girls und panzer ☆
what is girls und panzer even about?
girls und panzer is a japanese franchise which depicts a competition between girls' high schools practising tank warfare as a sport. girls und panzer is set in an alternate universe where a sport known as "sensha-dou" (tankery), or the art of fighting tanks exists. the sport is practised enirely by women and is considered feminine. the series follows the girls of ooarai girls academy as they learn about, operate and battle with all kinds of tanks against other tanking schools while forming bonds with their machines and each other. the franchise has an anime, manga and light novel. the anime adaptation is told from the point of view of miho nishizumi, while the manga adaptation is told from yukari akiyama's perspective, and the light novel being told from saori takebe.
the spin-off manga "little army" gives a prequel for the animated series and follows the girls from bellwall academy as they practice the sport. the spin-off manga "ribbon warrior" follows the girls from tatenashi high school as they practice tankathlon, another type of sensha-dou. another spin-off manga called "phase erika!" depicts the events leading up to the anime through the eyes of erika itsumi. there is also a publication called "motto love love sakusen desu!" that focuses on the more humorous aspect of the girl's lives, as well as providing a bit of backstory between the events of the anime and the movie. the web comic edition is updated on a constant basis.
the anime
the following is a list of episodes from the first anime season of girls und panzer projekt, including recap episodes and original video animations associated with the series."i'll take up panzer warfare!" (episode 1)
second year transfer student miho nishizumi has come to ooarai girls academy, a small and unremarkable school where she intends to embrace new opportunities, new friends and a new life. however, miho's background of prestige and infamy are not to be forgone, and she soon finds out that her past has followed her to ooarai.
"i'll board the tank!" (episode 2)
in a fledgling club that is barely more than an assortment of assorted strangers, miho begins to meet new friends and find new tanks. with not a single other member having more than a vague idea of what sensha-dou even is, miho is set to become the cornerstone of her club.
"i'll join the fight!" (episode 3)
ooarai's sensha-dou club are set to enter the 63rd national high school sensha-dou tournament - if only they can train hard enough to drive in formation, shoot straight and wake up early enough to make it to the match on time. there's a practice match this weekend. is everybody ready?
"i'll do my best as commander!" (episode 4)
thrown into a practice match against st. gloriana girls college, this is the one chance oorai has to rehearse before being thrown into the deep end. most of ooarai's sensha-dou club have never fired a live target before, but today they're going to get a world of experience.
"the veterans: sherman corps!" (episode 5)
saunders university high school drew number 7 in the tournament draw. they are a school with skill, energy, experience and technology, not to mention the ability to field twice as many tanks as ooarai. having drawn bracket number 8, all miho has to do is beat them.
"reaching the climax of our first battle!" (episode 6)
the battle between ooarai and saunders is heating up. saunders undoubtedly has the superior firepower and the superior numbers, but each team only has one flag tank. ooarai must find their opponent's flag tank and destroy it, before saunders does the reciprocal to them.
"anzio is the next up!" (episode 7)
ooarai have scraped through into the second round. in addition to getting the members of the club trained up to a suitable standard, all concur that the team is badly in need of some additional firepower. ooarai girls' academy used to have a thriving sensha-dou club, so there must be some old equipment still around here somewhere.
"we're fighting pravda!" (episode 8)
now in the semi-finals, ooarai's spirits are high. it's only a question of whether high spirits and a few desperately needed upgrades to their tanks will be enough to take on the might of the defending champions, pravda girls high school.
"this is a desperate situation!" (episode 9)
having learnt the terrible truth, ooarai must fight against the odds and defeat pravda if they are to have a hope of winning the national tournament. the battle resumes and pravda aren't pulling their punches. the stakes are high - there is no longer room for error.
"we're classmates!" (episode 10)
after a climatic finish to the semi-finals, ooarai must prepare for the final match. their opposition is kuromorimine girls academy, the former school of miho nishizumi, as of last year holfing a streak of nine consecutive tournament wins, commanded by the heir to the nishizumi-style, maho nishizumi.
"it's a fierce battle!" (episode 11)
the match has barely begun and ooarai is heavily engaged with kuromorimine's finest. they have to battle their way out if they want to have a chance at hitting the enemy tank flag, and that means taking on the largest and most powerful tank any of them have ever seen.
"we can't back down from this battle!" (episode 12)
it's down to the last play as ooarai withers under kuromorimine's overwhelming power. everything is on the line, so it's time for ooarai's members to rise to the challenge. miho must confront her sister, maho mishizumi, to make a last desperate fight to win the tournament and save her school.
recap episodes
"allow me to introduce you!" (episode 5.5)
miho takes the time to talk to the viewers about the series so far, outlining ooarai's progress in general, and the tanks and their crews in particular. the episode aired between episode 5 and 6.
"allow me to introduce you 2!" (episode 10.5)
anglerfish team talk about the challenges they have faced and overcome thus far, and the prospects for the tournament final. the episode aired between episode 10 and 11.
original video animations
"water war" (ova 1)
even in the midst of a sensha-dou tournament, there is always time to play. a day at the beach sounds fantastic, except that not everybody has a swimsuit. cue the club shopping trip!
"survival war!" (ova 2)
the student council has planned an exclusive camping trip for the sensha-dou club. this is a great time to show off a blend of traditional survival techniques and military history. it's not often that the school council plans such great activities without an ulterior motive.
"school ship war!" (ova 3)
anglerfish team have never had a chance to look around the wonderful school ship they live, eat and study on. no time like the present to learn how the massive construction, crewed entirely by students, can operate as a self-sustaining floating city.
"anglerfish war!" (ova 4)
the anglerfish dance is the most infamous activity to grace the ooarai summer festival. the oorai girls are on the whole opposed to performing this act, especially in public. they're now going to do exactly that dance, in some well known public locations around ooarai.
"snow war!" (ova 5)
in the midst of episode 9, the siege drags on and the snowfall intensifies. the key to ooarai's success will be crucial information gathered by scouts. with that in mind, yukari and erwin brave the cold, the snowstorm, and the enemy to track down the location of pravda's tanks.
"banquet war!" (ova 6)
the night after the finals, ooarai's sensha-dou members convene in a nearby function hall, celebrating their hard work with a hidden-talent contest. the best team will win a great prize, and the contest is definitely, definitely not rigged.
"this is the real anzio battle!" (ova 7)
wind back the clock to episode 7, where ooarai must engage in battle against their second-round opponents, anzio girls high school. the masters of flair, enthusiasm and pasta are not going to be a pushover!
der film arc
an animated movie was created as a sequel to the first series. an original video animation was also released with the movie.
"girls und panzer der film"
in the summer after the 63rd national high school sensha-dou tournament, the ooarai girls encounter yet another great crisis. with new friends, old allies and lots and lots of tanks, they will have to take their skills to the next level to overcome their greatest challenge yet.
"alice war!" (film ova)
after the events of the film, the ooarai girls are easing back into normal life on the school carrier. they might also be welcoming a new face to join them, provided that their unconventional troop of wildly diverse teams can make a good first impression...
das finale arc
a series of animated threatrical films being produced as a sequel to the der film arc. it is stated to be the final animated installment planned for the franchise.
part 1
as the end of the year draws close, it is discovered that momo kawashima has failed her entrance exams for higher education. the only way she'll be admitted now is if she can obtain a scholarship from an extra-curricular activity, for example from sensha-dou. fortunately, the winter continuous track cup for the year is on the horizon. it's up to momo, along with a few old friends and a group of thankful delinquents, to lead the national high school champions into battle once more.
part 2
ooarai has survived a close shave at the hands of bc freedom academy, but they are still no closer to gaining victory from their first round match. their best chance will be to exploit the weaknesses at the heart of the enemy, and leverage the weight of their newest tank to turn the tides.
part 3
ooarai finishes their costly match against chihatan academy, almost losing the match by a hair. ooarai then begins their semi-finals match against continuation high school. starting off with the anzo pz.iv getting shot from an unknown tank gunned by jouko on a nearby hill protecting the flag (anteater team).
part 4
we begin with miho nishizumi's pz.iv being taken out. the ooarai team is taken by surprise, and scramble to put someone in command. following up the situation, momo kawashima's hetzer is chosen as the command vehicle for the match. whilst this all occurs, continuation high school takes advantage of the situation and quickly surrounds the shocked ooarai team. as continuation closes in, azuwa sawa (rabbit team) realises they are surrounded on top of a dam. the remaining tanks decide to escape through an underground passing, which just barely works however costs them their hetzer. the m3 lee is now selected as command, and ooarai now makes a great chase of continuation, finally taking out their whole school including their flag tank on near circumstances.