Anime Reviews (2010-2019): Girls und Panzer der Film (2015)

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“Girls und Panzer der Film” is highly recommended!

Click here to purchase this Blu-ray on Amazon

TITLE: Girls und Panzer der Film

ANIME FILM RELEASE DATE: 2015

DURATION: 120 Minutes

BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, English and Japanese DTS-HD MA 5.1, Subtitles: English subtitles

COMPANY: Sentai Filmworks

RATING: TV 14 V

Release Date: October 11, 2022

Directed by Mizushima Tsutomu

Series Composition by Yoshida Reiko

Music by Hamaguchi Shiroh

Original Character Design by Shimada Humikane

Character Design by Sugimoto Isao

Art Direction by Iwase Eiji, Katanosaka Goichi, Hane Hirofune, Kataoka Kazumi, Takahashi Shinobu, Honda Toshie

3D Director: Yagino Keiichiro

Anime Production: Actas

Featuring the following voice talent:

Ai Kayano/Jessica Calvello as Takebe Saori

Ikumi Nakagami/Rebekah Stevens as Akiyama Yukari

Mai Fuchigami/Meg McDonald as Nishizumi Miho

Mami Ozaki/Caitlynn French as Isuzu Hana

Yuka Iguchi/Molly Searcy as Reizei Mako

Seto Asami/Amelia Fischer as Kinuyo Nishi

Nakahara Mai/Autumn Woods as Rumi

Fujimura Ayumi/Carolyn Medrano as Megumi

Ishigami Miho/Jenny Strader as Mikko

Noto Mamiko/Lauren Herink as Mika

Shimoji Shino/Melissa Molano as Aki

Iida Yuko/Melissa Pritchett as Azumi

Jenya/Olga Jankowski as Klara

Taketasu Ayana/Shanae’a Moore as Alice Shimada

Takamori Natsumi/Stephanie Wittels as Rosehip

Takeuchi Hitomi/Allison Sumrall as Azusa Suwa

Ally Piotrowski as Orange Pekoe

Nanase Ami/Annie Mai as Hosomi

When the Ministry of Education goes back on its promise to keep Ooarai Girls Academy open, the task of saving the five-mile-long Academy Ship from the wreckers falls to Miho and her barely-seasoned tankery team.

However, things go off track almost immediately. While the Oorai tank crew may have won the high school tournament, they’re now facing a larger and more experienced university team, and if they fail, their armored vehicles will be forfeited! Will they be swapping their tanks for the memories? It’s possible, but winning a tank battle is all about tactics and teamwork, and the fledgling Ooarai students have more friends and allies than anyone suspects. Get ready for another high-caliber round of the only sport where “having a blast” doesn’t necessarily mean you’re having a great time, as the Ooarai team puts everything on the line!

In winter 2012 and spring 2013, the Japanese anime TV series “Girls und Panzer” captivated audiences in Japan for its cute girls who take part in tank battles and utilize tank strategies to take on their more powerful rivals.

Produced by Actas, the series is directed by Tsutomu Mizushima (“Big Windup!”, Genshiken”, “Ichigo 100%”, “xxxHOLic”), series composition by Reiko Yoshida (“Blue Exorcist the Movie”, “Gad Guard”, “Major”, “Kaleido Star”), music by Shiroh Hamaguchi (“Galilei Donna”, “Ah! My Goddess”, “One Piece”), character designs by Isao Sugimoto (“Kemeko Deluxe!”, “Sketchbook ~full color’S~”), art direction by Yutaka Ohishi (“Heaven’s Memo Pad”) and 3D direction by Keiichiro Yagino (“Blassreiter”).

“Girls & Panzer” takes place where various high school academies compete in sensha-do (Tankery) competitions and one of the families that have dominated the Tankery scene are the Nishizumi family.

But for Miho Nishizumi, she has transferred to Oarai Girls Academy because it doesn’t offer Tankery and for her, to get away from it is the best thing she can only hope for. Despite practicing and was involved in Tankery at a previous academy.

And immediately, she makes friends with Saori Takebe, a girl who loves to read women’s magazines on how to attract guys. Also, Hana Isuzu, a refined teenager who practices ikebana (flower arrangement).

But as the group try to find out what club to join for the year, Miho is called by the President, Vice President and PR spokesperson of Oarai High School in regards to their selection for club activities and because of her experience, the president tells Miho that if she doesn’t choose Tankery, she and her friends will be kicked out of Oarai High.

Upset about what the President has said, Miho notices Saori and Hana arguing on her behalf and if anything, she is very happy to have friends behind her. Not wanting to see them kicked out of school because of her, Miho decides to join Tankery if it keeps her and her new friends out of trouble.

But the real reason why the President of the school has put their hopes on Miho to join the Tankery club is because if Oarai Academy does not win the Tankery competition, their school will be closed down.

This formed the basis of the original TV series, and then the OVA in 2014 and leads to this 2015 film.

While I am reviewing this in 2023, it’s important to note that a six-part theatrical animated series began in 2017 but that series takes place after this 2015 animated film titled “Girls und Panzer der Film”, now available on Blu-ray courtesy of Sentai Filmworks.

The film begins with an exhibition match as Oarai Girls Academy joins forces with Chihatan Gakue against St. Gloriana Girls’ College and Prvada Girls High School. With the winner being the latter.

Now despite winning the Tankery competition, student council president Kadotani Anzu said the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology denounced the verbal agreement of keeping Oarai Academy open.

As Anzu and Oarai instructor Chono Ami protest the closure, Miho and Maho’s mother Nishizumi Shiho wants a rematch against Kuromorimine which hopefully would convince the Ministory to sign an agreement that Oarai’s School will reopen if they win the annihilation match against the university team commanded by Shimada Alice.

Having respected Oarai Academy and their win and don’t want to see their school close, Kuromorimine, Saunders, Pravda, St. Gloriana, Anzio Girls’ High School, Keizoku High School, and Chihatan join Oarai to counter the university team’s 30 tanks.

Will they be successful?

VIDEO:

“Girls und Panzer der Film” is presented in 1080p High Definition and I have to say that Actas did a wonderful job with production of this series. From the mechanical designs of the tanks, the focus on the treads and movements of various tanks is very well-done. Character designs for each of the characters, environments of the towns and also each academy which sits on top of a huge ship, everything about this series is colorful, vibrant with beautiful art backgrounds. But I was very pleased of the detail and the research that went into the creation of the tanks and how each tank operates.

I didn’t notice any banding issues or compression during my viewing of the animated film.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

“Girls und Panzer der Film” is presented in Japanese and English DTS-HD MA 5.1. Great use of the surround channels throughout the action-driven scenes of the film. Both soundtracks are well-acted.

Subtitles are in English.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“Girls und Panzer der Film” comes with the Japanese opening and closing themes (clean) and “Girls und Panzer in (about) 3 Minutes”.

“Girls & Panzer” was an enjoyable and delightful animated film about a group of underdogs who enter a Tankery competition and must take on a major university in order to keep their school open.

But this time they have some help with the other high school tankery schools wanting to help Oarai.

One of the things that the series and the OVA, as well as the future film builds is the camaraderie of the tankery schools.

While they are very competitive, they are also friends and respect each other’s game.

And the character designs, the beautiful art backgrounds and mechanical designs looked amazing on Blu-ray. Vibrant colors, plenty of detail and no sign of artifacts or banding. “Girls und Panzer der Film” looked amazing in HD and the lossless soundtrack is fantastic!

Overall, “Girls und Panzer der Film” is definitely worth owning if you enjoyed the animated TV series. But this film’s story is connected to the original TV series and unlike the newer animated films which are a bit short, this one is 120 minutes total. So, there is a lot of action and for the most part, a captivating, action-packed animated film.

“Girls und Panzer der Film” is highly recommended!

Click here to purchase this Blu-ray on Amazon

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