cities called "Regios" after an apocalyptic event wrecks the world. They serve as protection against the polluted atmosphere and the giant man-eating Filth Monsters that roam the planet, and the cities frequently engage in competitions against each other for resources.
- Serious Business:
- Conflicts between cities are settled with games of what very strongly resembles capture the flag, which decides whether the opposing cities get to keep the other city's Selenium mines or not. Selenium is the source of power for everything so a city without them is as good as abandoned. It's also only the Academy Cities that have the capture the flag rules, to keep the body count down. It's implied other city types are more unrestrained in fighting.
- Kei users. Justified since it's their powers that help the Regios fight against the Filth Monster and against each other. They are so important, criminals take advantage of these matters by selling special drugs to Kei users to improve their powers and worse cases they kidnap children of Kei users and sell them to other cities.
- Show Within a Show: The Legend of Regios segments occasionally end with various members of the cast complaining about the abrupt cut-off and wanting to know what happens next.
- Sleep Cute: Harley Sutton falls asleep on Layfon's shoulder on a bus trip. Nina looked like she wanted to strangle something or someone.
- Spoiler Opening: It points out the members of the eventual group of True Companions.
- Supernatural Aid: With a bit of a twist as Layfon has lost his Heaven's Blade, the anime then plays it straight when it is returned and combined with his katana.
- Thanks for the Mammary: A funny version where the female doesn't punch the guy. Layfon and Naruki have a sparring match where he accidentally falls on top of her. Of course, he touches her boobs. Naruki is not angry about it but she is annoyed that Layfon didn't realize he was feeling her big breasts as if they were flat in the first place!
- Wave-Motion Gun: The Kei-ra cannon. Apparently it either fires a laser that turns into a sphere that explodes or a beam that splits thing in two.
