Built in only small numbers and deprived of the aircraft carriers it was intended to operate from, the type had little chance to distinguish itself in combat before the war ended in August 1945.

This in turn necessitated the adoption of an inverted gull wing, similar to the F4U Corsair, in order to shorten the length of the main landing gear.

[2] Selection of a powerplant was dictated by the Japanese Navy, which requested that Aichi design the aircraft around the 1,360 kW (1,825 hp) Nakajima NK9C Homare 12 18-cylinder two-row air-cooled radial engine.

[6] Given the codename "Grace" by the Allies, the B7A first flew as a prototype in May 1942, but teething problems with the experimental NK9C Homare engine and necessary modifications to the airframe meant that the type did not enter into production until two years later in May 1944.

[7] In June 1944, the Taihō was the only Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier then modern enough to operate the B7A Ryusei in its intended role.

[1] The Japanese completed only one other carrier capable of operating the B7A, the Shinano, which was sunk by Balao-class submarine Archerfish in November 1944, just ten days after being commissioned.