Girls und Panzer

Girls und Panzer
Cover of the first manga volume
ガールズ&パンツァー (Gāruzu & Pantsā)
Genre	Action
Manga
Illustrated by	Ryūichi Saitaniya
Published by	Media Factory
Magazine	Comic Flapper
Original run	June 5, 2012 – present
Volumes	1
Manga
Girls Und Panzer: Little Army
Illustrated by	Tsuchii
Published by	Media Factory
Magazine	Monthly Comic Alive
Original run	August 2012 – present
Anime television series
Directed by	Tsutomu Mizushima
Produced by	Kiyoshi Sugiyama
Music by	Shiro Hamaguchi
Studio	Actas
Licensed by	NA: Sentai Filmworks
Original network	Tokyo MX
Original run	October 9, 2012 – present
Episodes	12
Novel
Written by	Yuu Hibiki
Illustrated by	Fumikane Shimada, Shin Kyougoku
Published by	Media Factory

Girls und Panzer (ガールズ&パンツァー, Gāruzu ando Pantsā) is a 2012 Japanese anime television series created by Actas. The animation is directed by Tsutomu Mizushima and produced by Kiyoshi Sugiyama. Takaaki Suzuki, who has earlier acted as a military history advisor for Strike Witches and Upotte, has revealed that he is involved in the production of the anime. The series began airing in Japan on October 8, 2012. A manga series by Ryūichi Saitaniya launched in Media Factory's Comic Flapper magazine from June 5, 2012.

Plot

The story takes place in a universe where girls participate in Sensha-dō (戦車道), the art of operating tanks, as a traditional martial art. Miho Nishizumi, a girl who has hada bad experience with Sensha-dō, transfers to Ooarai Girl's High School to get away from it. However, soon after joining, the school revives Sensha-dō and Miho, being the only student with any experience in operating a tank, is ordered to take part. Despite being initially reluctant, Miho soon comes to enjoy Sensha-dō again and, joined by her new friends; Saori, Hana, Yukuri and Mako, enters a national Sensha-dō championship where they face off against various other schools.

Characters

Main Characters

The main characters make up the Anglerfish Team (あんこうチーム, Ankō Chīmu) of Ooarai Girls High School's Sensha-dō team, with Miho serving as the overall commander. They were assigned the German Panzer IV Ausf. D, armed with the 75mm KwK 37 L/24 main gun which is mostly used for support. The tank is later upgraded to a Panzer IV Ausf. F2 when they find an old 75mm KwK 40 L/43 cannon that was used to hang clothes out to dry.

Miho Nishizumi (西住 みほ, Nishizumi Miho)

Voiced by: Mai Fuchigami

Miho is a girl who comes from a long line of tank operators. Previously she attended Kuromine and commanded the flag tank in the national championships a year ago against Pravda. However after she abandoned it to rescue the crew of another tank that had fallen into a river, her tank was knocked out. This ended a nine year winning streak by Kuromine and Miho subsequently avoided Sensha-dō and transferred to Oorai Girls Academy specifically because it didn't have Sensha-dō. However, after Sensha-dō is revived by the school, Miho is forced by the student council to take it up again due to her being the only girl in school with actual Sensha-dō experience. She starts to enjoy Sensha-dō after spending time with her new friends. Although shy and reluctant, once she focuses on the battle she shows remarkable talent for keeping her cool, analyzing a battle, and coming up with new strategies on the fly. Originally started as the loader in the anime and later became the commander as well as Ooarai's overall commander. She serves as the anime's main protagonist.

Saori Takebe (武部 沙織, Takebe Saori)

Voiced by: Ai Kayano

A ginger-haired girl who is interested in seeking out good-looking men, but is often left disappointed. She serves as the Anko Team's radio operator, mostly because she is good at small talk. She is also one of the two girls who befriended Miho during her first day. She is the main protagonist of the novel adaptation.

Hana Isuzu (五十鈴 華, Isuzu Hana)

Voiced by: Mami Ozaki

A beautiful girl who has a gentle and composed demeanor. In the anime was originally the driver but after experiencing the thrilling ring of shots being fired, becomes the Anko Team's gunner. She is also one of the two girls who befriended Miho during her first day. Hana comes from a family which traditionally practices the art of flower arrangement.

Yukari Akiyama (秋山 優花里, Akiyama Yukari)

Voiced by: Ikumi Nakagami

An excitable girl who is obsessed with tanks and anything to do with them, though this often led her to be very lonely during her childhood. Having been inspired by Miho, Yukari joined the Panzer class and became friends with her. Was originally the Anko Team's gunner, but later volunteered for the loader position. She admires Miho, and even calls her "Nishizumi-dono". She is the main protagonist of the manga adaptation.

Mako Reizei (冷泉 麻子, Reizei Mako)

Voiced by: Yuka Iguchi

A gloomy girl and Saori's childhood friend. Despite having generally good grades, she is often late as she has low blood pressure and hates getting up early, thus she requires to attend club activities to gain credits required to graduate. She serves as the Anko Team's driver after joining the team during their first Practice battle. Mako also has a habit of falling asleep anywhere.

Ooarai Girls High School

Ooarai previously had a Sensha-dō program which was abolished years ago and has just been recently instituted. They are thus forced to make do with whatever leftover tanks they have been able to find and unlike the other teams, field a hodgepodge of tanks from various countries.

Turtle Team

The Turtle Team (カメさんチーム, Kame-san Chīmu) is made up of the school's student council and uses the Czech Panzer 38(t). The three girls' given names are the names of fruits in Japanese.

Anzu Kadotani (角谷 杏, Kadotani Anzu)

Voiced by: Misato Fukuen

Student Council President and commander/radio operator of their team, who is manipulative, childish and carefree. She forced Miho to participate in Sensha-do. Later it is revealed that this is because the school is at risk of being closed should they not win the tournament. She is often seen eating dried sweet potatoes.

Momo Kawashima (河嶋 桃, Kawashima Momo)

Voiced by: Kana Ueda

Student Council PR Manager and the gunner/loader of their team. Although she largely appears composed and calm, she loses her temper easily and when she is angry and shooting at the same time, disregarding aiming. Despite being calm and short tempered, she is sensitive and easily breaks down. She is only seen smiling once in a picture during their freshmen year.

Yuzu Koyama (小山 柚子, Koyama Yuzu)

Voiced by: Mikako Takahashi

Student Council Vice-President. She is a brown-haired, well endowed girl who works mostly in the Student Council, doing all the work Anzu allocates her. She is also their team's driver.

Duck Team

The Duck Team (アヒルさんチーム, Ahiru-san Chīmu) is composed of former volleyball club members and uses the Japanese Type 89B.

Noriko Isobe (磯辺 典子, Isobe Noriko)

Voiced by: Mika Kikuchi

The team's commander/loader.

Taeko Kondou (近藤 妙子, Kondou Taeko)

Voiced by: Maya Yoshioka

The team's radio operator.

Shinobu Kawanishi (河西 忍, Kawanishi Shinobu)

Voiced by: Mari Kirimura

The team's driver.

Akebi Sasaki (佐々木 あけび, Sasaki Akebi)

Voiced by: Sakura Nakamura

The team's gunner.

Hippo Team

The Hippo Team (カバさんチーム, Kaba-san Chīmu) is composed of Reki-jo (history buffs) and operates a German Sturmgeschütz III Ausf. F.

Erwin (エルヴィン, Eruvin)

Voiced by: Satomi Moriya

The team's commander/radio operator. Her name "Erwin" is a reference to Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, and she typically wears a peaked cap and desert tan field jacket.

Caesar (カエサル, Kaesaru)

Voiced by: Eri Sendai

The team's loader. Her name "Caesar" refers to Julius Caesar, and she favours a red cape like Caesar's.

Saemonza (左衛門佐)

Voiced by: Yuka Inoue

The team's gunner. Her name "Saemonza" refers to Sanada Saemon-no-Suke Yukimura.

Oryou (おりょう)

Voiced by: Ayuru Ōhashi

The team's driver. Her name "Oryou" refers to Narasaki Ryō.

Rabbit Team

The Rabbit Team (ウサギさんチーム, Usagi-san Chīmu) is composed of first year students and uses the American M3 Lee.

Azusa Sawa (澤 梓, Sawa Azusa)

Voiced by: Hitomi Takeuchi

The team's commander.

Ayumi Yamagou (山郷 あゆみ, Yamagou Ayumi)

Voiced by: Nozomi Nakazato

The team's gunner for the tank's 75mm.

Saki Maruyama (丸山 沙希, Maruyama Saki)

Voiced by:

The team's loader for the tank's 37mm.

Karina Sakaguchi (阪口 佳利奈, Sakaguchi Karina)

Voiced by: Konomi Tada

The team's driver.

Yuuki Utsugi (宇津木 優季, Utsugi Yuuki)

Voiced by: Yuri Yamaoka

The team's radio operator

Aya Oono (大野 あや, Oono Aya)

Voiced by: Chuna

The team's gunner for the tank's 37mm.

Mallard Team

The Mallard Team (カモさんチーム, Kamo-san Chīmu) is a recent team formed after Ooarai locates a French Renault B1 Bis. They are composed of the school's Public Morals Commitee.

Midoriko Sono (園 みどり子, Sono Midoriko)

Voiced by: Shiori Izawa

The team's commander, 47mm gunner/loader and radio operator, who is often seen taking attendance at the school's entrance. She is constantly reprimanding Mako for showing up late and becomes irritated whenever she is called by her nickname, Sodoko (そど子).

Moyoko Gotou (後藤 モヨ子, Gotou Moyoko)

The team's driver and 75mm gunner. Her nickname is Gomoyo (ゴモヨ).

Nozomi Konparu (金春 希美, Konparu Nozomi)

The team's 75mm loader. Her nickname is Pazomi (ぱぞ美).

Tapir Team

The Tapir Team is, as of now, non-existent. However, evidence at the end of episode 9 indicates that it will include the three unnamed Oarai girls that appear during the opening sequence of the anime. Their names are unknown, but they drive a Japanese Type 3 Chi-Nu medium tank.

Kuromorimine Girls High School

Kuromine is a German academy and was the national champion nine times running until their defeat the previous year by Pravda. Their tanks include the Tiger I and Panther.

Maho Nishizumi (西住 まほ, Nishizumi Maho)

Voiced by: Rie Tanaka

Kuromorimine's overall commander and Miho's older sister. Often cold and expressionless, she takes Sensha-dō very seriously, viewing it as almost sacred, and looks down on Miho and her friends, believing they might bring shame to the name of Sensha-dō. She is commands a Tiger I tank.

Erika Itsumi (逸見 エリカ, Itsumi Erika)

Voiced by: Hitomi Nabatame

Kuromorimine's second-in-command, who criticizes Miho and the Ooarai team more openly and vocally than Maho. Is able to pilot a Fa 223.

St. Gloriana Girls Academy

St. Gloriana is a British academy, where the girls are often seen drinking tea even in combat. They make use of four Matilda II Mk. III/IV tanks and one Churchill Mk. VII tank as their command tank. St. Gloriana faced Ooarai in a practice match prior to the national tournament but was not matched up against them in the latter. They give a tea set as a gift for opponents they deemed worthy. The three members introduced are named after different types of tea.

Darjeeling (ダージリン, Dājirin)

Voiced by: Eri Kitamura

Darjeeling is St. Gloriana's overall commander and commands the Churchill tank. She is calm, chivalrous, and maintains her composure on and off the field. Her motto is "No matter how fast we go, or no matter how many hits we take, I will never spill my tea." She is seen most of the time drinking Darjeeling tea.

Assam (アッサム, Assamu)

One of the partners of Darjeeling. She is quiet and hardly says anything usually seen almost always smiling. Her name refers to Assam tea.

Orange Pekoe (オレンジペコ, Orenjipeko)

Voiced by: Mai Ishihara

A member of St. Gloriana's Sensha-do and one of Darjeeling's partners. Her name refers to Orange pekoe.

Saunders University High School

Saunders University High School is an American academy. Out of all the Sensha-dō schools they have the most resources and a huge supply of tanks. They own numerous M4 Sherman tanks, including variants such as the Sherman Firefly and the M4A6 Sherman.

Kay (ケイ, Kei)

Voiced by: Ayako Kawasumi

The energetic leader of the Saunders Sensha-dō team, portrayed as a stereotypical American, who is loud, boisterous, charismatic, and laid back. She believes that Sensha-dō is not war and believes in fair play.

Naomi (ナオミ, Naomi)

Voiced by: Mariya Ise

A Sherman Firefly gunner, specialized in distance shooting. She is calm and cool, often seen chewing gum while sniping her targets.

Alisa (アリサ, Arisa)

Voiced by: Aya Hirano

A manipulative and aggressive radio operator who taps enemy communications to obtain an unfair advantage in combat. Commanded the flag tank in Saunders' match against Ooarai in first round of the national Sensha-dō championship. She was scolded by Kay when the latter found out about her radio tapping.

Pravda High School

A Russian academy and the current Sensha-do champions. Their insignia is a C-clamp crossed with a T-square, imitating the design of the Soviet Union's hammer and sickle. They make use of several T-34/76 and T-34/85 medium tanks, but also use heavy tanks like the IS-2 and Kv-2.

Katyusha (カチューシャ, Kachūsha)

Voiced by: Hisako Kanemoto

Pravda's overall commander. A diminutive and spoiled girl who looks down on her opponents and has a Napoleon complex.

Nonna (ノンナ, Nonna)

Voiced by: Sumire Uesaka

Pravda's second-in-command who has a calm and cool demeanor, and follows every order of Katyusha.

Anzio High School

An Italian school which uses the Carro Armato P40, L3/33, and Semovente 75/18.

Anchovie (アンチョビ, Anchobi)

Voiced by: Maya Yoshioka

Anzio's overall commander, who uses a Carro Armato P 40 heavy tank. She wears the uniform of the Black Shirts, similar to that of Benito Mussolini.

Others

Ami Chōno (蝶野 亜美, Chōno Ami)

Voiced by: Hekiru Shiina

Ooarai's new Sensha-dō instructor who studied under Miho's mother. Holds the rank of captain. On her first day as instructor, she arrived at Ooarai by airdropping in her tank from a cargo plane and sending the inexperienced teams in a practice battle right away. Can be seen throughout the series with a Type 10 Main Battle Tank or on a watch tower observing the Ooarai team's battles.

Yuri Isuzu (五十鈴 百合, Isuzu Yuri)

Voiced by: Masayo Kurata

Hana's mother who comes from a family that traditionally practices flower arrangement. Akin to a traditional Japanese woman, she has a strong dislike for tanks and disapproves of Hana doing Sensha-dō, telling her daughter to never see her again after Hana refused to quit.

Shiho Nishizumi (西住 しほ, Nishizumi Shiho)

Voiced by: Yumi Tōma

Miho and Maho's mother. Comes from a family with a long history in Sensha-dō and firmly believes in upholding the strict family tradition of Sensha-dō. She was Ami Chōno's instructor.

Hisako Reizei (冷泉 久子, Reizei Hisako)

Voiced by: Rikako Aikawa

Mako's grandmother who was hospitalized during the battle between Ooarai and Saunders in the national Sensha-dō championship. She is Mako's only family remaining after her parents passed away.

Emi Nakasuka (中須賀 エミ, Nakasuki Emi)

Miho's classmate during elementary school in the prequel manga, Girls und Panzer: Little Army. A half-German, half-Japanese girl in twin-tails who has a cold demeanour. She strongly dislikes Maho because of her order to fire at her sister's tank during a tournament when she was attempting to rescue one of her teammates.

Hitomi Yuzumoto (柚本 瞳, Yuzumoto Hitomi)

Miho's classmate in elementary school, who's a bit clumsy.

Chihiro Yusa (遊佐 千紘, Yusa Chihiro)

Miho's classmate in elementary school and Hitomi's childhood friend, who is talented at sports.

Media

Manga

A manga adaptation by Ryūichi Saitaniya began serialization in Media Factory's Comic Flapper magazine from June 5, 2012. A prequel story illustrated by Tsuchii, Girls und Panzer: Little Army, began serialization in Monthly Comic Alive from August 2012.

Anime

The anime series produced by Actas began airing in Japan on October 9, 2012 and is being simulcast by Crunchyroll. It is being directed by Tsutomu Mizushima and written by Reiko Yoshida, with original character designs by Fumikane Shimada. Following a delay of the series sixth episode, the twelth and final episode will air on AT-X on January 9, 2013. An original video animation episode will be included with the first Bluray Disc/DVD volume released on December 21, 2012. The opening theme is "DreamRiser" by ChouCho whilst the ending theme is "Enter Enter MISSION!" performed by Mai Fuchigami, Ai Kayano, Mami Ozaki, Ikumi Nakagami and Yuka Iguchi. The series has been licensed in North America by Sentai Filmworks.

Episode list

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No.	Title	Original airdate

Novel

A novelization of the series, written by Yuu Hibiki and illustrated by Fumikane Shimada and Shin Kyougoku, was released by Media Factory on November 22, 2012.

External links

• Official website
• Girls und Panzer (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia