It's the near future. The newly established girls' private school Goryoukan Academy has another face. This school has a special unit, Fifth force, who is assembled and selected from the school's student body in order to fight an enemy called O'bli. This is a story about love, courage and friendship about the girls called Strikers.

For the 73rd class of cadets of the Defense University of the small planet Kibi, a shakedown cruise on the fleet's new starship Amaterasu is a fitting lead-up to graduation. As they are returning to their home planet, however, they are shocked to hear news of a declaration of war by the aggressive Kingdom against Kibi. When their planetary government surrenders without a struggle, the cadets decide to launch their own war, aboard the Amaterasu. To gain funding, they make a deal with a galactic news network - and find themselves the stars of their own reality show. Unfortunately, this is the kind of reality show that can get you killed... (Source: ANN)

Mikako Kouda is a 16-year-old girl whose sole ambition is to establish her own clothing brand. To this end, she attends the renowned Yazawa Art School alongside her childhood friend Tsutomu Yamaguchi. Although the people around them interpret their closeness and constant bickering as signs of budding love, both Mikako and Tsutomu deny it, as they cannot see each other as anything but friends. However, everything changes when Tsutomu starts to resemble Ken Nakagawa—the vocalist of the popular group Manbou—and gains popularity among girls. Suddenly, the childhood friends find themselves wondering about the meaning of love, friendship, and the true nature of their relationship.

The dawn of a decisive battle nears in Leyte Gulf against the Abyssal Fleet, the mysterious enemies that occupy the sea. As the only ones capable of fighting them, Kanmusu—young girls possessing the souls of warships—reorganize in preparation. The Shiratsuyu-class destroyer Shigure is assigned to the First Striking Force, Third Section—also known as 1YB3H. Unfortunately for Shigure, 1YB3H consists of the remaining few Kanmusu and serves as a diversionary fleet. Needing to confront the Abyssal Fleet head-on, it may well be their first and final mission together. Even so, Shigure refuses to let the enemy take another comrade from her. As they advance toward Leyte Gulf during this suicidal mission, the members of 1YB3H must support each other and persevere to prove their worth as competent ships.