Anime: Girls und Panzer

This show can, not surprising anyone, be summed up in "Cute girls doing cute things. And also tanks."
So the idea here is pretty simple and can be seen in several other shows coming out. Take a tried and true moe formula, throw in random geeky subject matter with no rime or reason. The male nerd demographic gobbles it up, make profit, and everyone is happy.
Fair enough. If you enjoy girls being innocently cute and you have an interest in historical machines of war. Then if you can just accept the silly premise, this might be fun.
Honestly I passed this show over for a long time because it is so blatantly obvious it is a formula. And there is no guarantee it is really that inspired. The industry churns this stuff out after all.
But I decided to give it an honest chance. So the real question is, is it well executed enough to be worthwhile?

Staying true to it's moe nature, the show is pretty harmless and cute. Even if it is about machines of war, it's not going to really offend anyone. But I think it goes a little too far in playing it safe and not having any consequences.
The way the subject matter is played out is that in this world tanks take the form of a sport. It's on the same level of taking Kendo classes after school. It's a martial art, but practiced under controlled forms and blunted enough to, in direct opposition to it's original purpose, not be dangerous at all. A fair concept in theory.

But to take things one step further, this practice is supposed to be something only girls do. Because of tradition. In this world guys are not even remotely interested in tanks. Let that sink in for a moment...
If a girl wants to take up an active sport or hobby, or has an interest in weapons or martial arts for example. That's not a stretch at all. If you think it is, then you are backwards and should realize what century we live in. But here you are supposed to swallow that in this world, guys have no interest, whatsoever. In tanks. The way they pull this off is by pretty much having all males exist off screen somewhere. Thinking back I can only remember one male character ever appearing for more then a second or two. And that was one of the girls bumbling fathers. But yeah, it's cute girls doing cute things. What did you expect?
You are supposed to just roll with this. Even if there are several pretty cringe-worthy scenes where the consequences are played out. Like how "Tankery" is presented as a pursuit that will make you more feminine. Like flower arrangement. Because, um... Yeah! No reason. It just is. This is at times contradicted by characters behaving in traditional fashion. But society at large, mostly somehow off-screen, considers this perfectly ordinary.

The rules and safety precautions of this sport are pretty vague and not really explained. It boils down to "You are not allowed to get hurt. And therefore you won't."
It's not laser tag. They supposedly use real historical tanks, or near replicas to fire projectiles with enough force to embed themselves halfway into thick steel plating. Not only that, they also use explosive rounds at times. Powerful enough to make 30+ tonne tanks flip over. And yet the girls at times ride the tanks casually sitting on-top of them, fully exposed. It is hard to suspend your disbelief when all you keep asking yourself is "how is this not extremely dangerous?" But you are still expected to just roll with it.
Of course no-one wants to see these innocent girls get hurt. So it's obvious why this is hand waved off. But I could not help but be mildly uncomfortable about how stupid this all really is in practice. On at least two occasions, practitioners of "tankery" and indeed also main characters are put in situations where no matter how safe you want this sport to be, these girls are a hairs breath away from a fatal accident. Only saved by sheer luck or the fact that the situation is resolved off screen. You can see the headlines "Four young girls die in school class accident. Entire school is shut down. Principal fired next day."
But no, afterwards everyone just goes "Well, that was fun. Let's do it again on a daily basis!"
So in the end, no matter how violent or dangerous the event, they will be mildly shook up at best. Not even a bruise. Although at one point a girl is knocked unconscious briefly. But that is as far as it ever gets.



So there are some jarring problems with tone and not being able to explain how this world works. It just is like this. Because the premise says so.
If they had gone farther with it it might have worked better, but apart from these two things the world is pretty much exactly like the real world. It's a simple what if scenario at best, certainly not a fantasy scenario with deep going consequences. You could replace "Tankery" with "Tennis club" and as far as any characters are concerned. There is not much difference.

Let's compare this to another moe show "Sound of the Sky". Here we have a straight up fantasy world, taking some historical and cultural inspiration from the real world and mixing it up to create a setting. Similarly we have cute girls, doing cute things. After having joined the army... These girls are stationed in a non-combat zone and not expected to do any fighting. Fairly safe away from the front. But the fact remains that there are still actual wars going on in this world. With this premise there are consequences. There is a real and serious threat looming beyond the horizon. And there is a possibility of things getting serious. And towards the end of the series, things do happen.
This creates some actual tension. There are stakes. There are consequences.
In Girls und Panzer, there is no threat. There is no more at stake than "the girls might possibly loose at a sports game." Something is clumsily tacked on in the middle to try and raise the stakes. But at no point are you actually worried. You know that they will win in the end. There is no possibility of things turning out otherwise. There is at no point any risk of actual dramatic tension. The fact that each "match" puts them up against more and more ridiculous odds, just hammers in the fact that there is no way they can loose. If anything they win based only on the fact they are underdogs. And this also has the effect of seriously putting the rules of this game into question. There is no handicap system or class levels. The teams can be brutally mismatched when it comes to equipment, training, experience or resources. But there is no attempt to make a match fair.

Something that is also confusing is how the different school teams are outrageous stereotypes of various countries. To the point where you are not sure if they are actually teams from other countries, of just Japanese schools with extreme fetishes for foreign cultures (which they are). Including some not so subtle jabs at America. But overall each culture is just a ridiculous stereotype. The "British themed" school all drink tea constantly, act like everything is a jolly good show old chap and quote British proverbs. Apart from the fact they all speak Japanese, they might as well be foreign teams.
But, this is after all not really uncommon in Anime. So you can take it all tongue in cheek, you can just roll with it. Like with everything else. The problem though is that all this would probably have worked better if the show stopped pretending to be a slice of life show and went all out wacky comedy.

In all fairness maybe you can ignore the ridiculous plot for the sake of fun. Personally though, I found it hard to get invested in the show.

All the characters (save one, with I actually really liked) are patchwork moe stereotypes. Just a tad too naive and innocent to actually be interesting or unique. (again, save one. I actually just love Mako :-) ) So in the end, all sort of boring and old hat if you have seen similar shows already. The cast is also huge. To the point where you don't remember anyones names. They actually have two filler episodes dedicated entirely to reminding the audience of who each character is and what they are called. This shows even the creators realized this was a problem. The last characters introduced are even three identical clones with no distinct personality. You're just supposed to recognize them as a group, not individuals. They exist for one reason only. To introduce yet another historical tank.



The plot is ridiculous enough to be a silly comedy, but is played straight. With somewhat awkward results.

The story is predictable, a standard slice of life, build a ragtag team and win the championship, schoolgirl affair. Same old, same old.

The action scenes try but are ultimately barely enough to be interesting. Some cute references to actual strategy and some gritty visual effects. Enough to keep you watching, but not necessarily very memorable. With no real tension and any excitement is muffled by the huge cozy blanket everything is packaged in. And no real surprises to be had.
To be fair the animation and effects are very good, with a lot of attention to detail. But again, it's hard to find any real investment in what is going on.

There is a fair amount of historical references and nerdy tidbits about tanks. But when it all comes down to it, as someone that does have an actual interest in tanks. I would rather be watching a documentary then this. For the most part it is more tedious, half hearted, forced and silly then it should be. I found myself wanting to like the show, but unable to consider it more then ok.
Except for an odd little tidbit I didn't really learn anything I didn't already know about tanks.



Otherwise it's mostly namedropping. Even though the tank models are very detailed and varied.

Also I must touch on one final nitpick that exemplifies why I could not take the show seriously and why it is more shallow then it ought to be when trying to play the premise straight. Each "school" in this world, is a piece of land, complete with regular houses, landscape and nature. Cut out and put on top of the deck of a huuuuge aircraft carrier.
Why? How? Seriously, running this thing would cost an outrageous fortune on a daily basis, yet the school somehow barely has any money.
Not important. It's a massive piece of machinery and therefore by default cool.
The reasoning for their existence is hastily explained. But when it comes up, turns out to be even more stupid and nonsensical then what you actually thought it would be...
It's there for the simple reason of being nerd fan service. It's supposed to resemble actual aircraft carriers, only on a ridiculous scale and for no good reason. As long as you keep the mindset of a ten year old boy though. It's a huge machine and therefore by default ultra cool. That's all the reason you need.

So in short, there is not much thought behind this show. For the most part it is as shallow as the title makes it out to be. They throw in random nerd references to tanks, with no rime or reason, spoken by cheerful schoolgirls. Mix some ordinary slice of life innocent schoolgirl shenanigans with action scenes that are solely motivated by the fact, hey, they are driving around in tanks! Tanks are cool.
If that sounds good enough for you, then by all means check it out. I don't really regret seeing it. But I also can't bring myself to giving it anything above a OK stamp.

There’s a reasonably well-justified tendency among anime fans to hastily dismiss the potential merit of any permutation of the whole “cute girls doing cute things” motif that’s so nauseatingly ubiquitous in modern anime. In recent times, we’ve had a spate of these lusterless shows – whether it be “cute girls climbing mountains!” or “cute girls that are actually anthropomorphic guns or something!” – and the results are nigh-invariably uninspired dreck that’s not worthy of anyone’s time. With this in mind, it’s only natural to approach the simple premise of “cute girls driving tanks” with caution. It is against all odds, then, that Girls und Panzer manages to not only be worthwhile, but also one of the most consistently entertaining shows in recent memory.

Girls und Panzer’s story is a simple one. Schools from around the world compete in a sport called Sensha-do, or “way of the tank.” In this universe, “tankery,” as it is colloquially known, is seen as a dignified martial art that helps girls hone their grace and femininity. Miho Nishizumi, the protagonist of this story, was a very capable captain of Sensha-do in her previous school, but due to a traumatic experience in the semi-finals of the previous Sensha-do tournament, she distanced herself from the sport by transferring to a school that doesn’t participate in the Sensha-do, Ōarai Academy. Unfortunately, her new school takes up Sensha-do soon after her arrival. Even more unfortunate is that the school council is aware of her accomplished past as a commander and coerce Miho into being the captain of this newly established Sensha-do unit. While the sheer implausibility and silliness of this premise can be seen as the show’s greatest detriment, it is simply a plot device necessary to get the girls into some tank battles, which is definitely where this show shines brightest.

The tank battles, simply put, are amazing. Takaaki Suzuki, the military adviser for Girls und Panzer, shows a great understanding of the ins and outs of tankery. As the rules specify, each tank needs to be of World War 2 vintage or older. These tanks are presented with great accuracy and attention to detail, each one having their strengths and weaknesses based on their real life counterparts. The battles themselves are often loosely based on real historical battles, generally involving Ōarai playing the underdog, and each one taking place at various unique environments. The many distinct and varied locations coupled with the accurate depiction of each tank lends itself well to some genuinely engaging strategies, both from Ōarai and their opponents, and are genuinely exciting to watch. As these battles are loosely based off historic events, many of Ōarai’s schemes mirror well-known strategic maneuvers and consequently remain both entertaining and satisfying to witness unfold.

With that said, this is hardly a serious anime about battling tanks; the excitement incited during these battles is enhanced twofold by how infectiously silly and fun the different girl’s personalities are. In stark contrast to their competition, the girls of Ōarai Academy are a convivial bunch. They paint their tanks pink, do an embarrassing dance to improve morale, and cherish friendship over winning the match. Cheesy, right? Well, it is, but the show embraces this cheesiness in a way that makes it feel genuine and endearing. What makes Girls und Panzer’s comedy so special is that it’s never afraid to laugh at itself and how preposterous its premise is. Each tank on Ōarai’s side has a team of operators amusingly framed around their unique clique. For example, one team is composed of gamers who approach Sensha-do in a similar way that one approaches a video game. Another team consists of history buffs who romanticize past historical battles and leaders, attempting to emulate them with their hilariously over-the-top antics. Ōarai’s opponents are similarly depicted as caricatures of their respective nations, such as the British team being refined in composure and perpetually drinking tea during the match, or the cocky American team that stoops to utilizing underhanded tactics. The battles contain a fair share of unorthodox stratagems that contribute to this pervasive sense of fun as well. Even when the girls of Ōarai are up against seemingly insurmountable odds, the show never loses touch of its deft sense of humor.

But Girls und Panzer isn’t all fun and tankery. During the time spent away from Sensha-do, the show does attempt to have a few more serious plot lines, which generally yields poor results. The show spends an inordinately long time attempting to set up its admittedly silly plot in a comparatively serious way, and falls flat on its face in doing so. Thankfully, this is only an issue for the first episode and a half, as the show picks up steam once it gets to the Sensha-do tournaments and generally takes itself less seriously. Due to the massive size of the cast, minor conflicts are dismissed almost as soon as they’re introduced. For instance, one minor arc involves a character who gave up the family business of arranging flowers to take up Sensha-do. This is met with harsh disapproval from her family, but is soon after entirely dismissed after her parents watch one of her matches. There isn’t any character development as the result of this, and the parent characters are never seen again in any meaningful context. It only serves as a shallow feel-good moment that slows down the momentum of the show. Most characters, while entertaining enough in the context of the group, are relatively two-bit and characterized solely by their unique quirk when looked at on their own merits. Miho is the only character to receive any real development, and even that plays out in a fairly predictable manner. However, these breaks from tankery only compose a very small fraction of the show. Most of Girls und Panzer’s episodes are dedicated to their engaging tank battles and, provided one is enjoying the ride, it becomes possible to overlook their fleeting, minor flaws in storytelling.

The animation and soundtrack are generally excellent and complement each other appropriately. The soundtrack marches with militaristic tunes that fit well with the action taking place on screen while the tanks are rendered using very detailed CG that looks great in motion. Unfortunately, some of the CG environments during the battles aren’t as well-realized as the tanks are, often appearing flat with repetitive textures. This is most apparent during the earlier episodes, where it’s clear that the production staff had a limited budget; CG heavy scenes are marred by a poor frame rate and the environments are at their worst. Fortunately, this is remedied as the show goes on and, by its final episodes, the show is an absolute delight to look at.

In the end, Girls und Panzer won’t make you re-evaluate the way you view anime or present you with a profound take on life, but what it does do is present a thoroughly entertaining and refreshing variation on the whole “cute girls doing cute things” theme. Despite its flaws, Girls und Panzer’s infectious silliness and engaging battle scenarios should have any viewer plastered with a permanent grin on their face, screaming “Panzer Vor!” for the duration of any given episode. It’s a simple pleasure, but one well worth the time.

Review up to Episode 3


Review for the complete show

Art & Animation: Not much to complain about. The Art is nice to look at, fits the atmosphere of the anime and stays consistent through most of the anime. Only in episode 10 I missed a few minor slip-ups with the background characters, but nothing bad. It stands it's ground as one of the better looking anime of the fall 2012 season.

Sound: Cheerful and Cute opening and ending theme do their job. The soundtrack that was not too outstanding at the beginning improved a lot, thanks to the themes given to the schools. A lot of the themes are marching songs from the countries the schools represent and in case of the russian school both classical music (from Tschaikovsky's Nutcracker) and a wartime song (Katyusha) that's actually sung by the Seiyuus. And speaking of the Seiyuus, they simply do a great job in Girls und Panzer.

Story: Saki with tanks. If you like either, you will probably like the anime. The story itself is predictable as expected and the drama feels forced. That does not have to be a bad thing, but the story is most likely not the reason to watch the anime.

Characters: I have nothing to add to what I said before about them. The huge cast of distinctive and likeable characters is what makes Girls und Panzer a great anime. None of the named characters are forgotten and get their own chances to shine.

Value: Again, nothing much to say. The director did a great job to make the anime fun to watch, despite the problems with the story. Can be rewatched again and again, just for the funny parts and the glorious tanks. There are a lot of historical references to famous persons, events and war tactics, so if you care to look them up, you can even learn something.

Enjoyment: A great show that can easily be enjoyed regardless of age. Well timed jokes, a general over-the-topness and cool tank battles. Even if you don't like tanks, after watching Girls und Panzer you will love them.